Our History

In 1896, the cornerstone was laid for the first St. Lawrence Church and School. The hard working Germans who built St. Lawrence School wanted to give their children a good education and pass on their faith, providing for what their children were going to need both in this world and for eternal life.

More than 100 households, mainly from St. Boniface, and about 20 from St. Mary’s were our early parishioners attracted to employment at the Monon Railroad shop yards that moved from New Albany to Lafayette’s Linwood annex in 1895.

The Franciscan Fathers of the Province of St. John the Baptist of Cincinnati, Ohio were given the charge of founding the parish of St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr.  It was decided to erect a building that would serve as chapel, school, and residence for teachers and pastors until the congregation could build a suitable rectory.

Our free parochial school, supported by a school society to which every parishioner belonged, opened in September 1896 with Franciscan Sisters teaching its eight grades.  The number of parishioners continued to increase as the Monon Shops were completed.  Additional property was purchased and a rectory was constructed and a house was purchased for the Sisters of St. Francis, who also served the parish as teachers.  Efforts were made to provide for the religious instruction of the children living in rural areas.

Bishop Herman Alerding dedicated St. Lawrence Church on June 17, 1923.  The Romanesque brick and stone church that seats 475 succeeded the 350-seating capacity church and school edifice that Bishop Joseph Rademacher dedicated on November 8, 1896.