USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > South Bend > An illustrated history of St. Joseph's Church, South Bend, Indiana > Part 3
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Laporte. An eye witness of this sad scene now lives within a mile of the church.
The Blessed Sacrament, the Sacred Vessels, the greater part of the church-books and the church vestments were saved, and most of the latter are in use up to this day. Even the famous organ was thrown down from the gallery and out of the burning edifice. It survived the fall, but to judge from the groans which it now occasionally emits in the present St. Joseph's school, it never got over the shock. Father Demers also had the good sense to have the church insured for $2500.00.
ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH ON THE HILL.
The congregation now returned to the old St. Alexis Chapel with Father Peter Lauth as their pastor, and Father Sorin bought the block, on which St. Joseph's Hospital stands for a new church. He summoned Father Lauth to his room, took a lead pencil and drew on a piece of paper the following plan :
which Bro. Charles, however, made two feet wider on account of the lumber, and which, four years later, Father L'Etourueau extended 25 feet. The cellar underneath was built last.
Beyond the fact that Father Sorin got the insurance money and bought the property of one William Neddo for $5,000.00 no- body ever knew what the cost of the building was. Father Sorin made the plan himself, Brother Charles, head carpenter at Notre Dame, superintended the work, and Brother Edward, treasurer at Notre Dame, paid the bills. St. Joseph's congregation seems,
indeed, to have been in those days a member of Holy Cross. Each one of the then 139 families was asked to contribute 50 cents a month toward the support of the pastor, and for the rest they did not need to care, no more than the simple religious cares where the potatoes grew which he eats or how much the habit costs which he wears, To Father Lauth, as pastor, it remained to take care of the spiritual matters of the congrega- tion, to provide for his own living and the current expenses of the church, and to obey orders from Notre Dame.
He kept a faithful account of all receipts. As a matter of interest it may be stated here that of the 139 families the following went a trifle beyond the amount of 50 cents per month: Bertrand, Henry: Beriault, Paul; Burns, Arthur; Dietz, Wolfgang; Donohue, John; Durand, Mrs. Mary; Dwyer, J. H. Engeldrum, Jacob; Fleck, John; Flood, Thomas; Garceau, John Sr .; Gamache, C .; Gorman, Patrick; Hickey, Louis; Honer Geo,; Hanley, Michael; Hastings, Michael; Howard, T. E .; Joye, Wm .; Kenney, Mrs .; Killoran, Michael; Lacosse, Chas, Sr .; McCartney, James; McCafferty, John; Nad- deau, Andrew; Odiet, Justin; O'Brian, Michael; Perry, Samuel ; Sherland, Mrs. M .; Schwanz, Geo .; Williams, Matthew. The following came just up to the mark: Beck, John; Cassidy, Mrs. Mary; Coquillard, Theodore; Emond, Louis; Logan, Mrs. Ellen; Rene, Mrs. Mary; Redmond, John; Stoney, John.
The total amount of "Pastor's support" in 20 months amounted to $550.82, an average of $27.54 per months and an average of about $0.19 per family. More than one half of the people were unable to pay even $0 50 a month. The penny collections then averaged $5.30 per month.
If such was the state of affairs in the seventies what must it have been in the early fifties?
In the meanwhile the brick building on the Hill was com- pleted, and when it was completed it was found to contain: a basement which furnished a cellar, a kitchen and a dining room ;
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a first story which furnished residence, a library and a school, and a second story, all in one. The latter was the church. Access to it was gained by a boxed-in stairway which some people called the church tower.
AGAIN A SCHOOL FOR BOYS
was thus secured, and Brothers Philip, Ambrose, Simeon, and Father Michael Robinson are among those who taught it, but again the boys had to be sent back to the Sisters' school, when these quarters were abandoned for more spacious ones.
THE PEWS.
The pews were got from the old church at Notre Dame. They have since made their way down the hill and we continue to hang on them up to this day, although at present prepara- tions are on foot for new ones. For other needed furniture Father Lauth took up a Monthly Collection which went in the following direction.
In April 1874, it brought $61.15
" May, 66 34.60
" June, .. 33.70
" July,
17.60
" Aug.
6.90
A total $153.95
In September, 1874, Father Peter Lauth was succeeded by Father L'Etourneau, and the monthly 50 cents contribution toward the support of the pastor continued as follows:
Sept. 1874. $24.50
Oct. 6 20.80
Nov.
25.00
Dec. 5 50
Jan. 1875 2.75
Feb. by labor 5.00
Mar. ..
.50
20
When Father L'Etourneau saw the monthly collection for the support of the pastor running dry, he betook himself to a new resource under the name of Subscription for the support of the pastor which yielded in five months $81.00. Father L'Etourneau did not crave poor people's money. His necessities were but few and he had large revenues of his own from his patrimony in Detroit.
Father L'Etourneau extended the building 25 feet and again rented the pews for High Mass on Sundays.
In September, 1875, Father Peter Lauth returned for another year. His census for that year mentions 165 families besides a number of single persons. All of them but 40 are credited with amounts which they contributed and which range between 25 cents and $9.50.
Matters remained in this state under Father Wm. Demers, who became pastor again from August 1, 1876, to September 1, 1877; under Father P. F. Veniard who was pastor from Septem- ber 1, 1877, to July 1, 1880; and under Father Thos. Vagnier who replaced him from that time to the 15th of August of the same year. Then came
THE REV. MICHAEL PH. FALLIZE, C. S. C.,
whom Bishop, Joseph Dwenger declared to have been the first pastor, and no man ever contradicted the gentle Joseph Dwenger. The latter now took full charge of the temporal as well as the spiritual matters of the congregation, and father Fallize was his representative. The latter's zeal is too fresh before the memory of all to need any further comment. He had just emerged from the seminary, the whole world was before him and angels were playing bull fiddles before his eyes in the air-and he did make St. Joseph's congregation the religious center of attraction in South Bend. His first attention was given to
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he knew how to bring the musical talent of South Bend and even of other places into requisition. The late Paul Krueper was organist, the Elbels and the Toepps and the Baldaschinis and himself sang. The St. Joseph's choir of those days was without a precedent and has, up to this day, not been excelled in South Bend. Previous to this only home talent had been engaged to sing and Miss Alice Donohue, now Mrs. W. Dobson had been organist. All these cheerfully gave their services free of charge.
Now solemnities were the order of the day. These had to be in harmony with the high standing of the musical programs, and the Steils, the Fittes and the Stoffels, the Walshes. the L'Etourneaus and the Grangers came from Notre Dame to add eclat and dignity. All this and a new census taken by Father Fallize which showed a large increase in the Catholic population of East South Bend proved that the site of the church was no louger convenient, its capacity no longer adequate.
A NEW CHURCH
was planned. The site of the old Celestin Gugncmere de la Hailandiere property was considered more appropriate and the Bishop himself favored the project. The people themselves manifested a desire to rebuild, on a larger scale, the church which had been destroyed by fire in 1872. Father Sorin then refunded the $2500.00 insurance and all other interests which the parish had in the church on the hill, and sold building and property to the Sisters of Holy Cross at St. Mary's Academy who made of it the present St Joseph's Hospital In addition to these sums of cash money Father Fallize soon had subscriptions on paper which were deemed amply sufficient to crect the $18000.00 new church for which a Chicago architect had been pleased to submit plans Whatever the original plans may have been, the St. Joseph's church turned out to be a brick building, 51x149 feet, with a shingle roof and a steeple in the Extenuated style of architecture. While building it the original
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contractors did not want to take all the money from the poor congregation, they now and then curtailed expenses and left to future geniuses of enterprise also many an opportunity of mak - ing a few sheckles.
A building fund was started in January, 1881, with a fair, which realized $422.83, and private collections were made the same winter from the people of the parish and the business men in towu which ranged between $2.00 and $50.00 and which aggregated by the time thechurch was finished, $694.00. The collection at the laying of the corner stone, at the end of July, brought $61.00, and the collection on the occasion of the dedica- tion amounted to $120.00. The $2500.00 credit at Notre Dame was drawn shortly after the work had commenced, and when this was exhausted money was borrowed from brokers and banks at a high rate of interest. To judge from the pay roll, which includes pay for material, and labor of all kinds, the work was not given out by contract, but one Kuppler and one Jackson must have done the lion's share of it. They alone received $4765.54.
A special collection was made for the plastering by Messrs. Garceau, Braunsdorf and McCartney. It brought an even $300, but the expenses for the plastering contract were $447.00. It was in the hands of Martin Hoban.
For a pastor's residence, Father Sorin bought of Alexis Coquillard the adjoining house and property on Water street and rented it to the congregation for the interest of the money invested, viz: $15.00 per month.
The church was ready for occupancy and was dedicated on the 10th day of September, 1882. Hugh Tansy says so. He claims to have married Mary Durand in it the very day after it was dedicated, and his marriage is recorded under the 11th day of September, 1882.
With the dedication of the church all accounts cease. The pastor who during the building period had been assisted by Father D. Hagerty, was now left alone and he turned his
undivided attention to the spiritual and mental improvement of the congregation.
A First Communion class of 24 children, and a confirmation class of 84 persons were first taken in hand, and in the mean time the necessary furniture was procured for the new church. Among the latter was the large pipe organ of today. Stained glass windows were furnished by the persons whose names they still bear. In the summer of 1886, during a mission, the northeru half of these windows were demolished by a hail storm, and most of the original douors had them replaced at their own expense. The pews and the greater part of the church vestments, which originally hailed from Notre Dame were retained as precious souvenirs. The main altar is the most precious relic in the church. But precious as it may be as a souvenir of the early fifties, it would long since have been burned, had it stood in some isolated or fire-proof place. A new main altar has been promised time and again by private parties under certain conditions, but these conditions have been such as the congregation up to this day has not been able to meet. Asit is, it is better than the wooden cross on which the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered up for the first time, and at which holier people and indeed also people more worldly-minded assisted.
A SCHOOL FOR LARGE BOYS
was Father Fallize's next concern. This was to be the third one. "Omne trinum perfectum." This one must be a permanent success. To kill two birds, and here even three, with one stone, a hall for church entertainments, and society rooms were to be connected with it. Such a building was put up in brick, 30x60 feet in size, and two stories high, in the year 1884. The cost is guessed at. Experts put it a $4000.00. The lower floor contained two rooms, 30x30 ft. each, the one being intended for a school and the other for society meetings. The upper floor was in one, was furnished with a stage and all kinds of dramati-
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24
cal outfits and was intended for church festivals and society entertainments. The house was expected to pay for itself and to help to pay the debt on the church.
The boys' school was again taught here by Brothers Philip, Justin, Jerome and others; but, able and experienced as these teachers were, it was, nevertheless, found expedient, after a two years' trial, to return the boys to the Sisters under whose charge they have been doing well ever since.
The teachers in these years, from 1886 to 1890 were: Sisters Scraphim, Bernadette, Aloysia, Assumption, Renney, Urbana, Sebastian, Mathurin, Eustochium, Gonsague and Joseph Euphro- zim, the superior.
For the hall a dramatic society was formed the members of which, under the able management of Father Fallize and the directions of the late and lamented Professor Jos. A. Lyons, of Notre Dame, attained great proficiency. Messrs. Edward Fogarty, Joseph Singler, John Singler, M. Brennan, James Scott, John Fogarty, and the Misses Virgie Crepeau, then but a child, Mary Howard, Lizzie Roach, Mary Giles, Anna Fogarty, Clara Brenfleck, and many other accomplished wonders as amateur actors and singers; but neither the size nor the construction of the hall did justice to either their talents or their efforts. Nor was East South Bend, as it now commenced to be called, as yet ripe for the drama either.
For church fairs and festivals also the hall could not accom- modate the congregation which, by this time, had considerably increased, and a fair or festival which was expected to pay for the trouble of getting it up would be held invariably in Mr. James Oliver's Rink. Societies, too, left the quarters which they had helped to erect, for more commodious and more centrally located ones in the city; and so it came that school- room, hall and society-room stood for some time empty and abandoned. An occasional itinerant gentleman of leisure would find a night's lodging, and free gas in the house and plenty of
fucl in the neighborhood. Hall building for the purpose of keeping the men out of the saloon and the boys off the streets, has so far not proved itself to be the right step in the right direction. Similia similibus curantur does not hold good in morals. Homeopathy in religion was neither practiced nor even recommended by the Divine Master Himself or by any of his closest followers. The latter, on the contrary, have described the road to heaven as being narrow and steep and rough beyond description, and full of sweat and toil and care-as the way of the Cross. The attractions to a Christian life must be more solid, their foundation must be laid deeper and it must be laid earlier in life. A hall for young men, like a billiard table and a piano in a private mansion, are beautiful luxuries indeed for people that can afford them, but they are no safe-guards against the dangers that threaten young men.
In addition to the societies which already existed, Father Fallize established
1. THE CATHOLIC KNIGHTS OF AMERICA
on the 12th day of September, 1885. The charter members were: Paul Krueper, Timothy E. Howard, Thomas M. Howard, John M. Singler, Wilfred J. Crepeau, Henry Heiser, Joseph Bergan, John M. Cummings, Alexander Humphrey, John P. Drum and Zootic Crepeau. The name of the society is: St. Paul's Branch, No. 408 C. K. of A. This society has ever since been in a pros- perous condition.
2. THE TOTAL ABSTINENCE SOCIETY
took the most prominent place among church societies. Father Fallize was for years the State President, and the congregation had the honor of entertaining within its precincts one of its most interesting conventions. A Valparaiso troop gave a de- lightful entertainment and extraordinary facilities were procured for delegates, by rail and by boat.
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In the numerous fairs, festivals, entertainments and excur- sions of those days all the societies rendered invaluable services.
From a financial point of view all these enterprises were not quite as successful. Some of them seem to have rather added to the church debt which grew larger and larger in proportion as the subscriptions on paper were not recognized as currency and as interest on standing debt had to be paid.
In the fall of 1888, South Bend lost its most efficient and enterprising pastor, when obedience called Father Fallize to a larger field of labor. He was chosen as the Proto-Vicarius- Notarius of the Missionary band which then was sent to East Bengal, India, and he is still working there as the Vicar General of the Diocese of Dacca. He was succeeded in the pastorship of St. Joseph's church by
THE REV. JAMES GLEESON,
who looked at things from a more prosaic point of view. He added the amounts on outstanding notes, computed the interest thereof, compared the actual revenues with the current expenses and concluded that the latter had to be greatly reduced. He commenced with the organist's salary, and Paul Krueper sought a more lucrative position in St. Mary's church. The choir, too, did not think they could keep up their reputation without their able leader, and a new choir was formed with Mrs. C. Rich, formerly Miss Alice Trainor, as their teacher and organist. Similar reductions were made in all, even the minutest depart- ments, but saving alone did not keep the wolf from the door, and Father Gleeson left for another field of labor, in August, 1889.
THE REV. N. J. STOFFEL, C. S. C.
then again attended from Notre Dame, to the spiritual wants of the congregation, as he had done in many previous cases of emergency. He so attended for more than one year without knowing that he was to be the actual pastor, and all things were
REV. FATHER N. J, STOFFEL.
28
left by him in statu quo. He never was and never pretended to be a business man. Greek roots and the actual needs of life are two different things altogether. But he had the good sense to leave all material matters to the church committee and to follow the excellent organizations which had been established by Father Fallize, reserving to himself only the power of an occasional veto.
The financial matters were then, and are up to this day, in the hands of Messrs. Joseph E. Robert, John M Singler, Michael Hanly and Martin Hoban.
The wise administration of these men reduced a debt which 12 years ago was believed to be beyond control to a few thousand dollars, and their kind services have always been cheerfully given free of any charge. Look their pictures and feel grateful to them.
With the aid of Father Corby and Bro. Edward of Notre Dame they procured money at 5 per cent. and redeemed the old notes on which they had to pay 8 per cent. in advance and some of which had to be renewed every three months. They next raised the pew rent from $8.00, $10.00, $12.00 and $14.00 to $12.00, $14.00, $16.00 and $18.00 respectively.
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