St. Alphonsus Liguori "Rock" Church, Saint Louis

Saint Alphonsus Liguori "Rock" Catholic Church is a historic Black Catholic church located in Saint Louis. The church is a beautiful example of Gothic Revival architecture, featuring a towering steeple, flanking spires, and an assortment of stained glass windows. The church's design is attributed to the Rev. Louis Dold, C.Ss.R., working with Saint Louis architects Thomas Waryng Walsh and James Smith.

The church was established in 1861, when Saint Louis Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick invited the Redemptorists, a missionary congregation founded by Saint Alphonsus Ligouri in 1732, to establish a permanent presence in the city. The Redemptorists accepted the invitation and lived in temporary housing until 1866, when they bought 3.5 acres of land at Grand and Cook Avenues. Ground was broken on May 1, 1867, and the cornerstone was laid on November 3 of the same year by the Rev. Joseph Melchers, the vicar general of the archdiocese. Construction on the church continued until 1872, and Archbishop Patrick J. Ryan dedicated the church that year. The church's spire, which reaches 237 feet, was completed in 1893.

The church has a rich history and has had many notable visitors. In 1866, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos visited while on a missionary preaching trip a year before his death. Venerable Augustus Tolton, the first African-American Catholic priest, said Mass for the School Sisters of Notre Dame in the convent’s chapel in 1887.

The church has grown over the years to become a predominantly African-American church. In 1881, it became a parish of the Archdiocese of Saint Louis, although it remained under the pastoral care of the Redemptorists. The Redemptorists' Saint Louis Province was headquartered in the residence from its founding until the mid-20th century.

The church has faced some challenges in recent years. In 2007, the church was struck by lightning, which caused a fire that damaged the roof and led to water damage when the fire was put out. Repairs were carried out in the fall of 2007, and the church reopened in the spring of 2009. In April 2022, the church experienced a notable theft when its air conditioning units were stolen.