In the 1830's settlers came to the Springfield area to escape crowded cities, lured by plentiful natural resources and cheap land. Among the settlers were Catholics, who soon requested a priest. Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick of Saint Louis sent Father Graham in 1866. Father Graham celebrated Springfield's first mass on March 6, 1866, in the home of William Dailey. He built Springfield's first Catholic church and established Immaculate Conception Parish.

The coming of the Atlantic-Pacific Railroad in 1870 brought German and Irish workers and a larger Catholic population. The railroad tracks along Water Street, in what was then south Springfield, created a major division in the Immaculate Conception Parish. The railroad tracks were seen as a "menace to life and limb" to the members of Immaculate Conception Parish who had to cross them to attend Mass and other parish functions. The railroad tracks divided South and Central Springfield.

At that time, more than 20 passenger trains traveled those tracks daily. Fearing danger to their school children crossing the tracks, parishioners to the south established a school at South and Elm Streets. In 1906, H.A. and L.S. Meyer purchased a house to be used as a school, which would become the original St. Agnes Elementary School. The students called the school the "Stable of Bethlehem" because of its rundown and depleted condition. In its opening year, the grade school had 35 students with two Sisters of Loretto as their teachers.

Many families moved to homes in South Springfield following the turn of the century. Nearly 100 families of Immaculate Conception parish lived south of the railroad tracks, and approximately 80 families lived north of the tracks. Because of the existence of St. Agnes School and the number of families living south of the railroad tracks, lay leaders of the South Springfield families petitioned Bishop John J. Hogan to establish a parish for them. Bishop Hogan reacted favorably to the request and established a new parish called St. Agnes in 1908.

Since there was no church building. the members of the new parish leased the vacant Central Congregational Church building for one year. Father Dennis J. O'Driscoll became the pastor pro-tem, and he arrived in Springfield on September 18, 1908. He celebrated Mass for the first time on the last Sunday of September. Father O'Driscoll stayed at St. Agnes until Father J.M. Sheridan became pastor, less than three months later.

St. Agnes Cathedral St Agnes Cathedral

1909 On Thanksgiving Day, November 24, Bishop Thomas F. Lillis of Kansas City dedicated the new church.

The school was moved to its new location on parish property.

St. Agnes had two pastors in 1909: Rev. Dennis J O'Driscoll (Sept-Nov) and Rev. John M. Sheridan (Dec)
1914 The school enrolled 175 pupils and had five Sisters of Loretto teaching, and the number of Catholic families rose to 200.
1916 The success of the elementary school brought about the establishment of St. Agnes High School.
1921 Stanley Uthwatt, with the help of Bernard Schahuber, created the stained glass windows "Our Lady of the Lillies" and "Saint Agnes."

Rev. Patrick J. Downey became pastor in May of 1921.
1922 Rev. L. Curtis Tiernan became pastor in August, 1922.
1928 Rev. Robert F. Hayes became pastor in March, 1928.
1928 Rev. Frank D. McCardle was pastor.
1931 In April, Rev. Charles A. Dibbins became pastor.
1935 A fire in the basement damaged the wooden floor of the sanctuary. It was replaced with a concrete floor.

In May, Rev. James J. Hally became pastor.
1937 Rev. Paul D. Dunn became pastor in August, 1937.
1938 The facilities of St. Agnes High School were constructed. During the years of World War II, the old high school building was used as a U.S.O. Center. Following the war, it was used as a parish recreation center and later taken down.
1944 In February, Rev. Valentine A. Schroeger became pastor.
1954 Christmas Solemn High Mass from Saint Agnes became the first televised religious service from a church in Springfield. Previous broadcasts were only done in television studios.
1956 The new Diocese of Springfield - Cape Girardeau was announced publicly. St. Agnes Church was designated as St. Agnes Cathedral. St. Mary's Church in Cape Girardeau was named co-cathedral of the diocese. Bishop Charles H. Hemsing, former auxiliary bishop of St. Louis, was installed as first bishop of the new diocese in St. Agnes Cathedral on November 28.

Rev. Schroeger became Msgr. Schroeger but still served as pastor of St. Agnes.
1958 The present St. Agnes Elementary School was constructed.
1966 Msgr. John H. Westhues became pastor of St. Agnes.
1978 Msgr. Sylvester H. Bauer became pastor.
1981 In July, Rev. Thomas E. Reidy became pastor.
1984 On April 30, Rev. Reidy became Msgr. Reidy and continued to serve St. Agnes.
1986 St. Agnes Chapel was built during the renovation of St. Agnes Cathedral, and the old grade school was razed.
1992 In August, Rev. Thomas P. Kiefer became pastor.
2003 Rev. Mike McDevitt became pastor.