Cleveland Mass Mob XIX — Saint Augustine

Cleveland Mass Mob XIX

 Saint Augustine

10 a.m. Sunday 22 November 2015

2486 West 14th Street

Saint  Augustine began just before the War for the Preservation of the Union. In 1860 it was a mission church, parish status came after the war in 1867. The original church building, though expanded was still too small. In contrast to recent history, a former Protestant church was converted for Catholic use, the old Pilgrim Congregational Church (then called Jennings Road Congregational) begun in 1865 became Saint  Augustine's in 1896. The negotiations for sale and purchase took some time, for the trustees and membership, and neighboring Protestant churches did not want to sell to Catholics. Originally the church had a steeple, it was destroyed by lightning and a resultant fire in December of 1918.

St. Augustine c.1896-1918

The old South Side (Tremont) suffered during the Great Depression, as did much of the country. After WWII many people moved to larger homes elsewhere, and the construction of highways further de-populated the area.

Christ of the Breadlines (after Fritz Eichenberg), in the basement dining room

In the 1960s a Spanish Language Liturgy was offered. That ministry eventually came to St. Michael's. Since then, St. Augustine's has become the ministry for the deaf community, the blind community, and welcomes all with any problems physical, mental, and spiritual. Its hunger center is noticed by the local television stations each Thanksgiving and Christmas. There has been a generation of new reporters to Cleveland that have come for the annual stories, but people are fed every day. St. Augustine's is known nationally for its good works, and help is always needed. The Nuns on the Bus tour stopped by in June 2012 to speak for "faith, family, and fairness" as elements to consider in the federal budget.

June 26th 2012