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

much net alone to Mankato and Vi.
cinity, but to the entire state, for, the
good Christian man and woman makes
q good citizen. In these times OF
great unrest and rsdicalisn, IL ID In.
deed consolation to know that 90
many men and women walk Ia the
paths OF righteousness. He hoped
that the next nifty years work Of the
aonsreEation can be looked back up
" years.
Coming back to this city, Bishop
Busch In addressing the audience last
night could not refrain from referring
to his boyhood days In Mankaeo, He
laughhsly said that he had one re.
greet to offer, and that Is that Manka.
to does not belong 30 the st, Cloud
diocese. He spoke Of many Of the
pioneers who had o major part Ia the
founding Of st. Peter and st. Paul's
parish In this city. During the oele-
ing he thought that he recognised q
sweet tenor voice, ringing out sweet :
Y above the others. He afterwards
was pleased to learn that his guess
was right for &c was one Of his old
school mates, Clement Schroeder. The
speaker traced the development of the
parish from the time 1t held its serv-
ices In the old log church up to the
present time, anc was indeed pleased
10 note the progress made in Christ
ian way.
Perhaps the strongest point brought
out In his discourse last night by
Bishop Busch, was that higher rehg-
ious education Is the one big factor
In the future, which viii safeguard
this country from the inroads Of rad
icafism. Higher religious education Is
the only thing that will bring the
world back into the pathway Of peace;
For that reason Bishop Busch would
not stop the religious education In the
grades but would continue 1t IN the
HIGHER classes, where young men and
women are forming the fixed habits
OF life His address was listened to
with great interest
Attorney A. II. Schubert OF La
Crosse, Wis, was the last speaker OF
the evening. He paid high tribute to
the sisters of charity, who took such
a large part In the education OF the
youths Of this vicinity. Like the for
mer speakers, Attorney Schubert ad-
rocated higher relic lous education In
order TO combat rsdicalism:
The meeting was brought TO close
by the singing Of "The Star Spangled
Banner"
History OF the Parish.
The following Is a historical sketch OF
St Peter and Paurs church:
II win be readily seen that in a brief
sketch, such as this purposes 10 De, many
data, interesting in themselves. and
tory of IS. Peter and Paurs parish:
must, for the sake Of brevity. be passed
over. however reluctantly this Is done.
Readers anxious to get fuller and more
a aSie work n, Of Re1. wiISelm Won Festenc
Paui's Gemeinde in Mankato." published
on the occasion of the Silver jubilee of
the parish.
The early history of the parish syn
chronizes with the beginnings Of the city
of Mankato. When the first parishioners
came in October, 1854, there were but
five Lighthouses and two frame buildings:
on the site occupied by the present CITY
OF Mankato. In the early hfties Of the
last century Minnesota had gained fair
reputation for excellent opportunities in
quence there was large influx into it
from various parts Of the states.
The first parishioners came from St.
Charles. Mo-, and vicinity: After an
OF TSe adks ne of
that place were at the time bushes,
swamps and wilderness.
One of their first cares was to secure
strong religious bent-the blessings Of
religion. At a meeting the handful Of
men held that same year between Christi
mas and New Year, 1t was resolved to
property for building a church as soon
as their means would allow. The three
men appointed for this end. selected the
site on which stands today st. Peter
and Paurs church. its school, club house.
and parochial residence. P. H. Johnson
one Of the founders of Mankato, gener-
ously offered to donate half Of the block
II the congregation paid him $4,000 for
the other half. The deal was closed. The
parish came in possession Of an excellent
property at this trifing sum of money.
AS the exchequer OF the parish was as
yet at e very low ebb-in fact as low as
1t possibly could be-Mr. Mike Humid
one Of the organizers of the congregation,
offered to advance the money on condi-
ton that at some future day. when the
financial condition of the parish had i'm
proved. the amount would be refunded to
him. The parish assumed and fulflleF
this obligation.
A prosperous beginning was thus made
but the building of a church was as yet
out of the question; 1t was a task beyond
and half struggling families. For
months they had not seen a priest. They
were about to ask the bishop to send
one OCCASIONALLY, but where could he saw
Holy Mass? Mr.. M. Humid came to the
rescue second time. Lately he had
TAKEN up a claim on Agency Hill, a mile
distant from the site purchased for the
church On IT stood a loghouse twenty
In and outside. He offered this to tbe
congregation as a place of divine voro
ship. Here Father Ravoux-a devoted
and jealous pioneer priest-well known
Tor the part he played in converting the
greater number of rebel Indians that were
hanged at Mankato Christmas. 1921
1ered up the Holy Sacrifice for the con-
gregation OF February 2, 1855. It was the
nrst Mass said in Southern Minnesota.
From now on the Holy Mysteries were
celebrated occasionally by missionary
priests from st. Paul. In the summer Of
the same year the venerable Bishon O.
tin came to spend a few days with the
settlers His coming was hailed with
deepest gratitude. He said Mass for them
heard their confessions. gave HOLY Com,
munion. and baptized the first white ba.
by porn within the precincts of the par.
ish, Joseph Kron. In a conferences he
fore his departure, he exhorted the men
70 proceed with the building of the
church at the earliest possible date. He
commended the site selected on
street saying: 1--WE are not going TO
build church in the woods. but IN the
city, and promised to send them a priest
soon. To encourage them he donated a
fund. "0i'uihs
An event that happened on this occa-
sion throws light on the apostolic SYM
pathy or the venerable prelate. and fhe
affection of the practitioners for hin,
After the. arduous work of the dav he