The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1917-01-23
PRIEST IS
GIVEN Bic
RECEPTION

II there was any doubt in the mind Of
the Rev, John Berg, the new pastor Of St
Joseph's church at Hammond about his
bishops judgement in transferring him
from Whiting; If he thougrt that same
one else more fitting for the place should
have been selected or that his promotion
was matter Of Indifference to the Cath
olic clergy and laity. he was better in-
formed after the big reception which
the knight Of Columbus. representing
every council IN the county. rendered
him in Hammond Monday night
Nearly every priest in the county
was present to extend best wishes to
the guest of honor The Rev Edward
f. Barrett of All Saints at Hammond.
in point OF service, the oldest pastor
in the county, north Of the Little Calu-
met presided in the program OF speeches
and other entertainment His was the
first expression of welcome to Father
Berg as co-worker. and his sincere
words and enga ging manner kindled a
new spirit of friendship and co-opera-
ton not only between the members of
the county clergy. but between the cler
gy and laity as we'll He ana the various
speakers emphasized repeatedly vile
while The various congre cations rep
resented are divided by boundaries and
natlonalities they can be a unit in paying
homage to Father Berg because all
have in common the same faith.
Father John Berg was the last to
respond. As on previous occasions he
again stated his love for Whiting as a
community, and particularly for his
former congregation. but added that
having to leave Whiting. St Josephts
would have been his personal choice
above all others in the diocese The
speakers who preceded him. mainly those
Of the clerby who knew Father Berg
intimately. gave the audience Of nearly
four hundred K. Of C's many personal
glinpses Of Father Berg. Thus it de-
veloped that the pastor Of St. Joseph s
has favorite seat near first base ia
the SoN park, tina, he is firm believer
IN baseball for the American boy. ana
that he is a quick and decisive opponent
in a chess game
With professional pulpiteers the
speaking program was of course. I'M
surpassable but the talk which nearly
let all the cigar smoke out through the
roof was that made by Father william
Berg of SchererviIle. dean of the Lake
county clergy and older brother Of the
Hammond priest. Quantity and wittily
the priestly sage compared his Scherer-
vile with the dynamic Calumet region
remembering the latter as a place
nearly two score years ago. as a great
place for tadpoies and bullfrogs. ana
which has since then drawn from him
some of his finest boys and girls
Among the former Chief Austgen and
Father Charles SchoH, and his own
brother, Father John.
District Deputy Thomas Boyle of
Whiting. voiced the regret Of Whiting
in having given Father Berg to Ham
mond. but stated it as the Whiting con-
sensus Of opinion that probably Ham
mond was in greater need OF such an
exemplary man than Whiting
Among the other speakers were the
Rev. F. T. Seroczynski Of Hammond;
Father Benedict Rajany of Roberts
dale; Father Peter Budnik Of East Chi
oago, Father Jansen Of Gary; Father
Sullivan. assistant at MI Saints. HAM
mond; Father Roe1er. assistant at sac
red Heart. whiting. Father John iIoff
Of Hobart and Father Japzyinski. as
sistant at St John Cantlus church. In
diana Harbor,
Other priests present were Revs
Horstman Of Lowell. and Jurscheck
OF Cook.