The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-10-30
THE CHURCH OF ST. CATHERINE
REDWOOD FALLS.

The Roman Catholic Church is rep
resented in Redwood county by twelve
churches. respectively located in Wan
da Walnut Grove, Clements, Wabasso,
Seaforth, Lamberton, Sanborn, Red
wood Falls, Lucan, Milroy, Morgan
and Vesta. In the fall of 1870 the
Rev. Alexander Berghold, pastor of
The Holy Trinity Church at New Ulm,
Mimi. visited Redwood Falls and said
Mass in the home of John O'Hara,
there being but six Catholic families
then in Redwood and vicinity. The
number of Catholics had increased to
but thirteen families by the summer OF
1884, when the first church was erect
ed. This was a frame building, "a by
40 feet that cost 5000. Matthias Offer
mann and Frank NJ. O'Hara donated
The two lots for the church. Mass
was said in the church for the first
time in the year 1885, by Rev. Father
Ogulin, then pastor of the Church Of
Immaculate Conception, st. Peter,
llnn. The following priests attended
10 lLIt - pa lIlGll willis VI NLIO PSSliS
until the first pastor was appointed:
Rev. Father Schnitzler, Mankato,
Minn.. 1855 to 1886: Rev. Father Tori,
Sleepy Eye. Mimi, 1886 to 1887; Rev.
Father Reichel, Sleepy Eye, Mimi,
1887 TO 1888; Rev. Father Shonen,
Madison. Mimi, 1888 to 1890; Rev.
Father Rosen, Fairfax, Minn.,> 1890 to
1893; Rev. Father Vanderlage, Morgan.
MINI, 1898 to 1897. In 1897 Rev.
James J. Woods was appointed resi-
dent pastor and so remained until the
fall of 1908. when he was succeeded
by Rev. Valentine Schiffrer, who
stayed until August, 1910. The lat
ter's successor was Rev. Joseph ].
Tomek, who took charge Of the parish
on the first Sunday Of August, that
year, and who is still the pastor. Be
fore coming here Father Tomek was
stationed for three years as assistant
in the Cathedral of ST. Paul, at st.
Paul, Mimi
Perhaps the most important event
in the history of the parish was the
building of the new church in 1914
This fine structure. which is the fin
est church edifice in the county, has
the ground dimensions Of Al by 12O
feet, it's total cost being $4,000. The
corner stone of. the new church was
laid at 2:30 O'Clock p. m, on the &th
Of July, 1914, Rev. r. Schlinkert, of
New Ulm, officiating and preaching
the sermon. The windows, costing
$500 each, were donated by the fol
lowing members of the parish: The
Lauterbach family, st. Michael; Altar
Society, st. Catherine; Jackson fam
lily, The Resurrection; Oscar Warner
St Margaret; O'Callaghan family;
Catholic Order of Foresters; J. R
Keefe and P. Farrell, The Assumption
Mrs. c. Cummins, st. Joseph; knights
of Columbus, st. Patrick; J. J. Tomek
the Last Supper. The following made
other donations: The Sewing Circle
pews costing $4,000; Mrs. John Lau
terbach, statute of Sacred Heart;
Mrs Elizabeth lima, statue of st. 10
seph; John Wilt, statue of st. Cath
crime; Fred Warner, statue of st. Ann;
Miss c. Carroll, statue of st. Anthony;
Mrs. Edward Cummins, baptismaI
font. Mass was said for the first time
in the new church March 7, 1915. The
dedication of the church took place
November 16, 1915, Right Reverend ]
J. Lawler officiating and preaching
the sermon at the Solemn High Mass
Rev. Valentine Schiffrer, former pas
tor, celebrated Mass. The services oil
dedication concluded in the afternoon
at 2:30 o'clock with solemn benedic
ton and the Rev. James Klein, OF
Sleepy Eye, Mimi, preaching the ser
mon. Many clergy from the neighbor
ing parishes were present at the dedi
cation. The English language is used
in preaching sermons. The parish
now contains seventy-five families
The societies connected with the
church, or more or less closely af
filiated with it, are the Altar Society
Catholic Order of Foresters, knights
of Columbus and the Sewing Circle
In the fall of 1897, when Father Woods
was appointed resident pastor, fl the
parsonage was erected 1t is a mod
ern frame building, with hot water
heating system, electric lights, water
and other conveniences, and cost SO,
600 In 1905 two lots were purchased
across the street from the church fol
$3.50, to serve as the site for a pa
rochial school, The school has moi
yet been built but its erection viii
probably be an event of the near flu
ture. Religious instruction is given tt
the children every Saturday after
noon and Sunday after High Mass
forty-five children attending. The pas
tor of ST. GATHERINGS also attends the
church, at Bechyn, Renville county
Mimi, every second and fourth Sun
day~of the month, that parish con
sisting of sixty-fye fami]iss,