Catholicism in Stillwater, Oklahoma:
As was the case in many parts of the U.S.A. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there was great animosity toward Catholics. The fanaticism was fanned by the Ku Klux Klan, who had a parade down 6th Street in 1917. According to the Churches website, white robed figures rode on horseback carrying a firey cross. Eye witnesses reported it was a chilling sight. Reports are that the original St. Francis Xavier Church provided refuge to others during the tumultuous times.
The second St. Francis Xavier Church was dedicated on March 25, 1951. It was built for $161,000. Father Eric Beevers chose the Roman style with arches that were familiar to him from his native England.
He also selected the saints portrayed in the stained glass windows on the west side of the church under the rose window for the following reasons:
1) St. Gregory the Great because he is one of the great Doctors of the Latin Church
2) St. Benedict, Founder of Monasticism, because the Benedictines had served the parish in the earliest, most difficult days
3) St. Romuald, a holy monk known for his sanctity
4) St Bernard, Doctor of the Church, because of his reverence for learning and study.
These windows remain in the church building and are currently being incorporated into the design for the renovation the building for use by Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma to serve the poor of Payne County.
About Saint Francis Xavier Church in Stillwater, Oklahoma:
As the trend toward ugly churches to continue to reverse itself, a new church here in Stillwater gives us a glimpse of what many of us have missed in the past 40 years or so. Here you will find a Catholic church that looks….Catholic! While we realize that the Mass is the same in any consecrated church, there is a growing desire for churches to be built in a more traditional….and inspiring….style. This is certainly the case here at Saint Francis Xavier Church in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The new building was consecrated in March 2018.
Finding Saint Francis Xavier Church in Stillwater, Oklahoma:
Stillwater is located in northeast Oklahoma and home to the main campus of Oklahoma State University as well as several smaller educational institutions.
Address: 711 N. Country Club Rd. Stillwater, OK 74075
Tel: +1 (405) 372-6886 Fax: +1 (405) 553-1728
Click here for the official website of Saint Francis Xavier Church in Stillwater, Oklahoma:
