History
St. Augustine Parish - Memphis was created at 903 Walker for area "colored" Catholics, by Bishop Adrian of Nashville in 1937, and placed under the pastoral direction of the Franciscan Friars of the Sacred Heart Province and Fr. Bertrand Koch, O.F.M.
The parish name and location was changed to St. Thomas Parish, Trigg and Lauderdale, in the mid-1960's. At that time, the church membership was active in the Civil Rights Movement and under the leadership of the late Archbishop James P. Lyke, O.F.M. The name of the parish changed back to St. Augustine in 1988, when it moved to its current location at 1169 Kerr Avenue under the leadership of Fr, Carroll Mizicko, and continued in the care of the Franciscans. A marker was placed at the Trigg and Lauderdale site, June 24, 1998 in memory of Archbishop Lyke. St. Augustine parish was put under the pastoral care of the Paulist Fathers in September 2002 and a residence for Paulists, missioned in Memphis, was opened in 2003. Caring for the community started under the Franciscans and continued with the commitment to social justice, under the leadership of the Paulist Pastor and Preacher, Father John J. Geaney, CSP, until 2010, and followed by Paulist Pastor Robert Carey, CSP until 2013. In 2013, Father Tony Clark from the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) was appointed as pastor of St. Augustine Church. The Society of the Divine Word is the world's largest Roman Catholic order of priests and brothers who focus on missionary work. Fr. Tony passed away after a brief illness on May 18, 2016. Fr. Francis Chiawa was installed as pastor at St. Augustine in December of 2017 and served the faithful until June, 2023. In July, 2023, Father Stephan Brown from the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) became the pastor of St. Augustine Church. With more than 85 years history as a Black Catholic Church, St. Augustine Catholic Church continues to grow spiritually and is primed to do more for the Lord and his people. If you are a member of St. Augustine and you're not involved, please review the online descriptions of our Ministries and Organizations. Talk to the leaders of the organizations and learn more about the groups' focus areas. At St. Augustine there is something for everyone. Find that special something that you are passionate about and do it. The foundation is laid. The opportunity is now. Join us as we journey with our Faith, in the tradition of our ancestors. |