USA > Indiana > Franklin County > Oldenburg > Historical sketch of the Convent and Academy of the Sisters of St. Francis in Oldenburg, Indiana : and of the work of their community in the United States > Part 7
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At the opening of the school term, the Sisters took charge of the Sacred Heart school at Camp Washington, Cincinnati, at the request of Rev. M. Feldmann. Three Sisters were sent there and began the classes with two hundred and forty children. Now the school comprises nine classes with seven
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hundred pupils, and a Kindergarten department, and employs ten Sisters. A Commercial course is also successfully taught, and quite a large class of music and fancy work.
Rev. F. Tegeder, pastor of Cedar Grove, Indiana, who also called the Sisters to his school about this time, did not live to witness the good results they achieved. He died soon after their arrival.
CHAPTER VIII.
Golden Jubilee of the Parish at Oldenburg .- The Right Rev. Bishop's Return from Rome .- His Visit to Oldenburg .- New Schools.
HE parish at Oldenburg celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its foundation in July, 1887. Grand solemnities signalized this Golden Jubilee. Owing to the absence of Rt. Rev. Bishop Chatard in Europe, the Right Rev. Fintan Mundwiler, O. S. B., Abbot of St. Meinrad, Indiana, celebrated pontifical High Mass. The Provincial of the Franciscans, Very Rev. Jerome Kilgenstein, O F. M., preached the festival sermon.
Though the Sisters now have their own services in the Convent church, they still take a lively interest in the parish church and the religions functions held there. Hence they duly observed the Jubilee of the parish so dear to their Rev. Founder.
July 31st, the Right Rev. Bishop returned from his journey to Rome. His first visit after his ar- rival was to Oldenburg. In August be again spent a week there, making the canonical visitation of the Convent and presiding at the Annual Teachers' Ex-
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amination. The solemnities of profession and vest- ing of Sisters occurred as usual. On this occasion perpetual vows were pronounced by a number of Sisters, for the first time in ten years.
At the beginning of the scholastic year, in Sep- tember, the Sisters took charge of the school at Sedamsville, Cincinnati, at the request of Rev. J. Klostermann, and at New Richmond, Ohio, at the request of Rev. C. Frensch.
The domestic department of the Convent was furnished this year with modern, labor-saving laundry machinery. This, and other improvements made in the course of time, are ample proof that Mother Olivia, as her sainted predecessors, is ever solicitous to make the Sisters' tasks as easy as pos- sible, and to provide for their every welfare.
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Deo viaria
CHAPTER IX.
Quiet Attention to Duty .- Rome Approves the Consti- tutions of the Community .- Plans for a New Con- vent Church.
HE annals of 1888 record no remarkable occur- rences. The Sisters devoted themselves quietly and religiously to the performance of their varions duties. A welcome interruption was afforded them by the call to the annual retreat, which was con- ducted in the usual manner by Rev. Father Daniel Heile, O. F. M.
Following this renovation of spirit came the ever-impressive ceremonies of profession and vest- ing, which were witnessed this year by an unusually large number of visitors. Profession of perpetual vows was made by thirteen Sisters; a large number renewed their vows for the term of five years, and twenty-one novices were admitted to the three years' profession-all this in accordance with the decree of the Sacred Congregation of Bishops and Regu- lars mentioned in a preceding chapter.
It was also in the course of this year that the Constitutions of the Community were translated
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into Latin, by the Rev. P. Bonaventura, O. F. M., in order that his Lordship, Right Rev. Bishop Chatard, might present them for inspection and approbation to the Sacred Congregation at Rome. After the lapse of two years they were received with the approbation for five years.
Owing to the increasing number of Sisters, room in the Chapel had long ago became over- crowded Therefore plans were carefully prepared for a large new Convent Church and sent to the Right Rev. Bishop F. S. Chatard, who returned them in due time with his approval, and building operations soon began.
In September, 1888, the Sisters undertook the charge of their second school in the diocese of Peoria, being called to Bloomington, Illinois, by Rev. Father Hilary Hoelscher, O. F. M., pastor of St. Mary's church, and also of St. Anthony's school at Evansville, at the request of Rev. C. Seiler. Since his congregation labored under heavy debt, on ac- count of the recent erection of their magnificent church, the Sisters generously consented to build the school-house.
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INTERIOR OF THE OLD CHAPEL. Donors: Misses M. and K. Hord.
CHAPTER X.
A Temporary Chapel .- Laying of the Corner-stone of the New Convent Church .- New Schools.
HE dear old Chapel in which the Community had assembled for thirty years, for divine service, recitation of Office, meditation and prayer, was now doomed to the wrecker's hand. Its site was needed for the new Convent Church. The holy sacrifice of the Mass was offered in it the last time on February 4th, 1889.
Piece by piece, and brick by brick, With rope and saw, with hammer and pick, They took the okdl Chapel down!
Ah, rude was the work, though gently done, And sad was the triumph the workman won, When the dear old walls were down!
And many a string of the soul and heart In sorrow and pain were forced apart, When the loved old Chapel was down !
No more the altar, so chaste and bright, Shall lift to heaven its blessed light : Altar and lights are down !
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The tabernacle. that home of love, Seraphic rest of the Lord above, Alas, it too is down!
No more the eye is fastened there. The spirit rapt in silent prayer- Alas, alas, 'tis down !
Around the walls, no more shall we The sad procession sorrowing sec, The stations all are down !
And down the saving, sacred cross, The statues too; O sad, sad loss Of hallowed emblems - down !
One of the Academy refectories was now fur- nished as a temporary chapel, and services were held there until vacation time. The altars and organ were transferred to the church of a neighboring village.
March 12, feast of St. Gregory the Great, ground was broken for the new church, and on May 31st, the Right Rev. Bishop laid the corner-stone. The work was placed under the special protection of St. Joseph.
The dimensions of the new church are as fol- lows: Entire length, one hundred and fifty-three feet and seven inches; width, sixty-one feet ; height of tower and belfry, one hundred and sixty-one feet.
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Above the main entrance stands a beautiful stone statue of the Immaculate Conception, the gift of Miss Frances Stomps, of Dayton, Ohio.
Thanks to the powerful intercession of St. Joseph, in whose special care the work had been placed, and whose protection the Sisters daily in- voked, the building was completed without accident.
In September, 1889, the Sisters were called to St. Anthony's school, Streator, Illinois, by Rev. Father Dominic Meyer, O. F. M., and to Delhi, Ohio, by Rev. William Scholl.
PART FIFTH.
1890-1900.
НТОЙ ТЯЛЯ
.0001 -- 0081
CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, OLDENBURG, IND.
CHAPTER I.
The Blessed Sacrament Transferred to the New Church. -Celebration of the First Mass Therein .- Bup- tis of Tavo Converts .- Modern Improvements .- New Schools.
N January 8th, 1800, Rev. Father Peter Baptist Englert, O. F. M., for many years the zealous Spiritual Director of the Community, who had given much time, thought and labor to the perfection of details in the new Church, was succeeded by a former Rector, Rev. Father Louis Haverbeck, O. F. M., at present the Provincial of the Franciscans of the Cincinnati Province.
The walls of the beautiful Convent Church rose quickly, and were under roof by the setting in of winter. The interior work was prosecuted most vigorously to advance it at least so far that it might be opened for service at the beginning of the school term, because the increasing number of pupils in the Academy made it desirable to restore the refectory, now used as a chapel, to its original purpose. But only on December 8th was the work sufficiently ad- vanced for the celebration of divine services in the new church. This day, the feast of the Immaculate 14
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Conception, always observed by the Community with the greatest possible solemnity, was this year, one of more than usual importance.
The Right Rev. Bishop arrived on the eve of the feast. Toward evening on the day, December 7th, Rev. Father Louis Haverbeck, O. F. M., Director of the Community, solemnly transferred the Blessed Sacrament to the New Church. The Sisters and pup'Ns chanting the "O salutaris Hostia," and bear- ing lighted tapers, formed in procession and escorted the Blessed Sacrament from the temporary chapel to the new Church, where benediction was given and the Te Deum sung.
The Sisters could not but contrast, on this oc. casion, the splendor of the new Church with the extreme poverty and destitution of that little room in the first Convent, where, in 1852, the Blessed Sacrament reposed in a tabernacle made of a wooden box, and the lamp burning before it consisted of a hollow turnip decorated with tinsel, which canght fire one day, and was then replaced by a glass lamp.
On the day of the feast, December 8th, the Right Rev. Bishop celebrated the first Mass in the new church. In the afternoon he administered con- ditional baptism to two pupils, and received their profession of Faith. Both are now zealous members of the Order. On the evening of this festive day, the ammal solemn Reception of a number of pupils
INTERIOR OF THE NEW CHURCH. Donor: Miss Leona Brockmann.
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of the Academy into the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary, took place, at which his Lordship, the Right Rev. Bishop, graciously officiated, assisted by the Rev. Rector and other Rev. Fathers.
On Christmas night the new church was illum- inated by gaslight for the first time, the gas being manufactured on the Sisters' own premises.
The architect of the church, Mr. D. Bohlen, did not Nve to see its completion, but his plans were faithfully carried out by his son, Mr. Oscar Bohlen.
The new schools accepted in 1890 were, one at Wichita, Kansas, at the request of Father Athan- asius Lingemann, O. F. M., and another at North Fairmount, Cincinnati, at the request of Rev. F. J. Kessing.
CHAPTER II.
Annual Commencement .- Consecration of the New Church .- The High Altar,-Shrines .- A New School and Kindergarten.
FEBRUARY 9th, 1891, Sister Clara departed this life, in her seventy-eighth year. She was the first one to be buried from the new church. Her last wish on earth had been to see it completed, and it was gratified.
In June, the erection of the high altar was begun, and completed July Ist. It is a work of art, in marble and onyx.
The annual Commencement Exercises were this year postponed to July Ist, as the solemn consecra- tion of the Convent church was set for July 2d. An uncommonly large number of priests, benefactors and friends of the Community were in attendance at the two-fold solemnity. At the close of the most interesting and excellent Commencement Exercises, the Most Reverend Archbishop Elder, of Cincinnati, distributed the prizes, assisted by the Right Rev. Ordinary, Bishop Chatard.
The solemn consecration of the new Convent
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MAIN ALTAR. Donor : Mrs. C. Droppelmann (née Maag).
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Church took place on July 2d, the feast of the Visi- tation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The ceremonies : were performed by the Right Rev. Bishop Chatard. The pontifical High Mass, which followed, was cele- brated by the Most Rev. Archbishop Elder, of Cin- cinnati, O., thirty priests assisting. The sermon was preached by the Very Rev. Jerome Kilgenstein, O. F. M., at this time Provincial of the Franciscans. At the consecration, the relics of St. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr, and of St. Clement, Pope and Martyr, were placed in the high altar.
The interior of the Convent Church is a veritable marvel of beauty, with its marble altars, magnificent pipe organ, stained glass windows, exquisite altar railing and' massive oaken pews. Whoever really desires to see an architectural gem in the purest of settings, must visit the Oldenburg Convent church.
The ceremonies of consecration, so replete with symbolism and full of eloquence in meaning, were carried out by the officials of the day in a faultless manner, under the efficient direction of the Very Rev. P. Baptist Englert, O. F. M., Master of Cere- monies. The church was crowded by visitors from far and near, many of them former pupils, or parents of those now in the Academy.
Besides the high altar there are two side altars, the same in style and material as the high altar,. which were erected at a later period. In addition to
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these. the church contains the following artistic, small shrines: Shrine of the Holy Face, donated by Miss Rose Stomps; Shrine of Our Lady of Per- petual Help, donated by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dill- hoff ; statue of St. Ann, donated by Mr. and Mrs. A. Joseph Nurre; shrine of St. Dominic and the Holy Rosary ; shrine of St. Anthony of Padua, the great Wonderworker of the Seraphic Order, and the shrine of the Pieta.
Another most generous and appropriate gift to the grand Convent Church, this in token of the Com- munity's Golden Jubilee, is a most beautiful golden chalice, presented by the loyal benefactress of the Convent, Mrs. ( Korte) Moormann, of Cincinnati. Mention of this noble woman has been made in one of the foregoing chapters, as one of the two pupils who considered herself highly honored to furnish the first and miniature oratory of the Academy. Fre- quently since, has she opened her liberal hand and heart to supply here a chasuble, there a statue, or to surprise the dear Sisters in her own ingenious and unique manner. Her daughter has attended the Academy for the past five years and belongs to the Class of 1902. What beautiful generations, those reared successively neath the blessed and special guardianship of Heaven's Immaculate Queen !
A beautiful set of stations of the Cross, in alto relievo, which had been canonically erected and
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blessed some time before, adorns the walls. All statuary was imported from the famous Art Studio of Mayer, of Munich.
The entire aspect of the sublime structure is in- spiring, devotional and pleasing beyond description.
The Sisters' work continued to expand. At Cin- cinnati the schools of St. Francis parish had been reorganized by the Franciscan Fathers, and they sungmoned the Sisters of the Community of Olden- burg to take charge of the girls' classes. The six hundred and eighteen pupils which they comprise, are taught by eleven Sisters. A Kindergarten, with ninety little ones, was also organized and continues to flourish. The classes in music and fancy work are unusually large.
CHAPTER III.
New Schools .- Aggregation of the Community to the Arch-confraternity of the Holy Face .- Confirma- tion of the Community's Constitution by the Holy Sec.
ON St. Bridget's parish, Indianapolis, the Rev. D. Curran opened a school for colored children, and placed the Sisters in charge. It is still conducted by them with blessed results, the only one of its kind taught by the Sisters.
In this same year, 1892, the school at North Delhi, Ohio, was accepted by the Sisters at the re- quest of Rev. Messmer.
In April, the Community was aggregated to the Archconfraternity of the Holy Face, and since then the month of April is always observed with special devotion.
In June, after the annual Commencement Exer- cises of the Academy, at which again, as usual, a large number of priests and friends of the Institu- tion assisted, the Right Rev. Bishop blessed the shrines of the Holy Face and of Our Lady of Per-
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MAIN CONVENT STAIRWAY. Donors; Misses J. and R. Olberding.
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SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS, OLDENBURG, IND.
petual Help. An indulgence of forty days, to be gained on the feast of the Visitation, July 2d, was granted to the Community, and a plenary indulgence in perpetuity for the 27th of July, under the usual conditions, including a visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
The Constitutions of the Oldenburg Community of Sisters of St. Francis, this year received the ap- probation of the Holy See. This approbation, when granted for the first time, is always given for a definite term of years, so as to enable the Community concerned to apply for changes that may seem desirable.
The following document was issued at the time :
DECREE.
The Constitutions of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis of the Community of Oldenburg, Diocese of Vin- cennes, in the United States of North America, having been submitted for revision to this S. Congregation for the Propa- gation of the Christian name, a commission especially appointed for the purpose, under the presidency of His Eminence Cardinal Camillus Mazzella, discussed them in mature deliberation, and deemed the aforesaid Oldenburg Institute of Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, very commendable and deserving of well-merited praise; its con- stitutions, however, into which the modifications exhibited in the present copy are to be inserted, shall be again submitted to this S. Congregation, after an experiment of five years.
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Which sentence, having been referred to our Most Holy Lord, Pope Leo XIII., by the subscribed Secretary of this S. Con- gregation, was benignly approved and confirmed by Ilis Holiness, who ordered the present Decree relating to this matter to be issued.
Given at Rome, from the palace of the S. Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, on the 5th day of August, 1.891.
JOHN CARDINAL SIMEONI, Prefect. IGNATIUS, Archb. of Damiata, Secretary.
ST. ANTHONY'S SCHOOL, STREATOR, ILL. Donor: Miss E. Schuetz.
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Donor: Miss Rosa Moormann. INFIRMARY.
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CHAPTER IV.
New Buildings .-- The Community Receives the Holy Father's Special Blessing .- Extraordinary Privi- leges Granted to the Community .- Consecration of the New Side Altars.
N 1893, the Sisters erected a new school house and dwelling in Streator, Illinois.
In Oldenburg another building was added to the Convent, which was to serve exclusively as an in- firmary for the sick Sisters. According to the spirit of St. Francis, invalids and infirm Sisters receive the utmost care and attention.
On the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the Episcopacy of our Holy Father Leo XIII., the Com- munity sent a contribution to Peter's. Pence, the receipt of which His Holiness formally acknowl- edged by sending, on February 18th, his special blessing to the Sisters, a privilege which they es- teemed highly and for which they were truly grate- ftl.
And yet another special and extraordinary priv- ilege was granted to the Community this year. The Sisters were made partakers of all the indulgences
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and spiritual favors accorded to the First and Second Order of St. Francis. This Prerogative was ob- tained for them by their Reverend Rector, Father Louis Haverbeck. O. F. M. The Brief of the S. Congregation of Indulgences is dated November 25th, 1893, coinciding with the feast of St. Cath- erine, Virgin and Martyr, who is co-patroness of the Pupils' Sodality of the Blessed Virgin, and patroness elect of "The Class."
The side altars, harmonizing in style and ma- terial with the high altar, were now erected in the new church, and the Right Rev. Bishop had the kindness to perform the ceremony of consecration, on which occasion twelve priests and a number of Fran- ciscan clerics assisted. These beautiful altars and shrines were made by the firm of H. & F. Schroeder, Cincinnati, Ohio. Fraught with so many special spiritual favors and privileges, the year 1893 is one of the most auspicious in the history of the Com- munity.
CHAPTER V.
Vacation and Retreat .- Electricity as Illuminating Agent .- St. Henry's School, at St. Louis, Mis- souri, Accepted .- Its Destruction by a Tornado.
THE annual return to the Mother-house for the vacation and retreat of 1894. gave the mission Sisters an opportunity of admiring the beauties of the new Convent church at their leisure. And it is but human nature chastened by religious devotion. that they rejoiced at the splendor of their Divine Spouse's earthly habitation in their midst, erected and furnished thus grandly by the fruits of their daily toil.
The retreat was preached in the new church. Vacation ended, the Sisters received their appoint- ments, and hastened away. each one to her post of duty.
During this year, electricity was introduced for the lighting of the Church, Academy and Convent. For this purpose and as a motor of the pipe organ. elevators, and other machinery, the Community erected its own electric plant.
In 1894, the Sisters took charge of St. Henry's school, St. Louis, Missouri. It was organized with
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four classes, containing one hundred and ninety-three pupils, taught by four teachers.
This school is located in the district visited by a tornado. A description of this terrible experience follows here in token of gratitude toward Divine Providence for the miraculous preservation of the Sisters.
It was on May 27th, 1896. A tornado rose sud- denly, and swept over a great portion of the city. St. Henry's parish buildings contained the Chapel, school and Sisters' dwelling. Six Sisters and a pupil were in the latter at the time. When the darkness became so intense that it interfered with the Sisters' occupations, one of them went to the Chapel, situated in the second story, to pray before the Blessed Sacra- ment. Another Sister, intending to join her, stopped at the foot of the stairway, held back, it seemed to her, by some invisible power. She thought to herself : "Is it a good or bad angel that detains me?" A few minutes later she was con- vinced that her guardian angel had protected her and saved her from an awful death. For whilst she was thus hesitating, the building began to shake on its foundations, and the upper story, with all its con- tents, fell crashing to the ground. The Sister in the Chapel found herself pinned to the floor, cov- ered by the falling ruins. Fortunately, pieces of joists and planks had formed a kind of roof over
ST. HENRY'S SCHOOL AFTER THE CYCLONE OF 1896, ST. LOUIS, MO.
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her. so that she received no injury. But so com- pletely was she covered up, that only one hand re- mained free. The storm, moreover, robbed her of her veil, which was never found. Her imprisonment lasted about three-quarters of an hour, when Rev. Father Von Brun and another gentleman succeeded in rescuing her from her perilous position. On join- ing the other Sisters, she said: "When I expected to die I made an act of love of God, and thought, 'Now you will soon be in eternity.' But when death came not, I began to implore St. Anthony to extricate me from my prison, and prayed for the repose of the souls of my Sisters below, deeming their preservation impossible."
A\t Holy Trinity's, the Sister Superior, on notic- ing the coming of the storm, said to the Sisters : "Let us say the rosary in honor of the Sorrowful Mother, to invoke her protection." No doubt, their fervent prayer was graciously heard, and the threat- ened Sisters at St. Henry's owe, in a measure, their preservation to these petitions.
When Archbishop Kain and Bishop Bonacum next day visited the scene of disaster, at St. Henry's. they remarked that the Sisters' escape from all harm was truly miraculous.
This is but one of the many instances of the special protection which God has extended to dif- ferent members of the Community. The accom-
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panying illustration shows the fearful havoc wrought by the tornado.
The signal intervention of our Blessed Mother in the preservation of the Sisters in the above mentioned fearful visitation, intensified their desire to render loyal homage to our Lady of the Holy Rosary. This desire was now speedily and fully gratified by the enrollment of the Community into the Archcon- fraternity of the Holy Rosary, of New York. The Decree, securing to them all the indulgences and privileges incident to the admission of religious communities, was obtained through the instrumen- tality of the Rev. Rector, P. Pius Niehaus, O. F. M. He it was, also, who designed and dedicated the beau- tiful shrine of the Holy Rosary Group and that of St. Anthony.
Classes were suspended until the fall term at St. Henry's school. On September 7th, a temporary Chapel and school were opened. The Sisters, mean- while, were the welcome guests of their fellow-sisters at Holy Trinity's. The pastor of St. Henry's, Rev. J. Hoffmann, did everything in his power to assist the Sisters during this time of trial.
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