Patrick Murphy collection on St. Augustin's Church and School (SP.14)

Historical Note

At the turn of the twentieth century, the Catholic population of Newport, Rhode Island had grown so much that the community realized it needed another Catholic church. On April 21, 1911, St. Augustin's church separated from that of Our Lady of the Isle (St. Mary's). Ground was broken for the new church and school on August 7, 1911 and the cornerstone laid on September 24.

Between 1911 and 1916, citizens held fundraisers, bazaars, and salad suppers to raise money for a new church and school. While it was being built at the corner of Carroll Avenue and Harrison Avenue in the Fifth Ward neighborhood, the parish held Mass in Hibernian Hall. The first pastor was Reverend M. F. Reddy. The first Mass inside the church was July 21, 1912, ad the church and school were dedicated a few weeks later on August 4. The first classes at the school began that September.

The church features stained glass windows in the clerestory, or upper nave, depicting the Life of Jesus Christ. In the early 1930s, the pairshioners decided to decorate the interior of the church, installing a new altar, electric fixtures, wainscoting, and other artwork like painting and a statue.

From the earliest years of the parish, its community put on plays as a Dramatic Club. The school maintained a strong athletics program.

In 1957, fire damaged the church and school, which sustained $300,000 worth of damage in repairs.

In the mid-1900s, around the time of Vatican II, St. Augustin's collaborated with other churchs and groups to provide social services. In 1970, the Diocese announced it was no longer going to assign nuns to run the school, and it closed in June 1970.