The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-11-18

ing was to be located on the corner Of
Fifth and Main. was to be forty by TWEEN
ty feet, Of stone taken from the neigh.
sSsEns ASns niss.a when .ssSens
reputation. The work proceeded slowly
not for want Of good viii on the part Of
the practitioners, but for the lack oi
funds. The cost OF living was high,
q salt cost $500. and Of hour $500;
$4,000; and farms yielded as yet but
meaEer returns. But there was Booe
win In the struggling community. W.
money and went into debt to help the
good cause along. f.-
The bishop kept word. On March 1s
1855, Father Somereisen came to Manka.
to as the nrst resident priest OF st. Pet
er and Paul. His name win ever be con-
nected with st. Peter and Pauls par
ish. His memory will, be held sacred by
postertty.. He was man Of extraordi-
nary seal and enterprise. His mission
airy feld covered fourteen counties. prac-
He had thirty-sx missions to look after
When not active at Mankato, he might
be seen on horseback. travelling from
place to place, summer and winter. In
solutions Of religion to settlers scattered
over the distant prairies. From Man
kato he was in later years transferred ir
Yankton. 8. Oak, ard from there tC
Ra1sss. where he died January rs. 1892
The jealous young priest infused new
life and vigor into the community. He
took up. subscriptions which gave some
N,so0: The building was pushed on Wig
roof. Before Christmas he invited FIR
+. x. WeH.pger, 8. J.. well known
throughout the length and breadth Of the
states. to preach q mission to his flock
It was the first mission in Southern Min
conference to the men the missionary
expressed his wish to hold the closing
exercises OF the mission in the new
time available after and between services
were spent by the men on the roof OF
the new buSSding. When tho end Of the
mission came. the roof was finished. The
Wish wish. Of the missionary was fulfilled. he
the new church. Though the building
mad no door. windows. and pews, serv-
Ices were from now on held within it
and were continued to be held there I'M
al the present church was built. Dur
Ing the time OF the Indian outbreak the
Vn Stone Church was strongly barri-
defense.
The years 1s5s-s7 may be called years
Of prosperous development Of the parish
ThingS Negah to assume a brighter as
pect. ON 1857 on the influx of Cath
oho settlers grew more rapidly than had
kato possessed a church and had a resi-.
erence to Catholic homeseekers. They
came from all sides. The result was
pseity Of the old church. AS the need
Of a parochial school began to be felt
more keeniy, II was resolved to remodel
and enlarge the building to such an ex-
u tent that 1t would answer the double
ingly 1t was agreed to raise the stone
structure one story. and to add to it,
facing Firth street. g two-story wing.
giving the building the form Of a r;
the upper part Of the building was to
be used for church purposes; the lower
was to serve as school and residence
Tor the Sisters that were to be secured
10 teach It The whole structure was to
This remodeling went on by slow
stages, and frequent Interruptions. 1t
TOOK TILL 1852 before it was Completed.
by this time the church had been pro-
x wee with pews manufactured at Man
kato. the appearance Of the building
was plain. short Of all exterior Ornament
tation., On the roof was perched a neat
perry to carry clear-ringing bell-that
q. shipwreck on the Mississippi. buried
AT the bottom Of tie river raised and
E soio as standard goods to the Winnebago
Mission and On its dissolution recovered
PauPs church. It remains to the pres
emit day In the tower of the Cemetery
chapel. tolling the funeral knell when
our ,parishioners are carried to their last
BY remodeling the stone church the
necessary Accommodations for opening a
Sc soho oo were yer provided. The difficulty was
mann. the organist had opened a private
schooi; but as he admitted pupils of var
ious creeds, taught only secular, branch
os shd barred religious Instruction the
wanted Sisters to teach their children
along with secular branches also the
s srs, and practice OF religion. Sew
get them, but they had proved fruitless
the various religious orders were in
tneir infancy in the land. vocations were
rare rare .ne demand for teachers great. the
nurses r. to the battle field. In spite Of
IL all. Father Somereisen went In the
summer sU OF 1855 in person to Milwauke e.
n ven Of Mother the SGaroline the
Sisters in the United States. She at a his
earnest entreaty finally promised to send
a, small S band for the opening Of school
made. This had been done. In the
earl sariy . part OF September. 1855. after a
Ia Crosse. and st. Paul. the first Notre
Dame Sisters arrived at Mankato. It
was on a Sunday afternoon. The par
lshloners having been informed of their
coming, had assembled at the church and
received them with great enthusiasm and
Seep gratitude. With the coming of the
sisters the first parochial school was
established In Southern Minnesota.
When the Sisters came, there were but
four of them of whom only two were
employed in school work Their growth
and increase have kept steady pace with
me growth of the school, At tpresent
eighteen are engaged in the Christian
education OF our children. They were
housed on their coming in the lower
moor or the combination building of
church and school. When the new school
was erected tie entire building was va
were never very comfortable TIL 1855
when they bought the former residence
OF Father Somereisen: on the corner Of
Fifth & Mulberry. This they remod eIed
and ENLARGED, adding to it the gem of
a beautiful private chapel. and making
OF II at their own expense the comfort
able home which they call their own.
They opened school with 81 pupils now
Sc years the Sisters of Notre Dame have
toiled In the parish with untiring pat
fence and zeal and perseverance, to raise
our school to a standard Of efficiency
which 1t now enjoys. God alone elxnows
the number and amount of blessings that
have come to IS. Peter & Paul's through
the school, conducted by the Sisters Of
Notre Dame. May God reward them
The old stone church built in 1855 and
enlarged in 1862, answered its purpose
for the time being Having to serve a
three fold end that Of chi,s>ch schooI 80