By Julie Godfrey Miller
Catholic Herald
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A new youth choir was formed at St. Anthony de Padua Parish in Park Falls. The choir led the congregation in song at the parish centennial Mass Aug. 1. (Catholic Herald photo by Julie Godfrey Miller) |
PARK FALLS -- One hundred years ago, the Catholics of Park Falls built the first St. Anthony de Padua Church to serve their growing community. On Aug. 1, parishioners and guests came together to celebrate the centennial of this original church building with a special Mass.
At the beginning of the Mass, Bishop Raphael M. Fliss welcomed the visiting priests: the Precious Blood fathers and some "native sons" of the parish.
Fliss explained that he was the presider at the Mass, the principal celebrant. He said, "When a bishop presides he does the first part of the Mass up to and through the general intercessions. Your pastor is at the altar and he will celebrate that part at the altar. So we are going to divide the efforts. And he's got the harder part." The current pastor is Fr. Jim Jackson, a diocesan priest.
Fliss added that Fr. Mike Volkmer, former pastor, would give the homily. "That's a big job too," he said.
For many years the priests serving St. Anthony Parish were members of the Society of the Precious Blood. Three of these priests returned to Park Falls to take part in the centennial Mass: Volkmer, pastor from 1982 to 1991, Fr. Al Ebach, pastor from 1991 to 1999, and Fr. Linus Evers, who served as associate pastor for several years.
Fr. Ed Oen, Fr. Dennis Schaab, Fr. Thomas Conway, Fr. Bernard Diekhoff and Fr. BIll Dougherty were unable able to attend, but sent their congratulations and blessings to be printed in the centennial booklet.
In addition Fr. Magnus Winnenger, OSB, of St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minn., and Fr. Jim Lucas, from the Diocese of Green Bay, came to help the parish celebrate. Both were born and raised in the parish. Br. George Prickril, SJ, who is also from the parish, sent his congratulations.
The concelebrants were assisted by Deacon Chet Ball. Music at the Mass was provided by a newly-formed youth choir.
In his homily, Volkmer offered his congratulations to the parish family. He said, "It is so appropriate that we would celebrate thanksgiving by gathering around the table of the Eucharist."
Volkmer said, "I guess if I had my choice I wouldn't have chosen these particular Scripture readings. They sound kind of negative and are filled with dire warnings."
But, he added, the Scripture readings reaffirm the call of faith and urge people to remember their priorities. "How can people hear the call unless someone preaches the good news and how can someone preach the good news unless he is sent? ... That's the job of the church through missionaries -- to make sure the message of the Gospel is preached in every place. And that's why the church came to northern Wisconsin."
Volkmer recounted some of the history of the church in the area, beginning with the Jesuit mission at LaPointe on Chequamegon Bay in the 1600s and the work of Bishop Frederic Baraga as a priest and as bishop of the territory in the 1800s.
In 1905 the Diocese of Superior was established, with Augustin F. Schinner as bishop. Volkmer added that Fliss came to the diocese in 1979 as coadjutor bishop and became the ordinary (the bishop of the diocese) in 1985.
Volkmer also recounted some of the history of the town of Park Falls and of St. Anthony Parish and its church, school and other buildings. (See related story below.)
At the end of Mass, Jackson thanked everyone who had helped make the centennial celebration a success. In thanking the young choir, he added that the members would probably be there to celebrate 150th anniversary of the parish.
During the closing hymn a group of girls performed, waving rings with colorful ribbon streamers attached as they sang the hymn.
Following the Mass there was a brunch in the parish center and an opportunity to tour the school, the newly remodeled rectory, and the parish center, daycare/preschool and parish offices.
Construction of church began in 1904
PARK FALLS -- The cornerstone for the first St. Anthony Church was laid in 1904 and construction was completed later that year. At the time the Diocese of Superior had not yet been established and Park Falls was in the Diocese of LaCrosse. The building, which cost $5,000, was dedicated in 1905. A parish already existed in nearby Fifield and Fr. Bernard Klein served both parishes.
The new Superior diocese was established in 1905 and in 1906 Fr. N. Kieffer was appointed as the first resident pastor. The next two pastors were also priests of the diocese: Msgr. L. R. Niessen and Fr. R. J. Fassbender
In 1921 a new combination church and school building was begun. The first Mass was said in the new building the following year. A rectory was also built at the same time. The school opened in the fall of 1922, staffed by Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, from St. Francis, Wis.
The original church building is now the American Legion hall.
With mounting debt for the new construction and the hard economic times in the 1920s, the parish developed financial problems. The diocese asked for help from the Society of the Precious Blood and the order sent Fr. Benno Holler in 1923, to take over as pastor of the parish. The order remained in the parish until 1999, when a diocesan priest, Fr. James Jackson, became pastor.
Groundbreaking for the current church building was in 1975. The church cost $467,000, and contains stained glass windows, Stations of the Cross and the tabernacle from the old church.
The Padua Center, with offices, meeting rooms and classrooms was completed in 1994.
© Superior Catholic Herald, 2004