Steeple is pulling away from 'Cathedral of the South Side'

The old St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, with its renowned 300-foot steeple, has long been called the "Cathedral of the South Side" in recognition of its prominence on Gravois Avenue at Ohio Avenue.

The steeple at the neo-Gothic church is slowly twisting and pulling away from the rest of the building. Years of rain, ice and snow have gradually eroded the steeple's foundation.

In July, St. Francis de Sales became an oratory, or site for traditional Latin Masses, for the St. Louis Archdiocese. [Fr. Karl] Lenhardt was assigned to the church as a sovereign priest of the Institute of Christ the King, which focuses on keeping alive the Latin Rite traditions in the Roman Catholic Church.

...the steeple can be stabilized by drilling a new, deeper foundation for the structure well down into bedrock.

But this costs several hundred thousand dollars...Continued...