The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-04-29
ST. FRFNclS xAVIER'S CHURCH,
MERRILL. WIS.

st. els Xavier's, the first. Cath
Ollie h erected at Merrill, Wis,
was % alt in 1884. The Rev. Engel-
bert Blume attended Merrill at that
time and continued to do so until he
succeeded in nearly wiping out the
debts accumulated during the con-
struction of the church. His success
sor was the Rev. John Hummel, who
built new parsonage, bought two
lots for school purposes and ground
v or cemetery. The third and pres
ent pastor of st. Francis Xavier's is
the Rev. Edward F. Van Hootegem.
He has made many notable as we'll
as valuable additions and improve
ments to the property, among others,
reseating the church throughout, at
an expense of $1,000, and the pur-
chase Of an additional lot for school
purposes, affairs, furnace in church
and parsonage, etc. The resident con-
gregation of st. Francis now numbers
sixteen hundred souls, although that
number is largely augmented during
certain seasons of the year by a float.
ing population of woodsmen and mill
hands. There is also a mission at
Bloomvifle of fifteen German families.
which is attended from Merrill. Be.
sides a number of local confraterni-
ties, the following Catholic societies
are represented in this parish: Cath
Ole knights of Wisconsin-Presiden
John Secard; Vice President, Frank
Petska; Secretary, Richard Barrett;
treasurer, Joseph Downie; Trustees,
george Boyer, Joseph Schneider and
Adam Salschneider. Catholic Order
OF Foresters-John Van Hecke, Chief
Hanger; Thomas Donnelly. Vice Chief
Ranger: John Stafford. Past Chief
Ranger; Herman Walther, Recording
Secretary; James Hurley, Financial
secretary; Owen Love, Tom Sanford
and ID. Dawson, Trustees.
The Rev. Edward Francis Van Hoot.
egem, rector Of st. Francis Xaviers,
was born in Flanders, Belgium, March
., 1896, and is the only son of John
and Sophia (Desmet) Van Hootegem,
HIP acquired his earlier education in
tAe common schools of Belgium, re-
manning at home on the farm until
the age of thirteen, at which time he
went to Eecloo where he took col.
leglate course of eight years. From
there, he went to st. Nicholas for
one years study of philosophy, and
7 then to Louvain for a three years the.
illogical course in the American col.
lege connected with the famous uni
Verslty of that city, from which in
stltutlon he graduated in 1881. On
May Il of the preceding year, he re-
celved minor orders in Malines, Bel
GUM, at the hands of Bishop Van
Den 'Branden de Reeth; subdeacon
snip, December Is of the same year
IN Liege, Belgium, by Bishop Doutre
loux; deaconship March IL, 1881, and
was ordained to the priesthood on
april z following, in Roermond, Hol
land, by Bishop Paredis. Soon after
MS ordination, he left his native coun'
Try Tor America, arriving in New York
on the sixth of the same month. Two
DAYS later, he was appointed by Bish
op hrautbauer to the Church of ST
John the Baptist in Duck Creek
Fhere his first work was to pay off a
debt of three thousand dollars and
to generally improve the church prop
erty. For eleven years following, he
had charge of Duck Creek, Flintville
Little Suamico, besides attending the
new missions of Coleman, Maple Val
ley and Stiles; the two first from 1882
TO 1884. and the latter. for few
months until each of these places was
given In, charge of a permanent priest
Somewhere around the year 1885
SIS. Edwards and Isidore's church
was erected in FIintville, and two
years late-, st. Leo's, in Little Suam
sico. in 1883, substantial school
building was erected in Duck Creek
which, completed, cost not less than
$4,000, -Four years from that time
(. y