The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-10-16
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE
PARISH OF MATER DoLoROSA,
Madelia, Minnesota.


to be settled Among the villages
earliest settlers were counted a num-
Der of Catholic people who for the
first time were gathered together at
the home of Francis Russell of Ceres
co township, by Father Sommereisen
in the year 1862, the year of the In
dian outbreak. This was likely the
first time that the holy sacrifice of the
Mass was offered in the territory now
embraced by the parish of Mater Do
lorosa.
The first little church was built in
the village of Madelia in 1872 where
Father Wirth celebrated the first
Mass on the oath of October, 1872.
We see him at Madelia a second time
on the following January the It'll,
date never to be forgotten in Mime
sofa nor in Madelia. People had
flocked to town from miles around to
be present at the Holy Mass which
was rare treat for them in those
days. The morning was nice and
clear and the skies bright and calm,
but a sudden turn took place in the
afternoon when a terrible blizzard
overlook the country and kept it in
it's grip for three long days, making at
least three hundred victims in Mime
sofa. Many of the Catholic people
who came to church that day expert
enced their bitterest struggle for life
in attempting to reach their homes,
which several failed to do and per
ished in the attempt
The Jesuit Fathers from Mankato
attended to the spiritual needs of the
Catholic people of Madelia until the
appointment of it's first resident pas
tor, Father Prybal, who arrived in
1880. He also had charge of St. James
as mission. His successor, Father
Elshorst, transferred the residence to
ST. James and attended to the people
of Madelia from that place. Father
P. Yung, Father Joergen and Father
J. Durward, the following pastors,
likewise resided at st. James with
Madelia as mission.
In the year 1891 Madelia was raised
to the rank of an Independent parish
with Father Smith as it's first pastor,
who remained here but a short time
and was succeeded by Rev.. J. E.
O'Connell who took charge March &c,
1892.
By this time, 1892, the congregation
had outgrown the little church built
twenty years previously and Father
O'Connell Immediately directed his at
tention toward giving the Catholic
people of Madelia a more spa
cious and more creditable church. To
say that he did wonderfully we'll and
surpassed himself will be better un-
derstood when after thirty years, that
same church is still an honor and
credit to the town and to the Catholic
people of Madelia.
To undertake the task of erecting
SUCH church thirty years ago, when
nickel was as rare and as valuable
as a dollar today, the pioneer priests
and people alone can appreciate the
courage and determination which it
demanded from both pastor and peo-
pie. But the good work was success
fully conducted to it's end and on
Christmas day, 1892, the beautiful edi-
flee was ready to receive it's worship
pers. The joy and happiness of pastor
and people knew no bounds, but
alas, for what short duration! The
following week, on New Years morn,
the beautiful building became the prey
of the destructive element and in
few hours all these untold labors and
painstaking were reduced to ashes.
Happily the church was insured fully,
and the building was replaced on the
same foundation and was solemnly
dedicated by Bishop Cotter on the
10th of October, 1898
Father O'Conne1l was transferred to
Caledonia in 1898 and was succeeded
in Madelia by Father M. Helper, who
remained until 1904. Emulating his
worthy predecessor Father Helper at
once resolved to complete the parish
by endowing it with it's most neces-
sary adjunct, if it was to endure,-a
parochial school, - which, together
with the church, today is the pride of
the parish and it's saving feature. The
beautiful and commodious structure
was ready for occupancy in the fall
of 1899 and was put in charge of the
Ursuline Sisters of Philadelphia, who
we're succeeded the following year by
the Sisters of Notre Dame of Milwau-
kee, now of Mankato.
The good Sisters have taught the
Madelia Catholic children therein for
well nigh generation now and in the
last three years have included the
ninth and tenth grades in their course.
The erection of the school building
and the running of the same entailed
very heavy expense upon the congre-
cation, rather small for the burden,
and for several years proved almost
beyond it's means A debt of some
twelve thousand dollars rested upon it
when Father Helper was transferred
to st. Killian
Father M. Borresch succeeded the
latter in Madelia in 1904, and found
here large field for his priestly zeal,
while he directed his attention towards
the paying off of the debt of the par
ish, in which he succeeded very well,
since when he left for Avoca, in 1909,
only about one-fourth of it remained
unpaid.
Today Madelia boasts of, complete