Saint Peter the Apostle Catholic Church | Joplin MO

Foreword

St. Peter’s Parish has a rich history of faith, endurance, and service to God. It was faith and the desire for the Sacraments that moved a handful of Catholics in a rough and tumble mining town to get together and seek out a priest to come here for Mass and other Sacraments that they had been unable to receive since leaving their respective homes to make new lives here. The answer to their prayers came in the form of a missioner from the Osage Indian Mission, now St. Paul, Kansas, who came here at least once a month to provide the services for which they yearned. At first, they attended Mass in the Antoine Chatelle home in East Joplin and later as the Catholic population increased, a lodge room above a saloon was converted into a temporary church on Sundays. Then with the blessing of the Archbishop of St. Louis, they built their first church and became a parish in 1877.

Through the years, the parishioners endured tests to their faith, such as a period of anti-Catholic harassment by the Ku Klux Klan, the sadness and trials of two world wars, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War, and even survived a few internal fusses among parishioners. Throughout the 125 years, members of the St. Peter’s family have willingly and enthusiastically contributed to the social welfare of the community.

In fulfilling service to God, the parishioners are led by the Holy Spirit to further our faith community, as declared in the parish mission: “Through prayer and action, we proclaim the Word of God and live out the message and mission of Jesus Christ to know, love and serve others.”