Oliver’s House is a meeting place for parish organizations.  The facility’s name honors Mr. Oliver Manigault (1918-2001), a long-time sexton at St. Patrick who became the parish’s first African American member.

As a teen-ager, Mr. Manigault met Father Joseph L. O'Brien, pastor of St. Patrick Church. Father O'Brien hired him as a groundskeeper and assistant to the custodian. After the custodian became ill, Manigault took the job. He then cared for St. Patrick Church and its school for more than 60 years. As sacristan, Mr. Manigault was responsible for maintaining the sacristy and altar, locking and unlocking the church doors, and the up-keeping of the landscaping at the parish.

Father O'Brien also introduced Mr. Manigault to Catholicism, and the principal of St. Patrick's School taught him the catechism at night in the church office. At other times, Father Joseph Williams served as his teacher. He attended his first Mass during Holy Week.

Father Williams invited Mr. Manigault to join St. Patrick's or any other Catholic parish. Since there were no African-American members at St. Patrick's, he was apprehensive about joining, but he knew the priests and parishioners of St. Patrick's better than any other church. On Dec. 20, 1956, Father Williams baptized Mr. Manigault, who became the first African-American member of St. Patrick's in modern times.  While at St. Patrick, he served as sexton under a long line of pastors.

Mr. Manigault was initiated into the Knights of Peter Claver St. Peter Council 110 in 1978, and he held the offices of warden, inner guard, and outer guard. He also received the Council’s Service Award.

Please call the Parish Office to arrange for use of Oliver’s House.