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PROGRAM-CENTENNIAL PONTIFICAL HIGH MASS-ST. MARY OF THE ASSUMPTION CHURCH

Sunday, September 18, 1960 at 4:00 p.m. Most Rev. Richard H. Ackerman, C. S. Sp., D. D.

Arch Priest, Rev. Francis J. DeJaco
Deacon of Honor, Rev. Lawrence N. Leinheuser
Deacon of Honor, Rev. Charles A. Donovan
Deacon of the Mass, Rev. Walter Greskamp
Sub-Deacon of the Mass, Rev. Norbert Middendorf
First Master of Ceremonies, Rev. John Rolf
Second Master of Ceremonies, Rev. Raymond Nieman

SERMON: Msgr. Herbert F. Hillenmeyer
HOMECOMING—SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1960
DINNER: Noon to 8:00 p.m.

 GOD'S blessings are apparent in the parish of the Alexandria, Kentucky, Roman Catholic church which has been dedicated to the Assumption of His Blessed Mother. After 100 years of service to Him, the parish is sound spiritually, financially and physically-a noble tribute to the faithful souls who have worshiped there and to the clergy who have led them in His work. But, as time moves into the second century, the staunch faith that motivated the 30 original families to begin the history of the Church of St. Mary of the Assumption appears to he more essential than ever.

For the first 90 years of its existence, St. Mary Church served a quiet, peaceful, dedicated congregation of rural souls who praised God in their farm fields during the week and relaxed in His blessings on Sunday. And then, quite suddenly, suburbia, one of today’s major problems in a growing United States, struck southern Campbell County and St. Mary parish. Rural lanes became major U.S. highways, the automobile closed the long gap between the rural and the urban and the farm fields that once produced meat and milk and vegetables began sprouting vast subdivisions of homes. The growth continues rapidly as the "moving finger writes" and each day brings a new challenge to the parish.

In the last 10 years, two assistant pastors have been added, a high school was begun, a new school building was purchased, land was added, and now a new school building is being planned to alleviate the problem of crowded classrooms. Necessity for expansion is seen in the recording of 72 baptisms in the church records during the centennial year of the church history. The growth has brought with it, too, a change ill the parishioners’ way of life. Only a few today depend upon the soil for their livelihood. Most of them commuted to the major cities on the north for employment.

The urban has outmoded the rural. But just as growth brings a change, so does change bring a challenge. And faith, the abiding requisite in both Christianity and democracy must rise to meet the challenge. GOD smiled upon the faith of the thirty families who, in 1860, purchased for $300 four acres of land on the south side of the Town of Alexandria, with 132 feet frontage on Jefferson Street. The parishioners subscribed $700 for the building of the church and on July 1, 1860, the Rev. Lorenz Spitzelberger, Peter Kronz, who then was Postmaster of Alexandria, Barbara Schmidt, Maria Schmidt, Catherine Schmidt and Matthias Schmidt made the first payment of $50.

St. Mary parish now owns an estimated 65 acres of land surrounding the church on one end of Jefferson Street and the school at the other end, three blocks away. Assets of the parish are now estimated at $250,000.

The original church was built by Mike Blenke, the father of Rev. Joseph Blenke, a diocesan priest. The cornerstone was laid on September 9, 1860. On November 25, 1860, seven years after the founding of the Diocese of Covington, the Right Rev. George Aloysiua Carrell, S. J., D. D., the first Bishop of the diocese; dedicated the church. On that day, Patrick Michael Murray and John Mathias Schmidt were baptized. Before the building of St. Mary, there was only one church in the southern section of Campbell County—St. Joseph in Four Mile (Camp Springs).

Father Spitzelberger, its pastor, also administered to the spiritual needs of the faithful at Alexandria, Twelve Mile and at Stepstone in Pendleton County. Father Spitzelberger continued to serve St. Mary, in addition to his other duties, until October, 1863 when the Benedictine Fathers of Covington took over the parish. Evidence that the ancestry of the parish is German is contained in the early historical records of the church. All is written in German. Among the Benedictine Fathers listed in church records are Father Gregory, October, 1863; Father Gabriel, January, 1864, and Father Isador, August, 1864. The Rev. Eberhart Schulte was listed as pastor in August,1864. Then on January 2, 1865 the congregation purchased a frame home next to the church for $850 and The Rev. P. D. Beck became the first resident pastor of St. Mary Church.

GOD inspired the parishioners of St. Mary Church to begin a Roman Catholic School in Alexandria in 1867. With an enrollment of 70 pupils, Andrew Maschinot conducted the school in a room adjoining the church. In 1875, the congregation built the first part of the old school building, now the home of the sisters. August Meister was chairman of the building committee.

On October 1, 1876 the Sisters of Notre Dame took over the teaching chores of the school. First sisters at St. Mary were Sisters Mary Blandina, Mary Regina and Mary Lamberta. The present school building was purchased in 1949 at a public auction from the Campbell County Board of Education. St. Mary High School was started in 1950. Last year there were 325 elementary school students and 165 high school students in St. Mary.

GOD’S handiwork is noted throughout the history of the Church of St. Mary of the Assumption. Plague, pestilence, fire, drought, famine and dis aster ran the course of events, but faith and love of God and His Church carried the parish through all adversity. In 1870, for example, the parsonage burned down, but a short time later the parishioners had constructed a new brick building to house the pastor. It is interesting to note that the staunch loyalty of its parishioners is represented in the buildings of the parish. Donations of a day’s work have been as notable as financial contributions. When there was work to be done, teams of horses, tractors and laborers showed up to do it. Many of the physical properties of St. Mary’s today stand as tributes to the sweat of the brows of the parishioners. Its financial condition attests also to the unswerving loyalty of the parishioners.

In 1876 a payment of $800 on the church debt was made by the Rev. B. A. Baumeister. It was followed soon by payment of the $300 balance. Donations other than monetary also were made. In 1879, Mrs. Miller donated the beautiful painting of Our Lady of the Assumption which today stands behind the main altar. In 1882 the cemetery was surveyed and two plans made by B. A. Boyers. In 1883 the lot between the church and the rectory was bought for $125.

Meanwhile, monies were being put aside for the construction of a new church. The year 1885 marked the silver jubilee of St. Mary Church. In May of that year the Right Rev. Camillus Paul Maes, D. D., visited the church for the first time to confirm a class of 12 boys and 26 girls. To welcome His Excellency a group of the young men of the parish mounted spirited horses and rode to the top of Youtsey’s Hill, some two miles north of Alexandria to escort the Bishop to the church. "A beautiful sight it was to behold these horses and their proud riders galloping along the Alexandria Pike leading the head of the diocese to the parish, while on both sides of the Pike one would find spectators standing in awe, viewing this beautiful spectacle.  This manner of reception was continued each time his Lordship came to visit this parish, an earlier historical account noted. "Although the Most Reverend Bishop appreciated the attention and escort accorded him as a Prince of the Church, still one day he rather reluctantly asked the young men to discontinue this custom. The reason undoubtedly was because these 30 or 40 horses left such tremendous clouds of dust in their wake that the good Prelate was well nigh stifled."

That same year, on November 25, St. Mary’s celebrated its silver jubilee. Bishop Macs could not attend the services, but sent this letter to the Rev. P. A. Prulage who then was pastor:

St. Mary Cathedral, Eighth St., Covington, Ky. November 17, 1885
REV. P. A. PRULLAGE, Alexandria, Ky.
Rev. Dear Sir:

If previous appointments did not forbid I would be glad to avail myself of your kind invitation to be present at the celebration of the Silver Jubilee of St. Mary’s Church. I congratulate you and your people upon the flourishing state of the spiritual and temporal affairs of the congregation.

Whilst availing themselves of the facilities of bettering their financial condition which our country so bountifully offers to the earnest worker, your people, true to their God, have kept intact the gift of faith mercifully bestowed upon their fathers, above all, true to their duty as Catholic fathers and mothers, they have successfully bequeathed to their children the precious boon of faith by keeping up a Catholic school. I thank you for your unflagging interest in this, the most necessary and most effectual means of preserving Catholic faith and Catholic morality.

Allow me to express the hope that your people, appreciating every day better and better the noble work done in their midst by a Catholic school, will year after year support it more generously and allow their children to avail them selves more generally and for a longer period of its spiritual, moral and intellectual benefits.

Devotedly yours in Christ Jesus,
CAMILLUS PAUL, Bishop of Covington.

The event was celebrated by the ringing of church bells and the booming of cannon. The Rev. B. A. Baumeister, who had served as pastor 10 years before, celebrated Solemn High Mass at 10 A.M. Assisting him were Father Prulage, the pastor of the day, and the Rev. Francis Hund, another former pastor. The Rev. William Tappert, still another former pastor, was master of ceremonies. In the sanctuary were Father Kikam, Cleveland, Father Robbers, St. John Church, Covington, Father William Hinsen, Twelve Mile, and Father Meires, Morning View, Kenton County. Tauman’s Mass was sung. Andrew Maschinot was organist. Father Blenke delivered the sermon. The services ended with Benediction and the Te Deum. The church committee at the time was Frank Schuchter, Mike Steffen, George Braunstein, Adam Stegman, Fidel Orth and William Brill.

In the first 25 years of existence, St. Mary had recorded 375 baptisms, 137 deaths and 52 marriages. GOD'S Grace motivated the parishioners to seek per mission to build a new church. On March 6, 1889, The Rev. R. Richartz and a committee consisting of Carl Lutz, Andrew Maschinot, George Orth, Mathias Schmidt and John Steffen requested the bishop to approve the building of a new church. A few days later permission was granted and the work was begun. On May 15,1890 the cornerstone was laid by Bishop Macs. The Rev. William Tappert delivered a sermon in German after which Bishop Macs preached in English. The new church was dedicated October 25, 1891. The cost of the entire structure was $11,600.

Plans for the church called for the following dimensions: Width outside: 47 feet, 6 inches; Width inside: 42 feet, 2 inches; Length: 102 feet; Nave Length: 65 feet; Height to top of roof: 54 feet; Height to top of tower: 118 feet, 3 inches; Sanctuary: 26 feet.

Rocks and wood and hauling was furnished by the parishioners. Burning of bricks was done in the church yard. Costs included: Main altar: $338, donated by Andrew Maschinot; Side Altars: $100 each, donated by parishioners; Solid Oak Pews: $407.10; Building plans: $250. Bricklaying: $565; Lawrence Raabe, Contractor: $5,780.00; Decorating: $402.50; Furnace: $195.00.

The altars of white walnut were made by the Schrodet Co., Cincinnati. The windows, donated by parishioners, were made by the Artistic Glass Co., Cincinnati. The pews were made by the H. C. Brook Co., Cincinnati. At the dedication ceremony, Bishop Macs was assisted by the Rev. H. Thien, then pastor, and Fathers Kollop, Hund, Haas, Keller and Hinssen. Committeemen who helped with the building of the new church were J. W. Brill, Mathias Schmidt, Fidel Orth, Mike Schmidt, Balthaser Simon, Peter Steffen, John Steffen, An drew Maschinot, Peter Orth, Joseph Studer, Mike Steffen, John Wagner, Frank Schuchter, John Neiser, John Stegeman, Sr., John Stegeman Jr., Peter Woeste, Peter Schneider, Carl Lutz, Anton Kremer, August Meister, George Orth.

Between this time and 1926, little church history was recorded, but it was known that an addition was added to the school during that period. In 1927 a new section of the cemetery was graded. Teams, donations and labor were supplied by Fred Ampfer, Joe Bathalter, Ed Bathalter, John Bathalter, John Butsch, C. J. Enzweiler, Matt Enzweiler, George Frommeyer, George Grimm, Charles Goetz, Harry Gebelt, Joe Heim, Fred Heim, Ben Kramer, Will Kramer, Joe Kramer, Henry Kramer, John Leick, Lawrence Listerman, Frank Listerman, Frank Meyers, Charles Murray, Ed Neltner, George Nordwick, Lawrence Orth, Fidel Orth, Arnold Orth, Joseph Pfefferman, Joe Pfefferman, John Pfefferman, Louis Patton, William Parr, Joe Peters, Herman Rusche, Nick Simon, John Simon, Frank Schneider, Albert Schneider, Matt Schmidt, John N. Steffen, Peter N. Steffen, Adolph Schultz, George Steffen, Henry Steffen, Peter Steffen Sr., Frank Steffen, Will Schadler, Victor Schadler, Cornelius Woeste, Herbert Woeste, William Woeste Sr., Peter B. Woeste, Peter Woeste, Edward Woeste, Theodore Woeste, John Wagner and Mr. Woaten.

On August 7, 1928, Most Rev. Francis W. Howard gave the Rev. Louis Fey, pastor, permission to build a new rectory. Mr. Edward J. Beiting was engaged as architect. George B. Woeste and C. J. Enzweiler were appointed to seek the necessary hands for the work from among the parishioners. The following men tore down the old rectory: Edward Bathalter, John Bathalter, Joseph Bathalter, C. J. Enzweiler, Matt Enzweiler, Charles Goetz, George Grover, Joseph Gebelt, Fred Heim, Joseph Kramer, John Kramer, William Kramer, Lawrence Listerman, John Leich, Edward Neitner, John Neiser, Jr., Bill Neiser, Mr. Petri, Joseph Pfefferman, William Schultz, John N. Steffen, Matt Schmidt, Frank Schneider, Albert Schneider, George Steffen, John Simon, Nick Simon, Adolph Schultz, George B. Woeste, Peter B.Woeste, Peter Woeste, Joseph A. Wagner, Theodore Woeste, Lawrence Thurner and Peter N. Steffen.

The work on the forms for the foundation were begun October 12 and the brick work on November 7. The pastor, who had stayed at the Gosney Hotel during the building of the rectory, moved back May 21, 1930. The Rev. Louis Fey was appointed pastor of Holy Cross Church, Latonia, June 12, 1932. Father Carl Fischer was pastor "pro term" until September 9, 1932 when the Rev. Francis De Jaco was appointed pastor.

On May 6, 1933 the Rev. August J. Muench arrived at St. Mary to administer to the church needs when Father DeJaco was stricken ill. Father DeJaco returned from the hospital May 16th, and Father Muench was scheduled to leave May 25, the Feast of the Ascension. Father Muench wrote this later: "At 12:08 a.m. Thursday, May 25 (Feast of the Ascension), Father DeJaco was awakened by smoke and arose to investigate. As he stepped into the hall he was greeted by all intense heat and suffocating smoke. He shouted to me to get out as quickly as possible and he called to his housekeeper, Miss Mayme Ryan. "I dashed from my room, but when I found the hall filled with smoke and all the lights out and feeling the intense heat, I ran back to my room, dressed and then standing on the window ledge, I jumped to the porch roof, rolled over and grasped the edge and swung down to the ground. I dropped a distance of about three feet.

"Miss Ryan used the rear stairway and came out by way of the kitchen. In the meantime, Father DeJaco, despite the choking smoke, went down the main stairway and called the fire department on the telephone. Then coming out of the house, he could not find me and again returned to my room. "I heard him call and I answered from the porch that I was safe. He then came down and we both ran to the garage which we found it a mass of flames. Miss Ryan ran back to the basement door looking for her dog ‘Spot’. "Father DeJaco rushed into the house again to stop Miss Ryan and did so just in time. Had she opened that door, the house would have been in ruins.  "In the meantime I ran to the church and began to ring the bells and received an immediate response from our neighbors who rushed to the scene with fire extinguishers. Soon after the regular department arrived and in a short time had the fire under control." The damage was estimated at $1,232.60 not including Father DeJaco’s automobile which also was destroyed.

In October, 1934 plans were made for the church hall. On February 11, 1935 eleven teams of horses and 45 men appeared at the ground-breaking ceremony. The hall was completed that year under direction of Louis Schuchter. GOD shared the joys of the parishioners at the diamond jubilee celebration in 1935. Most Rev. Francis W. Howard, Bishop of Covington, celebrated Pontifical High Mass for the occasion. He was assisted by Father DeJaco, Rev. Michael Leick, Melbourne, and Rev. Carl Fischer, Covington, who were deacons of honor; Rev. John Kroger, Newport, deacon of the Mass; Rev. Gerhard Geisen, Newport, sub-deacon of the Mass. First Master of Ceremonies was Rev. Herbert Hillenmeyer, Fort Thomas, with the Rev. Leo Casey as second Master of Ceremonies.

In a sermon, Bishop Howard said: "This celebration brings back to you memories of the past. This celebration, commemorating the Diamond Jubilee of this church, keeps you in touch with the past and the present and is a mariner of the future. "This is a rural parish and the members earn their livelihood by the sweat of their brow. "In the western part of our country we see great farms, but the people who operate these farms are only tenants. Here in this section we have small farms where it is possible to enjoy family life. You have a wonderful opportunity and that opportunity should be safeguarded and protected. A farm is not merely a place to make money. It is a place to live and where you may rear your children in the fear of God."

On education, Bishop Howard continued: "Christian education procured in such communities as this as against the theory of nationalism in education dispels any fear of a dictatorship ever gaining control of our Government, for communities like this stand for freedom in education. As long as there is freedom of education, such as is exemplified in this parish, we need have no fear of a dictator. "Let me congratulate the people who make possible religious education in the small communities." Attending the Mass were Fred Wagner, 88 years old, the oldest member of the church, and Matt Schmidt who was one of the two persons baptized on the day the church was dedicated in 1860.

GOD inspired the parishioners and the pastor to expand the school in 1949. On December 10, 1949 the St. Mary Church Committee purchased the old public school building at Grove and Jefferson Streets for $20,500. The night before the committee, consisting of Albert Schneider Sr., Charles Schadler, Joseph Kramer, Frank Krift, Harry Gebelt and Peter Steffen met with Father DeJaco and agreed to purchase the school building. Schneider was appointed to bid for the school building at a public auction. His bid of $20,500 bought the building. Parishioners renovated it before September 1950, and that academic year saw the first students enrolled at St. Mary High School. The initial freshman class numbered 32 pupils—24 girls and 8 boys.

The school was dedicated October 22, 1950 by Most Rev. William T. Mulloy to the project of teaching its pupils to "love the land." Bishop Mulloy told the parishioners that day that "on the land" was where man belonged, where God had put him originally, and where God had intended him to stay. He said the only security in the world was in the land. The students came not only from St. Mary parish, but also from St. Joseph, Four Mile, St. Peter and Paul, Twelve Mile, St. Philip, Melbourne, St. Joseph, Cold Spring, and St. John, Johns Hill. Father DeJaco acted as superintendent of the new high school.

First teachers were Sister Mary Jean, S.N.D., and the Rev. Louis Brinker. The first graduating class of 1954 consisted of Agnes Rust, Helen Rittinger, Mary Alice Studer, Margaret Schneider, l) Dolores Rust, Mathilda Kramer, Angeline Grupenhof, Alma Woeste, Betty Schultz, Agnes Beckrich, Margaret Keller, Loraine Schack, Jo Ann Neltner, Mildred Schneider, Mary Lou Maschinot, Dorothy Netzer, Clara Sand, Margaret Leick, Charlene Boling, Mary Emma Beckrich, Thomas Schalk, James King, Henry Rooney, Jacob Heringer and Edward See.

In 1953 a new three-car garage was built under the supervision of the church committee. In 1955 the parish obtained from Agnes Schadler a section of land between the school property and U.S. 27. In 1958 the parish purchased 52 acres of land south of the church and the cemetery for the site of a new elementary school. Increased enrollment in the school that same year brought about the remodeling of the auditorium in the school, adding four new classrooms. The parish also remodeled the church hail, eliminating an outmoded stage, adding a new kitchen and a new entrance. The main hall, laid with hardwood, today also serves as gymnasium.

GOD’S children left these statistics recorded of His church at Alexandria. In the first 25 years of existence, there were 52 marriages, 137 deaths and 375 baptisms. In the last 25 years there have been 167 marriages, 161 deaths and 638 baptisms. The 30 original families of the parish probably represented less than 200 persons. Today’s 300 families represent some 1230 souls. At Christmas in 1928, the pastor distributed Holy Eucharist to 230 persons. Last year Holy Communion was received by some 1100 souls. In the year 1928 the total communions were 9427. Last year parish priests distributed Our Lord 22,857 times. Proof that the parish is growing rapidly is shown in the Baptismal records. In the last seven years there have been 355 baptisms. Last year alone there were 72 baptisms, more than one-fifth the entire number recorded during the church’s first 25 years of existence.
 

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