The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-19

CHIPPEWA FALLS CATHOLICS IN.
.s,.r AUGURAL JUBILEE.
Church Notables Will Participate in .
Program to Continue for Three Days
Interesting History of the Chip
pewa Falls Catholic Church-One Of
Oldest in the Northwest.
Special to The Journal.

Chippewa Falls, Wis. Aug. 1S.-To-
lay marks the golden anniversary Of
Notre Dame church Of this city The
ceremonies which open Sunday, Aug.
), continue for three days. closing
Tuesday evening with banquet. The
work preparatory to the golden iubi-
lee celebration has been in charge Of
Father Park, and everything points to
one of the most interesting and sue
cessful events in the church s fifty
years Of history.
Visitors from all parts Of the state
are here to attend the exercises. num-
bering thousands of people in all.
Among the chief visitors are Ri. Rev.
Bishop Schebach, Rt. Rev. Angus
tine Schinner; Mgr. Joseph Schrembs,
Y. g.; Mgr. Salome, V. g.; Very Rev.
Father Abbelin.
The exercises open Sunday forenoon
with procession from the courthouse
Of the st. Leo, st. John the Baptist,
Hibernians, Catholic Knights, Fores,,
ers, Knights of Columbus societies and
Bishops and clergy will participate.
The procession is to be followed at
10 am. by. pontifcal high mass, the
celebrant being Rt. Rev. Bishop Schwe-
bach. The golden Jubilee sermon viii
be preached by Mgr. A. Phi. Kremer,
V. G., former pastor of the church.
In the evening musical program and
sermon will be given at the church.
Mondays Program
At 10 am Monday pontifcal high
mass will be celebrated by Ri. Rev.
on "Cotholic Education - will be given
by Mgr. Schrembs. In the evening the
pupils of Notre Dame school will give
a musical and literary program at the
operahouse.
solemn requiem mass for all de.
ceased members of the parish will be
said Tuesday morning by Rev. Michael
Retka, C. S. Sp. Tuesday evening
there will be banquet at the opera
house, and Judge J. A. Anderson will
be the POSTMASTER.
The foundation of catholicism here
was laid at the headquarters of the
Chippewa tribe, the present site Of
Chippewa Falls, by Daniel Grayson du
Lhut and Father Louis Hennepin, a
Franciscan friar. in 1850. The mission
here was visited from time to. time.
In 1889 young Jesuit missionary from
Chen, said mass in a cabin on the
south side Of the falls. Between 1858
and 1856 Father Gauthier made semi
annual visits here. It was in the lat
ter year that the first church was built,
a small structure. 16x1S, called ''Our
Lady of the Pines. - The first resident
was Father Mignault. He was followed
in 1850 by Father Smeddink. who laid
the foundation for the Catholic school
and erected a PASTORAL residence.
Father Koke then came and he was
! fo11 INV, IN
~'. Some Early Workers.
The man who stands pre-eminent
among the pastors of Notre Dame is
Very Rev. C. F. x. Goldsmith He
for the advancement of the church I'M
til 1890, when he died. In 1894 the
Goldsmith Memorial chapel was erected
and his remains are now resting there.
The next pastor was Very Rev. A.
Phi Kremer, now vicar general. Up
to 1891 secular priests were the guiders
of Notre Dame, but in conformity to
the wishes of the late Father Gold
smith, the church is now under the dl-
rection of the Holy Ghost fathers.
The period Of reconstruction might
be said to begin with the coming of
the Holy Ghost fathers. During this
period there has been a constant for
ward movement in building improve
men:s, better equipments and last, but
not least, the wiping out of the church
debt.
Today Notre Dame has about 5000
members. and is doing much good, not
only in this. city, but its work has
Cook s Valley. Chetek, Weyerhaeuser,
Strickland, Chippewa City. Bob's Creek
and Holcombe. So satisfactory have
the members of the board of trustees
been that they have held office for ff-
teen years. Their names are William
Enncssy. T.. Dussault, John Hogan,
Frank Hamlin and William weinberg.
The Sisters of Notre Dame. whose silver
anniversary is Sunday, and the various
Catholic societies have also done much
in upbuilding the church. y
Choir Is Organized.
Father Goldsmith in 1887 organized
the first surpliced choir of boys. The
beginning was small, the band being
composed of only ten boys. The choir
has since increased to thirty-six MEM
bers and their singing is always one Of
the features of each service.
Notre Dame parish has a complete
school system from the primary depart
ment thru the high school. IheSe are In
charge Of the Sisters of Notre Dame.
It is one of the few parochial school
systems of the country which is on the
accredited lists of the leading univer-
stiles and colleges. Today the average
enrolment is about $50. Father Gold
smith did much for the Improvement
of the schools. He was followed in 1891
by Father Phclan, C. S. Sp.. who la
! bored twelve years TO put the schools
on a high basis. The schools had ex-
hibits at the Columbian exposition and
won marked recognition.
!. Sisters M. Estelle and Xavier have
also done great work for the schools.
Father Park, who is now pastor Of the
parish. is a man of much ability, and
he is not only increasing the spiritual
prestige of the church but he is work
/ ing to place the schools on even q
higher basis than they at present en-
joy.
The corps of teachers of the Notrs
Dame schools, are Primary grades,
Sisters Eligia, Eleanor and Mary; in.
termediate grades, Sisters Alise and
Dympna; grammar grades, Sisters
Georgine, Riehardino and Egwin;
high school. Sisters Paredis. Ildephonse
and De Sales; French. Sister Remy;
! music and vocal teacher, Sister Felicis-
sima, who is also the Sister Superior.
Father Park. G.. S. Sp.. is assisted in
the work Of the parish by Rev. F. Ret.
ka C.. s. SD: Rev T Wnesf C. g Sn