The parking lot of St. Alphonsus Liguori “Rock” Catholic Church on North Grand Boulevard was full by 9:30 a.m. last Sunday for the installation service of Rev. Royce M. Thomas, C.Ss.R. So were the surrounding streets. A makeshift parking lot was created in the grass to accommodate the full sanctuary.
“I used to play in this grass fifty years ago,” William “Billy” Doss said as he made his way inside to find a seat.
He hadn’t been to the Rock in a while, but when he saw on Facebook that the parish was welcoming its second Black pastor priest in its 160-year history, he knew he needed to be there. “My brother said that he had been here since last year, but I came anyway because this is important,” Doss said.
The special service included gospel music and praise dancers — nothing new for the Rock.
“You know this is the soulful Catholic Church,” said columnist Mike Jones, whose wife Kathy is a member. “The Baptist Catholic Church.”
The music, the dancing and the atmosphere supported Jones’ statement.
“To all of our first-time guests, please take the joy of the Rock Church back with you,” Geri Mitchell said as she described the significance of the special ceremony that accompanied Mass. “As a faith-filled community, we know that God is always faithful to us. Sending Father Royce to pastor this church is a testament that God not only answers prayers — but it is confirmation that the prayers of the faithful in this community have worked.”
They responded to their answered prayers with overwhelming praise. They clapped, they shouted, they lifted their hands. Not typical for the average Catholic parish, but overwhelmingly appropriate.
Those moments even happened during the message delivered by the soft-spoken Most Reverend Mitchell T. Rozanski, Archbishop of St. Louis.
“My brothers and sisters, this is a historic moment for St. Alphonsus ‘Rock’ Church,” Rozanski said. “We are installing Father Royce Thomas as your pastor. He is responding to God’s call.”
His words were met with an ovation.
Among those standing with applause was Father Maurice Nutt — the church’s first Black priest — overwhelmed with joy at the installation of the second.
“I grew up in this church. This church raised me,” Nutt said. “And I did my best and gave my best service in the nine years I pastored here.”
Father Nutt served as pastor priest from 1993 until 2002. He is currently an adjunct professor of preaching and evangelization and serves as a doctoral thesis adviser in the Doctor of Ministry in Preaching program at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis. He also teaches in Aquinas Institute’s New Frontiers in Preaching Academy for Hispanic and Black Catholics.
“He’s spirit-filled. He’s smart — and he’s a visionary,” Nutt said of Father Thomas. “And I want him to just be used by God. I want him to listen to God and for God to lead him.”
Most Reverend Rozanski spoke of the joy he felt joining the Rock Church on such a historic day — from his first greeting to the moment Father Thomas approached the pulpit to offer a few remarks.
“This is the day that the Lord has made,” Father Thomas said. “Let us rejoice.”
He ushered in a call-and-response from his soulful parishioners.
“God is God,” Father Thomas said. “All the time,” they chanted back.
“I’m so happy and filled with joy to see so many of you here,” Father Thomas said. “And I look forward to seeing all of you here next week.”
The moment of being officially installed moved Father Thomas to song.
“I will lift up mine eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help,” Father Thomas sang.
The choir and band chimed in on cue.
“My help comes from the Lord.”
They sang the Mass to its conclusion — a fitting end for the “soulful Catholics.”
“I’m so happy that we have another Black priest — and I hope we get another one after Father Royce,” Father Nutt said. “But right now there are very few Black priests, so my prayer and my hope is that he stays here a long, long time.”