NEGenWeb Project
Church/Catholic
Franciscans
The church, school and the residences in the village were illumined by
Japanese lanterns. Mr. Frank Paprocki escorted the Rt. Rev. Bishop in his
automobile followed by a number of other automobiles, carrying the sixteen
priests and other visitors, amid the pealing of bells and the strains of
the Humphrey Concert band. A number of Sisters from the vicinity had also
come. The priests slept at the pastoral residence and in the school. Meals
were served in the old Sisters' house, where the Sisters still resided. The
reception will not easily be forgotten by those present.
THE DEDICATION CEREMONIES
The following day the school and parsonage were dedicated with impressive ceremonies. The church was unable to hold the immense concourse of people, many standing outside, others staying at the school. Rev. Theobald Kalamaja sang the High Mass, the Rt. Rev. Bishop P. Rhode preached an eloquent sermon, in which he praised the zeal of the parishioners in building this beautiful school. He also encouraged them to continue in the good work. Then he gave a short instruction on the Sacrament of Confirmation and administered the Sacrament to a class of seventy-six children. Mr. John Nosal and Mrs. J. Gorka (and John Barnas for Mr. Nosal's children) acted as sponsors. Sacramental Benediction and Te Deum closed the festive occasion.
The ladies of the parish then served a palatable dinner at the new school and the Catholic Foresters (started in Tarnov in 1910) put on a fair with the customary amusements and refreshments that lasted till nine o'clock, when an auction, brimful with good humor, was held. Supper was also served. A sum of about $700 was realized.
The Rt. Rev. Prelate took his leave at four o'clock, to go to Duncan, there also to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING
The new school includes four class rooms, a play room for the children, a large winter chapel, room for about fifty boarders and the Sisters' residence. In 1927 there were about one hundred fifty children in school. There is a stage which adjoins one classroom. Movable partitions allow it to be converted into an auditorium. For three weeks the Sisters lived in the basement of the school until the workmen were done and water installed upstairs, because the old residence had to be moved before winter set in. On December 4, school was opened in the new building. Before that date classes had been taught in the old school. It had only two rooms and no room for boarders.
The old church serving as a school was taken down at the end of the school term. The lumber was used for the new building. What was saved on architect's fees, was lost by bringing in strange workmen, Too many bricks had also been ordered, whether by an oversight or to enlarge the church at the same time, we are unable to learn.
THE PASTORAL RESIDENCE
The pastoral residence, as remarked above, had been erected at the same time as the new school, since the material and the workmen were there. At first, some disliked the idea; later on, all were satisfied. The parsonage is supplied with water, heat and light from the school; so is the church. The advantage of quarters for boarders was soon shown, as the first winter was a very severe one, the thermometer registering as low as thirty degrees below zero. There were fortythree boarders. In December, 1912, new pews were furnished for the chapel in the new school building. They cost $631.70, which sum, plus the freight, were paid by Mr. John Gorka.
NB.: The pastoral residence later on received a hot air furnace.
TRANSFER OF REV. DENNIS CZECH, O. F. M.
REV. KNUTE LOBINSKI, O. F. M., PASTOR,
JULY 1, 1913-JULY, 1924
On July 1, 1913, Rev. Dennis Czech, who had been in charge since January, 1903, was sent to Radom, Illinois, as pastor the the parish and superior of the residence there, and the vacancy at Tarnov was filled by the appointment of the Rev. Knute Lobinski, O. F. M.
A large cooking range, two gasoline engines, one for pumping water and the other for washing, donated by Frank Paprocki and Jacob Nosal, respectively, were installed.
The Zjidnocrejwcey, or Catholic Union, was organized in 1913.
In 1914 the cave was built and a cistern dug, a coal stove placed in the kitchen, a mangle bought for the laundry and gas connections made.
In 1915, a new class was added to the school course, which meant the employment of a fourth teacher. Sister Bonavita was the first teacher of this new class. The windows in the school library were changed, and the porch provided with windows.
About this time many vestments were purchased and presented by various parishioners. The Catholic Foresters were organized about 1910. To meet the many minor, but necessary improvements, all property owners of the parish
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St. Michael's School, Tarnov, 1928.
Rev. Stanislaus Jaworski, O. F. M.
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were taxed six cents per acre, and the renters three cents.
CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS
In 1916, a fire escape was installed at the school building at an expense of $240. New sidewalks were laid ($850), storm windows provided for schoolrooms 1, 3, 4, and about 130 shrubs and trees were planted. Stephen Paprocki gave the statue of St. Anthony for the winter chapel; Michael Placzek, the brackets for the statues of the Immaculate Conception and of St. Anthony.
THE FIRST MASS OF REV. STANISLAUS JAWORSKI, O. F. M.
The first Holy Mass of Rev. Stanislaus Jaworski, O. F. M., was celebrated at St. Michael's church, Tuesday, July 1, 1919, with all possible solemnity. Fr. Stanislaus was born at Tarnov on March 21, 1893. His parents were Jan Jaworski and Juliana Drodz Jaworski. After finishing school at St. Michael's he entered St. Joseph's College, Teutopolis, Illinois, where he graduated with high honors in 1911. He then entered the novitiate of the Franciscan Order, June 21, 1911; took his simple vows, June 22, 1912; and completed his theological studies at St. Louis, Missouri. He was raised to the dignity of the priesthood on June 25, 1919, at St. Louis, Missouri, by the Most Reverend J. J. Glennon, and came home to offer his first holy mass in the same church, in which he had been baptized, served Mass, etc.
Tuesday, July 1, 1919, the happy priest was escorted in solemn procession from the pastoral residence, members of the Foresters and Catholic Union forming ranks on either side of the processional way. A number of Sisters, former teachers of Rev. Fr. Stanislaus, and girls in white carrying lilies, were in the procession. In their midst these flower girls led the Celebrant, assisted by Rev. Thaddeus, of Sioux City, and Rev. Innocent Schlueter, of St. Anthony's, and Rev. Dennis Czech as assistant priest, to church. Preceding the celebrant the little bride, Esther Jaworski, dressed in a long white silk dress gown and wearing a silk veil carried a beautifully embroidered cushion and wreath. Little Denis Jaworski carried the candle. Helen and Barbara Jaworski, Adolph and Alex Sliwa, also nieces and nephews of the celebrant, carried bouquets of carnations. After the happy Father came his father and stepmother, his two Rel. Sisters, M. Clotilda, of Logansport; and M. Cunegundis, of Omaha, and other relatives and the people. The Tarnov 'Band and choir played and sang alternately.
The celebration in church began with Veni Creator followed by the Solemn High Mass, during which Fr. Theobald of Omaha, preached a very instructive sermon on the dignity and duties of the priesthood. After the, sermon Fr. Stanislaus imparted his priestly blessing to his relatives and the rest of the people.
The following clergy were in the sanctuary: Revs. Ladislaus Czech, of Clover Bottom, Missouri; Cyriac Stempel, of' St. Bernard, John Turek, of Shell Creek; Flavius Kraus of Duncan; Liborius Breitenstein, Platte Center, Lawrence Pauly, of St. Mary's, and Rev. Leander Conley, of Teutopolis, Illinois. The pastor, Rev. Knute Lobinski, acted as master of ceremonies. The church was crowded to its utmost capacity. All relatives received communion at the hand of Fr. Stanislaus. Sacramental Benediction and Te Deum over, the procession returned to the parochial residence. A sumptious dinner was served in St. Michael's hall not only for the relatives and the clergy, but for all the parishioners and friends, many of whom had not met for years. The band furnished the music. In the evening the school children gave an interesting program including "The Apparition of the Blessed Virgin At Lourdes". --May God grant to many young people the grace to follow in the footsteps of Rev. Stanislaus and dedicate their lives to service of God and their fellowmen, in the priesthood and the religious state.
Fr. Stanislaus has since labored at St. Stanislaus' church, Cleveland, Ohio, at Sioux City, Iowa; Petoskey, Wisconsin, as professor at Quincy, and Hinsdale. At present he is a member of the Quincy College faculty. Fr. Knute, despite the depression that followed in the wake of the war, wiped out all of the $35,000 indebtedness except $2,000, incurred by the building program of 1911 and 1912, besides contributing generous sums for Polish orphans and soldiers.
CHANGE OF PASTORS
In July, 1924, occurred a change of pastors at St. Michael's. Fr. Knute was sent to Columbus, and Rev. Dennis returned to the pastorate at Tarnov. He did not long remain inactive. The buildings were completely overhauled and painted. The cost amounted to $7,000.
THE MEMORIAL GROTTO OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES
For some years Fr. Knute had had the idea of erecting a grotto at Tarnov in honor of the ex-soldiers of the World War. Tarnov sent sixteen of her sons to the World War, one of whom made the supreme sacrifice for his country. The name of the dead hero is Andrew Matya. Among the boys that returned is Andrew Jarosz, who served overseas with the 88th In-
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fantry. At Easter, 1919, he was granted a fourteen day leave in France. Instead of going to Paris, the mecca of most of the soldiers on leave, private Jarosz visited the world famous shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, high in the Mountains near the Spanish border. He was greatly impressed with the things he saw there, and the many wonderful cures that have occurred there.
Upon his safe return home, he imparted his dream of a replica of the famous Shrine at Tarnov to Fr. Knute, as well as later to Fr. Denis. He proposed to erect it both as a memorial of the one youth that gave up his life in defense of his country, as well as a thank offering for the safe return of the fifteen other Tarnov soldier boys. Mr. A. Jarosz himself gave $300 and then set about collecting money for the Memorial Lourdes Grotto. The fund swelled with the contributions of the other war veterans, as well as of other parishioners. When a fund of $1,500 had been raised, the grotto was erected, practically free of debt.
DETAILS OF THE GROTTO
After much correspondence and some travel, it was decided that the firm of Kaletta Brothers, St. Louis, Missouri, furnish a design and the tufa rock of the shrine. Charles Wurdeman, architect of Columbus, adapted the plans and Thomas and Bruno Zuerlein carried the monument to a successful finish.
The following excellent description of the grotto at Tarnov is taken from the account in The Columbus Daily Telegram: "The semicircle backing for the monument, as well as the base for the pond in the foreground, were built of irregular sand stones from Minnesota. The greater part of the grotto is composed of tufa--a rock formation obtained from a cave in Kentucky.
The words, "Ave Maria", seen just beneath the statue in the center, are set in a bed of small stones which were brought from Wyoming. Other stones of varying hues came from the museums maintained by St. Michael's parish, St. Anthony's parish, Columbus, and St. Stanislaus parish, Duncan, which had been gathered by the parishioners in many corners of the world. Some of the specimens came from the Pacific coast and from the Cave of the Winds, in Colorado.
THE STATUE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
The white terra cotta statue of Mary Immaculate is outlined with electric lights, and occupies the upper niche in the monument. In the lower left corner, on a base of white glazed brick, is a statue of the Blessed Bernardette Soubirous, the poor French girl to whom the Virgin Mother is said to have appeared eighteen times at the Lourdes Grotto in the French Pyrenees.
"Flower urns of white terra cotta stand at each end of the grotto. Through the stones of the grotto trickle several streams of water simulating the waters that seep through the stones at Lourdes. These tiny streamlets together with the fountain spray in the lily (and goldfish) pond, all brilliantly lighted with electric bulbs at night, make an impressive vision not soon forgotten".
The niches on either side of the statue of the Blessed Virgin are filled with a replica of the church at Lourdes and respectively by imitation crutches recalling the votive mementoes of miraculous cures effected at Lourdes.
THE GOLD STAR HERO AND OTHER SOLDIER BOYS
Andrew Matya is the name of the soldier, of whom this replica of the Lourdes Shrine is a magnificent memorial. He left with the second contingent of the draft for camp Funston on September 22, 1917, became a member of Company K, 35th Infantry, and lost his life in the battle of Verdun. The veterans who contributed to the grotto fund were: Adam Hajdo, Adam Kuta, Frank Molczyk, Michael Mostek, Michael Nosal, Floryan Placzek, Paul Stach, John Jarosz, Andrew Jarosz, Mike Paprocki, John P0draza and Peter Kwapnioski.
DEDICATION OF THE GROTTO
The solemn dedication of this memorial grotto by Fr. Denis Czech took place May 29, 1927, shortly after its completion. The dream of the ex-soldier had at last been realized.
Devotions at the grotto are held during the summer, about twice a week. People come for many miles around to pray for the dead soldier and also ask for favors. Rt. Rev. Bishop Beckman approved of the idea and expressed a desire to see more such shrines in this county of ours.
The Sunday following the dedication, Rev. Father Bernard Slawinski, of Europe, who was visiting his two brothers, Joseph and Frank Slawinski at Tarnov, spoke to the congregation concerning the original grotto of Lourdes (which he twice visited) and of the miraculous cures there.
THE CRUCIFIXION GROUP IN THE CEMETERY
The Crucifixion Group in the Cemetery is an other object of interest upon one's visit to Tarnov. This beautiful group of statuary is the product of Kaletta Brothers, St. Louis, and cost $1,400. It is a memorial of the late John Ja-
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