More than 10 years ago, Holy Rosary Catholic Church, which included a school, rectory and convent, merged with nearby St. Elizabeth to form a larger, stronger parish that remains predominantly black.
It left behind its north St. Louis campus, which set empty for two years before it was purchased by the Joyce Meyers Ministries, which established the St. Louis Dream Center.
“There are loads of people and loads of cars there all the time,” said Joe Wiley, a former Holy Rosary member, parochial administrator and St. Elizabeth member.
“The place looks good, they had a beautiful Christmas display two years ago.
On Sunday, the Dream Center’s outing to Castlewood State Park in St. Louis County ended horribly.
Five youths, all under the age of 17 drowned in the Meremec River amidst terror and confusion.
Dead are Deandra Sherman, 16 of the 4800 block of Anderson, and Bryant Barnes, 10; Ryan Mason, 14; Dana Johnson, 13; and Damon Johnson, 17, all of the 4800 block of Margaretta
Like the former Parish, the majority of Dream Center’s congregation is black.
On Tuesday, the former rapper Synista, who has been born again and now performs as Mynista, was scheduled to perform a concert at the center.
