Embodiments of a hydrogen sulfide destruction and sulfur recovery system of the present invention generally include a tower, sulfur introduction piping, oxygen introduction piping, and hydrogen sulfide introduction piping, wherein said tower contains a lower cooling component positioned in a vapor space of a tower bottom section, a lower vapor space fluidly connected to an upper vapor space, one or more upper and lower catalyst beds, a first condensation cooling component and a collection tray disposed in a first condensation section, a second condensation cooling component disposed in a second condensation section, a fluid pathway, partially defined by a collection tray weir, between the first condensation section and the second condensation section, a fluid pathway between a bottom section of the second condensation section and the tower bottom section, and a second condensation section bottom section gas outlet. Embodiments of a method of using the system are also provided.