The History of St. Patrick Parish 1851-1975 - Saint Patrick Parish

The History of St. Patrick Parish 1851-1975
Originally from the book entitled "A History of Saint Patrick Parish"
Printed in St. Charles, IL in 1975 by R. W. Wilson Co.
Copyright 1975 By Reverend Robert R. Miller
INTRODUCTION
EARLY BEGINNINGS
TURN OF THE CENTURY
PARISH LIFE, 1930s and 1940s
PARISH CENTENNIAL
PARISH LIFE, 1960s
THE PARISH TODAY (1975)
LIFE OF SAINT PATRICK
EPILOGUE

INTRODUCTION
This book is dedicated to you, the people of Saint
Patrick Parish
The symbol on the Tabernacle Altar above is
composed of the first two letters of the Greek
word for Christ: Christos. The "Chi-Rho," as
it is known, is used as a symbol for the name
of Christ.

Bishop Arthur J. O'Neill
Diocese of Rockford, IL

Acknowledgments from Fr. Miller
My sincere gratitude goes first and foremost to Sister Roseann Julian for her untiring
assistance with this book. Her devotion to work and her organization have been
invaluable to me. Without Sister Roseann, this history would never have been written.
I cannot fail to mention my appreciation to Mr. Stan Jorstad and his sons Tom and
Steve and also to Mr. Karl Gartner who have so generously contributed to this book
with their photographs.
I wish also to acknowledge the St. Charles Historical Society which supplied me with
many of the early photographs of St. Charles.
I am also grateful to the Most Rev. Arthur J. O'Neill, Bishop of Rockford and Father
Walter C. Roberts, pastor of St. Patrick Parish, who read the manuscript and offered
many helpful suggestions.
And finally to the many parishioners of St. Patrick Parish who donated their treasured
photos and clippings for use in this book and to the many others who directly and
indirectly contributed to this book, I express my appreciation.

Introduction
Pope Paul VI
This history of Saint Patrick Parish began as a project to help you, the people of the
parish, celebrate the 1975 Holy Year and also the Bicentennial of our great nation. It
attempts to describe the history of Saint Patrick Parish from the earliest Masses
celebrated in the homes of the early settlers of Charleston to the most recent liturgy
celebrated in our beautifully renovated Church.
I have tried to make this book one that will bring back memories to some and educate
others about the rich history and heritage of Saint Patrick Parish. I hope that this
history will serve as a fitting tribute to the men and women who have gone before us

and that it will be a lasting contribution to the life of' this parish as well as to the
community of Saint Charles.
The occasion of the 1975 Holy Year and the Bicentennial of our nation seemed a fitting
time to review our past by considering the history of our parish. The history of any
parish is really a history of its people - their faith, love and devotion which are the very
heart of a parish. It is the hardwork, dedication and sacrifice of the people of Saint
Patrick's (past and present) that makes our parish what it is today.
During this Holy Year Pope Paul has called us to renew and reconcile ourselves and as
American Catholics we are faced with still a further challenge - to restore whatever has
been lost of our founding fathers' dream of providing a life of liberty and justice for all.
The Bicentennial, like the Holy Year, calls upon all Americans to achieve a new sense
of unity among ourselves, a unity based on a shared commitment to common moral and
spiritual values. It is this same unity that we, the people of St. Patrick's, seek for our
parish. The Holy Year's emphasis on renewal and reconciliation will aid us in
accomplishing this goal.
This Christmas the Holy Father will seal the Holy Door in Rome for another 25 years,
but the challenge of renewal and reconciliation should not end with the last trowel full
of mortar or the Pontiff's blessing. The interior call of renewal and reconciliation must
continue in each one of our lives in the years to come.
It is my sincere desire and hope that as you read this book, you will not only have a deep
appreciation of this parish, but that it will serve as a means of renewing your own faith
in God and in the Church. For it was the faith of the early settlers here in Charleston
that built this parish and that same faith which Pope Paul calls us to renew during this
Holy Year. This faith, the faith and dedication of the People of Saint Patrick Parish, is
indeed our rich tradition and heritage.
Robert R. Miller
December, 1975
Copyright 1975 United Feature Syndicate Inc.

PASTORS OF SAINT PATRICK PARISH
Father William Feely 1850-1852
Father Patrick James O'Dwyer 1852-1862
Father Patrick Joseph R. Murphy 1862-1863
Father Thomas F. McGivern 1863-1865
Father Samuel A. O'Sullivan 1864-1866
Father Francis E. Rigby 1864-1865
Father Jeremiah S. O'Neill 1865-1867
Father P. S. Campbell 1866-1869
Father Michael Prendergast, O.P. 1870-1875
Father James A. O'Connor 1875-1877
Father Dominic A. Spelman 1877-1880
Father Michael Zara 1880-1881
Father Peter Birch 1881-1883
Father Ambrose Goulet, Sr. 1883-1886
Father John C. Madden 1886-1890
Father Ambrose Goulet, Jr. 1890-1897
Father Morris Stack 1897-1905
Father Timothy Ryan 1905-1909
Father Robert J. Carse 1909-1950
Father Thomas L. Walsh 1950-1956
Father Walter J. Ryan 1956-1970
Father Walter C. Roberts 1970
ASSOCIATE PASTORS OF SAINT PATRICK PARISH
Father Denis J. Considine 1912
Father Peter S. Masterson 1912
Father Francis Heckinger 1912
Father Edwin McCormick 1912
Msgr. William J. Donovan 1913-1914
Father C. J. Kirkfleet, O. Praem. 1916-1918
Father Thomas Leo Walsh 1918-1922
Father J. A. Klocke 1922
Father Edward Connolly 1922
Father Alex S. McIsaac 1923-1924
Father Anthony J. Schunicht 1924-1927
Father Arthur Kreckel 1927-1928
Father Michael B. Tuomey 1932-1933
Father James F. Lafferty 1936-1939
Father Robert P. Donavan 1939-1942
Father Clarence J. Thennes 1942-1945
End of
INTRODUCTION
Msgr. John F. Regan 1946-1950
Father Walter C. Roberts 1950-1952
Father Francis J. Bonnike 1952-1954
Father Thomas Neville 1952-1957
Father Alphonsus Fitzgibbons 1954-1957
Father Joseph Kaiser 1957-1967
Father William J. McHugh 1959-1960
Father Adam Reier 1960-1963
Father John Kraemer 1963-1966
Father James Weber 1966-1966
Father John Slampak 1966-1970
Father John T. Heraty 1967-1971
Father Vytautas Gorinas 1970-1975
Father Robert R. Miller 1971
Father Gerald Kobbeman 1975

EARLY BEGINNINGS
Father Walter C. Roberts
Father Gerald P. Kobbeman

Father Robert R. Miller
In recording the history of Saint Patrick Parish, it is only fitting that we first look
into the past and pay tribute to those pioneers and settlers who came to this beautiful
area in the early 1800's. It was their tireless effort and boundless energy that laid the
foundation for the faith in this area and paved the way for the future growth not only
of the little village of Charleston (later to be called Saint Charles), but also of Saint
Patrick Parish.
Since Saint Patrick Parish grew with the town, the history of the parish can be told
only by relating it to the constant growth of the village as it changed from a small
community to the constantly expanding suburb that it is today.
In 1896 the Chicago Record described the village of Saint Charles in this way:
In the afternoon of the Indian summer days the miles of glassy water mirror the
russets of the wooded slopes and pale greens of the remaining herbage. Far away
blue hill tops lie in dreamy reveries. As the shadows under the west shore lengthen
the boat of some fisherman creeps out of the inlet where the river bends and comes
lazily homeward, the oars rising and falling without perceptible movement of the
boat. As the breeze dies down the laughter of youngsters becomes wonderfully
distinct, with the gabble of geese and the gossip of dogs answering one another across
the river. The blue smoke curls from the chimneys as the sun goes down and the
wives and mothers begin supper in the scores of homes. From either hill the opposite
sides of the town lies spread, the grap shingled roofs and the limestone and red brick
of the old houses and the smart paint of the new ones showing through the leafy
trees. Back of the creeks mouth, where the boat man has fished, are Indian burial
mounds, where a little industry will secure a handkerchief full of arrow heads and
crumbling skulls, relics of the red men who for centuries had hunted and fished
undisturbed here. The woods were then full of these primitive people.

According to the Kane County History by Joslyn there is no record of a white man's
visit to our Saint Charles region until 1823. Before the white settlers came, the Sacs,
the Foxes, the Pottawatomies camped along the river banks, paddled their canoes in
the Fox River and followed their trails. Waubonsie, the chief of the Pottawatomies,
lived near Aurora in a large village. He was a kind, peaceful old chief whom the
white settlers trusted and loved. Because of the spirit of this tolerant chief no serious
Indian trouble ever disturbed our settlers. Until 1823 the red men held this valley
with no thought of the settlers.
ILLINOIS DISCOVERED
Illinois was first discovered by the French explorers, Joliet and Marquette in 1673. In
1682 Illinois became a possession of the French crown, a dependency of Canada, and
a part of Louisiana.
Priests and traders of the early French occupation in Illinois missed our Fox Valley
region. Two routes were used by the early traders and missionaries from Canada.
Our Fox River was skipped for it meant too great a portage from Lake Michigan. So
we find French villages or monasteries built by the early Jesuits as early as 1721 but
they were at Cahokia and Kaskaskia or along the trade routes of Lake Michigan and
the Mississippi, but not in our Fox Valley Area.
For nearly one hundred years the French worked diligently to hold the Louisiana
territory. They supplied the Indians with French goods and tried to protect them
from the hostile Iroquois. Our Fox Valley was in this vast region, discovered and
held by the French.
England and France vied with each other to get possession of North America. France
had seized the St. Lawrence and Mississippi Valleys which she defended by a line of
forts, leaving England only a narrow strip along the Atlantic coast. England claimed
the whole of North America because of her explorer John Cabot and thus gave her
colonies along the Atlantic coast grants of land from sea to sea. Soon English
pioneers pushed through the mountain passes into the great Ohio Valley. A series of
wars broke out and at last in 1763 France was forced to give up all the land east of
the Mississippi to England, so then the Illinois country was counted a possession of
England.

Monument to Waubonsie, Chief of the
Pottawatomie Indians. (This monument, now
destroyed, used to stand in Pottawatomie Park.)
The Revolutionary War by which the colonies freed themselves from England
followed. Illinois became known as the Illinois country, a part of Virginia.
In 1784 Virginia ceded all this territory to the general government and it became
known as the Northwest Territory governed by the Ordinance of 1787 which
provided for the exclusion of slavery and for public schools. In 1809 our Fox Valley
was included in the smaller Illinois Territory.
In 1818 Illinois became a state. Due to the influence of Nathaniel Pope, our territorial
delegate, our valley was placed in Illinois instead of Wisconsin. The original northern
boundary of Illinois ran east and west across the state from the southern end of Lake
Michigan, giving Illinois no lake frontage. Pope saw that this would be a great
handicap to the state, and succeeded in having the northern boundary moved to its
present position, giving Illinois the Chicago site and the advantageous strip for
harbors and the point where railroads must pass in going from east to west.
In 1823 Major Long and thirty men sent by the government of the United States to
establish parallel 49 degrees as the boundary between the United States and Canada
marched through the northern part of the St. Charles Township, crossing the Fox
River on the Old Pottawatomie Trail near the present Five Islands Park.
BLACK HAWK WAR
Black Hawk, the Sac Chief, tried to unite the Indian Tribes and made a last attempt
to hold the rich northern Illinois lands. The struggle was the bloody Black Hawk
War which cost thousands of lives and dollars. The Indians lost, and Black Hawk
had to move west when the war ended in 1832. A Treaty signed in 1833 between the
United States Government and the Sac and Fox Indian Tribes opened up land for the
settlers.

SHELBY AND FRANKLIN COME
The moving of the Indians made way for a great western trend of settlers. So early
settlers, Evan Shelby and William Franklin ventured west from their homes in
Warren County, Indiana, drove their team of horses along the east side of the Fox
River in the golden haze of an autumn evening, unhitched their tired team of horses
and camped for the night. It was the spring of 1833. Every bounty which nature had
to offer seemed to be here. There was water, there were trees from which to build
their cabins and there was fertile soil. Hard and untiring work would make log
cabins and a village.
Staking out their claim on the east side of the Fox River, later to become known as
Saint Charles, they arranged for their return in the spring of 1834. The two settlers
then drove their teams back to Indiana to bring Mrs. Franklin and the children to
their new home.
This region which our white settlers first looked upon was known as "The Little
Woods." The Aurora and Batavia regions were "The Big Woods." The land was
divided into about three-fifths prairie and two-fifths woodland. The bulk of the
prairie was on the west side of the river and the timber on the east side. The timber
consisted of various kinds of oak, hickory, hard and soft maple, black walnut, linden
or basswood, aspen, cottonwood., black, white and blue ash, sycamore, iron wood,
willow, wild cherry, wild plum, and crab apple. Along the Fox River were scattered
red cedars which have long since entirely disappeared.
The land was underlaid with a layer of Niagara limestone. This proved valuable in
later years for mason work and made a fair quality of lime. Extensive deposits of
gravel were found along the river and also along Ferson, Norton and Brewster
Creeks. This helped in making good wagon roads later on. Good brick clay was also
found in many places in the valley.
The soil was the usual black loam with a clay loam in the timbered portions, with
gravelly knolls and ridges, and drift boulders which had been scattered generously
here and there during the time when the ice sheets crept over this region.
When Evan Shelby and William Franklin first entered this Valley, a fringe of Illinois
settlements swept around from Fort Dearborn, by Naperville to Batavia, thence
down the Fox and on to LaSalle and Rock Island. There was a family or two at Dixon
and Prophetstown on the Rock River and a cluster of mining camps in the Fever
River region about Galena.
In the spring of 1834, Evan Shelby and William Franklin came back, purchased land
from the government, built their cabin, the first log cabin in Charleston. It was
located about one block north of the northwest corner of the little East Side Park (the
present Baker Memorial Park).
Mrs. Lydia Franklin, sister of Evan Shelby wrote this account of their settling in
Charleston:

"My brother, Evan Shelby, went there in 1833, immediately after the close of the
Indian War. He then chose the location where St. Charles now stands. In March
1834, my brother, Evan Shelby, and my husband, William Franklin, went to that
place, plowed and planted six or eight acres of ground, and put up a log cabin, size
18x22 feet. There was not a foot of timber to be had, they split four foot oak boards
to cover the cabin; also nailed on slats for door shutters. We, the family, left Warren
County, Indiana, and landed at our log cabin on the first of August, 1834. We,
William and Lydia Franklin with our two children and my brother, Evan Shelby
who was never married. We were the first white settlers that ever lived in St.
Charles. My brother being a single man lived with us. He planned a town and put up
a frame building in the year 1836. He died on September 16, 1837 and his remains
are buried there.
We had no white neighbors but plenty of red skins. There were about 300 encamped
on the river about where the first saw mill was erected in later times." (The site of
the present municipal building.) "They would go down to the Big Woods and get
whiskey, get drunk, and yell like a thousand wolves. They would come to our cabin
by night as well as by day, and we were afraid to refuse them entrance. They stayed
about four weeks and then went to Chicago to receive their first payment after the
treaty.
The winter set in early in 1834. A deep snow fell on November 1st, and what few
settlers were scattered through the country were scantily supplied with provisions. It
was reported that there was not a half a barrel of flour among all the settlers from
Aurora to Dundee. . . nothing could be had for love nor money short of Chicago.
There were no regular roads; people traveled from one grove to another, avoiding
the sloughs as best they could. It took a week to go to Chicago and return. Chicago
was then a small place; two or three small stores were kept to supply the garrison
and the few persons who had settled there."
These were the first settlers in the little village of Charleston; Evan Shelby and his
sister, Lydia and her husband, William Franklin and their two children.
CHARLESTON BECOMES SAINT CHARLES
According to the Kane County History by Josyln, other settlers came later from the
East, namely Minard and Ferson who christened the village "Charleston" after
Charleston, New Hampshire. But since it was afterward discovered that there was
another Charleston in Coles County, Illinois, a meeting was called of the townspeople
in 1839, to re-christen the village. Various names were suggested, and many of the
New Yorkers were in favor of Ithaca, while John Glos, an enterprising German, was
positive that none of his countrymen could ever be induced to immigrate to a place,
the name of which was cursed with a th sound, and suggested one which he
considered more euphonious, but upon which there arose a diversity of opinion.
Eventually after a prolonged village meeting, S. S. Jones proposed the name of
"Saint Charles" as a compromise. It was voted upon and received a majority of the
votes, thus "Saint Charles" it remains.

FIRST MASS CELEBRATED IN SAINT CHARLES
Needless to say Religion was not neglected in the little village along the Fox River and
religious services were held from the very beginning in the homes of the settlers,
when the ministers would come through.
The homes mentioned in early stories according to the Kane County History by
Josyln, where the early missionaries visited are those of John Barry, John O'Connor
and Michael Flannery. Those missionary trips of the early priests from Chicago and
Joliet to the St. Charles area date from about the year 1833. The Kane County History
records "the Rev. St. Palais and Rev. John Guiguen visited Elgin April 17, 1833."
It was just three short years after the arrival of the town's first settler, Evan Shelby
in 1834, that the first Mass was celebrated in the village of Charleston in the home of
Michael Flannery, which was located at the Northeast corner of Fourth and State
Streets. Since his home stood on the northeast corner of the square block on which
the present Saint Patrick Parish plant now stands, the first Mass ever said in St.
Charles was celebrated within this same block.
Father Maurice de St. Palais
Although there are no records of Flannery's purchase of this piece of property, it
would be logical to conclude that as one of the first settlers in Charleston, Michael
Flannery chose this site and built his home on it and by laying claim to this piece of
property it became legally his when the village was incorporated as Charleston in the
year 1837.
An early abstract of title showed a purchase of 53.88 acres from the United States of
America by Darwin Millington, assignee of Luther Hatch and was dated May 16,
1842. On July 18, 1842, Luther Hatch conveyed this piece of property to Darwin
Millington.
The Kane County Office of Deeds and Titles shows that Millington later sold the rest
of the square block of land to Michael Flannery on December 31, 1853.

From reports of old Catholic settlers in Kane County, as recorded by Josyln in the
Kane County History, Father Maurice de St. Palais was the first priest to visit the
Kane County area and say Mass in Elgin and probably also in St. Charles in 1837.
Father de St.Palais, who later became the 4th Bishop of Vincennes on January 14,
1849, had been sent here by Bishop Simon Brute, the 1st Bishop of Vincennes, since
this area was under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Vincennes until 1843 when the
Diocese of Chicago was established.
Previous to the erection and establishment of St. Patrick Parish in 1851, missionary
priests would come from Chicago and Joliet on horseback and in wagons to offer the
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in pioneer homes. Father John Guiguen and Father
Dupontavice were among the early priests who would come from Chicago and Joliet
once every four months to visit the Catholic settlers in the Fox Valley wherever they
could find them; to baptize their children, say Mass and speak words of
encouragement to them. These were the priests who laid the foundation for the faith
in the Fox River Valley area.
CHICAGO BECOMES A DIOCESE
The people of this area were part of the Diocese of Chicago after the year 1843, until
the growth of this part of Illinois necessitated the establishment of the Rockford
Diocese in 1908.
Bishop James Oliver Van de Velde
In 1835 the legislature had passed a bill to begin the construction of the Illinois and
Michigan Canal which would eventually connect Lake Michigan and the Illinois
River. The contractors who had the work in hand sent circulars to all seaports of the
United States and the Canadas, which were distributed among the immigrants who
at this time were coming in multitude westward. The state legislature also by offering
lands at a nominal value, which had its effect in a healthy speculation in land in and

adjacent to the young city of Chicago, brought purchasers from the East to the West,
and among the laborers were a large number of Catholics.
The Kane County History records that the national financial crash in 1837 scattered
these canal laborers over the counties adjacent to Chicago, and these men, taking up
land, began to engage in farming and many of these immigrants came to St. Charles
because of its fertile soil and wooded lands. The little town had much to offer these
immigrants as they came to settle down and raise their families.
The realities of the Catholic Church grew not only in Chicago but in the whole state
of Illinois and when the Bishops assembled at the Plenary Council in Baltimore on
May 13, 1843, they passed a decree forming the new see of Chicago. Chicago was
established by Rome as an independent diocese on November 28, 1843 because of the
rapid growth of the area.
FIRST BISHOP OF CHICAGO
On May 5, 1844, the Right Reverend William Quarter arrived in Chicago as its first
Bishop. Immediately after his arrival he began to survey the needs of his rapidly
expanding Diocese and on January 21st, 1845 he sent the Reverend John Faughnan
to St. Mary's Parish in Elgin and appointed him the first pastor. This young priest,
shortly after his arrival in Elgin, contracted a severe cold, and died soon after in
Chicago on September 27, 1845. The next pastor of St. Mary's Parish was Father
Patrick J. Scanlan, appointed sometime also during the year of 1845. Father Scanlan
was succeeded in 1847 by Father Andrew Doyle and like his predecessors, his time in
Elgin was brief.
Father William Feely
FATHER FEELY ARRIVES IN ELGIN

In the spring of 1848, Father William Feely came to St. Mary's Church in Elgin to
serve as pastor.
During the years of Father Feely's pastorate in Elgin the Elgin parish included,
besides the village of Elgin, Dundee, Huntley, Turner Junction, (later West Chicago),
Saint Charles, Geneva, Blackberry, Sycamore, and "The Barrens," (near the present
village of Gilberts.) Mass was celebrated every fourth Sunday at Elgin, "The
Barrens," Saint Charles, and Blackberry, and on occasional weekdays in the other
places mentioned in the above paragraph:
On September 18, 1850, the Right Reverend James Oliver Van de Velde, 2nd Bishop
of Chicago, journeyed to Galena; before sunset of that same day he arrived in Elgin
where he visited with "Reverend William Kelly, pastor of that place."*
* This small entry in Bishop Van de Velde's diary is the only evidence we have of a
Father William Kelly being a pastor in this area. Father William Kelly is mentioned
as being the first resident pastor in Elgin in 1845 by Father Kirkfleet in his history
published in 1924. However, the history of St. Mary's parish in Elgin (published in
1901) makes no mention of Father William Kelly. The only mention of Father Kelly
is a note to that effect in Bishop Van de Velde's diary of 1850 quoted above.
We can only conclude that since Bishop Van de Velde wrote his diary in longhand
and while traveling on the train or stagecoach, it was very easy for the word Feely to
be written in such a way as to later be interpreted by Father Kirkfleet as Kelly.
Every other source, including the deed to the property on which the Old Saint
Patrick's Church now stands (dated January 10, 1850) lists Father William Feely as
pastor.
After the Bishop's short visit in Elgin, he went by stage to Belvidere because Elgin
was the terminus of the railline. He then went on to Rockford the next day, where he
was able to survey more closely this part of his primitive diocese and to acquaint
himself with some of the Catholic inhabitants. He urged that land for the Churches
be purchased even though the Catholic population at that time did not warrant it
because the railroad had not come to these neighborhoods; but the Bishop had an eye
for the future and the eventual growth of this area. In his diary he wrote: "Lots have
been procured for the same purpose at Elgin, Saint Charles, Belvidere and Freeport,
through all of which the towns the (rail) road is to pass."

Limestone quarry in St. Charles about 1850
On July 29, 1853, good Bishop Van de Velde was transferred from the Chicago
Diocese to the Diocese of Natchez, Mississippi to be its second Bishop. He was
transferred due to ill health. He remained there until he died of yellow fever on
November 13, 1855.
It is from his personal diary that much of the preceding information was gained as it
served as a primary source for the early history of our diocese and our parish.
FATHER FEELY BUILDS CHURCH
The Golden Jubilee Book of St. Mary's Parish in Elgin, published in 1901 tells us that
Father William Feely began the construction of the first stone church in St. Charles
in the spring of 1851 under the direction of Mr. Seth Marvin, who was the
contractor. It is from this book that we also learn that he completed only the exterior
of the Church. The records are not clear as to who actually completed the interior of
the Church.
According to the reports of the early parishioners of St. Patrick's Parish the
limestone to build the Old St. Patrick's Church (1851) was taken from a quarry
which was located where the present V.F.W. Hall now stands.
Two accounts exist as to the possible existence of a church after which our original
stone church, constructed in 1851, was modeled. Josyln's Kane County History
reports that the stone church was modeled after one found in London, Canada.
Bishop Gerald Carter, the present Bishop of London, Canada, after an extensive
amount of research in his diocese, is unable to verify the existence of a church in
London, Canada around the year 1850, after which our original stone church here at
Saint Patrick's, might possibly have been modeled.
The Saint Charles Chronicle of May, 1972, reports . . . "in 1851 the St. Patrick's
Church was erected on North Fourth Street by James O' Connor assisted by his

others, Patrick and Dennis Long. O'Connor had previously constructed a Catholic
Church in Ottawa and he followed this same plan with the St. Charles Church . . . "
The problem concerning the verification of this article printed in the Chronicle is
that two interpretations are possible - either the stone church after which ours was
modeled was in Ottawa, Canada or Ottawa, Illinois. The "Ottawa" is not identified
as to Ottawa, Canada or Ottawa, Illinois. There are no records available in Ottawa,
Canada of a church existing prior to this date (1851) after which ours was modeled,
but there is an account in the Metropolitan Catholic Almanac, published in 1851, of a
St. Columba's Church in Ottawa, Illinois that was built but unfinished prior to 1851.
However, the church no longer exists and no one at St. Columba's is able to produce
records that would verify its existence.
PARISH NAMED IN HONOR OF SAINT PATRICK
The deed which is dated the 10th of January, 1850, deeds the property (on which the
old Saint Patrick's Church built in 1851, now stands) to "the Catholic Bishop of
Chicago, the Right Reverend James Oliver Van de Velde and the incumbent pastor,
Reverend William Feely, entrusted with the Catholic congregation of the town of St.
Charles."
Old Saint Patrick's Church before the steeple was added

Stone Church and Rectory - 1900
The Kane County History tells us that the land for this first Catholic Church in St.
Charles was given by Darwin Millington and Ira Minard. Both the Minard and
Millington families were established settlers in the Saint Charles area by the year
1836.
There is no mention of the name of St. Patrick so we can only presume that the name
St. Patrick was given because of the large number of Irish people who lived here at
the time (1851) or possibly because of the name of the first resident pastor, Reverend
Patrick O'Dwyer.
There is no evidence to support this 2nd theory since the early records indicate that
he was here in December of 1852 and it seems likely that the parish would have been
named before his arrival.
It is possible however that he was ministering to the people of the area long before
being appointed officially as pastor and would therefore be likely well known to them
- well known enough to name their parish in his honor.
ORIGINAL STONE CHURCH DEDICATED
On July 9th of the year 1851, according to Bishop Van de Velde's diary, the Bishop
visited St. Charles, and although the diary does not state the reason he visited St.
Charles, possibly it was to dedicate the newly finished St. Patrick's Church here in
St. Charles.
FATHER PATRICK O'DWYER
Commemorative plaque
Bishop Van de Velde divided Saint Patrick's Parish from St. Mary's Parish in Elgin
in the year 1853. It was at this time that Father Patrick James O'Dwyer was
appointed from Chicago as the first resident pastor of the Saint Patrick Parish in
Saint Charles. However, the Baptismal records from St. Patrick's Parish give proof
that Father O'Dwyer was serving the people of St. Patrick's Parish as far back as
December 5th, 1852. At this time the parish of St. Patrick's included Elburn, West
Chicago, and Geneva as missions. The people in the Batavia area also came to St.

Patrick's to fulfill their religious obligations until Father O'Dwyer purchased
property in Batavia and Holy Cross Parish became a mission church of Saint Patrick
Parish, sometime during the years of 1855 and 1860. People from Elburn continued
to come to St. Patrick's Parish until St. Gall's was established officially as a parish in
1872. The people in Geneva continued to attend either the church in St. Charles or
the Holy Cross church in Batavia until Bishop Peter J. Muldoon, the first Bishop of
the Rockford Diocese, established the parish in Geneva in 1912. Holy Cross Parish in
Batavia was established in 1860 but it remained a mission church of St. Patrick's in
St. Charles until the year 1871 when it became an independent parish under Father
Michael Prendergast.
Father Patrick James O'Dwyer remained as Pastor of St. Patrick's until the year
1862, when he was succeeded by the Reverend Patrick Joseph R. Murphy. The
parsonage occupied by Father O'Dwyer stood at the corner of Main and Fourth
Streets. His parishioners were poor and were unable to pay him much, so that during
the last year of his pastorate at St. Patrick's he received only six dollars. Father
Patrick James O'Dwyer, the first resident pastor of St. Patrick's parish, died on
August 30, 1871.
Saint Patrick Church - 1902
Etching of the original Stone Church by Mr. Pehr Anderson, 1969

Saint Patrick Church sometime after 1902
Sketch of the Original Stone Church by Mr. Jack Vawter, Christmas, 1973.
FATHER PATRICK J. R. MURPHY
Father Patrick Joseph R. Murphy, who succeeded Father O'Dwyer in 1862 remained
only two years and then was made chaplain of the Fifty-second Illinois Volunteer
Infantry. About 1863, Father Murphy returned to St. Charles after serving in the
Infantry. The early Baptismal records here at St. Patrick's clearly state that on

March 27th, 1863, Father Murphy baptized John Miller, age 21 years, of the 18th
Tennessee Regiment of the Confederate Army.
Sometime after returning to St. Patrick's in 1863, Father Murphy fell while stepping
off a train, sustaining injuries from which he later died. Since the last record in the
early Baptismal record shows an entry by Father Murphy on May 3rd, 1863, we can
presume he died sometime following this as the next entry in the record is on
December 10th, 1863, by Father Thomas F. McGivern.
The improvements made by Father Murphy in the interior of the stone church were
the first to be made since the interior of the church was never completed when it was
built in 1851.
OTHER EARLY PASTORS OF ST. PATRICK'S
Following Father Murphy's term as pastor of St. Patrick's was Father Thomas F.
McGivern, who served from 1863 - 1865. Little is known of this early pastor. We do
know he was still serving here at St. Patrick's on September 24th, 1865 because of a
funeral entry in one of the early records. Nothing is known of him after this date.
Kirkfleet and McDonald in their histories of the Rockford Diocese, report that
Father Timothy D. O'Sullivan and Father Francis E. Rigby followed Father Murphy
as pastors here in St. Charles, however, the early baptismal records of St. Patrick's
do not support this. The early baptismal records list a Father Samuel O'Sullivan as
having served here from March 16th, 1864 to July 12th, 1866.
Kirkfleet's history records that Father Jeremiah S. O'Neill, of Savannah, Georgia,
came to St. Patrick's in 1864 to serve as pastor. He was driven from the South
because of his northern sympathies. He remained here for three years until August of
1867, when he was appointed pastor of St. James Parish in Rockford where he
completed the building of St. James Church. Our early records do not verify this
information, but we can presume that many early records have been lost through the
years and this would account for the overlapping dates of these early priests who
served at St. Patrick's.
The next name listed in the early baptismal records here at St. Patrick's is a Father
P. S. Campbell, from 1866 to 1869. Nothing is known of this early pastor, except that
he served the people of St. Patrick's during these years of 1866 through 1869.
During the years of 1861 -1865, our country was torn by the Civil War. Needless to
say the affects of this war were felt far and wide. The small community of St. Charles
and also the newly formed Catholic Church would also feel the affects of this civil
war.
It was after the close of this Civil War, that General Farnsworth (his mansion later
to become part of Mount Saint Mary Academy) and Mr. O. M. Butler went to work
to secure a railroad connection between Geneva and St. Charles. The Chicago and
Northwestern Railroad Company built a line in 1871 from St. Charles to Geneva at a
cost of $45,000 dollars. It was this railroad line, together with the improved water

facilities that finally brought renewed growth to St. Charles. With renewed growth in
the town, St. Patrick's Church also began to flourish.
Following Father Campbell as pastor, a Dominican priest, Father Michael
Prendergast, O.P., took up his duties as pastor at the little parish of St. Patrick's. He
remained as pastor of St. Patrick's from April, 1870 - January, 1875. During his time
as pastor at St. Patrick's he saw a hopeful future for the growth of Batavia, and
purchased the Kemp property on the east side at the corner of Wilson and VanBuren
Streets for the site of a future parish in Batavia. It was at this time that he left St.
Charles and went to Batavia to take up residence. From the early records, St.
Patrick's was treated as a mission of the Batavia Church at this time. During the
pastorates of the priests who succeeded Father Prendergast, it is believed that they
resided in Batavia while caring for the parishioners at St. Patrick's.
North Side of East Main Street in St. Charles, 1880.
Father James A. O'Connor followed Father Prendergast for only a short time, 1875 -
1877 and then Father Dominic A. Spelman is listed as the next pastor of St. Patrick's
from 1877 - 1880; however, Father Spelman is listed as pastor in Batavia until the
year 1893.
Kirkfleet's history lists the next two pastors of St. Patrick's as Father Michael Zara
from 1880 -1881 and Father Peter Birch from 1881 - 1883. We can only conclude that
these two men, Father Zara and Father Birch, served at St. Patrick's while perhaps
continuing to reside in Batavia with Father Spelman. Little is known of either of
these two priests.
FATHER AMBROSE GOULET, SR.
In June of 1883, Father Ambrose James Goulet, Sr., a French-Canadian priest, made
St. Patrick's an independent parish again when he took up residence here as pastor.
Father Goulet had been born in Canada in 1821 and became a physician. He was
married on February 14, 1849 and had four children, one of whom, Ambrose, Jr.,
became a priest.
Upon the death of his wife, his son already having been ordained, Father Goulet, Sr.,
being of a very religious nature decided that he too, would study for the priesthood.
He was ordained on August 31, 1877 by the Right Reverend James Foley, 5th Bishop
of the Chicago Diocese. Soon after Father Goulet Sr., was ordained he was appointed
pastor of Saint James Church in Kankakee. He came to St. Patrick's Parish in June
of 1883. He was pastor here for 3 years until he was transferred to West Chicago in
1886. He died in 1907.

Father John C. Madden followed Father Goulet Sr., from 1886 - 1890. Father
Madden was transferred to Lake Forest and later to Highland Park where he died.
Ambrose Goulet Jr., followed Father John C. Madden as pastor of St. Patrick's in
1890. Young Father Goulet remained here for seven years. In 1897 Father Goulet
was transferred to St. Joseph Parish in Harvard, Illinois as pastor.
During this time the growth of the parish in St. Charles was slow and gradual.
Toward the end of the 19th century in the year 1893 a large number of Belgians
moved into the city. It was in that year that the Moline Malleable Iron Company
moved its plant from Moline to Saint Charles. Since this firm employed a large
number of Belgians, many of the Belgians moved to Saint Charles when the company
moved from Moline to St. Charles. Among these first comers may be mentioned the
DeBruyne Brothers and Mr. Henry Spriet and many others.
Within a short time a Belgian colony of over one hundred families was established
here, and as the Belgians were all Catholics, their coming meant new life for the
small and struggling parish of St. Patrick's. On March 4, 1894, Celest R. Spriet was
born, the son of Henry Spriet. Celest, now 81, was the first Belgian baby boy born in
St. Charles.
A few years later, after the Belgians had settled in St. Charles, another Catholic
settlement came to the small city, composed mainly of Lithuanians. They too, like the
Belgians, were hard working and religious people. Thus the small town of St. Charles
and the Catholic parish were much the richer for these two communities having
settled in this area.
As the new century dawned, the little parish of St. Patrick's began to grow beyond all
expectations.
Moline Malleable Plant, 1900.
End of
EARLY BEGINNINGS

TURN OF THE CENTURY
The turn of the century for the small city of Saint Charles was to mean industry,
expansion and growth. Electric lights, the installation of gas mains, telephones, street
cars, city water, improved schools and a city library were only a few of the
advancements that the small, but industrious town of St. Charles was to enjoy.
FATHER MORRIS STACK
It was during this time of growth in the city of St. Charles that Father Morris Stack
presided over the parish. Father Stack was appointed here in 1897 and remained
until 1905. While Father Stack was here he endeared himself to the people who still
speak of his many kindnesses.
Ruth and Delia Malroy tell that Father Stack had very poor eyesight and as a result
of this poor eyesight he fell during a visit to Chicago and lost the sight in one of his
eyes. He wore a glass eye for many years, unnoticed by many parishioners.
From the reminiscences of Ruth and Delia Malroy, Father Stack is the first pastor at
St. Patrick's to plan and organize a parish picnic. Helen Munhall says of Father
Stack and his parish outings, "We revered this tall, dignified man, who always wore
a 'plug' hat, as we called it, for every summer he arranged a parish outing via the
Chicago and Great Western Railroad to Lincoln Park in Chicago, where a horsedrawn
Tally-Ho gave us never-to-be-forgotten rides."
Father Stack (standing on top with white hat) is pictured with one of parishioners on the
famous Tally-Ho Wagon.

West Main Street (looking East) from "Whiskey Bend", Main and 3rd Streets about 1900.
Mr. Karl Gartner recalls waiting for the street-car to arrive on Sunday mornings
and lighting the candles for Mass as the people would soon be coming up the hill for
Mass. Karl also tells of Father Stack's love for the young people of the parish,
especially the altar boys. He is pictured with the altar boys sometime in 1902 when he
had taken them to Elgin on the Aurora-Elgin Streetcar to have their picture taken.
The altar boys were well paid for their painstaking pose at the photographers -
Father treated them to ice cream after the long ordeal. Father Stack took the
following young altar boys: James F. Brennan, Wilfred M. Doherty, John O'Brien,
Andrew W. Gartner, Karl J. Gartner, and James L. Doherty.
Fr. Stack and his altar boys in 1902
Mrs. Mable Naughton recalls that when Father Stack was the pastor she used to
attend catechism classes on Saturday afternoons. After classes she and her friends
liked to go to the rectory and watch Katie Liddy, Father Stack's housekeeper make
the altar breads. Mrs. Naughton says she loved to go to Father's house as he always
would give you a little something: a little rosary, a holy card you some little thing to
eat. She recalls him being a very kind man.
Karl Gartner, Mrs. C. Jay Marvin, Ruth and Delia Malrov still speak today of
Father Stack's kindnesses, especially to the young people of the parish. In 1905,
Father Morris Stack was transferred to St. James Parish in Lee, Illinois where he
remained but a few short years, passing away on the feast of the Annunciation of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, March 25, 1910.

FATHER TIMOTHY RYAN
Immediately after Father Stack was transferred to Lee, Illinois in 1905, Father
Timothy Ryan was appointed to be the eighteenth pastor of St. Patrick's Parish.
Kane County History tells us that this popular priest was born in Tipperary, Ireland,
on the 21st of April, 1864, and began his education in the National Schools of that
country. He prepared for the priesthood at All Hallows College, Dublin, Ireland, and
was ordained on the 23rd of June, 1889, by Archbishop Walsh, of Dublin, Ireland.
Coming to the United States, Father Ryan was assigned to the Chicago Diocese and
for a time was assistant pastor at St. Cecilia Church of that city. In 1902 he was
appointed pastor of St. Flannen's Church at Harmon, Illinois and remained at that
place until coming to St. Charles in 1905 to take charge of St. Patrick's Parish. Under
Father Ryan's guidance and encouragement the parish in St. Charles flourished and
grew as he faithfully ministered to the spiritual as well as the physical needs of his
growing numbers of parishioners.
Father Timothy Ryan made many improvements in the Church property, he
redecorated the interior of the church with the most significant improvement being
the addition of the electric lights to replace the gas lamps which had hung in the
center of the church.
Interior of Old Church before electricity, 1902
During Father Ryan's time as pastor here at St. Patrick's he tried very hard to
purchase land for a Catholic cemetery. Father persuaded Ruth and Delia Malroy's
grandfather, Mr. Michael Brennan to sell the piece of property where the Bethlehem
Lutheran Church now stands. He planned on having a Catholic cemetery established
there. The neighbors objected very strenuously to this idea as they felt there were
enough cemeteries in that area as it was. The Catholic cemetery plan never
materialized as Father Timothy Ryan was forced to sell the land to a Mrs. White who
later lost the land after having operated a park and dance hall on it. If it had been up

to the big, ruddy faced Irish priest, a Catholic cemetery would exist today in St.
Charles.
MOUNT SAINT MARY ACADEMY
Interior of Old Church after electricity, 1906
Being very interested in the education of young people, Father Ryan was influential
in the establishment of Mount Saint Mary Academy on the Fox, a school for the
education of high school girls.
"The Woodlawns" was the name Colonel John Farnsworth, St. Charles leader
during the Civil War, gave to the stately English Manor style home he built on the
property given to him by the government at the close of the Civil War. It was on this
property that Mount St. Mary Academy on the Fox was to be established.
Once a prominent Chicago lawyer, Colonel Farnsworth became a leader of
abolitionists in St. Charles prior to the Civil War. He was commissioned by President
Abraham Lincoln to raise and train cavalry troops in 1861. This he did on a
picturesque tract of land beside the Fox River which he had purchased in 1858.
After the Civil War ended, Colonel Farnsworth represented the local district for ten
years in Congress. It was during this time that he built and lived at "The
Woodlands."
In March, 1878, Colonel Farnsworth sold his land to Charles Millard. A fire broke
out in the Spring of 1883 and destroyed the home except for the four stone walls. The
charred remains stood untouched until 1890 when Clinton Wing purchased the
property.
Seven years later, Wing sold the property to a Mr. Nicholson, who moved to this area
from England to establish the St. Charles Evaporated Cream Company. The Alaskan
Gold Rush was on then, and demanded huge quantities of evaporated cream and
milk. Nicholson soon found himself a wealthy man. He returned to England after
selling the land to the Sisters of St. Dominic, Adrian, Michigan in 1907.

Learning that the Farnsworth estate in St. Charles was for sale, Father Timothy
Ryan, pastor at St. Patrick's interested Mother Mary Camilla, of the Dominican
Sisters, of Adrian, Michigan, in viewing the property. He persuaded Mother after
viewing the property to purchase the mansion and the grounds, which they did for
the sum of $15,000.00. The Sisters proceeded to renovate and remodel the building
into classrooms. The school was formally opened on August 15, 1907, the feast of the
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mother Mary Philomena, O.P., was the first
superior; there were five other Sisters. That first year the school was in operation
there were only six boarding students.
In the early days of the school, a greenhouse, barn, and windmill to supply water
power were located on the grounds. Girls were accepted as boarders. Both boys and
girls were accepted as day students. Land across the road was used for chickens and
cows, and boys from St. Raymond School, a Dominican school south of the Mount,
also operated by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, took care of these animals.
It was in May of 1909 that the Archbishop of Chicago, the Most Reverend James
Edward Quigley, recalled Father Timothy Ryan to the Chicago Diocese to serve as
the first pastor of Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Church in Chicago. Father Ryan's
pastorate was of a very short duration in his new field of labor. He died on the 25th
of the following October, 1909. He was mourned by all who knew him.
Mount St. Mary Academy - 1907
ROCKFORD DIOCESE ESTABLISHED
On September 28, 1908, the Diocese of Rockford was established by Pope Pius X, and
the Right Reverend Peter J. Muldoon, D. D., was appointed the first Bishop. Bishop
Muldoon's new diocese comprised the counties of Jo Daviess, Stephenson,
Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Carroll, Ogle, DeKalb, Whiteside, Lee, Kendall and
our own, Kane County. The Diocese covered a territory of 6,867 square miles. There
were about fifty-thousand Catholics in the Diocese, cared for by sixty-two secular
priests.
Bishop Muldoon's first concern after he came to Rockford, was for the foreign-born
Catholic. Immediately, parishes were organized and established for Italian, Polish
and Lithuanian Catholics living in the Diocese. The services were secured of priests

who were linguistically and temperamentally equipped to deal with and understand
their congregations.
FATHER ROBERT J. CARSE
At the request of Bishop Muldoon, first Bishop of Rockford, Father Robert J. Carse
came to the Diocese of Rockford from Baltimore, Maryland and became the pastor
of St. Patrick's Parish on May 31, 1909. Father Robert Carse, on the occasion of his
golden jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood, fondly recalled that Bishop
Muldoon had said his assignment to St. Patrick's would be "Just for the time being!"
Father Carse would spend the rest of his life at St. Patrick's in St. Charles. Forty-one
years later he would go to his eternal rest, having spent his life in serving the
spiritual, intellectual and physical needs of the people of St. Patrick's Parish all those
years.
East Main Street (looking West) - 1900
Father Robert J. Carse was born on November 8, 1872, at Ligoniel, near Belfast,
Ireland. He attended schools there until 1887 when he left for the United States,
arriving in New York City on August 31, 1887. He worked for two years as a
shipping clerk and entered St. Peter's College in New Jersey City in 1879.
In 1884 he entered St. Xavier's College in New York and then went to Seton Hall
College, East Orange, New Jersey and then went on to attend St. Mary's Seminary at
Baltimore, Maryland where he finished the theological course in 1898, being
ordained by James Cardinal Gibbons. The next eleven years of his life were spent in
Baltimore parishes where he worked with the negroes, followed by his presidency of
Epiphany College in that same city for one year.
When Father Carse came to St. Patrick's in May of 1909, the rectory which was a
frame building standing near the Old Church at the corner of Fourth and Cedar
Streets, and the small stone Church building itself were the only parish buildings.
Due to the influx of the Belgian and Lithuanian immigrants, the need of a larger
Church became pressing and very evident to the newly appointed pastor of the

parish. Thus, shortly after being appointed pastor, Father Carse began plans for
buying property and building a new, larger church.
The site for the present Church was purchased on October 26th, 1909, from Henry
Clay and Minnie L. Banks, for an undetermined sum. At the time that Father Carse
purchased the land, it was just a meadow with one small home near it. The lots that
Father Carse purchased were lots 7 and 8 of plot number 56 of the original town of
Charleston.
It was also at this time that the Dominican Sisters began to expand the small Mount
St. Mary Academy. In 1910, 23 acres of land east of the present Route 31 were
purchased to prevent factories from blotting the river view. The land was used for
farming and pastures and for a time, the Mount was self-sufficient. The 1910
additions to the existing 1840 mansion structure added classrooms, a playroom, and
a bakery to the Mount Academy.
PRESENT CHURCH BUILT
Father Robert J. Carse - 1918
Architect's sketch of present Church
The construction of the Church was begun in 1911 and was completed in June, 1912.
At the time Father Carse was having the Church built he was bitterly criticized for

uilding such a huge Church because people thought that the number of
parishioners at that time did not warrant it. But Father Carse, being a man of vision,
was to see his small parish expand and grow beyond all expectations.
The first Mass was offered in the new Church on Pentecost Sunday, May 26, 1912,
and on June 16, 1912, Bishop Muldoon, solemnly dedicated the new edifice to the
worship of God. The new Church and rectory, located on West Cedar Street, were
constructed at a cost of $62,000.00.
The St. Charles Chronicle reported the dedication of the new Church in this manner:
"Sunday, June 16, the new St. Patrick's church, one of the finest religious edifices on
the Fox River was dedicated with fitting ceremonials. Right Reverend Bishop P. J.
Muldoon, and a number of priests from the diocese assisted in the ceremony.
The seating capacity, some less than a thousand, was taxed to accommodate the
attendants. The parish has grown to such a number that a larger edifice was a
necessity and the splendid new building which houses the big membership during
services is not only beautiful and modern, but a monument to the zeal and sacrifice
of the parish.
Art windows beautify, and art statues typify the religion inculcated by emblems and
teachings.
The statue of St. Patrick, for whom the parish is named, was the gift of Mrs. Peter
Parquette and her daughter, Mrs. J. Bogart.
Pontifical solemn high Mass was said by Bishop Muldoon in the morning, and Father
Quinn of Holy Angels Church, Aurora, gave a discourse heard with much interest
and pleasure.
Two societies, St. George's and the Belgian Sick Benefit society, attended in a body,
and the Lithuanian Band furnished music preceding and following the service.
In the afternoon, 125 children were confirmed."
Dedication of new Church, June 16, 1912

Karl Gartner
Helen Welch
WORLD WAR I
It was during this time that the leaders of Europe knew that a war was coming. They
had known it for a long time - but no one thought that the war would last for four
years, from 1914 - 1918.
It was on April 2, 1917, that President Woodrow Wilson asked the Congress of the
United States to declare war. President Wilson said, "The world must be made safe
for democracy. Its peace must be founded on . . . liberty." The United States entered
a war that would shatter the world. Hundreds of young men and women lost their
lives for their countries and for peace in the world: the young men of Saint Charles
were no exception.
Karl Gartner and his brother, Andrew are but two of the many brave young men
from the Fox River Valley who went to Europe to fight for peace and unity among
nations. When examining the records of service during the first World War, women
of our country cannot be forgotten - for without their long and untiring hours of
work in the hospitals throughout the war torn countries, many more men would have
lost their lives. Helen J. Welch was just one of the numerous women from the Fox
Valley area who gave their time and service to the soldiers in World War 1. Helen
served as an army nurse from August of 1918 until January of 1919. She was in
Europe during the flu epidemic during the war and nursed many of the soldiers back
to health.
Karl Gartner is pictured on the front lines in 1918 with some of his buddies from
Company D, 132nd Infantry. Karl was stationed near Sivry, Meuse-Argonne in
France.
In 1937, Helen is pictured aboard ship returning to Europe for the American Legion
Convention in Paris.

FIRS'I' PRIEST FROM PARISH ORDAINED
It was early in January of 1922 that the small parish of Saint Patrick's was blessed
and honored with its first young man to be ordained to the priesthood.
Philip Dudley Healy was ordained in January of 1922 in Rockford, Illinois by the
Most Reverend Peter J. Muldoon, first Bishop of Rockford.
Father Healy was born on April 4th, 1892. He had attended St. Ignatius College in
Chicago, (later to be called Loyola University) St. Viator College in Bourbonnais,
(the alma mater of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen) and then went on to study Theology at
Niagara University in Buffalo, New York.
Father Healy offered his first Mass here in St. Patrick's Church assisted by Father
Thomas Walsh and Father William Donovan, two very close friends of his.
After ordination he was assigned to St. Joseph's in Harvard as an associate pastor.
After serving there for a few years, he was appointed pastor at St. Ann's Parish in
Warren. In 1929 he went to St. Mary's Parish in West Brooklyn as pastor. It was
while he was pastor in West Brooklyn that he died on December 5, 1934.
Father Philip Dudley Healy
St. Patrick Church from West Side Park, 1931
A PARISH GROWS

After the new Church and rectory were completed in 1912, Father Carse had room
for and need of an associate pastor. According to an early account from the St.
Charles Journal, Father D. J. Considine was the first associate pastor. The article in
the St. Charles Journal read as follows:
"D. J. Considine, who came here from Ireland, arriving here Saturday, is Father
Carse's assistant which has been promised him for some time past. The assistant is a
capable young minister and will have ample opportunity here for parish work, as the
field is very large."
Other priests following Father Denis Considine as associate pastors to Father Carse
in those early days of the parish were Father Peter S. Masterson, Father Francis
Heckinger, Father Edwin A. McCormick, Father William J. Donovan, (now Msgr.
Donovan, residing at Holy Cross Parish, Batavia), Father C. J. Kirkfleet, O.
Praem.who, in 1924, wrote the History of the Rockford Diocese, Father Thomas L.
Walsh, (to return as pastor of St. Patrick's in 1950), Father A. J. Klocke, Father
Edward J. Connolly, Father Alex S. McIssac, Father Anthony J. Schunicht, Father
Arthur M. Kreckel. These dedicated young men who served the people of St.
Patricks as associate Pastors will long be remembered for their untiring labors and
boundless energies.
GEORGE REMPE MEMORIAL SCHOOL BUILT
Under the guidance and leadership of Father Carse and with the help of these
dedicated associates, the small parish grew to such proportions, that Father
Carsesoon saw the need for a parish school.
In January of 1929, Father Carse took the initial steps for the beginning of our
school. On January 26, 1929, he purchased land from Mary and Joseph Petraoicz, lot
number 5 (from plot 56 of the original town of Charleston as surveyed on May 8,
1837). Then on July 2, 1929 after he purchased lot number 6 from Bernard Snelting
he was able to begin the actual construction of his life-long dream, a Catholic School
in Saint Charles!
The George H. Rempe Memorial School was then constructed with funds donated by
the Rempe Family. Mrs. Anne Rempe donated the funds in memory of her husband
who liked to spend his summers here in St. Charles and was always interested in the
development of the parish. The cost of the school was approximately $65,000.00.
The school opened on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6th, 1930 with a Mass
celebrated in honor of the Holy Spirit and classes were held for the first time in the
new parish school on the same day. 187 pupils were enrolled. The school was staffed
with Adrian Dominican Sisters. The first Dominican Sisters to teach here at St.
Patrick's were: Sister Felicitas, Principal, Sister Jean Catherine, Sister Martin
Marie, Sister Ann and Sister Margaret Edward.
The enrollment consisted of pupils not only from the St. Charles area but also from
Batavia, Elburn, Geneva and West Chicago as well.

Father Carse had purchased the property for the convent from Frank Siliunas on
November 21, 1929 and the convent was completed and ready for the Sisters to move
in on January 13, 1930.
The new parish school was solemnly dedicated by Bishop Edward F. Hoban on
Sunday, May 11, 1930. It is interesting to note that the master of ceremonies,
assisting Bishop Hoban at the dedication was Father Walter J. Ryan, the future
pastor of St. Patrick's Parish who would come eventually and build the addition to
the school.
There were fourteen children in the first class to graduate from the new school on
June 17, 1930.
George H. Rempe Memorial School (Inset: George H. Rempe)
The first graduates of St. Patrick's School in 1930 are pictured above, front row, right to left -
Frank Lievrouw, Catherine Delaney, Catherine Frohling, Zeno Stantus. Back row, right to left -
William Lucas, Mary Ryckeghem, Tessie Shestokes, Mary Regelbrugge, Mary Wedzviega, Marie
Hoffman, Alice Petrones, Stella Wedecky, John Oksas, and Albert Tuytschaevers.

Graduating Class of 1932
Graduating Class of 1937
Graduating Class of 1949
Graduating Class of 1951

SPORTS PROGRAM
Graduating Class of 1952
Graduating Class of 1957
It was shortly after the opening of the school that the long and very active sports
program began here at St. Patrick's Parish. The story of the "SPORTS PROGRAM"
at St. Patrick's is the story of "PEOPLE!"
On February 18, 1930 the Saint Patrick's 8th Grade basketball team played its first
game with St. Mary's Parish of Elgin and won 24 to 17. This first victory was to
establish a pattern of future victories that would make St. Patrick's a school to be
reckoned with in future tournaments! On the same day the St. Patrick's 6th grade
basketball team played at St. Mary's and won 8 to 4. The names of the men who
coached these early teams are not known, but the countless hours of time that they
would spend with the boys would be a tradition that would be continued by the great
men and women who would follow these first basketball games here at St. Patrick's.
From the records of Bob Burger, the present athletic director here at St. Patrick's
Parish, we know that some 23 years ago, the organized sports program began and
without a home gym. Bob Carr, now living in Arizona, headed the movement for
athletic participation, particularly basketball, for the boys at St. Patrick's School.
Nestor Bruggman, Bernie Mayotte, and Frank Gurbal were other early directors of
the cage fortunes of the Irish.
In 1956, Bob Burger, on completion of his military service, assumed the coaching
duties of the basketball program. It would be just four short years later that St.
Patrick's would taste its first Diocesan Championship. Without a doubt the building
of the gymnasium during the 1960-61 season would provide a big lift for the sports
program, for just two years after the first Diocesan Championship was won, St.
Patrick's would defeat Holy Angeles School of Aurora, 45 to 35 to win their second
crown.
Bob Burger would head the coaching staff until the 1969-70 season, when John
Howard would assume the head coach position for the 7th and 8th Grade Teams.

The 5th and 6th Grade Basketball teams would be coached for many years by Bernie
Mayotte, who passed away during the summer of 1975, and Bernie would be followed
by Stan Potter, who capably handles the 5th and 6th grade team today.
Bob Burger, now athletic director, handles the scheduling of games, hiring of
referees and many other related duties that one could never list nor enumerate.
St. Patrick's School is a member of a 10-team Tri-County League, which includes
parochial schools from Elgin, Woodstock, Hampshire and the public school at
Huntley. At the end of the regular season, a tournament is held at Huntley for league
members.
At the end of the season, the North East Sectional Tournament, consisting of 10
teams, is held at Elgin. The winner here moves to the championships of the Rockford
Diocese, along with winners from Aurora, Freeport-Sterling and Rockford.
St. Patrick's would win the Diocesan Championship three more times. In 1968 they
would defeat St. Andrew's of Rock Falls in a breath-taking finish. In 1970, St.
Patrick's would coast to a 50 to 40 victory over St. Anthony of Rockford. The 1970
basketball team would end the season with a 32 - 0 record, one that would long be
remembered. The most recent Diocesan Championship would come to St. Patrick's
in 1975 when St. Pat's would defeat St. Mary of Dixon 33 - 32. The 1975 team would
finish the season with a 28 - 1 record.
The sports program here at St. Patrick's can boast of winning teams, but more
importantly it can be proud of the dedicated men and women who have so
generously and unselfishly given of their time, talent and energy to make this
program for our young people here at St. Patrick's Parish one that can take a back
seat to none in the valley nor in the entire diocese.
Diocesan Champions, 1960
Some of the men and women who have dedicated their time to the Sports Program
over the years are as follows:
Father John Regan
Bob Carr
Ness Bruggman

Nick Noren
Father Al Fitzgibbons
Jack Howard, Sr.
Frank Gurbal
Fred Brock
Bob Burger
Bernie Mayotte
Ed VanBroeck
Father Bill McHugh
Ceasar VanHiel
Joe Kunches
Gary Gilmore
Bob Neri
Dick Vanthournout
Jeff Orland
Jim Haderer
Stan Potter
John Venneri
Wayne Heurtz
Ken Cordier
Gary Ayala
Mike Jung
Dave Schingen
Pat Sherry
Rick Butcher
Marty McLaughlin
Denny DeWitte
Diocesan Champions 1962
The cheerleaders have been coached since the 1970-71 season by Mrs. John Howard
(Ruth) and Mrs. Rick Butcher (Becky).

Diocesan Champions 1968
Diocesan Champions 1970
Diocesan Champions 1975
5th - 6th Grade Team, 1975
Future Diocesan Champions?
End of
TURN OF THE CENTURY

MOTHER'S CLUB
PARISH LIFE, 1930s and 1940s
Not all of Father Carse's time and energies were preoccupied with bricks and mortar
- his leadership went far deeper than that. Once he completed, the new school, Father
continued his hard work to make Saint Patrick's a unified parish community.
Because of the new school Father saw a need for a Mother's Club. The first Mother's
Club (later to be called the Saint Patrick's Catholic Women's Club) was organized at
this time - during the early 1930's - as were many other organizations that will be
treated later in this history.
The first president of the Mother's Club was Mrs. Walter (Sophie) Hanson; followed
by: Mrs. Arlie Carlson, Mrs. Robert L. Wagner, Mrs. John McDonald, Mrs. Frank
Zudis, Mrs. Kermit Swaby, Mrs. Charles Kanute, Mrs. Arthur Nelson, Mrs. Fred
Wilson, Mrs. Nelson Ives, Mrs. Steve Nelson, and Mrs. Jay Ferree.
The Mother's Club was organized in the early 1930's following the opening of the
George H. Rempe Memorial School on January 6th, 1930. It was organized to "raise
a little money!"' for the parish. Mrs. Hanlon, Father Carse's dedicated and faithful
housekeeper, was very helpful in establishing the Mother's Club. The first year the
mothers were able to raise $500.00 which was used to purchase the white marble
baptismal font which stood in the Church for many years until the 1975 remodeling
and renovating in which a new baptistry was fashioned from the marble that had
previously been in the side altars. In the early days of the Mother's Club, their
primary means of raising money was through card parties.
BOY SCOUTS
It was at this time also that the first boy scout troop was organized in the parish.
Although we do not have any early photographs of the troop, we do have a list of the
members and their troop leaders who so generously and willingly gave of their time
and talents to work with the young men of the parish. The original charter year for
Troop 10 was 1929 with Louis Thompson as the scoutmaster and his committee of
assistants being: P. C. DeBruyne, Karl Gartner, R. C. Wagner, and Philip Baxter.
The original troop members were: Marcel Potts, James Howard, William Howard,
Jack Howard, Theodore Snelting, Marshall Regole, George Van DeVeire (his son
would later be one of the original charter members of the Cub Scouts organized in
1945), Joseph Waem, Raymond Essig, Anthony Grozis, Julius Lievrouw, and Peter
Neri.
Following is a list of the Scoutmasters of St. Patrick Parish, Troop 10 from 1930
through the present, 1975.
1930 - 31 R. H. Eichinger
1932 - 33 William J. Bell
1934 Unknown

1935 - 36 Fr. Michael B. Tuomey
1937 Fr. R. P. Donavan
1938 - 39 Fr. J. F. Lafferty
1940 - 41 Fr. R. P. Donavan
1942 - 45 Fr. C. J. Thennes
1946 - 47 Julius Berton
1948 - 49 Walter Foulkes
1950 - 51 Julius Berton
1952 Milan J. Mauer
1953 Bert Griesbach
1954 - 57 Warren Nystedt
Boy Scout Troop 10, 1965
1958 - 59 George Sorg
1960 - 61 William Schnulle
1962 Leonard Zobjeck
1963 William Lakanen
1964 Richard Kuhr
1965 - 68 Edward Ricker
1969 - 72 Denis Haggerty
1973 - 75 Lyle Swanson
The Eagle Presentation is the highest award that scouting bestows upon its members
and St. Patrick's Parish has been privileged to have eleven boys merit this award.
The eagle scouts from our parish are: James Ogborn, Randy Komisarek, David
Denz, Karl Kobald, Scott Briel, Mark Locher, Charles Stone, Robert Fitzsimmons,
Todd Struttmann, Mark Swanson, and Steve Glaze.

Boy Scout Father - Son Breakfast, 1970
CUB SCOUTS
It was during this time that the Cub Scouts, sponsored by the St. Patrick's Mother's
Club, were organized at St. Patrick's. Mrs. Bernadine Kanute was the president of
the Mother's Club at the time that the Cub Scouts were organized.
Cub Scout Pack 110 was organized in 1945. The Cubmaster was E. S. Nelson assisted
by: Ed Tuytschaevers, Frank Zudis and Asa Heath.
The charter members of Cub Pack 110 were: Joseph Van Haelst, John
VanDenBossche, Jack Stephen, Richard Zudis, John Shymanski, Jerry
Tuytschaevers, Hugo Forni, Henry Prochazka, James Heath, Steve Nelson, Ronald
Swanson, Donald Johnson, Donald Vanthournout, and George VanDeVeire (son of
George VanDeVeire, who was a charter member of the boy scout troop 10, organized
in 1929 here at St. Patrick's.)
Cub Masters through the years are as follows:
John Creadon 1947
Dr. A. J. Stocker 1948
Earl Hampel 1949-50
Robert Mehren 1951-52
Alex Stantus 1953
George Sorg 1954-55
E. G. Payton 1956
George Zimmerman 1957
Frank Komisarek 1958
Bud Meitl 1959-63
Edward Ricker 1964
Charles Redman 1965
Donald Rice 1966
Charles Fitzpatrick 1967-68
Thomas Hannon 1969-71
Cletus (Happ) Gass 1972-75
CHURCH CHOIR AND ALTAR BOYS
The choir and the altar boys were capably handled by Mrs. Mary Corona Hanlon,
Father Carse's dedicated housekeeper. She instructed the altar boys, and taught
them their Latin prayers, how to fold their hands, how to genuflect and how to bow
their heads. The boys always looked neat and clean in their white, starched surplices.
Mrs. Hanlon directed the church choir. Mrs. Mae Long was the organist for many
years followed later by Miss Ruth Malroy. Ruth had been encouraged to sing and
play the organ during Father Morris Stack's time and would later come when Father

Carse was pastor to be the organist - singing and playing for numerous Sunday and
weekday Masses, weddings and funerals.
It was also during this time that Henry and Jennie Regole would come to work for
Father Carse. Henry and Jennie would care for his Church, polishing the altars and
floors until they would shine. Jennie, Aunt Jennie as everyone in the parish would
call her, did the altar linens and the surplices every week. Not an altar boy in any
church would stand prouder than ours in their white starched surplices.
Jennie Regole was the oldest member of St. Patrick's Parish until she died on August
8th, 1975, in her 97th year. Her passing would bring sorrow to the Belgian
community who for many years have worked hard and supported our Parish here at
St. Patrick's.
ASSOCIATES
Father Michael B. Tuomey was the associate pastor here at St. Patrick's from
October 10, 1932 until February, 1933.
Father Michael B. Tuomey
Father was born in Ireland in the year 1903. He was ordained in 1931 at St. James
Cathedral in Rockford, Illinois by the Most Reverend Edward F. Hoban, second
bishop of Rockford. Father Tuomey served as an assistant pastor at St. James Parish
in Rockford for a short time and was then sent here to St. Charles. Later he went to
St. Catherine of Genoa Parish in Genoa, Illinois as a pastor sometime during the
year 1937. Ill health caused him to resign from the parish. Sometime later he was
appointed associate pastor of St. Mary's Parish in Elgin and later became chaplain at
St. Joseph's Hospital in Elgin in 1945.
Father Tuomey was an ardent sports fan and followed the teams at Saint Edward
High School very closely. The parishioners here at St. Patrick's remember him for
his sense of humor and great wit.
Father died in an automobile accident on September 20, 1951, at the age of 47. He
suffered a heart attack in his car and ran into a residence at 573 Dundee Avenue in

Elgin, Illinois. Father Tuomey had been under a doctor's care for a coronary
condition. He was widely known and loved throughout the Fox River Valley and his
passing was mourned by many of the parishioners here at St. Patrick's.
On November 4th of 1936, Father James F. Lafferty came to St. Charles to assist
Father Carse.
According to the current records of the Rockford Chancery Office the parish was
without an associate pastor from the time of Father Tuomey's transfer in February
of 1933 until Father Lafferty came in 1936.
Father Lafferty had been ordained in Rome on December 8th, 1932 and had
remained after ordination for post-graduate studies in Canon Law. Having obtained
his J.C.L. degree in the Fall of 1936, he returned to the states to take up his priestly
duties. Bishop Hoban assigned him to St. Patrick's where he remained until July
24th, 1939 when the Bishop called him to the Chancery Office to assist him.
Father James Lafferty, now pastor of St. Flannen's Church in Harmon (where
Father Timothy Ryan was pastor from 1902 - 1905, fondly recalls his days with
Father Carse. Father Lafferty recalls that Father Carse was every inch a gentleman.
Father Carse and Father Lafferty, September 4,
1937
Father Lafferty spent his time as an associate here teaching in the grade school,
supervising the boy scouts and attending meetings of the Mother's Club in addition
to his other priestly obligations.
Father Lafferty was succeeded on the 10th of August, 1939 by Father Robert P.
Donavan. who had been in DeKalb before coming here. Father Donavan remained
here until May 22, 1942 when he became chaplain of the St. Charles Boys School.
Father Donavan, now pastor of St. Patrick's in Amboy and Dean of the Sterling
Deanery, recalls the long lines of people for confession on Saturday afternoons and

the many enjoyable hours he spent with the boy scouts. Father was the scout master
while he was here and he recalls collecting a nickel from each scout at their Saturday
morning meetings to help pay for the electricity used during their meetings. Father
also recounts many enjoyable stories of the hikes in the woods and the frequent
campouts.
Father Donavan's Irish wit was very popular with the youth of the area. He was the
moderator of a youth group here at St. Patrick's that worked closely with the youth
groups of St. Peter's in Geneva and Holy Cross in Batavia. These youth groups when
combined, had a total membership of over 200 young people.
Economic standards were much different than today. Low Mass stipends were only
$1.00 and associate priests received a bare $50.00 per month. In addition, associates
were not allowed to own a car in those days.
Father Donavan recalls the saintliness of Father Carse. Father says that the people
throughout the parish revered him as if he were another "Cure of Ars."
People here at St. Patrick's recall Father Donavan's Irish wit. People needed a laugh.
Those were the days of the beginning of the Second World War. Patriotic speeches
were even given on top of the Community Center.
Father Robert P. Donavan

Father Clarence J. Thennes
When Father Donavan was appointed chaplain at the St. Charles Boys school, Father
Clarence J. Thennes replaced him. Father Thennes was an associate here from June
18th, 1942 until April 12, 1945. He is currently pastor at Holy Cross Church in
Stockton, Illinois.
Shortly after he arrived, Father Thennes recalls that the old church was renovated
by Joseph and Henry Driessen in the winter of 1942. The roof was in sad condition
from neglect and it had fallen in, so Father Carse decided to renovate the old church
and designated it as the "Shrine of the Little Flower."
Because the original deed stipulated that the old church must always be used for
religious services otherwise it would revert back to the original owners, a new roof
was put on, the floor was sanded and refinished, and the walls were repainted so that
Holy Mass could be offered there once a year, usually on Palm Sunday.
Father Thennes recalls being moderator of the Holy Name Club and the boy scouts.
He recalls no parish picnics and no bingo, however.
Father Thennes had a car and was able to get around to visit the elderly members of
the parish.
Following Father Thennes as assistant pastor at St. Patrick's was Father John F.
Regan, who assumed his duties here at St. Patrick's on September 1, 1946.
Father Regan attended St. Mary's grade school and Community High School in
Sterling, Illinois. Father spent his first two years in college at St. Charles,
Catonsville, Maryland and then was sent to Rome to study. After six years at the
North American college, he was ordained to the holy priesthood on December 8, 1935
by Cardinal Marchetti.
Upon returning to this country, Father Regan offered his first solemn Mass in St.
Mary's parish church at Sterling and on August 27, 1936, became the assistant
pastor at St. Mary's, Freeport. After five years in Freeport, Father Regan was
transferred as assistant to St. James pro-cathedral, Rockford. In May of 1943,
Father Regan accepted a commission as lieutenant in the United States Navy. Serving
as chaplain until after the close of the war, Father Regan returned to the diocese of
Rockford and was appointed assistant pastor of St. Patrick's in 1946.
Father remained here at St. Patrick's until May 10, 1950 when he assumed the
pastorates for the parishes at Dundee and Gilberts.
The parishioners at St. Patrick's loved Father Regan and when he left for Dundee
and Gilberts they presented him with a scrapbook filled with his accomplishments
during his short three and one-half years here at the parish. Pages in the scrapbook
were devoted to the Catholic information class which he had formed, illustrations
were given of the school bus which he introduced for the children who attended our

school, and finally tributes were paid to his care of the sick and the aged of the
parish.
Msgr. John F. Regan
Father Regan after Mass
Father Regan thanks William J. Reardon for the scrapbook which recounted his
accomplishments at St. Patrick's, 1950.

Farewell reception for Father Regan,
Church basement
Father Robert J. Carse, 1931
GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION - FATHER CARSE
The parish, the town, the diocese, and the entire Fox Valley area joined in the
festivities of celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the ordination to the priesthood of
Father Robert J. Carse on June 13, 1948.
The 11 o'clock solemn high Mass was offered on Sunday, June 13, 1948 by Father
Carse in St. Patrick's Church. His Excellency, the Most Rev. John J. Boylan, bishop
of the Rockford Diocese, resided in the sanctuary and he was attended by Father
Arthur Kreckel and Father Robert Donavan.

Father Edwin McCormick, a former assistant to Father Carse at St. Patrick's
Church, was deacon of the Mass with Father James Lafferty as sub-deacon. The
sermon was preached by Monsignor C. F. Conley of Freeport.
Approximately 50 visiting priests from the Rockford Diocese attended the Mass and
the dinner which followed at the Baker Hotel. Besides visiting clergymen, the officers
of St. Patrick's Mothers' Club, the St. Therese/Society and the Holy Name Society
were guests at the dinner for some 90 persons.
Father Robert J. Carse, 1948
That same evening a reception was held in the Church Hall of St. Patrick's from 7
until 10 o'clock. The committees for the reception were formed from the Mother's
Club. The refreshment committee members were: Mrs. Walter Hanson and Mrs.
Austin Schneider, co-chairmen; Mrs. Joe Sills, Mrs. John McDonald, Mrs. Lloyd
Diem, Mrs. James Leake, Mrs. Fred Wilson, Mrs. Charles Chaplis, Mrs. Vern
Blakinger, Mrs. Joe Budde, Mrs. Nicholas Wennmacher, Mrs. MacRae Dickens,
Mrs. Charles Kanute, Mrs. Rya Klapprich, Mrs. Paul Heisten, Mrs. August DePauw,
Mrs. Carlton Weibler, Mrs. Fred Nelson, Mrs. Francis Cummins, Mrs. Arthur
Johnson, Mrs. John Descourouez, and Mrs. Helen Purkiss. The decoration
committee consisted of Mrs. George Theurer, chairman, and Mrs. Frank Zudis, Mrs.
James Leake, Mrs. John Sills, Mrs. James Peterson and Mrs. Fred Nelson. The
entertainment committee members were Mrs. Arthur Nelson and Mrs. Frank Zudis.
Over 500 parishioners end friends in the valley attended the reception in the church
hall. A musical entertainment was given during the evening including favorite
melodies of the guest of honor with Father John Regan acting as Master of
Ceremonies. Miss Anna Heller sang "The Rosary" and "End of a Perfect Day."
Edmond Van Glabek sang "A Little Bit of Heaven" and a Flemish song. Frank
Regelbrugge sang "Mother Machree" and "My Wild Irish Rose." They were
accompanied by Miss Ruth Malroy.
On behalf of his parishioners, Father Carse was presented a "purse" containing
$2,100.00 by Katherine Zudis. Father Carse also received many other gifts from his
parishioners and friends.

Father Carse leaves old St. Patrick's Church on the occasion of his 50th Anniversary in the
priesthood.
On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary to the priesthood, Father Carse had this handwritten
message reproduced in the Sunday bulletin, June 13, 1948.
Father Carse's Golden Anniversary Mass, June 13,
1948

Father Carse leaves altar, followed by Bishop Hoban, following the
celebration of his Golden Anniversary Mass.
Dinner at the Baker Hotel following the Golden Anniversary
Mass.
L to R - Mayor Langam, Thomas Carse, Father Regan and Rev.
Eckstrom congratulate Father Carse (standing in the center) at
the Civic Dinner which was held in his honor on the occasion of
his 50 years in the priesthood.
To continue the week long celebration for Father Carse's Golden Anniversary to the
Priesthood, a civic dinner was given in his honor on Monday, June 14th, 1948. About
300 residents throughout the valley attended the dinner. Present were
representatives from social, religious, and fraternal groups who extended their
congratulations to the man who had spent 50 years in the priesthood, most of them
spent in St. Charles.

As master of ceremonies at the dinner, Harlo J. Dunn introduced various civic
leaders including Mayor I. G. Langum, Richard Ziegler, commander of the
American Legion, Alfred Hunecke, president of the St. Charles Chamber of
Commerce, Rev. J. David Ekstrom, representing the Ministerial Association and
George Thompson, superintendent of St. Charles Public Schools. Also present were
Mr. Thomas Carse and Mrs. Mary McCurrie of New Jersey, brother and sister of
Father Carse.
Mr. Thompson in speaking of the work accomplished among the St. Charles people
said "Father Carse has led many men to God." He stated that the honored guest had
served the community for 40 years, Rev. Ekstrom, 24 years, and himself 27 years, a
total of 91 years.
In response, the Elgin Daily News recorded Father Carse's remarks to the 300 people
who jammed the Community Center on the occasion of the celebration of his Golden
Jubilee to the priesthood. Father Carse said "I want to thank each and everyone of
you for the fine things you have said about me - they say I have more friends among
the non-Catholics than among many Catholics."
Reminiscing about the dreary day on which he arrived in Saint Charles, Father
Carse injected humor into his otherwise serious response when he recalled someone
standing on Main Street saying, `Well, here comes the new preacher!'
He stressed the fact that during his 40 years in the community, things have gone
forward. "We cannot stand still," he said, "we must either go forward or back, there
is no standing still." He spoke of the obstacles he had overcome in getting his present
church building built, how people were not too enthusiastic at first, but how in the
long run his dream was realized, "God has blessed this town, he said."He spoke of
Mr. Thompson, the Reverend Ekstrom, and himself as coordinating forces of the
moral, intellectual and spiritual forces of the community over a period of time. In
conclusion, he gave his blessing to the audience.
The civic dinner for Father Carse sponsored by the St.Therese Society of St.
Patrick's Church had as its general chairperson, Mrs. Helen Kotchuk. She was
assisted with the decorations by Mrs. Jack Howard, chairperson of the decoration
committee who was assisted by Misses Valerie Brennan, Elizabeth, Margaret and
Helen Howard, Irene Smith, Florence Croenings and Mrs. E. Bollaert. Others
assisting with the dinner from the St. Therese Society included: Misses Louise Baert,
Patricia Brennan, Ann DePoorter, Mary Jean Devereaux, Shirley Essig, Alice and
Helen Burke, Margaret Hanson, Rosella Miller, Dorothy Spitzh, Mrs. Vera Foley,
Mrs. Norbert Hackman, Mrs. Cecilia Neill, Mrs. George Sorg, Mrs. Leonard
Dwiggins, and Mrs. Joseph Murphy.
Those who knew Father Carse personally refer to his radiant smile and his charming
personality. which they say, dominated any situation.

FATHER CARSE'S DEATH
Saint Patrick Church, 1948
Father Carse relaxing in rectory after celebrating his Golden
Jubilee in the priesthood.
Just two short years after Father Carse had celebrated his golden anniversary to the
priesthood with his beloved people of St. Patrick's Parish, he was dead.
On Easter Monday, word spread rapidly throughout the Rockford diocese, that the
Reverend Robert J. Carse, beloved pastor of St. Patrick's Church, had died at St.
Joseph Mercy Hospital, in Aurora. His death followed an illness of about 10 days,
although his health had been declining for several years.
On Thursday morning, March 30, 1950, Father Carse took part for the last time at
solemn ceremonies in St. Patrick's Parish Church. He delivered the sermon at the
solemn funeral Mass offered by the Reverend John Regan, assistant for the repose of
the soul of William A. Rempe, grandson of Mrs. George H. Rempe, who donated the
grade school building to the parish in memory of her husband after whom the school
is named. On Friday morning Father Carse offered a low Mass in the parish church
and was stricken that afternoon. Saturday he was taken to St. Joseph Mercy hospital
in Aurora. Throughout Passion Week and the observance of Christ's ressurection,
Father Carse lingered between life and death. At 5:30 A.M. on Easter Monday
morning, April 10, 1950, he was taken to his eternal reward.

Father Carse's body was brought from Aurora to lie in state at the Russel C. Norris
Chapel until 9:00 A.M. Thursday, when it was taken to St. Patrick's Church, where
it was to lie in state until the solemn high Pontifical Requiem Mass on Friday, April
15th at 11:00 A.M.
The Most Rev. John J. Boylan, D. D., Bishop of Rockford, celebrated the Pontifical
Requiem Mass assisted by the Rt. Rev. Msgr. M. A, Schumacher, dean of the Aurora
Deanery. The Rt. Rev. Msgr. C. F. Conley, Ph. D., pastor of St. Mary's parish,
Freeport, delivered the sermon. The priests' choir sang the Mass. The Rt. Rev. Msgr.
Louis J. Franey, P. A., chancellor of the Rockford diocese, was master of ceremonies.
Assisting the Most Reverend Bishop was the Rev. E. A. McCormick, pastor of St.
Thomas parish, Crystal Lake; the Rev. I. A. Esser, pastor of SS. Peter and Paul
parish, Virgil; the Rev. L. J. Guzzardo, pastor of St. Gall's parish, Elburn; and the
Rev. J. F. Lafferty, pastor of St. Mary's parish in West Brooklyn.
Immediately following the funeral Mass for Father Carse a luncheon was served by
the St. Patrick's Mother's Club for the visiting clergy, after which the body of Father
Carse was taken to Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Aurora for interment. In the Mt. Olivet
Cemetery there is a special section reserved for priests, and the last resting place of
Father Carse would be next to his lifelong friend, Father Lehane.
With the death of Father Carse, his earthly life was over, but the spiritual life that he
imparted to the people of St. Patrick's during his 41 years of service here would live
on forever in their minds and hearts.
St. Charles in 1915, Main Street looking East at the time Father Walsh served as
an associate to Father Carse. It was a very different St. Charles that Father
Walsh came to when he succeeded Father Carse in 1950.
End of
PARISH LIFE, 1930's and 1940's

PATHER THOMAS LEO WALSH
PARISH CENTENNIAL
At the death of Father Carse, Father Regan became the administrator of the parish
for a few weeks until he became pastor at St. Catherine's in Dundee.
It was at this time that Bishop Boylan appointed Father Thomas Leo Walsh as pastor
of St. Patrick's' Parish. Father had been here for 4 years as an assistant to Father
Carse from 1918 to 1922 and was well acquainted with the parish, the people of the
parish and the needs of the parish. With Father Walsh's transfer to St. Patrick's,
Father Walter C. Roberts was appointed assistant pastor at St. Patrick's. Father
Walsh and Father Roberts functioned effectively as a team in Dixon and would also
prove themselves here at St. Patrick's as a hardworking team.
Father Walsh was born in 1890 at Hollymound, County Mayo, Ireland, the youngest
of 14 children, and was ordained at an early age. He was brought to the United States
at the age of three to live with an uncle and aunt at Durand, Illinois. Father Walsh
studied at St. Viator College and Marquette University. Theological studies were
made at the seminary of Our Lady of Angels, Niagara, New York. After being
ordained in 1918 at Buffalo, New York, by another Irish American Bishop, Denis
Dougherty, (later to be Cardinal Dougherty) he came to St. Charles and was an
assistant to the late Father Carse for four years until 1922 when he was transferred
to St. Mary's in Elgin where he served another 4 years as an assistant from 1922-
1926. In 1926 he was appointed pastor at St. John's in Hanover and remained until
1928 when he was appointed pastor at St. Flannen's parish in Harmon. In 1930, he
was appointed pastor of St. Patrick's in Dixon, Illinois.
After spending himself generously in Dixon for more than twenty years he was
transferred to St. Patrick's Parish in 1950, upon the death of Father Robert Carse.
Father Thomas L. Walsh,
1956

CHURCH RENOVATED
Interior of St. Patrick's Church, 1951
During the six short years of Father Walsh's pastorate many improvements were
made in the parish. During this brief time Father completely remodeled the convent
for the Sisters, purchased property for a new school from Mrs. Marie Hansen on
February 26, 1955, added a much needed four-room addition to the rectory, repaired
all the parish buildings, and beautifully renovated the Church.
The renovation of the church included the installation of new marble altars and
Communion railings, lighting fixtures, floor coverings in the sanctuary and aisles, an
electric organ, and perhaps must noticeable of all, a new front entrance. The removal
of the center vestibule which gave access to the parish hall downstairs, made possible
the opening of a third door to the church proper. This not only facilitates the
increased crowds attending Masses, but greatly added to the beauty of the building.
It was at this time that Father Walsh had stained glass windows installed. Mrs.
Edward Ronan recalls that there were still window shades in the church when she
was married during the 1950's. Father Roberts, our present pastor, had the privilege
of offering the first Mass on the center marble altar after the church had been
remodeled.
During the summer of 1950, Father Walsh had the convent completely renovated.
Prior to this time the convent consisted of a parlor, community room, dining room,
kitchen and single bath on the first floor, two large dormitories and two private
rooms on the second floor. At this time there was no running water on the second
floor of the convent.
Father Walsh remodeled the second floor of the convent to the present 8 private
bedrooms and 2 complete baths. He redecorated the parlor, community room, dining
room, and kitchen. He also added two private bedrooms on the first floor and a
chapel. This was the first time that St. Patrick's Convent had a chapel. On
September 17, 1950 the first Mass was celebrated in the convent chapel by Father
Raymond Stocker who is the brother of Doctor August Stocker of our parish. The

second Mass celebrated in the convent chapel would be celebrated on September 20,
1950, by Father Walter Roberts who would later return as pastor in 1970.
It was during this time that the old church came to serve another purpose. Because
of the constantly expanding grade school enrollment, it was necessary to divide the
old church into two classrooms to give additional classroom space for teaching. The
old church continued to be used as classrooms until the new school was built in 1960.
PARISH CELEBRATES CENTENNIAL
Father Walsh completed renovation of the church building in time for the parish
centennial which was celebrated on November 25th, 1951.
The Most Reverend John J. Boylan, Bishop of Rockford, officiated at a Pontifical
High Mass at 11:00 A.M. on the 25th of November, 1951 to begin the celebration.
In attendance at the Pontifical High Mass on the 25th were priests who were former
assistant pastors of the parish dating back as far as 1913. The group of priests who
came to celebrate the centennial included: Father Edwin McCormick of Crystal
Lake, Father Alex McIsaac of Freeport, Father Edward Connolly of Apple River,
Monsignor William J. Donovan of Batavia, Father William Deutsch, former chaplain
of Mount St. Mary Academy and Father Charles Ronan of St. Xavier's College,
Cincinnati, Ohio.
Following the Mass a luncheon for the visiting clergy, sisters and friends was held in
the St. Patrick's Church Hall. Later that afternoon, Bishop Boylan confirmed 278
children from the parish.
At the time of the parish centennial the parish numbered 800 families.
PARISH ORGANIZATIONS
One of the great accomplishments of Father Walsh was the organizing of the
Women's Club and the Men's Club of the parish. Through these groups many parish
activities were made possible - the annual Christmas Potluck Buffet Dinner; the
festive Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner; the annual Shrove Tuesday Card Party;
the gala event of the year, the Shamrock Shuffle and the Parish Picnic.
Father Walsh also took care of the spiritual needs of his growing parish through the
frequent missions, the novenas to Our Sorrowful Mother, the May Crowning and the
daily recitation of the rosary, the Exposition of the Blessed sacrament on the First
Fridays of the Month and the organization of the Legion of Mary.
GIRL SCOUTS
It was during the pastorate of Father Walsh that the new parish girl scout troops
really began to be active.

The "Girl Scouts" were first established in St. Charles when troop 1 was established
in November of 1928 by Mrs. Veva Rockwell. Mrs. Rockwell was a member of St.
Patrick's Parish, however this was not strictly a St. Patrick's troop.
From the early records kept at the Aurora Council of Girl Scouts we know that Mrs.
John Howard (Bess) registered Troop 4 and Mrs. Edward Spriet (Amanda)
registered Troop 5 sometime during the late 1940's as the first troops exclusively for
St. Patrick's.
The Girl Scout Law says: "I will do my best to be honest, to be fair, to help where I
am needed, to be cheerful, to be friendly and considerate, to be a sister to every Girl
Scout, to respect authority, to use resources wisely, to protect and improve the world
around me, and to have respect for myself and others through my words and
actions." The Girl Scout Promise says: "On my honor, I will try to serve God, my
country and mankind, and to live by the Girl Scout Law." Over the years of scouting
in St. Patrick's Parish many girls would be encouraged by the dedicated women who
would take on the responsibilities of being scout leaders to live out this Girl Scout
Promise.
The rich history of the "Girl Scouts" is not only a history of the hundreds of girls
who have enjoyed and benefited from scouting over the years, but also a history of
the women who have so graciously served as their leaders during these same years.
To list the time and talents of these women would be totally impossible but the names
of some of the women who have spent a long time as scout leaders and in other offices
of scouting are listed below:
Mrs. John Howard (Bess)
Mrs. Edward Spriet (Amanda)
Mrs. Donald Karnes (Peg)
Mrs. Joseph Heger (Myra)
Mrs. Lester Rothstein (Mitzi)
Mrs. William Rogoski (Elaine)
Mrs. Fred Brock (Ann)
Mrs. Chester Nietupski (Char)
Mrs. Ralph Wilson (Ann)
Mrs. Wayne Simpson (Judy)
WOMEN'S CLUB
The St. Patrick's Women's Club, which is an extension of the early Mother's Club,
was organized under Father Walsh in 1950. The objectives of the St. Patrick's
Women's Club as listed in their 1975 - 1976 Directory and Yearbook are as follows:
1. Sanctification of souls
2. Promotion of neighborliness, friendliness, and working spirit.
3. Execution of projects to benefit the parish and provide personal stimulation.
4. Promotion of objectives and programs of the Diocesan Council of Catholic
Women.

The membership of the Women's Club is open to all women of the parish.
In the early years of the Women's Club (during the 1950's) the club sponsored gift
showers for the sisters. The stove, refrigerator and freezer that are presently in the
convent were purchased by the Women's Club as gifts for the sisters.
Today the Women's Club sponsors a Fall Rummage Sale, Holiday Gift Bazaar
(sponsored by the Happy Hands Group under the expert guidance of Mrs. Chester
Nietupski and Mrs. Maxwin Heimann), the Christmas Buffet, the Women's Club
Annual Communion Breakfast, the Shrove Tuesday Card Party, and a Spring
Rummage sale. The Women's Club in conjunction with the Men's Club also sponsors
the Oktoberfest, the Shamrock Shuffle, the Parish Picnic and the Bowling Party.
The Women's Club Presidents are listed below. This list was taken from the
Directory and Handbook which is published each year by the Women's Club.
Mrs. Bert Griesbach (Jane) 1950-52
Mrs. R. L. Wagner (Mae) 1952-54
Mrs. Robert Mehren (Dede) 1954-56
Mrs. Alfred Hoffman (Rita) 1956-57
Mrs. Jay Ferree (Evelyn) 1957-59
Mrs. Harry Benson (Margaret) 1959-60
Mrs. Dean Meyer (Dolores) 1960-61
Mrs. Rudy Dallesasse (Velora) 1961-63
Mrs. Alfred Zak (Marge) 1963-64
Mrs. Donald McKay (Rosemarie) 1964-65
Mrs. Donald Schultz (Madeline) 1965-66
Mrs. James Naughton (Mary) 1966-67
Mrs. Roger Gerber (Mary Rose) 1967-68
Mrs. Raymond Kobald (Phyllis) 1968-70
Mrs. Bernard Deutsch (Pat) 1970-72
Mrs. Robert Burr (Marge) 1972-74
Mrs. J. A. Hoenscheid (Mary Ann) 1974-76
Father Walsh and Father Roberts are pictured with: Left to right - Alpune
Schmidt, Jane Griesbach, Dorothy Crowley and Alma Dwiggins.

MEN'S CLUB
Bishop Hillinger (pictured in the center) with Father
Bonnike, Joseph Dempsey, Father Walsh, Robert
Migely and Ray Ronan.
In describing the Men's Club of St. Patrick's Parish we can look back to Robert
Hank, who was the first president of the club, serving in 1950 - 51. The Men's Club,
started by Father Walsh shortly after he arrived in 1950, was begun primarily to
help with Bingo which was also begun at this time.
Father Walsh met with the men many times, organizing the calendar of events long
before the first actual meeting.
Bob Hank remembers either the first or the second meeting of the Men's Club
having a live cow from the Quaker Oats Barrington Research Center brought to the
church basement and a Dr. Roger Morrison from the Center explaining the inner
workings of the cow's stomach and digestive system. The cow on display had a plexiglass
wall in its side so you could see the activity of its stomach. About 500 people
attended that unusual presentation.
In the early days of the Men's Club both the clubs (men and women) would have
contests to see who would get the most members to attend their meetings. On the
average of 180 to 225 people would attend each meeting!
The Men's Club tried to vary their meetings so they could appeal to various groups
of men with different occupations. Father and son nights were also planned. Early
meetings saw a man from the Narcotics Bureau, an FBI agent and a banker speaking
to the members.
In 1951 or 1952 the Men's Club organized the first Halloween Masquerade Party. It
was held at the VFW with standing room only! So many attended that first
Halloween party that the men decided to sell tickets to next year's party that very
evening - that night they were sold out for the party the following year. This
Masquerade Party was the forerunner to the present "Oktoberfest."
Up to the present day the Men's Club here in the parish is still very active planning
activities and outings such as: the Parish Picnic, the Oktoberfest, the Pancake
Breakfast, the Bowling Party, Golf Days, the Shamrock Shuffle and frequent trips to

the ballpark! Many of these activities are planned in conjunction with the Women's
Club.
During the early 1960's, the Men's Club became "The Holy Name Society" in order
to give the men's organization of the parish a spiritual dimension. In recent times the
organization has again come to be known as the Men's Club. No one recalls exactly
when or why the name "Holy Name Society" was dropped.
Listed are the names of some of the presidents of the St. Patrick's Parish Men's Club
since 1950 when it was revitalized by Father Walsh:
Robert Hank
Robert Carr
Robert Mehren
Thomas Burke
Fred Brock
Claude Bakas
Bernard Bosch
Robert Dougherty
Charles Redman
Fred Oberg
Bernard Deutsch
Joseph Hoare
Raymond Simonek
Al Johnston
Alex Becker
Thomas Vrtis
The listing is not complete because it was quite difficult to contact the men who were
early members of the organization.
FATHER WALSH'S ASSOCIATES
When Father Walsh came here on May 10, 1950, Father Walter C. Roberts came
with him from St. Patrick's Parish in Dixon where they had been together for 6
years.
Father Roberts worked here in the parish for 2 years until April 7th, 1952, when he
went to St. Peter's in Geneva as administrator.
During his short time in the parish, Father Roberts was very busy conducting
inquiry classes, teaching religion in the grade school, giving marriage instructions
and serving as the 1st chaplain of the newly organized Men's Club.

Father Roberts baptizing, 1951
Father Roberts, 1951
In addition to these duties, Father Roberts also reactivated the Tri-City Youth
Group, involving high school students from Holy Cross in Batavia, St. Peter's in
Geneva and St. Patrick's in St. Charles.
When Father Roberts was transferred in 1952, the bishop appointed Father Thomas
Neville and Father Francis Bonnike as assistants to Father Walsh. Both priests had
just been ordained on March 19, 1952 by Bishop Boylan and worked long and hard
here at St. Patrick's.
Father Bonnike served as chaplain at the St. Charles Training School for Boys while
he was here and Father Neville spent his time doing parish work.
Father Neville assumed the same responsibilities as Father Roberts had as an
assistant. In addition to these, Father Neville also served as the 1st spiritual director
of the Legion of Mary when it was organized in 1954.

In April of 1954, Father Bonnike was transferred to be the assistant at St. Mary's
parish in Sterling. While he was in Sterling he was given the task of building
Newman Central Catholic High School and would serve as its first superintendent. It
was from this high school that the present associates graduated. Father Gerald
Kobbeman graduated in 1959 and Father Robert Miller graduated in 1961.
To replace Father Bonnike, the Most Reverend Raymond P. Hillinger, fourth bishop
of Rockford, appointed Father Alphonsus Fitzgibbons, whom he had just recently
ordained on May 27, 1954, to be the associate pastor at St. Patrick's. Sports was
Father Fitzgibbons great love and while at St. Patrick's he took a great interest in the
sports program in addition to his other parish duties.
Father Neville and Father Fitzgibbons worked with Father Walsh to serve the people
of St. Patrick's Parish until Father Walsh's untimely death in November of 1956.
Father Thomas Neville

LEGION OF MARY
Father Alphonsus Fitzgibbons 1957
Legion of Mary, 1957. Front row: Mary Coppert, Marion Doherty, Nellie
Norwich, Marguerite Jordan, Loretta Foley. Buck row: Ray Ronan,
Wayne Bobbins, Jim Naughton, John Henkel.
The Legion of Mary was organized at St. Patrick's in the year 1954. The Legion is a
devoted group of men and women of the parish who have dedicated themselves to
promote a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In addition to their special devotion
to Mary, the Legion members visit the sick at Delnor Hospital, pray the rosary and
other devotional prayers to Mary and welcome new parishioners to the parish.
The chaplains of the Legion during the years from its very beginning to the present
have been:
Father Thomas Neville Nov. 1954-March 1957
Father Al Fitzgibbons Mar. 1957-Oct. 1957

Father Joseph Kaiser Dec. 1957-July 1959
Father William McHugh July 1959 (3 weeks)
Father Adam Reier Aug. 1959-Nov. 1962
Father John Kraemer Nov. 1962-April 1965
Father James Weber April 1965 (1 month)
Father John Slampak 1965-1970
Father Vytautas Gorinas 1970-1975
Father Gerald Kobbeman 1975
From the records of the Legion of Mary the following men and women have served
as presidents of the Legion throughout the years.
James Naughton 1954-1957
Raymond Ronan 1957-1962
Marion Doherty 1962-1968
Margaret Bricher 1968-1974
Edna Bobbins 1974-?
To measure the material worth of the work of the Legion of Mary would be
impossible for the spiritual good that is performed by these dedicated men and
women of our parish is only measurable in the eyes of God.
DEATH OF FATHER WALSH
After a brief time as pastor of St. Patrick's, Father Walsh died on Tuesday morning,
November 27th, 1956 at St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital, Aurora, where he had been
rushed by ambulance just three hours earlier.
Although he had been fighting off several chronic ailments the last few years before
his death, his last illness was unexpected. He had been healthy and active in recent
days and made no complaints to his doctor. After a routine day Monday, November
26th, he recited the Rosary at 8:00 P.M. at the Yurs Funeral home. Leaving there, he
drove to the Sacred Heart Seminary in Geneva, where he was stricken at about 10:00
P.M. Friends drove him in his car to the parsonage at 408 Cedar Street, where an
ambulance was called. When he was admitted to the hospital at 11:00 P.M. that same
evening, his condition was already critical. At 1:30 A.M. he took a sharp turn for the
worse and he died at 1:45 A.M.
A congenial, witty man who enjoyed a good joke, he was well liked by almost
everyone in the parish. Parishioners were amazed at his terrific memory. After being
an assistant at St. Patrick's from 1918 to 1922 and then coming back in 1950 as
pastor, he still could remember the faces and names of over half the parishioners.
Father Walsh was gifted with a level business head, a sense of organization and a
spirit of love and concern for his parishioners. Everywhere he had been assigned as a
priest he was held in high esteem by his people.
Perhaps the best way of summing up his life of dedication and work can be best
expressed by a letter to a grieved parishioner of St. Patrick's Parish written by his

two young assistants at the time of his death. This letter was published in the St.
Patrick's Sunday Bulletin and we have reproduced this letter as it appeared in the
bulletin.

Bishop Hillinger and Father Walsh,
1954
End of
PARISH CENTENNIAL

FATHER WALTER J. RYAN
PARISH LIFE, 1960s
Father Walter J. Ryan
Following the death of Father Thomas L. Walsh, Father Walter J. Ryan was
appointed to succeed him as pastor of St. Patrick's Parish. Father Ryan's
appointment became effective on Tuesday, February 26th, 1957.
Father Ryan was born on March 17, 1896 in Chicago and attended St. Patrick's
Parish Grammar School and High School in Chicago. His college courses were taken
at St. Viator's, Bourbonnais, and his Theological studies at Kenrick Seminary, St.
Louis, Missouri.
Father Ryan was ordained for the Rockford Diocese in Holy Name Cathedral,
Chicago on May 29, 1926 by Bishop Edward F. Hoban, then auxiliary bishop of
Chicago.
His priestly career in the Rockford Diocese began with his appointment to St. Peter's
Parish, Rockford, followed shortly by that as instructor at St. Thomas High School in
Rockford where he was also Director of the Athletic Program for four years.
His first appointment as pastor was to St. Mary's Parish, Walton. After that he
served as pastor at St. Mary's Parish, Huntley; St. Paul's Parish, Sandwich; St.
John's Parish, Savanna; and St. Mary's Parish in Elgin, where he served for five
years before coming to St. Patrick's Parish in St. Charles to replace Father Walsh.
ASSOCIATE PASTORS

The associate pastors who served with Father Ryan during his 13 years as pastor of
St. Patrick's Parish were Father Thomas Neville, Father Alphonsus Fitzgibbons,
Father Joseph Kaiser, Father William J. McHugh, Father Adam Reier, Father John
Kraemer, Father James Weber, Father John Slampak, and Father John T. Heraty.
Both Father Slampak and Father Heraty would also serve under the next pastor,
Father Walter C. Roberts.
Father Thomas Neville was here for only a short time with Father Ryan. Shortly
after Father Ryan's appointment as pastor here at St. Patrick's in February of 1957,
Father Neville was transferred in April of 1957 to St. Catherine's Parish in Dundee
as an assistant to Father John Regan (later Msgr. Regan) who had served here as an
associate under Father Carse from 1946 - 1950. Father Thomas Neville, currently the
pastor of St. Joseph's Parish in Richmond, recalls especially his work with the Legion
of Mary and the "Basketball Dynasty" which was started during his time here in
which he says he played a "small part." It was at that time that Mr. Robert Carr
purchased the first basketball uniforms and the basketball teams entered their first
league and tournament play.
In September of 1957, Father Alphonsus Fitzgibbons was transferred to St. Patrick's
Parish in Rockford. Father Fitzgibbons currently serves as pastor of Nativity of the
Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Menominee. Father Fitzgibbons still recalls the
wonderful people of St. Patrick's Parish. St. Patrick's Parish had been his first
assignment and he says he left part of his heart here. Like Father Neville he
remembers the basketball program and also setting up the high school CCD
program. In those days the sisters took care of the elementary school CCD but he
organized the high school program.
To replace Father Fitzgibbons, Father Joseph Kaiser came to St. Patrick's Parish on
October 1, 1957 and would have the distinction of serving as an associate pastor here
at St. Patrick's longer than any other priest. Father Kaiser remained here at St.
Patrick's for 10 years until May 8, 1967 when he left to become the pastor at Saints
Peter and Paul Parish in Virgil.
Father Kaiser was ordained in Syracuse, New York on May 28th, 1955 by Bishop
Walter A. Foery of Syracuse and was assigned to St. Joseph Parish in Richmond
immediately after ordination where he served until coming to St. Patrick's in
October of 1957.
During Father Kaiser's years at St. Patrick's he took an active and enthusiastic
interest in the parish and its people, serving as moderator of its many organizations
and teaching in the grade school.
While Father Kaiser was stationed at St. Patrick's the Second Vatican Council was
called by Pope John XXIII and as a result of the council, ecumenism would begin to
spread throughout the world and St. Charles would be no exception to experiencing
the results of this spirit. Father Kaiser had the privilege of giving the sermon at the
First Ecumenical Service to be held in St. Charles at the Baker Methodist Church in
1965.

Father Kaiser also recalls that during his time at St. Patrick's he began a Men's
Choir. Mr. Ray Ronan played the organ and the men sang for the High Mass once a
month.
In addition to his duties here at St. Patrick's, Father Kaiser was appointed chaplain
of the Illinois State Training School For Girls in Geneva on August 28th, 1960, a post
which he continues to hold today while serving as pastor at St. Peter's in Geneva.
Father Joseph W. Kaiser
Father Heraty, Father Ryan, Father Slampuk and Sister Roseann,
1969.
During the time that Father Kaiser was the associate pastor here at St. Patrick's he
would see five other associates come and go. Father Kaiser was the only associate to
assist Father Ryan until Father William J. McHugh came in June of 1959.
Father McHugh stayed only a short time and was transferred in February of 1960 to
St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Crystal Lake. Father Adam Reier came at that time
from St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Crystal Lake to replace Father McHugh as
associate at St. Patrick's Parish until June of 1963.
During Father McHugh's short time here he was in charge of the Legion of Mary
and took an active part in the sports program. Father McHugh later returned to this
area to serve as principal of St. Edward Central Catholic High School in Elgin from
1969 - 1975.
Father John Kraemer came from St. Joseph Parish in Freeport to replace Father
McHugh in June of 1963. Father Kraemer was ordained May 25, 1957 by Bishop
Lane. While he was here Father Kraemer spent his time teaching in St. Patrick grade
school and serving as moderator of the Legion of Mary, the Boy Scouts and Men's

Club. In June of 1966 Father Kraemer was transferred to be associate of St. Mary's
in Aurora where he remained until February of 1970 when he was appointed pastor
of St. Mary's Parish in Freeport where he currently serves.
In October of 1966 Father James Weber came and served temporarily as an
associate for a few weeks until November 17th, 1966.
Following Father Weber, Father John Slampak came from East Dubuque to work
with Father Ryan and Father Kaiser here at St. Patrick's.
Father Slampak is a native of LaGrange, Illinois and was ordained by Bishop Lane
on May 28th, 1966, having completed his Theological studies at Catholic University
of America in Washington, D.C. While Father Slampak was an associate here at St.
Patrick's he was very involved with the St. Charles Ministerial Alliance, serving for a
time as its president. In addition to his responsibilities as associate pastor, Father
Slampak also served as chaplain at Mt. St. Mary Academy and Elgin Community
College.
On June 25th, 1970 Father Slampak was transferred to St. Monica's Parish,
Carpentersville where he remains today. In addition to his responsibilities as an
associate pastor in Carpentersville, Father is Diocesan Director of the Office of
Divine Worship.
Father John T. Heraty came to replace Father Kaiser in June of 1967. Father Heraty
was born in Chicago on June 23, 1939. He attended St. Genevieve and St. Priscilla
parochial schools and graduated from St. Patrick High School, Chicago. His college
studies were made at Christian Brothers College, Memphis, Tenn., and St. Mary
College, St. Mary, Kentucky. He studied theology at St. Maur Seminary, South
Union, Kentucky and was ordained on May 27th, 1967 by the Most Reverend George
Biskup, Archbishop of Indianapolis, due to the illness of Bishop Lane. St. Patrick's
was his first assignment and like so many other young priests who came to St.
Patrick's as their first assignment, Father Heraty became very close to the people of
the parish. Father Heraty continued the work of Father Kaiser in the parish by
serving as chaplain to the Boy Scouts, moderator of the Men's Club and Youth
Group and coordinating the parish CCD program.
In addition to his many responsibilities in the parish, Father also taught at St.
Edward High School in Elgin. It was during this time at St. Patrick's that Father
Heraty became interested in the work of the Illinois Youth Center in Valley View
and in January of 1971 was appointed by Bishop O'Neill to succeed Father Harold
Nilges as chaplain at the State Training School for Boys.
Father Heraty is presently (in residence) at St. Peter's Parish in Geneva while
continuing to be chaplain at the Boys' School. Father is also currently working on a
Masters Degree from Loyola University, Chicago.

ADDITION TO SCHOOL BUILT
Father John Kraemer, 1963.
Father Kaiser, 1967.
Father Heraty, Memorial Day, 1969.
Father Slampak, Farewell Reception, 1970.

New School, built 1959, dedicated 1960.
It was during Father Ryan's pastorate at St. Patrick's that Father Walsh's dream of
a new school building was realized. Father Walsh purchased property for a new
school in 1955, but his untimely death prevented him from fulfilling his dream. In the
fall of 1958, with the permission of Bishop Lane, the services of the architectural and
engineering firm of Meyer and Cook of Chicago were secured, plans were drawn,
and contracts made with the following firms: general contractor - J. M. Driessen
Company; plumbing and heating contractor -R. L. Wagner and Son; electrical
contractor -George Elmund of Elmhurst; and roofing contractor - Frank Staar of
Chicago.
Ground-breaking ceremonies were held on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th, 1959
(which was also Father Ryan's birthday) with the priests, sisters and school children
in attendance.
In May of 1959 when Father Ryan purchased the Joseph Gleamza property at North
Fourth and State Streets for $12,000.00, he secured ownership of the entire block of
property for the parish. This piece of property that he purchased was the site of the
home of Michael Flannery where the first Mass in St. Charles was celebrated in the
1830's. In October of 1959, Father Ryan blessed the new cornerstone, and classes
were begun in the new school building on February 1, 1959. On March 17th, 1960,
the Most Reverend Loras T. Lane solemnly dedicated the new building.
The new building contained six additional classrooms, gymnasium with stage
facilities, social center, kitchen, principal's office, teacher's lounge, library, clinic and
locker and shower room facilities for both boys and girls.
The cost of the new school building was $390,000.00 dollars and it is noteworthy that
this entire debt was retired within the next year. The ability to pay this enormous
sum of money was without a doubt due to the successful fund drive for the new
school begun by Father Thomas Walsh during his time here as pastor as well as to
the sense of thrift on the part of Father Ryan, during the years that he was pastor.

It was through the combined vision and devoted concern of Father Walsh and Father
Ryan for the young people of our parish that St. Patrick's Elementary School takes
its rightful place in the elementary educational system of the St. Charles Community.
The Most Reverend Loras T. Lane, Sixth Bishop of Rockford
Father William Regnier and Father Walter Roberts escort Bishop Lane from
St. Patrick Church following Confirmation.
VATICAN COUNCIL II
When Pope John XXIII formally opened the Second Vatican Council in Rome on
October 11, 1962 little did he realize how the Council would eventually renew the
Church and ultimately change the world as it brought sweeping changes to the
Church, especially in the area of liturgy.
One of the results of the council that was to have an effect on the majority of
Catholics was the Decree on the Liturgy which was initiated under Pope John and
then signed after his death by Pope Paul VI on December 4th, 1963. This Council
document was to change the lifestyle of the Catholic Church throughout the world.
Drawn up by the world's bishops at the Second Vatican Council, the Constitution on
the Liturgy called for the reform and renewal of the Church's central acts of worship
and unity, the liturgy, and especially the liturgy of the Eucharist, the Mass.
The reform had begun much earlier, with Pope Pius XII easing the laws of the
eucharistic fast and allowing evening Masses in 1953, the major reform of the Holy
Week liturgy in 1955, and the introduction of the "Dialogue Mass" in 1958.

This reform would continue as the English Mass was approved and introduced in the
United States in November, 1964; and the Canon of the Mass being recited in English
in October of 1967 when the United States Bishops began requiring the altar facing
the people.
By 1970 when Father Ryan retired, the entire celebration of the Mass had changed
from Latin to English. It was Father Ryan's patience and sense of tradition that
guided St. Patrick's through a difficult but necessary liturgical transition.
Bishop Lane, Pope John XXIIl, and Bishop Lane's
mother, Mrs. Josephine Lane.
Albert Cardinal Meyer, Archbishop of Chicago; Bishop Loras T.
Lane, Bishop of Rockford; and Bishop William A. O'Connor,
Bishop of Springfield at Saint Dominic College Dedication, 1964.
SAINT DOMINIC COLLEGE
St. Dominic College opened in September of 1963 on 57 acres of property donated to
the Adrian Dominican Sisters of Adrian, Michigan by the Norris Family of St.
Charles. The buildings were dedicated on Monday, April 27th, 1964 by Albert
Cardinal Meyer, Archbishop of Chicago and the Most Reverend Loras T. Lane,
Bishop of Rockford with many civic and church dignitaries in attendance. Mother
Mary Genevieve, O.P., Prioress General of the Sisters of St. Dominic, Adrian,
Michigan was also present.
Cardinal Meyer blessed the administration and classroom building and the residence
for the faculty and students. These two buildings were the first of twelve to be
erected on the wooded campus.

During the afternoon ceremonies, Cardinal Meyer blessed a bronze plaque set in
stone at the west end of the Mall. The plaque's inscription honored Mr. and Mrs.
Lester J. Norris, Sr., of St. Charles who donated the 57 acres of Jones Woods for the
site of the new college.
Just seven short years after St. Dominic College opened its doors, it would close due
to financial difficulties and a decline in vocations to the Adrian Dominican Sisters.
On May 17th, 1970 the last class would graduate from St. Dominic College. Mrs.
Alice Zoda, a parishioner of St. Patrick's would have the distinction of being the last
person to receive a degree from St. Dominic's College when she was awarded a B.A.
degree in Sociology.
In October, 1970 Arthur Anderson and Company purchased the college from the
Domincan Sisters of Adrian, Michigan. The public accounting firm uses the college
as a center for the professional development of their own employees.
Bishop Lane confers with Cardinal Meyer after
dedication of St. Dominic College.
SAINT PATRICK SCHOOL BOARD
It was on March 5, 1968 that the St. Patrick School Board (then called the St. Patrick
Lay Board) would have its first official meeting. Members of this first Lay Board
chosen by Father Ryan to be Mrs. Rosemarie McKay, Mrs. Helen Kunches, Mrs.
Mary Rose Gerber, Mr. John Ventieri, Mr. Fred Oberg, Sister Angelita (Sister
Carolyn) and Father Ryan.
It was not until the second meeting held on April 2, 1968 that the officers were
elected. The officers were Mr. John Venneri, President; Mr. Fred Oberg, Vice-
President; and Mrs. Rose-Marie McKay, Secretary-Treasurer.
The purpose of the school board is to develop and define the policies which shall
govern the operation of St. Patrick's School and to implement such policies. The
School Board has remained an integral part of the operation of the school from 1968
until the present.

Cardinal Meyer, assisted by Fr. Walter Ryan, blesses plaque at
St. Dominic College, April 27, 1964.
FATHER RYAN RESIGNS
In December of 1969 Father Walter Ryan resigned as pastor of St. Patrick Parish
because of ill health. He lived the last years of his life at St. Joseph Retirement Home
in Palatine, where he died on July 17, 1975.
Although Father Ryan resigned his pastorate here at St. Patrick's Parish, he never
retired from his priesthood. He continued to exercise his priestly ministry by offering
the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass each day and quietly praying his Breviary, the official
prayer of the Roman Catholic Church.
Father Ryan will long be remembered for his quiet and gentle manner. He was
pastor here at St. Patrick's for thirteen years and during those years he gave himself
heart and soul to the people of St. Patrick's Parish. The new school building, built in
1960, stands as a living memorial to his dedicated work at St. Patrick's.
St. Patrick School Board, 1975. Left to sight - Mary Warren, Marge Zak, Joe Kunches, Father
Miller, Dr. Jerome Bettag, Vince Koehler, Bob Shulick, Sister Carolyn, Dorothy Hughes and Dick
Lyons. Not present for photograph: Father Roberts and George Chovaneck.

Father Ryan chats with Mrs. Michelle Donnelly, Claudia and Judy and
Jody.Father Ryan's 70th Birthday, March 17, 1966.
The James Naughton Family
congratulate Father.
The Carl Dainko Family pose with
Father Ryan.
End of
PARISH LIFE, 1960s

FATHER WALTER C. ROBERTS
THE PARISH TODAY (1975)
Bishop O'Neill and Father Roberts.
On January 6, 1970, the Reverend Walter C. Roberts returned to St. Patrick Parish
as pastor. Father had been here as an associate from 1950 to 1952.
Father Roberts was born on October 10, 1916 in Chicago and attended Our Lady
Help of Christians parochial school on the city's West side. He went to St. Ignatius
High School and Loyola University in Chicago before entering the seminary. His
philosophical studies were taken at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein
where he received his B.A. degree in Philosophy. His theological studies were
completed at St. Procopius Seminary in Lisle, Illinois.
On June 3, 1944, Father Roberts was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Rockford
by Bishop John J. Boylan in St. James Pro-Cathedral, Rockford. After ordination,
Bishop Boylan sent him to St. Patrick's Parish in Dixon where he remained for six
years with Father Thomas Walsh. On May 10, 1950 both he and Father Walsh were
transferred together from Dixon to come to St. Patrick's in St. Charles and assume
their priestly duties.
Father Roberts remained here as an associate until April 7th, 1952 when he was
appointed to St. Peter's in Geneva as administrator. Father administered the parish

in Geneva for the next five years until Bishop Lane assigned him to Immaculate
Conception Parish in Fulton as pastor.
Father was not to stay in Fulton very long, for two years later, on April 10th, 1959,
he was sent to Elgin to become the founding pastor of the newly created St. Thomas
More Parish. During his eleven years in Elgin, Father Roberts built the parish plant
consisting of the church, school and rectory.
Installation of Father Roberts as pastor, St. Patrick's,
January, 1970 by Msgr. Henry Schryer of Elgin.
In December of 1969, Father Walter Ryan retired from St. Patrick's due to ill health
and Bishop O'Neill appointed Father Roberts to succeed him on January 6, 1970.
After returning to St. Patrick's in 1970, Father Roberts immediately set out to
refurbish the school, convent, and rectory - all of which were in need of repair. This
was a job that was to consume all of Father's energy during his first year here as
pastor. The renovation of the church' was a task which was to wait for another five
years.
Father Roberts is the moderator of the St. Patrick's Women's Club. Father leads
prayer in the St. Patrick's Grade School each morning over the P.A. and concludes
prayer with the singing of a hymn from the monthly missalette. Besides teaching in
the grade school on Tuesdays, Father is the main celebrant for the all-school Masses
which are celebrated each First Friday of the month for the school children.
Father Roberts serves the Diocese as Administrator of Mount Olivet Cemetery in
Aurora and Resurrection Cemetery in Geneva.

Father Roberts celebrates Mass on the day of his installation as pastor
at St. Patrick's Parish, January, 1970.
Father Roberts at reception in St. Patrick's gym following his
installation as pastor.
FATHER JOSEPH TEAFOE

In 1970 the parish hosted the ordination of one of its sons.
On May 2nd, 1970, Father Joseph Teafoe was ordained a priest by Bishop Arthur J.
O'Neill here in St. Patrick's Church. It was during this same ceremony that the
Bishop ordained as deacon, the Rev. Vytautas Gorinas.
The next day, Father Teafoe celebrated his first Mass with Father John T. Heraty
and Father Donald De Salvo concelebrating. Father Thomas Sularz and Father Carl
Salanitro acted as deacons while Father Salanitro also preached the sermon at the
First Mass. The deacons were classmates of Father Teafoes when he was in the
seminary.
At the ordination Mass, Mr. Theodore Weber, Father Teafoe's brother-in-law, read
the epistle and the gifts of bread and wine were brought up at the Offertory of the
Mass by Father's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Omer Teafoe and his sister, Shirley (Mrs.
Theodore Weber.)
After Ordination, Father Teafoe was assigned to Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish
in Aurora where he served as a fellow associate with Father Miller who would come
to St. Patrick's six months later as an associate. Father Teafoe served at Our Lady of
Good Council until October 1971, when he was transferred to St. James in Belvidere.
In June of 1972 Father was transferred to St. Joseph Parish in Elgin where he
presently serves as associate pastor while teaching at St. Edward High School in
Elgin.
Bishop O'Neill and Father Joseph Teafoe during Ordination Mass, May 2, 1970.

Father Teafoe concelebrates Mass with Msgr. Henry Schryer, Bishop O'Neill and Father Roberts
on the day of his ordination, May 2, 1970.
Father Teafoe blesses his father, Mr. Omer Teafoe, at the end of the Ordination
Mass.
Father Teafoe's chalice
Father Teafoe celebrates his First Mass, May 3, 1970.

FATHER VYTAUTAS "VICTOR" GORINAS
Father Gorinas was born on December 8th, 1916 in Tula, Russia. During the Russian
revolution in 1917 he went with his family to Lithuania where he entered the
seminary in 1934. He spent four years in the seminary in Telsial, Lithuania
preparing for ordination, advancing through all the minor orders including subdiaconate
. Because he had received the order of sub-deacon, a special dispensation
was needed when Father left the seminary in 1938 to join the Lithuanian Army in
which he later served as a commanding officer.
In 1942, he married Josephine Kirlyte and they had their first child, a daughter
Grazina.
He served in the Lithuanian National Guard after World War II until he escaped to
Germany in 1948 and lived with his family in a displaced persons' camp. Because of
the war they could not bring their daughter with them to the United States so they
were forced to leave her behind with Father Gorinas's mother hoping that some day
conditions would change and she could join her parents in the United States. As of
this writing, Father Gorinas's mother and daughter still live behind the Iron Curtain
unable to leave their country.
Father Vytautas Gorinas
Father Gorinas being ordained a deacon by Bishop O'Neill, May 2, 1970.

Arriving in Chicago in 1948, he started working as a busboy in local restaurants
eventually working his way up to be a waiter. At the same time he began studying
music at the Alvernia Conservatory, earning a degree in 1954. The following year,
however, his wife died leaving him with the responsibility of raising their young
children born after he and his wife came to this country, Milda, Lydia and Vytautas
Jr. He rose as a waiter - captain at Fritzel's and Gibbey's and then he became
Maitre'd at the famous Cafe LaTour in Chicago. In 1970, he received permission
from Rome to resume his preparations for the priesthood and was sent by Bishop
O'Neill to St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Father Gorinas was ordained to the priesthood by the Most Reverend Arthur J.
O'Neill, Bishop of Rockford, on June 6th, 1970 in St. Mary Church, DeKalb. On the
25th of that month he came to St. Patrick's Parish in St. Charles as an associate and
remained here for five years until being transferred to Our Lady of Good Counsel
Parish on July 3rd, 1975.
While Father Gorinas was here as an associate he served as Catholic Chaplain at
Delnor Hospital and was moderator of the Men's Club and Legion of Mary.
His sermons on the beauty of freedom and the American way of life will long be
remembered by the parish and the community.
The love and admiration the people of St. Patrick's Parish have for Father Gorinas
was witnessed on Sunday evening, June 29th, 1975 when over 1000 people filled the
gym to bid him farewell.
First Pancake Breakfast, 1960. Left to right: Claude Bakas, James
Foley, Jr., Robert Mehren and Robert Hansen.

Recent Pancake Breakfast, Brian Maloney, Father Gorinas -
Chief Chef, Ray Simonek and Al Johnston.
Legion of Mary, 1975. Front row, left to right: Helen Dennehy, Loretta Foley,
Gertrude Regole, Edna Robbins, Father Gorinas. Back row, left to right: Marian
Doherty, Kathleen Rothengass, Elizabeth Schneider and Wayne Robbins.
Father Gorinas with his family, left to right: his son Vytautas Jr. and his
daughters, Lydia and Milda and Milda's husband Spyros Contoyannis. In
front, Father Gorinas's grandson, Vytautas III.
FATHER THOMAS BURR
In December of 1971, Saint Patrick's Parish was again honored when Thomas Burr,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Burr, was ordained a deacon by the Most Reverend
Arthur J. O'Neill during one of the Sunday Masses here at St. Patrick's.
Father Burr had the privilege of witnessing his Mother and Father's public renewal
of their marriage vows on the 50th Anniversary of their marriage which they
celebrated at St. Patrick's on January 21, 1972. On June 9th, 1973, Father Thomas

Burr was ordained to the holy priesthood by Bishop O'Neill at St. Peter's Cathedral
in Rockford and celebrated his First Mass here on Sunday, June 10th, 1973.
Concelebrating with Father Burr at his First Mass here in St. Patrick's Church were
Father Robert Hoffman, Father Jack Heraty, Father Walter Roberts, Father Joseph
Kaiser, Father Gerald Hanley, Msgr. Joseph Lyons (from Boston) and Father Walter
Flaherty (also from Boston). Father Hanley, a classmate of Father Burr's from Pope
John XXIII Seminary in Mass., also preached the sermon at Father Burr's First
Mass.
Father Burr was assigned to Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Aurora for two
years following ordination and in June of 1975 he was transferred to St. Laurence in
Elgin when Father Gorinas went to Our Lady of Good Counsel to take his place.
Bishop O'Neill ordaining Father Burr a deacon
December 19, 1971.
Bishop O'Neill celebrating Mass, assisted by Father Thomas
Burr, newly ordained deacon, Father Roberts and Father
Heraty.

Father Burr gives Communion to his parents during his Diaconate
Ordination Mass.
Father Thomas Burr celebrating his first Mass, June 10, 1973
Father Burr and his parents

RELIGIOUS VOCATIONS
Father Burr after the Mass at the
reception following in the gym.
In addition to the recent ordinations of Father Thomas Burr and Father Joseph
Teafoe, our parish has also given three of its sons to the Jesuit order: Father Joseph
Peters, ordained June 26th, 1940; Father Walter Peters, ordained June 16th, 1942;
and Father Charles Ronan, ordained June 13th, 1945.
Father Walter Peters is currently Professor of Biology at Loyola University in
Chicago and his brother Joseph is Professor of Biology at St. Xavier University in
Cincinnati, Ohio.
Father Charles Ronan is assistant Professor of History at Loyola University in
Chicago.
The parish also has one seminarian studying for the priesthood. Jon Jensen, son of
Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Jensen of our parish is presently in the Verona Fathers Novitiate
in California. The Verona Fathers are a missionary order who work in Africa,
Mexico and South America. Jon hopes to be ordained a priest in 1979.
Since the founding of our parish one hundred and twenty five years ago many
women from St. Patrick's have dedicated their lives to Christ and the service of his
Church. Some of the sisters presently serving the Church are Sister Mary Carr,
Sister Mary Grace Crowley and Sister Margaret Naber, members of the Adrian
Dominican Community: and Sister Mary Ellen Descourouez, a member of the
Victory Noll Missionary Community.

FATHER ROBERT R. MILLER
Father Charles E. Ronan,
S. J.
Father Joseph J. Peters, S. J.
Father Joseph Peters, Father Charles
Ronan and Father Walter Peters
To replace Father Heraty as associate here at St. Patrick's, Bishop O'Neill appointed
Father Robert R. Miller on January 28, 1971.
Father Miller came to St. Patrick's upon leaving Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish
in Aurora where he served for a year and a half after ordination.

Father was born in Chicago on January 5, 1944 and attended St. Patrick's Academy
in Chicago and St. Andrew's Grade School in Rock Falls. He graduated from
Newman High School in Sterling in 1961 and attended Loras College in Dubuque,
Iowa where he obtained his B.A. degree in Latin and Greek in 1965. He was sent to
the St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota for Theology from which he received his
Masters degree in Theology. He was ordained on May 24th, 1969 by Bishop Arthur
J. O'Neill at St. Mary's Church in Sterling. His first appointment was to Our Lady of
Good Counsel in Aurora. In 1971 he came to St. Patrick's where he has remained for
the past five years.
Shortly after Father Miller was transferred to St. Patrick's he received an
appointment to teach at St. Edward High School in Elgin where he has continued to
teach during the past 5 years. Father was appointed Director of Religious Education
at St. Edward's in June of 1972 and the Assistant Principal in charge of Religious
Education in June of 1975. In addition to his administrative duties Father also
teaches the Senior Theology courses at St. Edward High School.
Father Miller with Jennie Regole
on her 95th birthday, January
12th, 1974.
Father Miller with Karl Gartner and

Ralph Burr
In addition to his priestly duties and responsibilities, Father Miller coordinates the
religious education programs of the parish which include the CCD Program, the
adult education programs, the teacher training and parent sacramental preparation
classes. Father Miller has also conducted the convert classes for the past 5 years until
just recently when Father Kobbeman assumed this responsibility. In December of
1973 Father Miller had the privilege of baptizing and confirming five adult converts.
This was a new privilege given to priests in 1973 by the Bishops which allows priests
to confirm adult converts when they are baptized or profess their faith.
Father Miller teaches in the grade school on Tuesdays, meets with the altar boys
periodically during the year, and is moderator of the youth group.
Father Miller is a member of the Priests' Senate of the Diocese of Rockford and
serves as its Treasurer. Father is also a member of the Diocesan Board of Education
and is currently in the process of compiling a History of the Rockford Diocese.
Father Miller conducts CCD Teacher's Meeting,
September, 1972.
THE ST. PATRICK PARISH CCD PROGRAM
The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) Program here at St. Patrick's Parish
is the largest CCD Program in the Rockford Diocese in a parish which also has a
parochial grade school. The St. Patrick's CCD Program has grown beyond all
expectations since Father Miller assumed its direction in 1971. The enrollment in
grades 1 through 8 in the CCD Program is 572 while the parochial school has an
enrollment of 431 students. The CCD Program operates with a totally volunteer
staff.
During the past five years in which Father Miller has directed this program, he has
continually stressed the role of the CCD teacher as being supplementary to the
religious values taught through and by the parents in the home. He has also stressed
that the parents are the primary teachers of the faith and the religion teacher is to

einforce and help the students verbalize these underlying principles which are
taught in the home.
Grades 1 - 6 meet every Saturday morning for classes and the Junior and Senior high
school students meet every Wednesday evening for classes. The class schedule is
divided into two semesters with a written evaluation of the student's progress in
Religious Education being sent home at the end of each semester.
The 1975 - 1976 CCD Staff is as follows:
Primary Teachers: Grades 1 through 3
Mrs. Nancy Klusman
Mrs. Connie Unger
Mrs. Helen Kunches
Mrs. Donna Windle
Mrs. Nancy Thiewes
Mrs. Bernice Gotter
Mrs. Lucille Curtin
Mrs. Carol Floresch
Mrs. Penny Gurbacki
Mrs. Karen Dix
Mrs. Linda Stuart
Sister Rita
Mrs. Catherine Harrington
Mrs. Marilyn Stewart
Mrs. Jan Youngs
Intermediate Teachers: Grades 4 through 6
Mrs. James Newhouse
Mrs. Geraldine Lassiter
Mrs. Margaret Gaugel
Mrs. Madeline Schroeder
Mrs. Joan Heideman
Mrs. Maureen Nelson
Mrs. Lorraine Menkhaus
Mr. John Campbell
Mrs. Priscilla Goudreault
Mrs. Bonniegail Coleman
Junior and Senior High Teachers:
Grades 7 through 12
Mrs. Betty Koehler
Mr. John Bolger
Mrs. Michael Penny
Mrs. Susan Seraphin
Sister Margaret Elizabeth
Mrs. Jane Lenkaitis
Mrs. Barbara Kiep

Mrs. Betty Kappele
Mr. Gerald Arduino
Mrs. Sue Spriet
Mrs. Betty Russell
Mr. John Mizanin
Mr. Larry Rossi
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Wollnik
Bill Radzik, Lynn Stoda, Mark Vitali with Father Miller
after the CCD .Mass, September 27, 1972.
Mrs. Carl Peterson, Father Roberts, Father Milller and
Mrs. Larry Struttmann pose with CCD students
collecting toys for the underprivileged at Christmas,
1972. Left to right: Jim Lazowski, Mike Kimmel, Jim
Groover and Sylvia Locher. Front row: Dean Sporleder
and Rosemary Matalonis.
Winners of the CCD Christmas Crib contest with Mrs.

Larry Struttmann and Father Miller. Left to right:
Mary Augerer, Tammy Swanson with her mother, Mrs
Lyle Swanson, Jim Lazowski and Mike Kimmel.
SAINT PATRICK PARISH COUNCIL
Early in 1971 a "steering committee" composed of the pastor, the presidents of the
Men's Club, Women's Club, School Board, and Liturgy Team met to work on the
formation of a Parish Council for St. Patrick Parish.
Elections were held in March and on March 30th, 1971, the first meeting of the newly
elected Parish Council was held. The elected members were John Bolger, Mrs.
Ernest (Jean) Connors, William Costello, Denis Haggerty, Mrs. Cletus (Jo) Gass,
Gerald Hickey, James Knott, Joseph Leppert and Raymond Orth. The non-elected
members of the council were Raymond Simonek representing the Men's Club, Mrs.
Bernard (Pat) Deutsch representing the Women's Club, Ernest Byrd representing
the Liturgy Team, Robert Dougherty representing the School Board, Trustees Ralph
Burr and George Gorecki and the Pastor, Father Walter Roberts.
Officers were elected at the first meeting: President Ray Orth; Vice-president Joe
Leppert; and Secretary Jean Connors.
In line with the recommendations by the Bishop of Rockford the following
commissions were decided upon: Spiritual Life and Liturgy (Ernie Byrd, chairman);
Finance (Ralph Burr, chairman); Education (Bob Dougherty, chairman); Building
and Grounds (John Bolger, chairman); and Social Action (Jo Gass and Jerry Hickey,
co-chairmen.)
Since its inception in March of 1971, the Parish Council has been instrumental in
assisting the pastor with the administration of the parish and its many activities.
Actually the concept of a parish council was nothing new. Fifty years prior to its
beginning here at St. Patrick's, Bishop Muldoon sent a letter out to the priests of the
Rockford Diocese on March 1, 1921 explaining the concept of a parish council and
giving guidelines for its establishment. It's ironical how things take so long to
happen, but it shows the foresight and vision of Bishop Muldoon.
St. Patrick Parish Council, 1975. Left to right:
Sister Roseann, Mary Ann Hensheid, Pat

YOUTH GROUP
Duetsch, Dr. Ron Simone, Father Walter
Roberts, Tom Vrtis, Bill Berk and Bill Driessen.
Not present when picture was taken: Chuck
Schwab, Florence Ramont, Gus Enzenbacher, Al
Johnston, Dorothy Hughes, John Loftus and
Harry Benson.
Father Roberts celebrates his 30th
anniversary of ordination to the
priesthood, June 3, 1974.
In March of 1974, Father Miller once again reactivated the Youth Group. The St.
Patrick's Youth Group is the largest youth group organization of any of the St.
Charles Churches. The meetings are held every other week after CCD classes on
Wednesday evenings. Some of the activities the Youth Group has planned and
organized with the help of Father Miller have been dances for the Tri-City area
young people, a boat trip down the scenic Fox River, Christmas caroling parties,
sleigh rides, roller skating parties, picnics, bike hikes, a Holy Hour sponsored in
December of 1974 to open the Holy Year in our parish and last but not least a
memorable and unique MAGIC show featuring Mr. Robert Sharpe from
"Magicland."
In the 1975 fall elections held by the Youth Group, Julie Besch was elected President;
Kevin Thornton, Vice-President; Sue Payleitner, Secretary; and Shawn Thornton,
Treasurer.
It is hoped that the Youth Group will continue to grow since the young people of our
parish are the hope not only of the Church of tomorrow but also of the world of
tomorrow.

Youth Group Officers, 1975: Kevin
Thornton, Vice President; Father
Miller; Shawn Thornton, Treasurer;
Julie Besch, President; not
pictured, Sue Payleitnor, Secretary.
Youth Group members making
posters for their Boat Trip, June,
1974. Left to right: Julie Besch, John
Vawter, Sue Barnett, Mike Cichon,
and Debbie Riley.
Father Roberts and Father Miller
with the winners of the Respect Life
Mass Program Contest Oct. 23,

1973. Front row left to right Tina
Loos, Susan Kochlefl, Lisa Wendt.
Back row left to right Clover Loos,
John Sauber, Kathy Schuler, Bryan
Kellen, Tom Vanthournout and Ann
Collins.
Father Miller accepts the 2nd graders
drawings at the Offertory of the
Respect Life Mass, October 3, 1972.
Father Miller blesses the food at the Annual
Thanksgiving Mass, Thanksgiving Day, 1972.

Confirmation 1967
Confirmation 1970
Confirmation 1970
Confirmation 1972

Confirmation 1972
Confirmation 1975
Confirmation 1975
SISTER CAROLYN NELSON - PRINCIPAL OF ST. PATRICK'S: 1965 -
1975

On Friday evening, June 13th, 1975, the parishioners of St. Patrick's Parish gathered
in the gymnasium to bid Sr. Carolyn Nelson farewell. Sister served the people of St.
Patrick's Parish as principal of their elementary school for ten years, 1965 - 1975.
Now Sister has assumed a position in the Adrian Dominican Community as
Provincial Administrator of the St. Dominic Province in Chicago, Illinois. Sister is
the last Adrian Dominican Sister to serve as the principal of St. Patrick's for in
September, 1975, Mr. George Koutiel assumed this responsibility.
The Adrian Dominican Sisters who have served as principal of St. Patrick's School
since its opening in the 1930's are as follows: Sister Felicitas, Sister Vincentia, Sister
Ann Felicitas, Sister Ann Patricia, Sister Marie Emmanuel, Sister Regina Grace,
Sister James Maureen, Sister Marie Terrence, Sister Carolyn Nelson.
Sister Carolyn talks with Mr. and
Mrs. Bud Foley at the reception
given for her, June 13th, 1975.
Sister Angelita (Sister Carolyn)
presents scholarships to Mount
Saint Mary Academy to: Laurie
Kunches, Jan Glatz and Barbara
Schilling, May, 1967.

1975 Graduating Class, St. Patrick's School
1975-1976 Faculty, Saint Patrick School. Left to
right, front row: Maureen Nelson, Sue Maloney,
Helen Heid, Pat Vawter, Terry Johnston. Left to
right, 2nd row: Sister Rita, Sister Roseann, Eileen
Jackman, Lynn Van Liersburg, Sheila Fitzsimmons,
Kathy Haidle, Sister Margaret Elizabeth. Left to
right, back row: Ken Cordier, Mary Ellen Cordier,
Barb Graffagna, Becky Butcher, Principal - George
Koutiel, Pam Bernard, Diane Lovett, and Lucille
Curtin.

FATHER GORINAS'S FAREWELL PARTY
Father Gorinas and Doctor Wiltrakis
Father Gorinas on the steps of St.
Patrick's

Father Gorinas thanking the people
in the gym the night of his farewell
party.
Father Gorinas and Johnny Sauber
Father Gorinas and the Officers of the
St. Patrick Men's Club, 1975. Left to

ight: Dr. Ron Simone, Tom Vrtis,
Terry Hooten and Bill Jackman.
Father Gorinas with Father Miller and
doctors from the parish. Left right:
Dr. George Wiltrakis, Dr. Francis
Dunn, Dr. Jerome Bettag and Dr. Ron
Simone.
Sister Roseann and Bob and
Valerie Shulick at Father
Gorinas's Farewell Reception.
Father Miller about to introduce
Father Gorinas

Father Miller bids Father Gorinas
farewell.
CHURCH RENOVATED
In October of 1973 Father Roberts with the assistance of his Parish Council began
the long and arduous task of planning and organizing the renovation of St. Patrick's
Church. The renovation work began in February of 1975 and continued until the 1st
week in July of 1975. During that time Masses were celebrated in the school gym.
Saint Patrick's reopened its doors on Saturday, July 12, 1975 with the 5:30 P.M.
Mass concelebrated by Father Roberts, Father Miller and Father Kobbeman.
Among the many parishioners to attend the opening Mass on July 12th, 1975 were
Mr. Karl Gartner and Mrs. Mary Cotti. Mrs. Cotti also had attended the very first
Mass ever celebrated in the present Church back on May 26th, 1912.
Potente Studios of Kenosha, Wisconsin, were the interior designers; George Peterson
Construction Co., did the general contracting work; Gaffney Electric Co., did the
electrical work and R. L. Wagner Heating and Plumbing Co., installed the new air
conditioning units and heating equipment.
The cost of the entire renovation project was approximately $190,000.00. As of this
writing more than half the debt has been paid off because of the generosity, hard
work and sacrifice of the people of St. Patrick Parish.

The renovation of the Church is underway!
The Church is redecorated in shades of blue, with the sanctuary wall painted in a
sunburst effect and the walls painted a light blue. Dark blue carpeting and new oak
pews with dark blue upholstered seats were added. A beautiful mosaic of Christ
dominates the sanctuary. This mosaic was a gift from the St. Patrick Women's Club.
The new marble altar of sacrifice, the altar of repose, baptismal font and pulpit were
refashioned from the marble in the altars which had been installed at the time of the
last renovation in 1951 during the pastorate of Father Thomas L. Walsh.
The stained glass windows, installed during the 1951 renovation, shine magnificently
in the renovated Church. The soft blue of the walls complements the deep blue and
green of the stained glass windows to make them stand out like they never have
before. These windows depict scenes in the life of Christ.
Not only was the interior of the Church renovated but the grounds were landscaped
under the careful direction and hard work of Mr. Gus Enzenbacher, a member of
the Building and Grounds Commission of the Parish Council. Mr. Enzenbacher was
ably assisted in this project by members of the St. Patrick's Men's Club.
New statues of the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, St. Patrick and the Sacred Heart were
also installed during the 1975 renovation. These are beautifully hand carved statues
which blend in perfectly with the renovated interior of the Church.

Father Miller celebrates Sunday Mass in the
beautifully redecorated Church.
Interior of St. Patrick Church, 1975
Father Roberts preaches during the
opening Mass, Saturday evening,
5:30 P.M., July 12th, 1975.

Father Miller, Father Roberts and
Father Kobbeman concelebrate the
opening Mass, July 12, 1975.
Tabernacle altar
Father Miller, Father Roberts and
Father Kobbeman concelebrate the
opening Mass, July 12, 1975.

DONUT DAZE at St. Patrick's - Mrs.
Charlene Nietupski and her donut
crew whipping up dozens and
dozens of donuts for the benefit of
the renovation fund!
FATHER GERALD KOBBEMAN
On July 5th, 1975 Father Gerald Kobbeman came from Rockford to assume his
duties as associate pastor here at St. Patrick's Parish. Father was born on November
22, 1941 in Sterling, Illinois and attended St. Mary's Grade School, Sterling and St.
Andrew Grade School in Rock Falls. In. 1959, he graduated from Newman High
School in Sterling and went to St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa, where he
received his B.A. degree in Philosophy in 1963. He studied Theology for four years at
the Gregorian University in Rome from which he obtained his S.T.L. degree in 1967.
Father was ordained in Rome on December 17, 1966 by Bishop Francis F. Reh, then
Rector of the North American College, presently Bishop of Saginaw, Michigan. In
August of 1967 he was assigned to St. Bernadette's Parish in Rockford where he
spent five happy years. In July of 1968 he was appointed to the Marriage Tribunal of
the Diocese of Rockford while continuing to live and work at St. Bernadette's Parish.
In 1972 he was appointed Diocesan Director of Family Life and at this time he moved
from St. Bernadette's to the Chancery where he continued to work in the Marriage
Tribunal.

Father was assigned to St. Patrick's in July of 1975. He serves as moderator of the
Men's Club and the Legion of Mary and like Father Gorinas, he ministers to the sick
at Delnor Hospital and hospitals in the area. Father also conducts the convert class in
our parish and teaches in the grade school.
Father is a member of the Priests' Senate of the Diocese of Rockford and continues to
serve as a judge of the Diocesan Matrimonial Tribunal.
Father Kobbeman distributes
Communion at the opening Mass of
the renovated Church, July 12, 1975.
Father Kobbeman baptizes Margaret
Mary Newhouse, the first baby to be
baptized in the newly renovated
Church. July 13, 1975.

Father Kobbeman, holding Margaret
Mary Newhouse, after the baptism,
poses with her parents, Jim and Mary
Newhouse and her sponsors, Gene
and Sharon Mylan.
May Crowning, St. Patrick's Gym,
May 2, 1975

Top photos: Parish Picnic,
August 31, 1975
Bottom photo: Mr. Ray Bunte, our
parish custodian, is always in the
Bicentennial spirit!
EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF THE EUCHARIST
On September 5, 1975, Father Walter Roberts appointed Sister Roseann Julian to be
an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist at the school Mass celebrated on the
First Friday of September. On September 6th, 1975 Father extended the invitation to
distribute the Eucharist at parish Masses to Sister Rita Crotty and Sister Margaret
Elizabeth Hughes. On Sunday, November 2nd, 1975 the sisters were formally
installed as Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist at the 9:30 Mass.
This was nothing new to St. Patrick's Parish as Father Roberts had initiated the
Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist in 1971, when he had installed Brother
Patrick O'Hara, M. S. C. and Brother Ronald Weigand, M. S. C., as Extraordinary
Ministers of the Eucharist. Both Brother Ron and Brother Pat were members of the
order of Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and they came from their seminary in
Geneva to help out here until the seminary closed in June of 1972. This privilege of
distributing the Eucharist by persons other than priests resulted from the Second
Vatican Council. It is a re-introduction of a practice of the early church through
which lay people participated more closely in the Mass.

Father Roberts installing Sister
Roseann, Sister Margaret Elizabeth
and Sister Rita as Extraordinary
Ministers of the Eucharist in St.
Patrick Church, November 2, 1975.
Sister Roseann distributes
Communion in St. Patrick Church on
Sunday, November 2nd, 1975 at the
9:30 A.M. Mass.
St. Patrick's Choir, 1975. Standing in
front: Jesse J. Castillo, Choir
Director. Front row, left to right:
Torn Bauer, Steve Bauer, Charles
Bauer, Mike Cross, Henry Majer,
George Chovancek, Reino Finstrom.
Back row, left to right: Marilyn
Weinlader, Margaret Gaugel, Mary
Carol Besch, Mildred Buettner,
Marilyn Stewart, Terri Cross,
Florence Zimmer, Betty Vogel,
Clemence De Pauw. Not present
when picture was taken: Joyce Van
Haelst, Dawn Willman, John
Czerwinski. Bill Jackman and Louis
Zuodis.

St. Patrick Women's Club, 1975 -
1976 Officers. Front row, left to
right: Mrs. Thomas Donzelli,
Corresponding Secretary; Mrs.
Kenneth Fisher, Recording
Secretary; Mrs. J. A. Hoenscheid,
Pres-ident. Back row, left to right:
Mrs. Emil Kochleft, Treasurer; and
Mrs. Robert Metcalf, Vice
President.
Father Roberts addresses the St.
Charles High School Graduation
Class, June, 1975.

Father Kobbeman donates his blood
Mike Begalka gives the school bus a
scrubbing
Christmas Crib, 1969

Christmas Crib, 1971
(The stable was designed and built
by Mr. Ray Kobald)
End of
THE PARISH TODAY (1975)

LIFE OF SAINT PATRICK
Legends about Patrick abound; but truth is best served by our seeing two solid
qualities in him; he was humble and he was courageous. The determination to accept
suffering and success with equal indifference guided the life of St. Patrick as he won
most of Ireland for Christ.
The date and place of St. Patrick's birth are uncertain. Patrick's birthplace is said to
be either Dunbarton, Scotland or Cumberland, England. He called himself both a
Roman and a Briton. At 16, he and a large number of his father's slaves and vassals
were captured by Irish raiders and sold as slaves in Ireland. Forced to work as a
shepherd, he suffered greatly from hunger and cold. Despite the harshness of the life
in Ireland, he held on to his faith and learned the art of prayer and contemplation.
After six years, Patrick escaped, probably to France, and later returned to Britain at
the age of 22. His captivity had changed him from a nominal Christian to a deeply
religious youth with a desire to preach the Christian faith to the Irish. He went to the
continent to train for the priesthood and probably studied at Lerins, off the French
coast. He spent 15 years at Auxerre, as a disciple of St. Germain.
In a dream vision, Patrick saw all of Ireland crying out to him for help. He
understood the vision to be a call to do mission work in pagan Ireland. Despite the
opposition from those who felt his education had been defective, he was sent to carry
out the task. Patrick was sent to assist Bishop Paladins, the first bishop of Ireland
and on the death of Paladius, Patrick was consecrated the second bishop of Ireland at
the age of 43. He traveled the length and breadth of Ireland, planting the faith
everywhere. Because of Ireland's pagan background, Patrick was emphatic in
encouraging widows to remain chaste and young women to consecrate their virginity

to Christ. He ordained many priests, divided the country into dioceses, held Church
councils, founded several monasteries and continually urged his people to greater
holiness in Christ.
He suffered much opposition from pagan Druids, and was criticized in both England
and Ireland for the way he conducted his mission.
In a relatively short time the island had deeply experienced the Christian spirit, and
was prepared to send out missionaries whose efforts were greatly responsible for
Christianizing Europe.
One of the writings that go under Patrick's name is his Confession. The Confession is
an account of Patrick's spiritual development and a justification of his mission, but
above all it is a homage to God and thanksgiving for His grace for having called
Patrick, an unworthy sinner, to the apostolate.
After living a completely apostolic life of labor and prayer, St. Patrick died on March
17th, 457 or 461, in the monastery of Saul, in County Down, Ulster. There is hope,
rather than irony, in the fact that his burial place is said to be in strife-torn Ulster, in
County Down.
End of
LIFE OF SAINT PATRICK

EPILOGUE
THESE PHOTOGRAPHS SEEM A FITTING WAY TO END THE HISTORY OF OUR PARISH.
PEOPLE COME AND GO,
BUILDINGS CHANGE AND ARE RENOVATED,
BUT THE REALITY OF THE EUCHARIST REMAINS THE SAME,
AND IT IS THIS SACRAMENT WHICH GIVES LIFE TO OUR PARISH.
WHEN WE EAT THIS BREAD AND DRINK THIS CUP,
WE PROCLAIM YOUR DEATH, LORD JESUS,
UNTIL YOU COME IN GLORY.
End of
EPILOGUE