USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > A history of Catholicity in northern Ohio and in the diocese of Cleveland from 1749 to December 31, 1900, Volume I, pt2 > Part 23
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The parish school which had been discontinued in 1856 was reopened in October, 1860, in the old church. It was destroyed by fire in February, 1861, and in consequence the school was again discontinued until 1864. In July of that year Father Healy
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purchased from the City Board of Education an abandoned two- story frame school house and had it removed on a lot fronting on Miami street, bought by him in September, 1859. The build- ing served its purpose until February, 1884. Father Healy then sold it and the lot, and bought from the Board of Education the two-story brick public school building located immediately south of the present church, on Franklin street, and fitted it up as a parochial school; the purchase price was $5,350. The Ursuline Sisters have had charge of the parish school since 1864.
In 1870 Father Healy built the present brick pastoral resi- dence, at a cost of about $3,000. In July, 1878, he also bought, for $1,500, a five-acre tract of land, on the Greenfield road, for a cemetery ; with its purchase the old cemetery ceased to be used for interments.
The church property is free from debt, and at present (1900) Father Healy is accumulating funds for a new and much needed church.
St. Mary's has a membership of 216 families, according to the last diocesan census published in 1900.
TOLEDO, LUCAS COUNTY. GOOD SHEPHERD'S CHURCH.
The original members of the Good Shepherd's parish, com- prised of Irish birth or descent, and living east of the Maumee river, in East Toledo, belonged to that of St. Francis de Sales. In the latter part of 1872 they petitioned Bishop Gilmour for permission to organize as a separate parish. The petition was granted by the appointment of the Rev. Robert A. Byrne, in April, 1873, as the first pastor, with direction to effect the desired organization. Father Byrne secured by land contract an acre of land in East Toledo. It is bounded by Clark, Nevada and Utah streets. The price was $3,500, but the deed was not given until the property was paid for-in January, 1876. Father Byrne engaged as a temporary place of worship a frame building nearby, owned by the Pennsylvania Railway Company, which gave him the use of it without charge. Meanwhile Father Byrne erected on
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CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD (1900), TOLEDO.
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the site he purchased in 1873, a large frame building, and so arranged the upper story as to serve as a temporary church and the lower as a school and pastoral residence. It cost $7,500 and answered its triple purpose for a number of years-as a church for nearly thirty years. Father Byrne bought the land and built the church without a dollar in hand. The members of the new parish were few in number, and poor in purse, but full of faith, and as generous as their limited means permitted. With good will they faced the large debt contracted by their pastor and aided in steadily reducing it. Father Byrne's health failing he resigned his charge in March, 1875. The parish was then without a resi- dent pastor until August, of the same year. Meanwhile it was attended from St. Louis' church, by the Rev. F. Gauthier, as a Mission. The Rev. Patrick O'Brien was the next resident pastor, from August, 1875, to May, 1878. He organized the school and placed it in charge of the Ursuline Sisters who have ever since con- ducted it with success. Father O'Brien also made a number of improvements in and about the church, besides paying off a con- siderable portion of the large parish debt. He was transferred to the Immaculate Conception church, Toledo, in May, 1878, and during the few weeks pending the appointment of his suc- cessor the Good Shepherd parish was attended by the Jesuit Fathers, of St. Mary's. The Rev. T. P. McCarthy was the next resident pastor; he took charge in the latter part of June, 1878. He had the temporary church renovated, supplied it with needed furnishings, vestments, etc., and put in good repair the apartments occupied by him in the same building as his resi- dence. This latter was replaced in 1882 by the present com- modious brick parish house at a cost of about $3,500. Mean- while, besides paying for these improvements, Father McCarthy made every effort to reduce the burdensome debt. In this he was generously aided by Catholics and Protestants in Toledo and else- where, as well as by his parishioners, still few in numbers-not ex- ceeding 100 families during his pastorate, which ended in August, 1887. He was then succeeded by the Rev. Patrick Barry, who added a number of improvements to the church property, and like his two predecessors, struggled with the parish debt. The pastor- ate of this good priest was ended by death, after a long illness, on
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August 29, 1897 ; his demise was deeply deplored by his parish- ioners. In the following month the present pastor, the Rev. Patrick O'Brien, was again appointed to take charge of the Good Shepherd parish-to the delight of all its members. By this time it had increased in numbers and financial strength, and had out- grown the temporary church.
Father O'Brien felt, that with the promised assistance of his people, the want of better church accommodations would soon be met by a place of worship that would be a lasting monument to religion and a credit to its builders. As a preparatory step in this direction he bought in November, 1897, and March, 1898, addi- tional ground (30 by 220 feet) next to the pastoral residence, to serve as part of the site for the prospective church, for which he also had plans drawn. At first it was intended to build a brick church, but later it was decided that it should be built of North Amherst blue stone. Ground was broken on St. Patrick's day, 1899, and the cornerstone was laid by Bishop Horstmann on July 21, of the same year, in the presence of a vast multitude. The church was enclosed in January, 1900. Owing to the unexpected rise in the cost of building materials, work was suspended in the spring of the same year, and will not be resumed until January, 1901. Father O'Brien hopes to have the church ready for dedi- cation by December, 1901. Its exterior, now nearly finished, has an imposing appearance and the building is one of the most con- spicuous in Toledo. According to the plans adopted it will rank with the most beautiful and best appointed in the Diocese of Cleve- land. Its architecture is Roman, with a dome and two towers, and its dimensions are: Length, 160 feet; width at transept, 80 feet, and of the nave, 60 feet. When finished it will have cost upwards of $70,000; this sum includes the frescoing and furnish- ings, which are estimated at $30,000. The parish will again have to face a large debt, but with Father O'Brien's energy, and the well-known generosity of his people, it will be cancelled before the lapse of many years.
The old church was seriously damaged by fire on Sunday, August 20, 1899, but was practically rebuilt and again used within six weeks after the fire. Meanwhile the Sunday Mass was cele-
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH, TOLEDO
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brated on the porch of the pastoral residence, the congregation occupying the lawn fronting the residence.
As above stated, the parish school is conducted by the Ursu- line Nuns, of whom four are in charge. About 250 children are enrolled.
The parish has a membership of about 300 families, and it is steadily increasing with the growth of Toledo.
TOLEDO.
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH.
The Immaculate Conception congregation was organized in 1867 by the Rev. Edward Hannin, and was originally a part of his parish-St. Patrick's. It was at the request of Father Hannin that the division was approved by Bishop Rappe, as he found his territory too large to give proper attention to all the English- speaking Catholics living within its limits. The territory bounded by Swan Creek and the Maumee river was assigned to the new parish, which was placed under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception. In 1867 Father Hannin purchased a tract of land at the corner of Western avenue and Sumner street, which at that time was considered a suitable location for the parish buildings. He also built a small brick church, of plain design, at the intersec- tion of the above-named streets. After the building was enclosed further work was stopped, but Father Hannin and his assistant, the Rev. H. Anderson, held services in the unfinished church up to August, 1868, when the Rev. John Quinn was appointed first res- ident pastor. Father Quinn and his small, poor, struggling con- gregation had by no means a roseate future to face. They pos- sessed only an unfinished church, burdened with debt, and there was neither a pastoral residence nor a school. Full of hope and courage, however, Father Quinn went to work with a will, and under his guidance order and stability grew and developed. He continued to use the brick church, but meanwhile, in 1870, built for temporary use a frame church, 54 by 110 feet, on lots he bought at the corner of Dix and Jervis streets. This change of location was found necessary, among other reasons, because of the rapid development of that section of Toledo, and hence the old church
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and its site were abandoned. Father Quinn had an allotment made of the property and all of it was eventually sold for the bene- fit of the parish. The church itself was used for a time as a dwel- ling and finally torn down.
In the summer of 1870 Father Quinn built a four-room frame school, adjoining the church in the rear. It was opened in Sep- tember of that year, with an enrollment of about 200 children, and placed in charge of lay teachers.
Five lots, located between Broadway, Maumee and Eastern avenues, were bought by Father Quinn in 1871, to be used as the site for a permanent church and for the pastoral residence. On one of the lots fronting on Maumee avenue he built the present two- story brick pastoral residence in 1872, at a cost of about $3,000.
The labors and cares connected with a steadily growing con- gregation bore heavily on Father Quinn, whose health was never robust. He was accordingly transferred in May, 1878, to lighter duties, as pastor of Wakeman. The Rev. Patrick O'Brien was appointed his successor on the 19th day of the same month. He found a church, school and pastoral residence, but he also found them involved in a heavy debt, consequent on the erection of these buildings, and the purchase by Father Quinn of the real estate already mentioned-comprising in all, ten lots. In his efforts to reduce the parish debt Father O'Brien had also to contend with the effects of the financial depression through which the entire country was then passing. By his prudence and energy, seconded by the generous co-operation of his people, he succeeded in cancelling the debt, about 1888.
Father O'Brien reorganized the school and placed it on a substantial basis. In 1878 he engaged as teachers of the girls and smaller boys the Ursuline Sisters, and two lay teachers were given charge of the boys. In a short time the parish school afforded as many advantages for a thorough Christian and secular educa- tion as any school in Toledo-and that is also its present record.
Father O'Brien's successful pastorate ended in March, 1889, by his transfer to St. Francis de Sales' church, Toledo. The Rev. F. T. Moran was then sent to the Immaculate Conception church, as temporary pastor, and remained in charge until the appoint- ment of the Rev. T. P. McCarthy, in March, 1890.
Shortly after Father McCarthy took pastoral charge he called
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a meeting of his parishioners to discuss the question of erecting a permanent church, which had now become a necessity, as the tem- porary church had become too small and out of keeping with the size and means of the parish. The building project was unani- mously approved. Plans were therefore drawn by a competent architect for a brick church, to be built on the lots fronting Broad- way-formerly known as Western avenue. In the spring of 1891 the foundation was commenced and on May 1 of the following year Bishop Horstmann laid the cornerstone.
For lack of means very little work was done on the new church during the next two years, but in the spring of 1894 it was resumed with vigor. The church was brought to completion in the fall of 1896, and dedicated by Bishop Horstmann on Sunday, November 15, of that year. The solemn occasion was the climax of Father McCarthy's unremittant labor and watchful care in connection with building the church, as it was also a day of joy, not only for him- self, but for his devoted people as well.
The church is one of the largest and most imposing in the diocese, as it is also one of the most prominent edifices in Toledo. Its architecture is Gothic, and is built of brick, trimmed with stone. It is 162 feet long, 68 feet wide and 88 feet across the transept, and has a capacity for 1200 sittings. The three altars are of Gothic design and were donated by the Tabernacle Society; they cost $3,500. The organ cost $3,000 and is an excellent instrument ; the choir is also one of the best in Toledo. The pulpit, pews and confessionals are in light oak, and the beautiful stained glass win- dows, as well as the frescoing, add much to the beauty of the interior. The windows were all donated, Fathers McCarthy and O'Brien being among the donors. The church, as it now stands, cost about $65,000; all that remains for its completion is the spire, which will be built later on.
Years of unceasing work and worry began to make inroads on Father McCarthy's strong constitution. He was therefore granted a three months' leave of absence in January, 1897, in the hope that a sojourn in the mild climate of southern California might repair his failing health. In the meanwhile his assistant, the Rev. J. F. Donohue, administered the affairs of the parish. Father McCarthy returned in the following April, with health slightly
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improved. In June, 1897, the Rev. J. P. McCloskey was ap- pointed his assistant, as successor to Father Donohue, and to him Father McCarthy at once turned over the spiritual and temporal management of the parish. Father McCarthy lingered on in illness at his residence, till death claimed him, on October 21, 1900. His demise, deeply deplored by his people, was a distinct loss to Toledo and to the diocese.
Father McCloskey continued in temporary charge of the par- ish until the appointment of the present pastor, the Rev. C. V. Chevraux, on November 17, 1900. Since his advent the pastoral residence has been renovated and electric lights and a handsome set of Stations have been placed in the church.
The Immaculate Conception parish, now numbering about 650 families, is most favorably located in a flourishing part of Toledo. Evidences of thrift and enterprise are visible everywhere ; the affairs of the congregation are well managed, and every effort is being made to reduce the debt, which, with the present bright prospects realized, will be cancelled in a few years.
TOLEDO.
SACRED HEART OF JESUS' CHURCH.
In March, 1883, about one hundred German families, residing in and near East Toledo, petitioned Bishop Gilmour to allow them to separate from St. Mary's, Toledo, and build a church for them- selves. The Bishop readily granted the petition and two months later authorized the Rev. John Thein, pastor of St. Louis' church, to purchase a suitable site for the proposed new German church. Father Thein accordingly secured eight lots on 6th street, between Oswald and Gardner streets; the purchase price was $1,400. He immediately began the erection of a combination church and school, expending about $5,000 for building and outfit. The frame structure was dedicated by Bishop Gilmour to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, on Sunday, October 28, 1883. The building was 50 feet wide and 100 feet long. The church auditorium was used for school purposes, and had all the necessary modern appliances. Each pew had a folding leaf which served as a desk during school hours, and could be dropped during public services. The
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Ursuline Sisters were given charge of the school in November, 1883.
Father Thein attended the Mission from St. Louis' church until September, 1884, when he was appointed resident pastor of the new parish. In the summer of that year he built the present parish house at a cost of about $1,600. A spirit of opposition arose in the congregation, in consequence of which Father Thein asked the Bishop to remove him, which was done in November, 1885. His successor was the Rev. W. A. Harks, who remained until May, 1888, when the present pastor, Rev. A. Eilert, was given charge of the parish. In 1889 Father Eilert bought four lots opposite the church, and built on three of them the present commodious two-story brick school. He had the church fres- coed and painted in 1891. In the same year he also engaged as teachers the Sisters of Notre Dame, from Cleveland; they have been in charge since then. In 1895 he bought two additional lots for school purposes, and enlarged the building, which with the four lots cost about $15,000. At present (1900) five Sisters have charge of the school, with an attendance of about 250 pupils.
The rapid increase of the parish necessitated the erection of a larger and permanent church. This was commenced in the fall of 1899. The cornerstone was blessed and laid by the Rt. Rev. Mgr. T. P. Thorpe, as the Bishop's delegate, on May 22, 1900. The temporary church was destroyed by fire on July 22 of the same year. Father Eilert was therefore obliged to hold Sunday ser- vices in a neighboing public hall, and on week days in the school, until the following Christmas; since then the basement of the church has been in use, and will be until its completion, which, it is hoped, will be about 1903.
The membership of the parish comprises about 250 families and is steadily increasing.
TOLEDO. ST. ANNE'S CHURCH.
St. Anne's congregation was organized on Sunday, July 3, 1898, by the present pastor, Rev. J. H. Muehlenbeck, in that part of Toledo known as Auburndale, but only after many delays, extending back at least twelve years, and more recently caused, in part at least, by opposition in regard to parish limits. These were
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finally settled by the Apostolic Delegate, at Washington, who es- tablished the parish limits of St. Anne's as they had been defined by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Horstmann. A church site, comprising ten lots, was bought on December 8, 1898, at the corner of Forest avenue and Bancroft street ; the purchase price was $10,000. In May, 1899, the foundation for a combination church and school was commenced, and on the following 27th of June Bishop Horst- mann laid the cornerstone. Mass was said for the first time in the new building, on December 3, 1899; Father Muehlenbeck was the celebrant. Prior to that time he held services in public halls.
The handsome three-story structure has a good basement, a chapel in the first story, schools in the second, and a fine parish hall in the third or Mansard story. It is built of Sandusky lime-stone, in rock-faced ashlar, trimmed with Berlin Heights sand-stone, and presents an attractive appearance. With the furnishings for the church and school it cost about $26,000. The building was dedi- cated by Bishop Horstmann on July 8, 1900, just two years after the parish was organized. Its membership is about 250 families -Irish, Germans and Belgians-and has a steady growth. The parish has a heavy debt, but it is within easy reach.
A pastoral residence of neat design was built next to the church, and was ready for occupancy in July, 1899.
The school has an enrollment of 300 children and is in charge of the Sisters of Notre Dame.
TOLEDO. ST. ANTHONY'S (POLISH) CHURCH.
Until 1881 St. Hedwig's church served all the Poles . of Toledo. The rapid increase in the number of families of that nation- ality had, however, for some years previous, overtaxed the capacity of the church and school of St. Hedwig's. Hence a second church, in another and more central locality, became an imperative neces- - sity. Bishop Gilmour therefore, in the fall of 1881, directed the pastor of St. Hedwig's church, then the Rev. V. Lewandowski, to secure an eligible site for that purpose. This he did, on Novem- ber 5, of the same year, by the purchase of three lots at the corner of Nebraska and Junction avenues; they cost $1,000. He bought an additional lot, in January, 1882, next to those he had first se-
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ST. ANTHONY'S CHURCH, TOLEDO.
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cured, and paid $300 for it. On the first mentioned lot a frame church, 40 by 100 feet, was built in the summer of 1882, at a cost of $2,500, and dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua, by the V. Rev. F. M. Boff, V. G., on November 12, of the same year. In the summer of 1883 a two-story frame school was built at an expense of $2,000, and in September of that year was placed in charge of the Felician Sisters, from Detroit, who conducted it until June, 1888. They were succeeded in the following September by Fran- ciscan Sisters, from the same city, but these were replaced again in 1893 by the Felician Sisters, who have since remained in charge of the school.
Father Lewandowski attended the congregation as a Mission until the appointment of the Rev. M. F. Orchechowski as first resident pastor, in August, 1884. In the summer and autumn of 1885 he built a frame parish house at a cost of about $2,000. Father Orchechowski was succeeded in the pastorate of St. Anthony's by the Rev. E. M. Slowikowski. His connection with the parish ended in March, 1889, when the Rev. N. Kolasinski was appointed his successor. By this time the temporary church had become too small for the steadily increasing congregation and hence Father Kolasinski was obliged to provide better and more ample church accommodations. With this end in view he bought in September, 1889, an additional lot next to the parish property, and moved the pastoral residence to that lot. He also had the temporary church and school building moved, in order to gain room for the new church. This was commenced in the fall of 1890, and its cornerstone was laid on Sunday, September 20, 1891, by Mgr. F. M. Boff, then administrator of the diocese.
Father Kolasinski met with much opposition in the parish which made it difficult to raise subscriptions for the new church, and hence the building was much retarded. The effects of the financial depression of 1893 were also keenly felt in Toledo, and in consequence of it many of the parishioners were out of employ- ment. Father Kolasinski was removed in June, 1893, when he was succeeded by the Rev. F. S. Motulewski, who found the. church enclosed, but not nearly ready for use. He had to face a large debt, and the temporary church was not half large enough to accommodate the faithful. Forced by necessity he at once set to work to finish the church by means of borrowed money,
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to which was added a fair amount of contributions from his people. Mass was celebrated in it for the first time on March 4, 1894, and on Sunday, July 15, following, the stately edifice was dedicated by Bishop Horstmann. It is a Gothic brick structure, 84 by 135 feet in size. Exclusive of altars, pews, etc., it cost about $95,000. The vaulted nave and sub-arches are supported by ten pillars, two of which also support the organ loft. The chancel is not continued to the roof, but is curved towards the rear wall, at about two- thirds of the height of the latter. The main altar, which is a beauti- ful specimen of carving, cost $2,500. The two side altars, which were donated by the church societies, cost $1,000 each, and the splendid organ was built at an expense of $4,500. The fresco- ing, as well as the stained glass windows, show excellent taste in their coloring and figures. The people of St. Anthony's parish have just reason to be proud of their splendid church.
As soon as the church was finished Father Motulewski had the auditorium of the temporary church divided into four school rooms, which, added to the two already in use, made six rooms in all; and even the additional space now afforded was crowded, each room having not less than one hundred children, and more clamor- ing for admission. This crowded condition of the school made it impossible for the teachers to do full justice to their pupils. Owing however to the heavy debt on the parish it was out of the question then to build a larger and permanent school. Between 1894 and 1900 every effort was made by the pastor and his people to reduce the debt, in order the better to meet the additional debt they would have to incur in erecting the much needed school. Finally, in February, 1899, at a meeting of the parish it was unanimously resolved that a school sufficiently large, and in keeping with the splendid church, should be built without further delay. Plans were at once ordered for a building, to cost not exceeding $50,000. Work was commenced in May, 1900, and the cornerstone was laid by the Rev. F. Heiermann, S. J., as the Bishop's delegate, on the following August 19. The building is now (December, 1900) nearly under roof, and will be completed in 1901. According to the plans adopted it will be one of the finest and most spacious schools in the diocese.
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