ANYONE WHO HAS VISITED THE CAMPUS OF ST. FRANCIS DE SALES ORATORY HAS SURELY BEEN IMPRESSED BY ITS SIZE.

In addition to the main church building there is a rectory, convent, grade school, high school, and gymnasium.  The maintenance of all these structures has been entrusted by the Archdiocese to the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.  Therefore, it is imperative that our ongoing restoration efforts take into mind the entire campus and not just one or two of its buildings.

Recently, a local St. Louis roofing company completed a large roof replacement over the original convent building.  One of the oldest buildings still standing on the property, the convent was the primary living quarters for the sisters that served the school years ago.  Investigations a year ago revealed an old slate roof that had served well for many years, but was in immediate need of repair.  The slates literally crumbled in the hands of anyone who picked them up.

As the Oratory uses this building for housing priests and oblates for their yearly retreats and for occasional overflow guests it was necessary to act quickly.  Work began around Christmas 2019 and just finished up in March of 2020.  All the old slates were removed and replaced with new ones matching the beauty of their predecessors. In addition, copper flashing was used to finish out the ridges and other details.  This roof should last another 100 years!

We thank all of those who helped make this renovation a success and encourage those interested in our work to donate so that we can continue the many upgrades and restorations still needed throughout the campus.