In 1914, Spokane's first bishop, Augustine Schinner, began the effort to build a new church on Spokane's South Hill. Working with renowned 19th century architect and Spokane resident, Kirtland Cutter, Bishop Schinner founded the original brick church at 18th Avenue and Stevens.  Nestled between Cannon Hill and Manito Parks, the four-story structure served as space for both the church and St. Augustine's School, which opened to 50 students one year after the church was established. Today, after extensive remodeling and consolidating, the original church houses Cataldo Catholic School, home to 400 students from St. Augustine, Sacred Heart and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes parishes.

Within a decade of opening, parishioners recognized they had outgrown their space.  Working with Father John Cronin, they raised funds for a new, larger church.  Original plans called for an elaborate church in the gothic style, but the realities of the Great Depression caused the church to scale down the design.  In the 1940s, construction on the current church building began under the watchful eye of Monsignor Stephen Buckley. The new, present-day church was dedicated on October 1, 1950, and now includes the expanded Cataldo Catholic School, rectory, parish activity center, and beautiful terraced gardens.

For over a century, the numerous parishioners, lay ministers, deacons and priests have worked together to make St. Augustine Parish and Cataldo Catholic School a strong, growing, and faith-filled parish community.