USA > Kansas > Leavenworth County > History of Leavenworth County Kansas > Part 14
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The Catholic Church at Hoge .- The priests stationed in Leavenworth did not neglect any of the Catholic families even though they lived miles away during the early days. There being a number of Catholic families living in thé community now known as Hoge during the early days of statehood, a congregation was organized there by Rev. Aloysius Laigneil, S. J., who resided at the cathedral in 1866, and a church was built and placed under the invocation of the Holy Angels. One year following this, Rev. Laigneil was succeeded in the pastorate by Rev. Ambrose Butler, who before the end of the year 1867 was replaced by Rev. Joseph Perrier, who remained four years.
The rectors of the Holy Angels' Church at Hoge from 1871 to 1874 were the following: Rev. John Murphy, Rev. M. J. Dougherty and Rev. P. J. Tuit. In 1874 Rev. Ambrose Butler returned and remained until 1875. His successor at Hoge was the Rev. John Leary. He remained there as rector until 1879.
The next rectors at Hoge in the succession in which they held the pastorate were as follows: Rev. Michael Browne, Rev. Bernard Hayden, Rev. Michael Harrigan, Rev. Peter Bishop, Rev. James McNamee, Rev. Patrick Shields, Rev. M. D. Cavanaugh, Rev. P. J. Kennedy, Rev. Sylvester Meehan, Rev. Eugene Dekat and Rev. Thomas J. McCaul. The Revs. James McNamee and Thomas J. McCaul died while at Hoge in charge of the prison there.
The present pastor, Father Twomey, has replaced the old stone church with a handsome brick edifice in the Roman style and dedicated the new church to St. Patrick. The altar and other interior furnishings are very beautiful and are in keeping with the architecture. A Catholic Cemetery
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adjoins the church in which many of the pioneer Catholics of this com- munity have long since been laid to rest. A beautiful monument has been erected in the cemetery by the members of the parish in honor of the Rev. James McNamee, who died at Hoge attending his parish.
The Catholic Church at Lansing was originally located at the city of Old Delaware, which stood about two miles east of the present site of Lansing. It was dedicated, when built, which was at an early date when Delaware was making a strong bid for city supremacy in Leavenworth County, to St. Francis de Sales.
Father Downey, who was succeeded at the fort parish and also in the mission in Delaware Township by Rev. John Hurley, had made nu- merous attempts to secure a site for a church in the city of Lansing without avail. Father Kinsella, who succeeded Rev. John Hurley at the Delaware Mission, bought the ground in Lansing on which the Catholic Church of that place now stands and had the small church building which was standing on the present site of old Delaware moved to the new location.
In 1888 Father Kinsella was succeeded as rector of the Lansing Church by the Rev. E. Coolen, who is now in the Wichita Diocese. In 1890 the Rev. H. Eummellen had charge of the Delaware Mission for a period of about five months. During their rectorship there Fathers Coolen and Eummellen visited the Kansas Penitentiary and said mass each month. They also had charge of the Holy Epiphany Church while there. Father Shorter succeeded them, having in addition the Kickapoo Mission and the St. John's Hospital.
Following Father Shorter the Rev. J. Heuberger was appointed chap- lain of the St. Vincent's Home and was also given charge of the St. Francis de Sales parish at Lansing. When he received an appointment in Miami County, Father Shorter was succeeded by Rev. J. W. Gormley, who was in turn succeeded by Rev. Patrick Smith. It was during the rectorship of Father Smith that a building fund was collected. Father Smith's suc- cessor increased this fund and during the rectorship of Father McManus, who succeeded Father Smith, and the Rev. F. A. Geinitz, who in turn succeeded him, this fund had reached such proportions that Father Gein- itz decided that instead of erecting a new building the addition of a transept with other changes would answer the immediate needs of the parish. Alterations and improvements were accordingly made. Stained glass windows, new pews and a furnace were installed. During this time
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Father R. B. Groener, who had been away on account of ill health, re- turned from Wyoming. He was shortly after his return appointed by Bishop Ward, chaplain of St. Vincent's Home and rector of St. Francis de Sales Church at Lansing. When Father Groener was transferred to the Sacred Heart Church at Kickapoo he was succeeded at Lansing by Father O'Farrell. The Rev. Father Malloy succeeded Father O'Farrell at St. Francis de Sales and is in charge there at the present time.
Tonganoxie Catholic Church .- The Catholics in the Tonganoxie com- munity were visited in the early days of the county by Rev. Louis Guen- ther, O. C. C., and other priests of the neighboring missions.
When St. Patrick's Church at Hoge received a resident priest in Father McCaul, he and his successors there attended Tonganoxie as a mission.
The Rev. O. E. Degan, Rev. J. A. Budrean and Rev. E. Fischer, who is now pastor at Holy Family Church at Tonganoxie, have succeeded one another as resident priests of the church at Tonganoxie.
The Sisters of Charity, of Nazareth, was founded by a priest by the name of John Baptist Mary David, who came to America from France with the future Bishop Flaget, whose coadjutor he became in Bardstown, Kentucky. Their first school was opened there in 1819. Their rule was founded after that of St. Vincent de Paul.
In 1841 the nucleus of a new community went to Nashville, Tennes- see for educational and charitable work. In 1858 the Nashville com- munity was invited to Leavenworth by Bishop Miege, who afterward always considered this one of the greatest things he had done for Kansas. The first Sister Superior here for the Sisters was Mother Francis Xavier. Around this most amiable personage there is woven a wealth of history and romance that essences of the most beautiful thought. She was born November 13, 1813, in Cincinnati, Ohio, of Protestant parentage, her father being a Methodist minister. On her first entering the Novitiate at Nazareth, her father came after her and forced her to return home. There was no objection on the part of her mother to her taking up her chosen work, and shortly afterward she escaped from home and again returned to the Sisters of Nazareth. The mother of Sister Xavier wrote kindly and frequently to the convert daughter, but the father remained bitter toward the daughter to the end of his life. After finishing her novitiate Sister Xavier was sent to Louisville, Kentucky, where she had charge of an orphanage for a time. In 1853 she was sent to Nashville,
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Tennessee, from which place she came to Leavenworth in 1858. Sister Xavier died April 2, 1895, being at the time of her death over eighty-one years of age.
Soon after their arrival in Leavenworth the Sisters began teaching in two small frame buildings. In 1860 a boarding school was opened in a rented building, but shortly after this Bishop Miege erected an academy, to which girls were sent from neighboring territories. A novitiate was approved by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Miege and the Sisters began receiving candidates for the Sisterhood. In 1868 St. Mary's Female Academy, con- ducted by the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of Leavenworth, Kansas, was incorporated under the state laws of the State of Kansas, and thereafter conferred diplomas of graduation on those who had finished satisfactorily the academy's course of studies.
Mount St. Mary's Academy .- In 1868 it was found necessary to plan a larger building than the Sisters then had for a mother-house of the Leavenworth Sisters. On April 30, 1868, the foundation of the present Mount St. Mary's Academy south of the city of Leavenworth was com- menced. In a short time the sisters obtained thirty-five acres of ground which has been increased by later purchases. James A. McGonigale re- ceived the contract for building the academy. The architecture is of the Italian order and the academy as it now stands is one of the finest educa- tional institutions in the country.
The completed building was occupied by the sisters in 1870. Before it was completed the sisters found themselves short of funds. A loan of $25,000.00 was secured through a St. Louis bank, which enabled them to properly equip and furnish the building.
With the exception of three terms of office held by Mother Vincent, Mother Xavier was Superior of the Leavenworth Sisters until 1877, when Mother Josephine Cantwell was elected. Mother Cantwell was very effi- cient in paying off the debt of the property. In 1886 she was succeeded in the office of Mother Superior by Sr. Josepha Sullivan, who secured a second state charter for the community in 1892. In 1890 the erection of a handsome addition conformable in style to the original building was begun. The addition comprises the spacious chapel of the Annunciation. It was dedicated by the Rt. Rev. L. M. Fink, O. S. B. D. D., December 6, 1894. Buildings equal to those described have since been added. Xavier Hall has a seating capacity of 500. The new Annunciation Chapel is a fine specimen of the Basilica style. Its fine marble altars and its paint-
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ings including the stations are works of art. The teaching staff is well equipped to give the students a thorough academic education. At the present time there are over 100 students enrolled.
The Sisters of Charity also conduct the parochial schools in the cathedral parish, Sacred Heart parish, and St. Joseph's parish. The pupils in these three schools number about 600. They also act as teachers in the Leavenworth Catholic High School, which has over 100 pupils en- rolled.
St. Vincent's Home .- It was the desire of Bishop. Miege, once the Sisters of Charity were located in Leavenworth, to establish an Orphan's Home or Asylum. Accordingly a fair was held under the direction of Bishop Miege in 1862 and from the proceeds, which amounted to $7,000.00, a neat two-story brick building was erected before the end of the year. It was located on Kickapoo Street and it was here that the orphans of Leavenworth received a home under the charge of the Leavenworth Sisters of Charity.
The Orphanage was later removed to its present location by Bishop Fink. The building erected by Bishop Fink was improved and enlarged by Bishop Lillis and more land was added. At the present time accom- modations can be furnished 100 children.
St. John's Hospital .- Another and one of the most valuable of insti- tutions which was built and conducted by the Sisters of Charity in the city of Leavenworth was St. John's Hospital. This was opened by the Sisters March 15, 1864. At that time it was the only hospital in Kansas.
The first Sister Superior of the hospital was Sister Joanna. Several times the old building was improved and remodeled and in 1911 the hos- pital was entirely reconstructed and modernized so as to make its equip- ment equal to the best. At the present time it has a capacity of seventy- five beds. It has a training school and a maternity department. The hospital affords every facility for diagnosis and for medical and surgical operations, including an operating room with every modern improvement.
St. John's has an "open staff" of physicians, so that any reputable physician can attend his patients that may be there. It has done a great deal of charity work and is now well patronized. Its doors are open to all colors and creeds.
St. Joseph's Church, Leavenworth .- When the Rt. Rev. Louis Mar;" Fink was consecrated Bishop of Eucarpia as coadjutor to Bishop Miege his first public function in Kansas was the consecration of St. Joseph's
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Church at Leavenworth on June 16, 1871. Bishop Miege himself cele- brated the solemn high mass.
In the year 1858 Rev. Casimer Seitz, O. B., who was the first priest ordained by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Miege in Leavenworth, erected a frame building two stories in height to answer the parochial requirements of a new parish in Leavenworth for the Catholic Germans. A Catholic school was also instituted shortly afterward. Father Casimer Seitz was suc- ceeded by the Rev. Father Fisch, who said the first mass there on June 13, 1855. Father Aloys Mayer had charge of the parish in 1859. In 1863 Rev. Anthony Kuhls, who is now Monsignore, and who after leaving Leavenworth was pastor at St. Mary's, Kansas City, Kansas, for forty- four years, assisted Father Fisch and when the latter was forced through ill health to retire Father Kuhls took charge of the parish until October, 1864.
Father Kuhls was succeeded at this parish by the Revs. Cyril Knoll and Xavier Huber, two Carmelite Fathers, who had come during the early part of the year 1864 from Germany. The Rev. Father Heimann, who was the first secular priest in the vicariate and who was the first priest with Bishop Miege in Leavenworth, with the exception of Father Fisch, joined the Carmelites in 1865, as well as did Rev. Father Louis Guenther. Subsequent to his joining this order Father Heimann was known as Father Albert, O. C. C. It was Father Albert that built the beautiful St. Joseph's Church which was consecrated by Bishop Fink on Corpus Christi, 1871. Father Louis, O. C. C., succeeded Father Albert as rector of this parish and during his incumbency built the three story parish house.
In 1882 the Rev. Father Bernard Fink, O. C. C., became rector of the parish. He remained until 1887, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Otto Wiedeman, who added the transepts to the church and had the in- teriors decorated. In 1890 Father Leo Vanden Heuvel took charge of the pastorate. During his pastoral administration the new stations in bas relief were donated in memory of the Mergen de Leglise families. The "Sorrowful Mother" of "Pieta" in heroic size was also added for the de- votion of the congregation. Chime bells were also hung in the tower, which were blessed by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Fink.
In 1895 the Rev. Father Louis Guenther returned and a little later the corner stone for a new school building was laid. The dedication took place on the Feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph, April 26, 1896, the Rev. Father Aloysius Bradley, O. S. B., preaching the dedication sermon. In
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May, 1896, the new brick building two stories in height was ready for occupancy and 200 children find ample accommodation there. The Rev. Father Ferdinand Vander Stay, who had been assisting Father Louis Guenther, was placed in charge of the pastorate when ill health forced Father Louis to retire. During the latter part of the year 1903 he died here and was buried from the St. Joseph's Church, the Rt. Rev. Bishop' Fink officiating at his funeral and Father Beck, of Argentine, preaching an interesting sermon.
In 1903 Father Sebastian Urnauer, O. C. C., became pastor of St. Joseph's parish. He made many valuable improvements in the church and schools. He was succeeded in 1906 by Father Ferdinand, who had been his predecessor. Father Ferdinand had the church refrescoed and repaired in many ways in preparation of the parish's Golden Jubilee, which was held May the 10th to 12th, 1908. Pontifical High Mass was cele- brated on the first day by Bishop T. F. Lillis, of Leavenworth; on the second day by Bishop Cunningham, of Concordia, and on the third day by Rt. Rev. Abbot Innocent Wolf, Abbot of St. Benedict's, Atchison, Kan- sas. Shortly after this Father Ferdinand was called east and Father Sebastian was again placed in charge. Father Sebstian was succeeded by Father Peter, O. C. C., who served two terms of three years each, and he was succeeded by Father Angela Lager, the present pastor, who is assisted by Rev. Xavier Tynan, O. C. C.
St. Joseph's Benevolent Society was organized in this parish in Octo- ber, 1859. On October 20, 1879, P. C. Becker instituted the first branch of the Catholic Mutual Benevolent Association in Kansas at this parish. A Young Ladies Sodality of the Blessed Virgin was organized in the parish in 1871 by Rev. Father Albert Heimann. The Society of Christian Mothers, The Young Men's Casino and the L. C. B. A. are also flourishing organizations of the St. Joseph's parish.
On December 10, 1903, Bishop Fink dedicated the new chapel under the title of Our Lady of Lourdes. In the city Father Shorter has built a school west of the Holy Epiphany Church at a cost of $5,000.00 and a roomy two-story building to the east of the church as a home for the Oblate Sisters and dependent colored girls, where they are given needed care and attention.
Father Shorter is still in charge of the colored mission work in Leavenworth and of the prisoners in the penitentiary here after a period of more than thirty years. In 1909 Rev. Thomas F. Lillis appointed Father Shorter Vicar General of Leavenworth.
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Holy Epiphany Church owes its origin to the zeal of Rev. M. Huhn, who, encouraged by Bishop Fink, collected in the diocese the sum neces- sary for the building of the church. The cornerstone of the structure was laid September 29, 1878, and it was dedicated August 20, 1879. It was the first Catholic Church west of St. Louis built for a colored congre- gation and the first confirmation services were conducted there by Bishop Fink November 15, 1878.
It was through Father Huhn's efforts that a Guardian Angel's Home, one of the very first institutions in the country for the care of homeless colored boys, was begun. In 1887 he transferred this institution to Texas. In 1889, however, the Colored Orphan's Home was reorganized by the Oblate Sisters of Baltimore.
Before the arrival of Father Shorter in 1890, Rev. E. Coolen and the Rev. H. Eummellen held services at regular intervals at Holy Epiphany Church. Upon Father Shorter's taking charge he pressed the church basement into service for school purposes and mass was celebrated at this church more frequently. When the number of orphans cared for in the school and home increased more sisters came from Baltimore to assist, and Bishop Fink authorized the purchase of the Whitaker home- stead with forty acres of ground. The orphans were subsequent to this moved from the city to their new home, where in charge of the Oblate Sisters of Providence they continued under the direction of Father Shorter.
The buildings of the home as they exist today were added from time to time. Forty acres more of land was added to the grounds during Lillis' administration.
Sacred Heart Church .- The Sacred Heart parish was organized by the Rev. Thomas Downey, who also built the present Sacred Heart Church, a two-story brick structure with a tower. The building as originally built still serves for church and school purposes. It was during the pastoral administration of Father Burke that the parish house was erected.
Rev. Father Burke was succeeded as pastor of the Sacred Heart par- ish by Rev. R. B. Groener, who at the present time is pastor of the Sacred Heart Church of Kickapoo. Rev. Patrick Smith, who is at the present time pastor of the Sacred Heart parish of Leavenworth, succeeded Father Groener. He is a native of Kansas and an alumnus of St. Benedict's at Atchison. Shortly after his ordination he was appointed chaplain of St. Vincent's Home and pastor of St. Francis de Sales Church at Lansing,
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where he was transferred to Blaine and Wheaton, from which places he received his appointment to the Sacred Heart Church. The school at the Sacred Heart Church is taught by the Sisters of Charity.
St. Casimer's Church .- St. Casimer's parish and church is among the younger of the Catholic Churches organized and built in Leavenworth City and County. The parish was organized and the present church built by Rev. A. Smietana in 1896. One year later Rev. John Grudzinski was ordained and in 1897 he was appointed as successor to Father Smietana. He arrived to take charge of his pastorate on Thanksgiving Day and found a debt of over $3,000 hanging over the parish. Father Grudzinski being a zealous worker scon liquidated this debt and set out to make additional improvements. He enlarged and decorated the church with side altars and purchased a suitable bell and also built a beautiful parish house at a cost of $5,500.00 and a fine school building that cost more than twice as much. This school is conducted by the Felician Sisters, who have quarters in the school building.
Father Grudzinski was succeeded at the St. Casimer's parish by Rev. Frank Kozlowski. When Fther Kozlowski was transferred to the parish at Easton, Kansas, he was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Laczniak at St. Casimer's, who is rector there at the present time.
Catholic Church at Fort Leavenworth .- When the building of a Catholic Church at Fort Leavenworth was first undertaken there was at the fort many civilian employees whose number was greatly reduced a short time afterward, making it a very difficult task to pay off the in- debtedness incurred in the initial erection of a church. General Morgan and Ordinance Sergeant Cornelius Kelly were among the most ardent early day workers in this parish. When the work of building a Catholic Church there was begun they had collected a sum amounting to $3,000.00. which was used to defray initial and immediate expenses.
The cornerstone of the first Catholic Church at the fort was laid in the fall of 1871 and the work was rushed forward with considerable help from the Quartermaster's Department. The church upon its completion was dedicated under the title of St. Ignatius Chapel in honor of the founder of the Society of Jesus. Father Ambrose Butler was one of the early day pastors of the parish. He was succeeded by Rev. James O'Reilly, who remained pastor for about five years. During his adminis- tration he succeeded in relieving the parish of all its indebtedness and having the church handsomely furnished.
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The first resident priest of the Fort Leavenworth parish was Rev. T. F. Kinsella, who about a month after his ordination at the cathedral, July 17, 1884, was assigned to the Fort Leavenworth parish. At that time his duties included that of being chaplain at the United States Mili- tary Prison. In 1885 Father Kinsella, who had made a request to the War Department for permission to build a rectory, was notified by that body that his request had been denied and that the government desired to purchase or remove the Catholic Church at the fort, together with the building that was used for school purposes. The government subsequent to this purchased the Catholic Church building and authorized the selec- tion of a new site for the church by the church authorities. It was not until June 27, 1889, that Bishop Fink and the government officials finally agreed upon the terms and conditions that the church was to be built at the fort and on August 18, 1889, Bishop Fink laid the cornerstone for the present church at the fort which was dedicated December 22, 1889. The new edifice was of Gothic design and was erected at a total cost of $15,233.85.
In January, 1892, Father Kinsella was succeeded at the fort parish by Rev. Alexander Jennings, who remained in charge there until April 18, 1895, when the Rev. Thomas McCaul took charge and continued as pastor until November 12, 1905. The Military Prison, which has been transferred into the Federal Prison, was attended by Father McCaul. He was the first clergyman here to receive an annual salary of $300.00 for his services at the prisen. When Father McCaul was sent to the parish at Hoge, Rev. William Ospital, O. S. B., a father of the Sacred Heart Abbey, Oklahoma, succeeded him. He was in turn succeeded by a priest of the same Abbey, Rev. J. M. Dougherty, on August 27, 1908. Father Dougherty has remained in charge of the fort parish from the last men- tioned date until the present time.
The Catholic Church at the Soldiers Home .- When the western branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers was estab- lished, the need of a Catholic chaplain to minister to the needs of the Catholic veterans was early recognized. The Rev. Peter Flannagan, who was at that time pastor of St. Francis de Sales at Lansing for a short time, supplied this want and then was succeeded by Rev. M. A. Finn, who was also chaplain of St. Vincent's Home.
Father Finn was succeeded by Rev. T. F. Kinsella. who held the chaplaincy of the home for a period of seventeen years. When Rev.
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Father Kinsella was sent to Paola as chaplain of the Ursuline Academy, he- was succeeded at the Soldiers Home by Rev. Francis Pottgieser, who re- mained until March 1, 1918, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Owen Degan. Father Degan died during the month of December, 1918, and the Rev. Francis Taton was appointed chaplain at the Soldiers Home parish. Father Taton at the present time is chaplain at this parish and church.
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