St. Bridget Parish: An enduring example of good stewardship

By Bridget Locke | Photos by Megan Marley

Last October — with Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr. presiding at Mass, as well as current Pastor Father Curt Vogel and several former pastors serving as concelebrants — parishioners and well-wishers gathered to commemorate the sesquicentennial anniversary of St. Bridget Parish in Pleasant Hill, Mo. Clearly, a 150-year legacy provides reason enough to celebrate; the number alone demonstrates longevity and tenacity. But a deeper dive into history uncovers more meaningful inspiration. Many acts of faith, hope and charity can unfold over a span of 54,750 days.

St. Bridget Parish in Pleasant Hill, MO, circa 2021.

Mission and motivation

The St. Bridget Parish story started in 1867, when Cass County, Mo., Catholic families — mostly Irish railroad workers — gathered monthly to celebrate Mass in one another’s homes. Eventually, they desired a church in which to worship, so the men of their community consulted with Archbishop Peter Kenrick of the Archdiocese of St. Louis (where Cass County was then located) and requested that he purchase land for a structure. He obliged, and on May 13, 1868, the mission of the church was canonically established.

Construction commenced at South Jeffreys and Locust streets in Pleasant Hill and was completed in 1870. As the families stood witness in 1871, Bishop John J. Hogan of the Diocese of St. Joseph dedicated the church to Saint Bridget of Ireland (also known as Saint Bridget of Kildare). Saint Bridget, one of Ireland’s three major patron saints, was renowned for her leadership of the Irish people, generosity and devoted life of prayer and service to the Church.

St. Bridget stands guard over the sanctuary of the church named after her in Pleasant Hill, MO.

The original church structure burned down in 1880, but this setback only strengthened the families’ motivation. They constructed and furnished a new brick building. In 1885, Bishop Hogan dedicated the new church.

Steadfast stewardship

Upgrades continued beyond the fire, and happened more frequently as years progressed. Particularly since the 1930s, parishioners have donated time, talent, pews, property, stateof-the-art instruments, substantial financial support and so much more. Remarkably, St. Bridget Parish has no substantial debt today. When the mortgage was paid off in 2017, parishioners declined to take on large-scale projects or hire more staff. Instead, they opted to save for a rainy-day fund and make improvements as needed and could be afforded.

The interior of St. Bridget Parish today.

Father Vogel, raised in Pleasant Hill and now serving as pastor of his home parish, recognizes this spirit of good stewardship from the past as well as the present.

“When I was young and Father expressed a need, St. Bridget’s parishioners simply did what was asked of them. As pastor, I have experienced the same. While I know this spirit of giving isn’t unique to us, I recognize how fortunate we are that people continue to step up.”

In his homily commemorating the parish’s anniversary, former pastor Monsignor Offutt similarly emphasized the importance of the parishioners: “That’s the glory of this place. The gospel preached and the gospel lived ... people who had Jesus Christ so deep under their skin that they brought the Lord into every room they entered. For 150 years, St. Bridget [Parish] has been the seat and the scene of people who learned and taught what it means to be genuinely great and truly important.”

When asked to offer thoughts about his (or any) parish’s key to longevity and good stewardship, Father Vogel carefully noted that devotion extends beyond financial support. Everyone all in, he said. Share what you have as expressions of your love for God — and do so proactively.

“When priests make a plea, heed the call. But you don’t have to wait. Step out and ask what’s needed. Offering to help with RCIA, confirmation, any need ... It’s all meaningful. Many Catholics want thriving parishes — something grand, in the solemn sense, because they want an atmosphere that helps them to encounter God. The Church needs people to give generously so that thriving parishes are possible.”

Learn more about St. Bridget Catholic Church at stbridgetph.weconnect.com