Options being considered for closed St. Louis Church

A Downtown Catholic church was closed at the end of 2020, and plans for the property are unclear.

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati is looking at options for what to do with St. Louis Catholic Church, said Jennifer Schack, the archdiocese's director of media relations in an email response to The Enquirer.

The church at 29 E. Eighth St., was closed on Dec. 31, 2020, the date of the last Mass, Schack said.

St. Louis is no longer open for any sacraments or prayer, she said.

Since the closure, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains has been providing for the needs of those who would have attended St. Louis, Schack said.

It was determined the spiritual needs of people attending St. Louis could be met by St. Peter in Chains, Schack said.

The decision to close was made in consultation with the Presbyterial Council, she said. People who attended St. Louis were notified before the closure, Schack said.

A call to St. Louis' still active phone line connects to a voice recording stating the church has permanently closed. The phone recording states the church is no longer available for weddings.

"Thank you for the support over the years at St. Louis Church," says the person on the recording. "Have a blessed day."

The first Mass at the church was said on Sunday, March 2, 1930, after the church was opened, according to a Cincinnati Enquirer article from the period. The existing structure replaced a prior church on the same spot that had stood since the late 1840s, according to more Enquirer reporting.