History of St. Sabina
After having had the body of Seraphina placed in the family tomb, she was accused of being a Christian by the Prefect Elpidius. She was beheaded because she publicly embraced the new religion, corageously professing her faith in Christ. Sabina underwent martyrdom on 29 August in the year 125 A.D. during the reign of Emperor Hadrian. Her relics, along with Sts. Seraphina, Alexander, Evenzius and Theodolus, are venerated under the High Altar in the roman Basilica that bears her name, Santa Sabina Martire.
The parish at Belton began on September 10, 1944 when Father
Thomas J. Crowell, pastor of Cass County, offered the first Mass in a
liquor store on Highway 71 (now Y Highway) in Belton. The parish
existed as a mission for a year, with Mass in the liquor store,
until 1945, when it graduated to the Belton Public School auditorium.
During 1945 ground was purchased at 3rd and Herschel Streets. The money
for the purchase of the land was contributed by James Green, Sr. with
the request that the parish be named St. Sabina in honor of his wife,
Sabina Green.
During 1948 an army chapel from Camp Crowder was
reconstructed on the above mentioned site. The chapel was officially
dedicated on August 8, 1948 by Bishop Edwin V. O'Hara. It served as
the Parish chuch until 1974, when the facilities at 700 Trevis were
dedicated on May 12th by Bishop Charles H. Helmsing and the pastor,
Fr. Roger Miller.
There are still a number of parishioners in the parish who helped
establish the parish from its beginnings in the liquor store. However,
the parish has grown. Currently the parish, with its 114 square miles,
encompasses a number of towns, chiefly: Belton, Raymore, Peculiar, and
Cleveland. As the area grows in population the parish looks forward to
how it can best minister to the Catholics in the area and the community
at large.
Take me to the Building Fund Site
Return to the St. Sabina Homepage Last update: 6 February 2001