Best City to Raise Catholic Family

[BlueEyedLady]

About St. Louis, when people think of it, they are most likely talking about THE SUBURBS.

The “crime rate” for St. Louis includes East St Louis, but does not include the suburbs. The stats are way skewed and are not accurate at all.

I have 3 perpetual adoration chapels within 8 minutes of my house. The seminary is packed (they are expanding), there is an extremely vibrant youth ministry all over.

…The crime rate for StL does not include East St. Louis. East St. Louis is a metro east suburb, not part of the city. It is only included in stats that include Brentwood and Clayton.

And it isn’t just East StL that’s dangerous. North County is very dangerous, most notably Florissant. U City is no picnic either. Normandy and the rest of the inner beltway, the Lucas and Hunt neighborhood, Jennings, Soulard and the city itself are all very dangerous. Yes, there are nice areas. Very rich, very nice areas, but there is a lot more bad than good.

What I find the most depressing about the city though is how it is notorious for its racial segregation and the very stark contrast between the way white people and black people live. Yes, every city has that, but StL is statistically the worst. (And even noticeably the worst just by spending a weekend there.)

 

[agapewolf]

…The crime rate for StL does not include East St. Louis. East St. Louis is a metro east suburb, not part of the city. It is only included in stats that include Brentwood and Clayton.

And it isn’t just East StL that’s dangerous. North County is very dangerous, most notably Florissant. U City is no picnic either. Normandy and the rest of the inner beltway, the Lucas and Hunt neighborhood, Jennings, and the city itself are all very dangerous. Yes, there are nice areas. Very rich, very nice areas, but there is a lot more bad than good.

What I find the most depressing about the city though is how it is notorious for its racial segregation and the very stark contrast between the way white people and black people live. Yes, every city has that, but StL is statistically the worst. (And even noticeably the worst just by spending a weekend there.)

THere is no way its a “lot more bad than good”. And yes, E. St. louis IS included in the statistics. I know very well it shouldn’t be, but it is.

There is south city, south county, west county, mid, St. Charles, st. peters, All of these make up way more area and population than what you mention, and lots of those are not very rich. and florrisant is NOT very bad. (Could NOT be “most notably” over north city, or U city).

 

[BlueEyedLady]

THere is no way its a “lot more bad than good”. And yes, E. St. louis IS included in the statistics. I know very well it shouldn’t be, but it is.

There is south city, south county, west county, mid, St. Charles, st. peters, All of these make up way more area and population than what you mention, and lots of those are not very rich. and florrisant is NOT very bad. (Could NOT be “most notably” over north city, or U city).

Are you kidding me? Florissant is one of the worst parts of North County.

When you look at statistics for StL proper East St. Louis is absolutely not included. For the last time east stl is its own city, in a different state. It is its own jurisdiction. It does not refer to the east side of St. Louis. The police departments don’t even record crime in the same way. If you look at statistics for the St. Louis metro area you are looking at stats from about Wentzville to O’Fallon, IL, and yes, that does include East St. Louis, Sauget, Centreville, Caseyville, etc.

 

[SwizzleStick]

…The crime rate for StL does not include East St. Louis. East St. Louis is a metro east suburb, not part of the city. It is only included in stats that include Brentwood and Clayton.

And it isn’t just East StL that’s dangerous. North County is very dangerous, most notably Florissant. U City is no picnic either. Normandy and the rest of the inner beltway, the Lucas and Hunt neighborhood, Jennings, and the city itself are all very dangerous. Yes, there are nice areas. Very rich, very nice areas, but there is a lot more bad than good.

What I find the most depressing about the city though is how it is notorious for its racial segregation and the very stark contrast between the way white people and black people live. Yes, every city has that, but StL is statistically the worst. (And even noticeably the worst just by spending a weekend there.)

Wow, you really dislike St. Louis, don’t you?

…What I find the most depressing about the city though is how it is notorious for its racial segregation and the very stark contrast between the way white people and black people live. Yes, every city has that, but StL is statistically the worst. (And even noticeably the worst just by spending a weekend there.)

So, did you notice that stark contrast by spending a weekend in St. Louis? Does that mean you went to poorer as well as more affluent neighborhoods to see the difference between how people live?

 

[SwizzleStick]

THere is no way its a “lot more bad than good”. And yes, E. St. louis IS included in the statistics. I know very well it shouldn’t be, but it is.

There is south city, south county, west county, mid, St. Charles, st. peters, All of these make up way more area and population than what you mention, and lots of those are not very rich. and florrisant is NOT very bad. (Could NOT be “most notably” over north city, or U city).

While I agree that the city of St. Louis has a lot of unsafe areas, the community of St. Louis and surrounding suburbs are nice and have a lot of areas that are just fine. The areas you listed, south city, south county, west county, mid county and the cities you mentioned in St. Charles County (St. Charles, St. Peters) are nice, safe areas to raise a family. There are pockets of affluence in St. Louis (Ladue, Clayton), but there are many nice middle-class neighborhoods too. The more dangerous neighborhoods are in the actual city of St. Louis.

 

[agapewolf]

While I agree that the city of St. Louis has a lot of unsafe areas, the community of St. Louis and surrounding suburbs are nice and have a lot of areas that are just fine. The areas you listed, south city, south county, west county, mid county and the cities you mentioned in St. Charles County (St. Charles, St. Peters) are nice, safe areas to raise a family. There are pockets of affluence in St. Louis (Ladue, Clayton), but there are many nice middle-class neighborhoods too. The more dangerous neighborhoods, are in the actual city of St. Louis.

Also, a great many catholic NFP-only docs…

You know…all you have to do is listen to what Dolan said this week about St. Louis.

He made a joke about getting a red hat— and put on a Cardinal hat. A BASEBALL cap that is.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Wow, you really dislike St. Louis, don’t you?

So, did you notice that stark contrast by spending a weekend in St. Louis? Does that mean you went to poorer as well as more affluent neighborhoods to see the difference between how people live?

I saw the stark contrast by graduating from UMSL, living in Maryland Heights, and managing properties all throughout the area.

 

[SwizzleStick]

Also, a great many catholic NFP-only docs…

You know…all you have to do is listen to what Dolan said this week about St. Louis.

He made a joke about getting a red hat— and put on a Cardinal hat. A BASEBALL cap that is.

I love my NFP doc! He is wonderful! And, I’m so glad that some younger docs are joining him to practice in the area!

Yes, I listened to Cardinal Dolan’s homily at the Review site. I still plan to watch the Mass at the site too, but I haven’t had the chance to do that yet. I was at the Cathedral the same day for Confirmation, but it was after Cardinal Dolan celebrated his Mass of thanksgiving (Confirmation was bumped to later in the evening to accomodate his Mass), so I didn’t get to see him. He is so funny and such a good and holy man, and it was so wonderful that we had one of our own back home to visit!

 

[mandajane]

I grew up in St. Charles, and I want to reiterate how AMAZING it is for a catholic family.

 

[SwizzleStick]

I saw the stark contrast by graduating from UMSL, living in Maryland Heights, and managing properties all throughout the area.

Okay, got it. You mentioned “even noticeably the worst just by spending a weekend there,” so I thought you saw the contrast between the best of the city and the worst on a weekend visit.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Wow, you really dislike St. Louis, don’t you?

I love StL! The only reason I left was because I didn’t want my kids to grow up there. But I have no illusions about it. It is every bit as bad as the numbers indicate. It can be a great place to live, but you have to go in to it with a firm understanding of what you’re getting in to and you have to be prepared for it.

I love the people that I know there, I hold UMSL in very high regard, some of the best bars and restaurants I’ve ever been to are there, and it really does have a rich history and culture.

But I am aware of and honest about its problems. I spent a lot of my time there working and volunteering to make it better. And I hope that one day it turns around.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Okay, got it. You mentioned “even noticeably the worst just by spending a weekend there,” so I thought you saw the contrast between the best of the city and the worst on a weekend visit.

No, but my mom did. The first time she came to visit me she was shocked.

 

[Megan7]

Look for catholic schools which have daily mass or mass several times per week for the kids. Weekday masses at school are usually only 35 minutes. Some parents think this much mass is too much, but when you start them early, the holiness grows on them, with them, and in them. Is there such a thing as too much peace and solemnity?

Like minded people want to keep their kids innocent longer. We all know what will happen eventually, but the later, the better.

Those enslaved into liberal lifestyles, i.e. the slums, are miles away and isolated. I wish I could help them, but they keep voting for more, then they wonder why these conditions are becoming more widespread, now sprawling into the white suburbs. We shouldn’t need to pay private school tuition in order to escape from the effects of the liberal machine, but that’s the cold hard reality.

Thanks so much for your kind message!

I think daily Mass is important too. I have seen children that were taken daily, then they moved to another place & stopped, and the difference is obvious

After reading so many posts on the family thread, of problems with children who go to private schools, who are homeschooled, etc. It saddens me so much And it seems that problems can happen no matter what. However, I think daily devotions to Mass, prayers, and similar friends help to keep them holy a bit longer And I do not even want to look at cases where they have gone to public schools in a liberal city

I am always curious when I see several vocations in a family, what did they do that was different, how did those children survive this horrible culture in which we live in ?
What is the recipe?

Thanks for your help,

God Bless,

PAX

 

[Megan7]

To answer your questions about the Lincoln and Omaha area I can give a brief run down. The Omaha diocese is a little more liberal but not bad. The Lincoln diocese is know to be more traditional. Bishop Bruskewitz of the Lincoln diocese is great but he is about to retire. Omaha has a lot more night life but the bad areas of Lincoln are safer than some of the nicer areas in many cities. Lincoln is a smaller city (maybe 250k) but feels even smaller.

Hi Hat,

Thanks for your post!

I do not know much about when a new Bishop gets assigned Do you all know who
you will be getting once Bishop Bruskewitz retires?

When is he supposed to be retiring, what year?

I am assuming that Bishop Bruskewitz has been supportive of the FSSP Seminary
& FSSP parishes, right?

Does that mean you will get someone similar, along the same thinking?

I was wondering if you have heard of many families homeschooling there?

Do you have a large Latin Mass community?

Thanks so much,

God Bless,

PAX,

Megan

 

[SwizzleStick]

I grew up in St. Charles, and I want to reiterate how AMAZING it is for a catholic family.

I grew up in the area and most of my family still live there. It is very Catholic and a wonderful place to raise a family. It has changed a lot since I was a kid as far as population and development, so it is much less rural now, but I have family in several of the parishes out there and they are good, traditional parishes (with beautiful old Churches and also new Churches too) and communities with very solid Catholic identities.

St. Theodore in Flint Hill, St. Patrick in Wentzville, Immaculate Heart of Mary in New Melle, St. Paul in St. Paul, Assumption in O’Fallon, Immaculate Conception in Dardenne Prairie, Immaculate Conception in Old Monroe, St. Joseph in Josephville are all great parishes,

 

[Kenny_Kamel]

Here’s a similar thread I posted in that might help:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=446072

 

[mama2mrs]

Near Ave Maria University in Florida.

 

[Hat4]

Hi Hat,

Thanks for your post!

I do not know much about when a new Bishop gets assigned Do you all know who
you will be getting once Bishop Bruskewitz retires?

When is he supposed to be retiring, what year?

I am assuming that Bishop Bruskewitz has been supportive of the FSSP Seminary
& FSSP parishes, right?

Does that mean you will get someone similar, along the same thinking?

I was wondering if you have heard of many families homeschooling there?

Do you have a large Latin Mass community?

Thanks so much,

God Bless,

PAX,

Megan

We don’t know who will be the replacement Bishop but we’re hoping for a good one. I wouldn’t say we have a large Latin Mass community, I only Latin Mass I know of is St. Francis.

 

[Newsy]

I grew up in the area and most of my family still live there. It is very Catholic and a wonderful place to raise a family. It has changed a lot since I was a kid as far as population and development, so it is much less rural now, but I have family in several of the parishes out there and they are good, traditional parishes (with beautiful old Churches and also new Churches too) and communities with very solid Catholic identities.

St. Theodore in Flint Hill, St. Patrick in Wentzville, Immaculate Heart of Mary in New Melle, St. Paul in St. Paul, Assumption in O’Fallon, Immaculate Conception in Dardenne Prairie, Immaculate Conception in Old Monroe, St. Joseph in Josephville are all great parishes,

From my experience, limited as it is, one parish on your list is very vibrant, but appears very liberal/modern. I attended a conference at the parish and it was wonderful. My wife and I stayed for Mass and were very uncomfortable. Very fast paced, very little genuflecting, rather noisy before Mass, it just didn’t seem as focused as most other Masses I have attended. I guess we each see things in a different way.

Sorry, not trying to bash your list.

 

[SwizzleStick]

From my experience, limited as it is, one parish on your list is very vibrant, but appears very liberal/modern. I attended a conference at the parish and it was wonderful. My wife and I stayed for Mass and were very uncomfortable. Very fast paced, very little genuflecting, rather noisy before Mass, it just didn’t seem as focused as most other Masses I have attended. I guess we each see things in a different way.

Sorry, not trying to bash your list.

Really? I am very surprised and so sorry to hear that. I guess the influx of population changes things. Was the actual Mass traditional? Do you mean people didn’t genuflect at their pews when arriving and leaving? You mentioned people being noisy before but were they also noisy during Mass? Was it generally irreverant?

Can you PM me which Church so I can ask about Masses these days? Maybe it was an unusual occurence. I hope so. I’d hate to think that any of these Churches may have changed so much from when I was growing up.