St. Leo the Great Mission Church — Ava, MO
St. Leo the Great Mission Church — Ava, MO. (Photos by G. Eckl)
Phone: (417) 683-5249
Email: stleoschurchava@gmail.com
Website: https://saint-leo-church.business.site/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=referral
Address: RR 6 Box 6700 Ava, MO 65608
Mailing address: St. Leo the Great Mission Church, RR 6 Box 6700, Ava, MO 65608-9678
Pastor: The Very Rev. Leo Arockiasamy, HGN, frleoarock@gmail.com
Parochial Vicar: Fr. Thomas Dharelli, HGN, thomasdharelli@gmail.com
CRE: B. J. Sterling
Attended from Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Mansfield, MO
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History
The Catholic community in Ava traces its history to 1935 when Mass was celebrated once a year for four Catholic families in the Baumgardner home by priests from St. Joseph’s Church in Springfield and Mountain Grove. St. Leo the Great became an established mission in 1940. A Church was built in 1958 with help from the Extension Society and the St. Leo Council of the Knights of Columbus of Chicago. In 1980 the church was remodeled and a social hall and classrooms were added.
With the help of the Oblate Fathers and the Extension Society, a rectory was completed in 1982. In 1991 the old windows were replaced with beautiful stained-glass windows and skylights were added. In 1995 a bequeathal paid for more classrooms and a meeting room library