The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-11-17
THE HISTORY OF THE SACRED
HEART PARISH, OWAToNNA,
MINI.

MIMI.
The first Catholics of Owatonna
were without church and priest. The
city of Faribault being already more
populated than Owatonna, it had a
priest stationed there viz: Rev. Keller,
who had in charge nearly half of
Minnesota's Catholics at that time He
was then the first priest to attend to
the needs of Owatonna Catholics. He
used to make his headquarters with
some of the Catholic families in
town.
For few years Father Keller used
to hold services in the town hall and
when the parish increased-they decid-
ed to build church of their own;
they formed the committee of the lead
ing Catholics of the town. They be-
gan to collect funds during the years
1867 and 1868 and the first Catholic
Church of the Sacred Heart was built
in the year 1869 under the direction of
Rev. Father Keller.
After the church was built, the Rev.
Francis Keller left the same in care
of Rev. Clement Scheve, December 4,
1870. He also resided in Faribault and
visited the neighboring parishes en-
trusted to his care up to June 20, 1873.
He was followed by Rev. Laurence
WieseIer, who came to Owatonna
August 10, 1873, and kept on coming
from Faribault until May 1, 1875 I'm
der his care there was built humble
parsonage for the priest. Now the
good Catholics of Owatonna felt hap
Ply, they at last had their own church
and priests residence. Father Wiese-
Ter was then succeeded by Bohemian
priest, viz:
Rev. Francis Pribyl, October 9, 1875
He being a linguist suited this poly
glotous parish and the other adjoining
| submissions in a most satisfactory
| manner. He spoke well English,
Bohemian, German and also under
stood the Polish language. In the
spring of the following year he had
the church lathed and plastered and
the home was properly furnished. He
| in fact became renowned for building
churches in all his submissions. He
left Owatonna April 1, 1880. Later on
seeing the necessity of a good Catho-
lie paper in Minnesota, he became the
editor of "Cecho-Amerikan" while be-
ing in charge of the parish of Mont
| gomery, MINI. He was succeeded by
Rev. Gualterns Raleigh, who faith
fully attended the parish from April
II, 1880, to January 10, 1885. He died
of old age at st. Paul, where he was
in charge of parish for several years
preceding his death. He was succeed
| ed by
Rev. Maurice Joy from January -,
1885, to July 8, 1885, and was succeed
| ed by
Rev. John M. SoInce of Slavonic
nationality. He arrived September 1,
1885. Beside Owatonna he had to at
tend to Claremont, Somerset and
Moravia parishes; and as his parish
divided between him and
Rev. sigismund Singer, who was
called to take charge of the Bohemian
and Polish members of the Owatonna
parish and the Somerset and Moravia
parishes, while Rev Solnce attended
now only the English and German
speaking members of Owatonna and
Claremont parishes. Father Solnce
was called away by the Most Rev.
| Archbishop to take charge of St.
| Matthew's Church of st. Paul and was
succeeded by
Rev. P. j. Herman, October, 1890,
| who resided together with Father
Singer in the same parsonage. In the
meantime Father Singers health be-
gan to fail and after working in the
parish for two years and half, he
went to the Rochester hospital, where
he died of consumption and was
buried in Owatonna. A noble soul was
he; beloved by his congregation, went
down to his premature gravelsin his
age of 20 years. He was succeeded by
Rev. John NJ. Pivo, who came June
IA, 1891. Six months later the Irish
and German members of the Sacred
Heart Church separated from the par
ish and formed new parish of st.
Joseph, under the leadership of Rev.
T. ]. Herman, who built the church
and parish house and is still in charge
of the same. The Polish and B0he-
milan members of the Sacred Heart
parish remained in charge of Father
Pivo.
In the year 1901, December IL, the
Church of the Sacred Heart burnt
down by oyerheating. That was an
other chance for parish division.