USA > Minnesota > Stearns County > History of Stearns County, Minnesota, Volume I > Part 32
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Since July, 1912, the mission was visited by Rev. G. Schollenberger from St. Patrick's in Benton county.
PADUA.
Church of St. Anthony. Padua is a name of comparatively recent date for an old settlement formerly called Rooney's settlement in the southeastern part
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of Raymond township. The Benedictines visited here between 1867 and 1880; some of the earliest ones were Father Augustine Burns and Father Meinulph Stukenkemper. From 1880 to 1897 the mission was visited by secular priests from Melrose or Sauk Centre.
The first resident priest was Rev. Thomas Fassbind, 1897-99; his suecessors were Revs. Francis Welp, 1899-1903; William Ludwig, 1903-1904; Hildebrand Zoeller, O. S. B. (from Sacred Heart Abbey, Oklahoma), 1904 to March, 1905; Herman Klein, 1905 to 1907; Ignatius Tomazin, 1907; Matthias Butalla, 1898- 1910; Michael Scherer, July, 1910, to 1913; John Fuss, since May, 1913.
OPOLE.
Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This church is in section 8 of the township of Brockway, where there is a flourishing settlement of Polish farm- ers. The congregation was organized by Rev. James Wojcik in April, 1890, with fifty Polish families who contributed $1,700 towards the building of a church. A new rectory was built in 1904.
The pastors, all of whom were resident, were: Revs. James Wojcik, 1890- 1891; John A. Kitowski, 1891-June, 1893; John Kopera, June, 1893, to Feb- ruary, 1894; Ceslas Zielonka, 1894 to April, 1902; John Guzdek, 1902 to July, 1906; S. Szuszynski, July, 1906, to August, 1911; Peter Brenny, since August, 1911.
PEARL LAKE.
Church of the Holy Cross. A frame church, 36 by 76, and costing about $1,700, was built in section 9, west of Pearl lake, in the township of Maine Prairie, in 1889, and was dedicated on September 26, of the same year by Bishop Seidenbusch. A congregation was organized the same year. The first church was destroyed by the cyclone of June 27, 1894, but was replaced by an- other of the same dimensions, which was used for the first time by Rev. Isidore Hengarten on September 30, 1894. After its completion it was dedicated by Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph P. Bauer, September 15, 1896, during Bishop Marty's last illness, which prevented him from performing the act.
The church was originally known as St. Lawrence church; recently its title has been changed to that of church of the Holy Cross. From the time of its organization the place was visited by priests from St. Wendel or from St. Nicholas, but there is a resident priest since 1909.
At the time of organization the number of families attached to this church was about 40. A parochial school was opened in September, 1905.
Pastors: The Benedictine Fathers Simplicius Wimmer, from St. Nicholas, 1889-1891; Wolfgang Steinkogler, 1891-1892; Paul Rettenmaier, 1892-1894. Sec- ular clergy from St. Wendel : Revs. Isidore Hengarten, 1894-1896, John Wer- nich, 1896-1908; Herbert Gundermann, 1908-1909; the present pastor, Rev. Henry Leuthner, since May, 1909.
Society : St. John's Society, organized Jannary, 1901, with 22 members; reorganized June, 1908. Present membership, 48. President, John Newbeek; vice-president, Joseph J. Kunkel; secretary, Joseph Wicker; treasurer, John H. Neis. The society supports a circulating library.
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RICHMOND.
Church of SS. Peter and Paul. "The parish of SS. Peter and Paul in Richmond was organized in 1856 by six settlers, who began to build a small log church. The first priest attending this mission station was Father Pirz, the Indian missionary. In the same year came the missionary, Father Wenin- ger, S. J., and conducted a short mission, and at the close of the mission on August 15, 1856, erected the first mission cross in this region. From that day the Benedictine Fathers took charge of the station and visited it twice a month. When the number of families had grown in consequence of immigration, it became necessary to build a frame church. On May 30, 1859, the contract for building the church was let; the cost was to be $332. Work was begun in August, 1859, and the first service was held in the new church in September, 1860." (Parish record entry, dated March 31, 1862.)
The first Benedictine Father in charge was Father Bruno Riss, 1857-1858; he visited the station from St. Joseph, as did also his successors, Clement Staub and Alexius Roetzer, 1858-1859. During the Indian troubles in 1862 the church was turned into a fort, in which the settlers took refuge. Father Magnus Mayr was stationed here at the time. The congregation has ever since had a resident pastor, who, together with a confrere, attended not only this settle- ment, but also St. Martin, Spring Hill, New Munich, Farming, and other places. The original church was also enlarged early in the sixties; in 1866 a larger frame church was built, which served for almost twenty years. The present, elegant, brick structure was begun in 1884; Bishop Scidenbusch laid the corner stone for it on August 24, of that year ; it was dedicated September 8, 1885. Its dimensions are 56 by 160. The church has been free of debt since 1906.
A frame parsonage, which is still standing on the grounds, was built about 1858. The present, two-story brick building was erected in 1898-1899.
Pastors since 1862: Fathers Pius Bayer, January, 1861-July 30, 1862; Magnus Mayr, August, 1862, to November 30, 1863; Bruno Riss to March 1864; Cornelius Wittmann, February, 1865, to August, 1868; Corbinian Gastbihl, to November, 1871; Benedict Haindl, who attended from St. John's Abbey from December, 1871, to April, 1872; Anschar Frauendorfer, June 5, 1872, to Octo- ber, 1876; Alphonse Kuisle, to February 13, 1878; Anthony Capser, four months in 1878; Anselm Santhner, June, 1878, to May 24, 1882; Pancratius Maehren, May 26, 1882, to February, 1884; Ignatius Wesseling, February, 1884, to Janu- ary 10, 1901; Ludger Ehrens, to September 10, 1904; Ignatius Wesseling, to the day of his death, November 8, 1910; Conrad Glatzmeier, to September, 1911; the present pastor, Father Gregory Steil, since September, 1911.
Father Anschar Franendorfer resided with the pastor of Richmond from March, 1865-1872, and attended a number of missions. Since 1891 the pastor has had an assistant : Fathers Clement Dimpfl, 1891-1894; Boniface Moll, 1895 to 1896; Isidore Siegler, 1896-1897; Fidelis Lucking, 1898-1899; Lawrence Steinkogler, 1900; James Hansen, 1901-1902 ; Bonaventure Hansen, 1902-1903; Bede Mayenberger, 1903-1904; Philip Bahner, 1904; Peter Wollnik, 1904-1906;
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Xavier Kapsner, 1906-1909; Edmund Basel, 1909; Lawrence Steinkogler, to 1912; since 1912, Father Bede Mayenberger.
Societies: St. Joseph society, organized by the pastor, Father Cornelius Wittmann, May 1, 1864. Officers in 1913: President, John Gertken ; vice-presi- dent, Gerard Bracgelmann; recording secretary, Andrew Weber; financial sec- retary, Henry Geers; spiritual director, Father Gregory Steil.
St. Aloysius society, organized before 1860, for young men; it forms a branch of the St. Joseph society.
ROCKVILLE.
Immaculate Conception Church. The pastor of the church of St. Wendelin in the township of St. Augusta, Rev. Hubert Gundermann, organized this church in 1911. It is in the village of Rockville, in the township of the same name. Before this time the people had attended services at St. James' church in the township of Wakefield and at the church at St. Wendelin above men- tioned.
At one of the first meetings of the men of the parish, Nicholas Thomey was elected secretary and Joseph B. Breunig, treasurer. The organization was duly incorporated, the name of the corporation being: "Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church." A building committee was appointed, con- sisting of Nicholas Thomey, Joseph B. Breunig, John Weismann, John Meinz and Joseph Hartel. The lot on which the church stands was donated by Nicholas Garding. The contract price for the church was $10,800, and the contract was awarded to Henry Steckling, of St. Cloud. The corner-stone was laid September 9, 1911, by Rev. Hubert Gundermann, with the author- ization of Bishop James Trobee. Like many other churches in the county it has a basement for services in winter. Roekville granite, a donation of Messrs. Clark and MeCormick, is the material of which the basement is built ; the superstructure is of brick.
On December 8, 1911, mass was celebrated in the church for the first time by the pastor. During the same month the congregation held a bazaar for thic benefit of the church, at which they cleared $1,100.
The church is at present in charge of a Benedictine Father from St. John's abbey. Father Julius Loenikar, pastor of St. James' church, in the town of Wakefield, or Jacobs' Prairie, visits Rockville every Sunday and holy day since January 1, 1912. On July 1, 1912, the new church was dedicated by Bishop James Trobee, and during the year a bell, costing $530, was donated by Mrs. Joanna Reiter. The church is at present almost completely furnished ; it has three altars, a communion railing, vestments, a steam-heating plant, stained glass windows, a confessional and statuary. Almost all these items are donations.
The congregation consists of about 40 families, or 300 souls, all German; 65 children receive religious instruction. The first baptism was that of Anna Maria Klassen; the first marriage that of Ernest S. Webb and Helen Splan.
Societies : St. Benedict's society, organized March 9, 1913. First officers : President, Peter Hansen; vice-president, Theodore Meinz; recording secretary, Joseph B. Breunig ; treasurer, George Weismann; 40 members.
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St. Margaret's society. President, Mrs. John Gregory; vice-president, Mrs. Peter Hansen; secretary, Mrs. John Traun; treasurer, Mrs. John Meinz. 18 members.
St. Cecilia's society. President, Clara Traum; vice-president, Elizabeth E. Powell; secretary, Magdalen Eshpeter; treasurer, Matilda Weismann; 30 members.
ROSCOE.
Church of St. Agnes. The organization of this parish is chiefly due to the efforts of Father Martin Schmitt, O. S. B., who was entrusted with the task by the bishop of St. Cloud in 1898. Father Martin built a frame church and parsonage; the church was dedicated by the bishop October 18, 1898. It is situated in the village of Roscoe, in the township of Zion, on the Willmar division of the Great Northern Railway.
Among the most active members at the time of the organization of the church were Herman and Frank Schaefer, Lambert Knese, Henry Kunzleben, Zackowski brothers, Ley brothers, W. F. Hilger, Anthony Schmitt, Joseph Link and John Weber. Before 1898 the members belonged to the congrega- tions of St. Martin and Richmond.
Resident pastors: The Benedictine Fathers Martin Schmitt, May 9, 1898, to July, 1901; Vincent Schiffred, July, 1901 to September, 1907; Leo Winter September 1907 to the time of his death, March 25, 1910; Willibrord Maho- wald, April to September, 1910; Benno Ferstl, October, 1910, to date.
The principal church organization is the St. Joseph Men's society, which was organized in 1898. Present membership, 58. Officers: President, Peter Ley; secretary, F. W. Hilger; treasurer, Henry Kunzleben.
ST. ANN.
Church of the Immaculate Conception. Originally the Polish settlers liv- ing in the northern part of the township of Avon attended St. Benedict's church at Avon. The settlement was, and is still known as St. Ann, and that was the name of its postoffice.
The first church in the settlement was dedicated in 1887 by Bishop Seiden- busch. At this time the congregation was visited at intervals by the late Rev. P. Chowaniec, who left the diocese in the same year, and was then rector of the congregation of Swan River. In 1889-1890 it was attended from St. John's Abbey; subsequently, till 1896, from Holdingford Pastors since 1897: Revs. S. Lacinski, to 1899; Simon Dabrowski, 1899 to 1902; S. Szuszynski, 1902-1904; Peter Brenny, 1904-1911 ; Stephen Bujalski, till June of the present year ; John A. Kitowski, sinee June.
A parsonage was built 1896. On January 28, 1902, the church was de- stroyed by fire; the loss was estimated at about $2,000. A new church was built during the same year; its cost was about $16,000. The dedication took place in October, 1903.
ST. AUGUSTA.
Church of St. Mary Help of Christians. The first Catholic settlers of the township of St. Augusta arrived by steamboat in the early fifties of the last
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century. They were several times visited by Father Pierz, the Indian mis- sionary, who celebrated mass in their rude dwellings and brought them con- solation in their poverty. When the Benedictine Fathers began their mis- sionary labors in 1856, St. Augusta was one of the first places to receive their attention the same year. A small log church was at once built in the middle of section one, where a town was expected to grow up. There were many paper towns in Minnesota at that time. Originally the name of the settlement was St. Augustine; a picture of that famous doctor of the church, it is said, had been found by Father Pierz on the spot destined for the church. Probably no one can tell when or why the name was changed to St. Augusta.
Rev. Francis X. Weninger, S. J., conducted mission exercises at St. Cloud in July, 1856, and the Catholics of St. Augusta also attended them. In a report of his work during the year 1856 he wrote a year later: "The second congregation which I visited was in the vicinity of St. Cloud. The church stands in the neighborhood of the city of St. Augustine. But there is scarcely a house to be seen,-the city has just been laid out. The people had attended the mission at St. Cloud and I visited the settlement to erect a mission cross near the church, which was still unfinished. It was the feast of St. Ignatius (July 31), and the third centenary of his death. The church had no roof. I thought I would be able to officiate there nevertheless, but I feared a strong wind that had risen. Hence I preferred to celebrate mass in a house not far distant; I walked through the field in my priestly vestments, bearing the chalice and was followed by a large procession. . I had the consolation of erecting a mission cross near the church of the Assumption ( ?) and preached the word of God under the open sky in a region where a few months ago there was no church, nor was any found between that point and the Pacific Ocean." (Annals of the Propagation of the Faith, German edition, 1857, pp. 533-534.)
The congregation was organized by Father Cornelius Wittmann, O. S. B., who also for some time conducted services here regularly as long as he was stationed at St. Cloud. In 1858, when the first "town" had proved to be a failure, another church was built near the St. Augusta railroad station. In 1872 Rev. F. X. Weninger, S. J., held a mission here and on this occasion se- lected the present site for a church. Father Valentine Stimmler built the pres- ent church of granite in 1873. The corner stone was laid on May 13, 1873, by Bishop Grace, of St. Paul, and during the following winter the church was ready for use. It was dedicated under the title of Church of the Blessed Vir- gin Mary Help of Christians in October, 1875. On July 2, 1890, it was con- secrated by Bishop Zardetti, and was the first church consecrated by that prelate. The dimensions of the church are 132 by 48, and its cost was about $8,500.
The first parsonage was a frame building erected by Father Valentine Stimmler in 1873; the present parsonage of brick was built in 1890. The cemetery is near the church and comprises three acres. Number of families in 1913 : 110, all German.
Pastors: The Benedictine Fathers resident since 1873, Valentine Stimm- ler, from February, 1870, to November, 1875, resided in St. Augusta since
REV. LEO GANS
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HISTORY OF STEARNS COUNTY
1873; Benedict Haindl, to October, 1876; Anschar Frauendorfer, to September 6, 1882, when he died suddenly in the parsonage; Boniface Moll, to August 26, 1886; Anthony Capser, 1886-1887; Cyril Zupan, January 30, 1887, to April, 1888; Gregory Steil, visited from St. Wendel April to August, 1888; Stephen Koefler, August to December, 1888; John Katzner, visited from St. John's Abbey, to May, 1889; Meinrad Rettenmaier, to September, 1890; Paul Retten- maier, to September, 1891; Paulin Wiesner, to September, 1892; Valentine Stimmler, to July 15, 1893, when the benedictines withdrew. Secular priests : Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph P. Bauer, 1893-1898; Rt. Rev. Edward J. Nagl, V. G., September 7, 1898, to October 17, 1911; the present pastor, Rev. James Walcher, since October 17, 1911.
ST. CLOUD.
Pro-Cathedral of the Holy Angels. The cathedral parish of St. Cloud was formed by a division of the parish of the Immaculate Conception in 1884. Since 1856 the latter had been the only Catholic parish in the city. The late vicar apostolic of northern Minnesota, Bishop Rupert Seidenbusch, O. S. B., had temporarily made the church of the Immaculate Conception his pro-cathe- dral in 1875, and had lived in its parsonage until 1876, when he purchased the Broker residence, which serves as a rectory for the present pro-cathedral.
The organization of the new parish was projected in 1883 and was en- trusted to Rev. Francis X. A. Stemper, who commenced to build the present church in the fall of that year. He held the first services in it on the first Sunday in Advent, November 30, 1884. According to the bishop's orders all the English-speaking Catholics of the city were to be members of it, also all the Catholics of other tongues, excepting Polish Catholics, who spoke Polish only. The church is situated on the corner of Sixth avenue and Third street North, about two blocks from the Mississippi river. It is an unpretentious structure built of granite and red brick in the Romanesque style of architec- ture, with one tower, from plans by William Schickel, of New York. "The building completed sufficiently so that mass could be said in it, together with the bells, cost the sum of $28,819. Of this amount citizens of St. Cloud con- tributed the sum of $6,127.36, by means of a fair and a collection." (St. Cloud Times, September 13, 1909.) In addition the sum of $1,262.50 was raised by seven other congregations of the vicariate and larger amounts were contrib- uted by friends of Bishop Seidenbusch and by the mission society of Munich, Bavaria.
Three years after the organization of the parish, Father Stemper built a parochial school, which was opened in October, 1887, with an attendance of 160 pupils. This enterprise burdened the congregation with a debt of $14,- 000. "The cost of the cathedral was not much of a burden for the parish- ioners or the diocese, for the Rt. Rev. Bishop secured three-fourths of the funds from outside sources. But the school was to be paid for by the people of the parish and this has been accomplished." (Times as above.) Bishop Zardetti is authority for the statement that Bishop Seidenbusch built the church and school "at a great personal expense, giving freely of his own, whenever it was necessary." (The Diocese of St. Cloud, September, 1891.)
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Father Stemper was pastor of the congregation for the space of five years and labored all this while without an assistant; during the last two years (1887-1889) he was, in addition, vicar general.
The erection of the vicariate into a diocese in 1889 brought a change. Bishop Zardetti retained the church as his pro-cathedral, of which the late Rev. Aloysius Raster was rector after the departure of Father Stemper in the same year. In 1890 the bishop appointed Rev. Bernard Richter rector. The church was still very poorly furnished-Father Richter extended the gal- lery, decorated the interior, procured new altars, a pulpit, confessionals, vest- ments, etc. In 1892 the front entrance was adorned with costly steps of gran- ite and a cement pavement. The parsonage was enlarged and supplied with modern improvements, and the grounds about the church and parsonage were planted with trees.
At the time of Bishop Zardetti's promotion to the see of Bukarest in 1894, there was a debt of $15,000 on church and school. His successor, Bishop Marty, in 1895 appointed Rev. Edward Jones as rector to succeed Father Richter, who had been appointed pastor of St. Boniface church at Melrose, in June, 1894. About this time the congregation was incorporated as "The Holy Angels Congregation." Father Jones built an extension to the school house, installed a heating plant for the church and the school and re-furnished the latter. These improvements brought the debt up to $23,000, and heroic efforts were required to shake it off. "Father Jones was untiring in his ef- forts to make both ends meet and had a hard time of it, the running expenses were higher than the regular income. The Women's and Young Ladies' soci- eties assisted in many ways by holding fairs and bazaars. Father Jones knew how to inspire the people with masterful sermons and in this manner things moved along better almost than could be expected under such circumstances. He was a great school man and it was his aim to make the cathedral school the best in the city." (Times as above.)
In the course of his long administration the present bishop, Right Rev. James Trobec, has always taken an active interest in the welfare of the con- gregation. Upon his suggestion every family in the parish was assessed for a sum within its means and the debt of $12,000 was reduced by one-half in 1903. The debt that remained could hardly be considered as a burden. At the same time a residence was secured for the Benedictine Sisters employed as teachers in the parochial school. The present rector, Rev. Dr. Leo Gans, has practically paid off the entire debt.
Rectors: Rev. Francis X. A. Stemper, 1884-1889; at present in the minis- try in the diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Rev. Aloysius Raster was acting rector from 1889-1890; he died after many years of valuable service in the diocese on August 17, 1912. Rev. Edward Jones, 1895-1905, when he was ap- pointed pastor of the church at Morris. His successor, Rev. Gregory Goebel, was rector for only one year and withdrew June 17, 1906, to become pastor of Staples, where he died May 15, 1913. Rev. George Arenth was adminis- trator of the parish until January 1, 1907, when he was appointed rector ; he died, universally regretted, on May 8, of the same year. The present rector, Rev. Leo Gans, J. C. D., a native of St. Cloud and at one time a pupil of its
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cathedral school, was appointed Father Arenth's successor in 1907. It is un- necessary to say that the bishops of St. Cloud have always shared in the routine work of the church, in the pulpit, in the confessional, and in the school room.
Since 1887 there has always been an assistant priest at the church. Among others we find the names of Method. Slatinsky, Aloysius Raster, J. B. Boever, Arthur Lamothe, C. J. Murphy, Isidore Hengarten, John Brogan, Nicholas Beck, Charles Dussel, John J. Mayer, John G. Steigler, A. Schaut, Charles Pfeiffer, J. N. Peiffer, Francis Welp, Peter Gans, Francis Lenger, Michael Scherer, Matthias Hoffmann, G. Schollenberger and Joseph Willenbrink. The present assistants are Revs. Charles Mayer and John B. Funk.
Church of the Immaculate Conception. When Stearns county was or- ganized there was not a Catholic church within its limits. The few Catholic settlers at St. Cloud were visited by Rev. Francis X. Pierz, in 1855, and he officiated several times in the house of John Schwarz in that and the follow- ing year. For some time previous to the arrival of the Benedictines he also officiated in the house of Joseph Edelbrock.
Among the earliest German Catholic settlers of St. Cloud were Messrs. John Tenvoorde, John Schwarz, Anthony and Joseph Edelbrock, Nicholas Lahr, Balthasar Rosenberger, Joseph Emmel, Henry and Joseph Broker and Joseph Kindler. Father Pierz organized a congregation early in 1856; the first trustees were Joseph Edelbrock, Joseph Emmel and Joseph Burghard. The site for a church was generously donated by the late Hon. John L. Wil- son, known as the Father of St. Cloud. The property comprised one-half of block 36, on which the present federal building stands, and block 37, ex- cept two lots which were bought by Father Meinulph for a parsonage. Mr. Wilson also donated part of another block west of the church.
Preparations were made in the fall of 1855 for the building of a church, but work was not begun before the following spring. The entire cost of the building was $850, and this was the cost of the lumber only, as the building was erected by the carpenters in the congregation, who asked for no pay. It was not a proud temple, but only a chapel 25 by 35, large enough to accom- modate the fifteen or twenty families which were to attend it. The building stood in the rear of the present federal building and many years later was turned into a residence for the Benedictine Sisters.
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