The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-11-25
The PARISH OF
SLEEPY EYE
An Honor to ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Church and Presbytery-NeW
School Projected-The Work
of Father Stulz.
Especial Correspondence to The Cath
olic Bulletin)

Does a Catholic of Minnesota, in
his ramblings through the State, wish
parish, built UP from a comparatively
small membership through the untir-
ing, Intelligent zeal of devoted and
hard-working priest-a parish that is
an honor to religion, showing what
can be done when the right effort is
set in motion, what may be done in
countless other places through similar
efort-let that Catholic pay visit to
Sleepy Eye.
The name Sleepy Eye, quite poetic
in it's original Dacotah form, once the
name of a famed tribal chieftain, is
prosaic and rather depressing of en-.
thusiasm in it's English orthoepy-
unless, indeed, we take it, as we must
do when we apply it to the Catholic
parish we are now describing, as
meaning the contrary of what it
directly spells. In this supposition
the parish is we'll named-Sleepy Eye
the ever-watchful eye, never closed
to the observation of possibilities,
ever bending it's vision towards hopes
realized
The parish of Sleepy Eye has a
membership of two hundred and fifty
families, mostly farmers, mostly, too,
German by birth or descent Some
years ago the membership was larger,
but, unfortunately, succession of un
favorable seasons led many to sell
teeir homes and move to other parts.
Father w. M. Stulz took charge OF
tss.e parish in 1900. At that time
there was small brick church, a
presbytery of very modest proper
tions, a school building containing
two c1ass-rooms and small apartments
for the Sisters in charge-the whole
plant located On few unsightly plots
of ground. Father Stulz set himself
vigorously to work, won the enthu-
siastic cooperation of his people and
in the brief term of eleven years has
done marvels. The new church is one
of the finest and roomiest temples in
Minnesota, seating eight hundred peo-
pie, splendidly furnished, beautifully
decorated, and in it's elevated towers
dominating the village and much OF
the surrounding landscape. A new
presbytery, large and commodious, has
been erected. The Sisters moving into
the former presbytery, the school
house has now it's four well-appointed
class-rooms, yet, however, too small
to meet the demands made upon it
The grounds around the church have
been enlarged and beautified with ex.
quisite taste. And, recently, tract
of seven acres, dotted with large elm
and maple trees and skirting oul
lake, has been purchased to serve as
site for the new school-house, to be
built next spring, and as recreation
grounds for pupils and people gen
orally of the parish. The whole plant
belonging to the parish, lands and
buildings, is valued at 150,000-this
sum to be considerably increased by
the erection of the new school-house
The parishioners are proud of their
parish possessions, and instead of re
tarding the zeal of the pastor urge
him to further work in honor of holy
religion.
Sunday, November II, Archbishop
/ Ireland was with us, preaching to
crowded congregations, morning and
evening, and warmly complimenting
us on the great works we have done
The occasion of his coming was the
completion of the frescoing in the
interior of the church. This fres
Going the Archbishop admired very
much, telling us that he should be
stow equal praise on the choice ot
the subjects the artist had undertaken
to portray, and on the good taste and
the skill of brush with which they
have been wrought out. Enough, and
not too much, the Archbishop said, is
condition of true art, and here the
conditions were fully observed. The
artist deserves to be named-O. j
Kover, of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Together with paying for. it's local
improvements, the parish of Sleepy
Eye has acquitted itself in full of the
assessment laid upon it for the new
st. Paul Cathedral, and for this the
Archbishop gave us cordial thanks.
i Father Stulz is assisted i'm the care
of the parish of Sleepy Eye and the
adjoining mission of Leavenworth By
Father Alfred J.. Kern, whose activity
and zeal we all admire. He has had
his good part, through his willing co
operation with the pastor, in the won
II drous development OF the parish. We
H repeat our invitation to our friends
of other parishes to visit us and SEE
i for themselves model parish.