Chapter Sixteen
Saint Augustine
Roman Catholic Church

By James Wudarczyk

In 1976 Saint Augustine parish celebrated the diamond anniversary of their present edifice, an imposing visual asset to the community that stands at the corner of 37th and Bandera Streets. This magnificent structure is a testimony to the ambition of German immigrants, who sacrificed, and to the generosity of the Frauenheim family, who donated $100.000 toward the project. Although the present structured was completed in 1901, the history of the parish dates back to 1861. Two years following organizational efforts, a church was constructed on the corner of 37th and Butler Streets. This earlier structure was razed in the early 1950’s to make way for a girl’s high school.

Faced with the problem of extensive renovations to the 1863 church, Father Charles Spechert, O. F.M., Capuchin, was moved by the generosity of Mrs. Mary Regina Frauenheim, to consider the building of a new shrine. Approximately eighteen houses were purchased between 36th and 37th Streets and along Bandera Street at a cost of nearly $50,000.

Since it was hoped that the new edifice would outlast many generations with dignity and stability, Saint Benno’s Church in Munich was chosen as a model for the new Saint Augustine’s. John T. Comes, a member of the firm of Rutan and Russell, is credited with having put the church sketches into final form. Designed in the Romanesque style and built in brick and terra cotta, the project was started in 1899 and completed in 1901. James Van Trump and Arthur Ziegler point out, “Comes was probably chiefly responsible for this design and it is certainly related to work that he did later when he became the chief ecclesiastical Roman Catholic architect in the Pittsburgh area. Certainly Saint Augustine’s bears little relation to the rest of the work emanating from the Rutan and Russell office at this time. This building with its two towers and octagonal dome, recalls not only Italian Romanesque sources but also the Romanesque churches of the Rhineland.” The contract for construction of the new church was awarded to William Miller and Sons at the original consideration of $104,098. Excavating began on July 12, 1899. On October 23, 1899, Bishop Phelan dedicated the cornerstone, which weighed one and one-half tons. The cornerstone came from Cleveland and prepared by James Stehl. Bishop Phelan was assisted by a large number of diocesan and Capuchin clergy. This event was said to have drawn as many as five thousand people.

Windows were placed in the church on October 20, 1900, and by November the twin towers, reaching a height of one hundred forty-eight feet were ready to receive the four bells. In a solemn procession on November 29, 1900, the bells were moved from the Chaplin and Fulton Foundry on First Street, where the bells were cast, toward their ultimate destination in Lawrenceville. The air vibrated with jubilation as the bells of the churches of Saint Philomena and Saint Stanislaus peeled out a joyous welcome as the parade passed. The bells were named in honor of Saint George (weighs five thousand pounds), Saint Joseph (eighteen hundred pounds), Saint Mary (three thousand pounds), and Saint Raphael (the smallest, weighs seven hundred pounds). On December 2, 1900, Father Hyacinth Epp, the Provincial of the Capuchin Order, assisted by Father Joseph Anthony and Father Gabriel Spaeth, solemnly blessed the bells, only to learn a short time later that the Saint George bell had an imperfect tone and had to be recast. Later Father Charles Spechert privately blessed the bell before it was placed in the tower.

There is no doubt that the interior and the exterior of this Romanesque shrine are among the most elegant in the city. From the simple beauty of the twin towers, this structure is built in the form of a cross and is trimmed with terra cotta with a cast of Christ, as King and Judge of mankind, with the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Francis kneeling at each side, and a twelve-foot high statue of the church’s patron above the forty feet wide steps that lead to the entrance of the church. Upon entering the church, one is breathless in the sheer ecstasy of its beauty with side naves rising to the height of twenty-nine feet and a sanctuary that ascends fifty-eight feet. The church measures a total of one hundred forty-five feet, with the sanctuary occupying thirty-two feet. The grand main altar and four side altars are works of magnificent artistic beauty that were carved by Brothers Eleutherius, Hilarion, and Elzear, who designed these altars for the old church. Since having been moved to the present structure, the altars have been redecorated in a blending white. Depending upon the time of the liturgical year, a large statue of the resurrected Christ is the main feature of the center altar, while statues of the deacon Saint Lawrence and Tobias with the Archangel Raphael adorns each side of the center crucifix. Four other hand-carved altars are dedicated to the Blessed Mother, Saint Joseph, Saint Francis, and Saint Anthony.

The church also houses a ninety-four feet long altar railing made of pure Pavanazzo and Cerrera marble. Frescoes by the renowned New York artist, Arthur Thomas, portray Saints Jerome, Gregory the Great, Ambrose, and Albert the Great. Other paintings depict Old and New Testament scenes and symbols pertinent to Catholic tradition.

Of particular note in the church is the Saint Anthony chapel with the walls and ceiling frescoed in 1913, which depict the life of Saint Francis. Intended for private devotion, the marble altar contains a mosaic of Saint Anthony, which was created in a renowned Art Studio in Venice, while on either side of the shrine in a reliquary containing numerous rare, sacred relics of the saints. (For more information relating to the art and architecture of the edifice, refer to “Towers of Faith” on the Lawrenceville Historical Society website).

The early history of the parish deserves attention. Born on August 19, 1830, in Weissenhorn, Bavaria, Father George Kircher, came to America in the early part of 1860, and was appointed pastor of Holy Trinity in Riceville. A notice of April 17, 1861, in the announcement book of Saint Philomena’s revealed, “The Reverend pastor of Riceville asks us to announce that the Catholics of Lawrenceville will meet this evening at five o’clock.” Father Kircher presided over this meeting and the next fourteen until June 15, 1862. Early in July 1861, a petition signed by one hundred persons asked the bishop for permission to build a church for the German Catholics. Among the early founders of the parish were August Hoeveler, Gabriel Weisser, Xavier Burkhardt, Alexander Wirth, Louis Unverzagt, and Landelin Vogel. The early congregation was very insistent upon having a German priest and instructions in the German language. They agreed to turn the deed for parish property over to Bishop Domenec with the provision: “That he, the Right Reverend Michael…shall hold the said lot or piece of ground for the use and benefit of a Roman Catholic congregation and shall keep on said lot or piece of ground a R. C. Church, schoolhouse and pastoral residence whenever the means for erecting and keeping the same shall be supplied him or them by the said congregation and also on the following condition to wit: that so long as and at any time the German Catholics of said congregation can supply their own pastor they may have instructions in the German language.”

In January 1862, a school was constructed in the vicinity of 37th Street. It housed some eighty students in four grades taught by Mr. John Kraus, who instructed the pupils in catechism, Bible history, reading, writing, arithmetic, spelling, singing, grammar, and letter writing. Although reading and writing were also taught in English, all other subjects were taught in German. Students were accessed fifty cents per month for the support of the school.

The original estimate for the first church was $9,875.00, but the actual cost for the construction of the edifice rose to $26,000.00. On June 22, 1862, the cornerstone was laid, with the Very Reverend E. McMahon, Vicar General, presiding. Father John Stibiel, pastor of Saint Mary’s in Allegheny (presently the North Side of Pittsburgh), delivered the discourse in German.

The first resident pastor of Saint Augustine was Father Philip Franz Schmidt, who used his ten-month pastorate to continue the work started by Father Kircher. He added pews and windows to the church. Poor health inhibited him from doing more for the new parish.

It was under the administration of Father John Nepomucene Tamchina that the church was blessed on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1863. On December 5, 1863, The Pittsburgh Catholic, carried an account of the dedication which stated that the Most Reverend Michael Domenec performed the ceremony, with a High mass offered by Reverend J. Tamchina, who was a assisted by Reverend J. M. Bierl as deacon, and Reverend A. Gibbs as sub-deacon. The account further stated that after Mass, the bishop made a few remarks in English and reverend Bierl preached in German, and some ten beneficial societies from Pittsburgh and Allegheny assisted in solemn procession.

The early church, which measured 100 feet in length, 50 feet in width, and 30 feet in height, was built of red brick in the Romanesque style with a tower, serving as a vestibule, rising to a height of 150 feet. Eighty pews, made by John Lamkemeye at a cost of $580.00, gave the church a seating capacity of 650. At the time of the dedication of the edifice, the church was lacking in furnishings, but through the efforts of Father Tamchina a new altar was installed. Cost of the altar was $687.00, and the blessing took place on August 28, 1864. Later a pulpit and an organ built by A. Pomplitz of Baltimore were installed, as were oil paintings of the Stations of the Cross. The organ, which cost $2,500.00 had twenty stops and was considered to be the best organ in the vicinity.

By 1864 the school had 207 students enrolled and a staff of three teachers. Four years later the school was enlarged in order to accommodate a student population of 265. On February 16, 1894, the Clipper, a local newspaper, wrote, “In 1888 the new school house on Thirty-seventh was erected at a cost of $45,000.00. It is one of the most complete buildings of its kind in the city, if not in the western part of the state. It contains 12 spacious school rooms, four additional rooms in the basement. The main entrance is on Thirty-seventh Street. The doors lead into a spacious vestibule or hall, and wide stairways lead upon either side, to the second floor. The building is handsomely finished throughout; it is heated by steam and had every required equipment for schoolwork. The following gentlemen served on the building committee: A. Schillo, P. Kirner, L. Krekeler, A. Frauenheim, William A. Heyl. Moeser was the architect and George Nickel the contractor.

It was not until 1873 that the Lawrenceville church became the home of the Capuchin friars; a religious order that to this day is active in the spiritual and temporal life of the community. Eventually, the Franciscan fathers extended their ministry to include serving as chaplains for Saint Francis Hospital.

Long before its merger with other area parishes, Saint Augustine lost much of its membership, and German had long ceased to be used in worship or fraternal societies. The neighborhood lost much of its European character with the demolition of the 1899 monastery and the razing of the 1888 school.