NEGenWeb Project
Church/Catholic
Franciscans

Holy Family Church Convent and School

P. Clemens Moormann, O. F. M., Febr., 1911-Jan., 1914.
P. Ewald Soland, O. F. M., Jan., 1914-July, 1914.
P. Columban Valentin, O. F. M., July, 1914-Aug., 1919.
P. Odilio Eichenseer, O. F. M., Aug., 1919-Aug., 1920.
P. Justinian Kugler, O. F. M., Aug., 1920-Aug., 1927.
P. Germain Heinrichs, O. F. M., Aug., 1927-Aug. 4, 1930.

PART II. LINDSAY PARISH IN CHARGE OF SECULAR PRIESTS

Rev. John L. Zaplotnik was appointed to the Holy Family parish in August, 1930. He is a native of Austria, where he finished his grade and college education, came to this country in 1902, studied philosophy and theology at St. Paul, Minnesota, and was ordained to the priesthood by the Most Rev. Archbishop John Ireland in 1908. Fr. Zaplotnik made his postgraduate studies in the Catholic University of Washington, D. C., where he received the degree of J. C. D. (Doctor of Canon Law). He next served as assistant in St. Mary's parish in Omaha for nine years. In 1917 he organized St. Peter and Paul's parish, Omaha, built its church and parochial residence and remained its rector for seven years. For the next three years he served as pastor of Ss. Cyril and Methodius' parish at Rock Springs, Wyoming. Since August, 1930, he is continuing the work of the Franciscans at Lindsay.

Since then he has re-shingled the church roof, remodelled (sic) and furnished the parochial residence, including a new heating plant, with other repairs and improvements on church,

Top Row: Ven. Srs. M. Manuel Albrecht, -----, Donald Kurtenbach; Columban Hoegerl, Elise Winkler.
Second Row: Jarlot Happ, Wilhelmina Ramaekers (Joliet, Ill.), ----, Theodore ----, Johanna.

518

parochial residence, school and Sisters' Convent. The cost exceeded $5,000.

In the beginning of 1931 Dr. Zaplotnik was named dean of Platte County or the Lindsay District.

PRIESTLY SONS OF THE PARISH

REV. EDWARD J. SMITH

Edward Smith was born at Lindsay on July 30, 1887, but baptized at St. Bernard's, as Lindsay was still part of St. Bernard's parish. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. Fred J. Smith. He attended the public school till 1900, when he entered the 8th grade of the parochial school, opened at Lindsay in that year under the direction of the Franciscan Sisters of Charity, of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The 9th and 10th grades were made at the Lindsay public school. He then attended St. Francis Solanus High School and College at Quincy, Illinois. During the year of philosophy he made up his mind to study for the priesthood, Fr. Christopher, O. F. M., being his spiritual director and confessor. After six years he attended St. Bernard's Seminary in Rochester, New York, and finished his theological course of four years. For the sake of his relatives he was ordained nearer home, at St. Paul, Minnesota. He joined the diocese of Sioux City, being stationed as assistant at Boone, Iowa. He spent one year overseas as chaplain of the 339th Field Artillery, of the 88th Division A. E. F. After the armistice he was employed in the central office until August 1, 1919, when he was sent back to Camp Dix, New Jersey, to be honorably discharged.

Fr. Smith now took charge of the Onawa, Iowa, parish for three years. After which time he was sent to Ayrshire, Iowa, where he cleared up a desperate financial condition. Four years later, in 1926, he was appointed to New Cherokee, Cherokee county, Iowa. There he put the parish on a sound financial basis and organized a junior college, added to it the Girls' Academy conducted by the Servants of Mary (from England--Mother house in Omaha, Nebraska). Fr. Smith is a member of the Officers' Reserve ever since his discharge. In 1930 he was elected State chaplain of the American Legion of Iowa.

Two sisters of Fr. Smith entered the convent. One, Ven. Sr. Fidelis (Susan), became a Sister of Mercy and has already gone to her reward. Miss Catherine Smith is now Sister Poland, O. S. Fr., of the Manitowoc, Wisconsin, community. At present she is stationed at Waukesha, Wisconsin.

REV. WM. J. BORER

Rev. Wm. J. Borer was born, June 7, 1891, at Lindsay, then part of St. Bernard parish. His parents were J. and S. Raemakers Borer When the Holy Family parish was organized, the family joined the Lindsay congregation. After absolving the parochial school, Fr. Borer made his classical studies very creditably at St. Joseph's College at Teutopolis. He studied philosophy at the Quincy, Illinois, Franciscan College and completed his theological studies at St. Paul Seminary. There he was raised to the dignity of the priesthood together with Rev. Edward Smith, likewise of Lindsay, Nebraska. After serving asissistant (sic) at St. Bridget's, Omaha, and at the Cathedral, Father Borer was made pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes parish and erected the present church edifice. After about eight years at Genoa, where he also taught at the Indian school, he was made pastor of Amelia, Holt county.

REV. JAMES F. BORER

James F. Borer was born at St. Bernard near Lindsay, Nebraska, October 11, 1896; baptized by Father Florence in St. Bernard's Church, and received his early education pp to the tenth grade at Holy Family School, Lindsay, Nebraska. After finishing high school and taking two years of college at the old St. Joseph's College, now Columbia College, Dubuque, Iowa, he studied philosophy and theology from 1915 to 1920 at St. Paul's Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota. Father Borer was ordained to the priesthood May 29, 1920, by the Most Reverend J. J. Harty, D. D., Bishop of Omaha.

Father Borer's first appointment was as assistant pastor of St. Philomena's Church, 10th and Williams Streets, Omaha, on July 20, 1920. He also assisted in editing the True Voice for about a year and acted as chaplain of St. Catherine's Hospital, 9th and Forest Ave., and chaplain of the Omaha Council of the Knights of Columbus from 1920 to 1924. Sent to the Catholic University of America at Washington, D. C., for a post-graduate course in Sociology, he returned to Omaha, was appointed Diocesan Director of Catholic Charities and began the work of organization in that city. This was in January, 1926.

Father Borer was elected president of the Omaha Social Workers Club, February, 1926, and in May of the same year, elected to the Executive Committee of the Council of Social Agencies for two-years, and again re-elected for three years in 1928. He was appointed resident chaplain of St. Catherine's Hospital, March 1, 1928.

The present offices of the Diocesan Catholic Charities are in a new building at 25th and Cass Street (in 1928). Besides his position as Director of Catholic Charities, Father Borer served on the Speakers' Bureau of the Omaha Welfare Federation and Community Chest, which con-

519

ducts an all-year-around publicity program in behalf of the thirty-one Social and Welfare organizations, who derive their funds from the Community Chest.

In addition to his other work, this energetic young priest has also served as instructor in Sociology at Creighton University Summer School for Sisters since 1927. In January of 1928 he was appointed chairman of the Executive Committee of the Social Service and Confidential Exchange. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Nebraska Conference of Social Work as well as a member of the Legislative Committee of the Nebraska Conference of Social Work.

Father James J. Borer was not yet thirty-three years old when the final summons came

Mr. and Mrs. Keimig, Lindsay, Neb.

Mi. and Mrs. Christian Cremers, Lindsay, Neb.

on Thursday, April 18, 1929, after a week's serious illness following an operation for hernia. The funeral took place on Saturday from St. Cecilia's cathedral, where the body had been lying in state since Friday afternoon. After the clergy--there were sixty-one in attendance at the obsequies--had recited the office for the dead, a solemn Ponitifical (sic) Mass of Requiem was celebrated by Bishop Rummel with Rev. Wm. J. Borer, a brother of the deceased, as deacon, and Rev. A. J. Vollman, of Oregon, Illinois, as subdeacon; Rev. Wm. J. Stenson, assistant priest; Very Rev. E. J. McCarthy and Rev. P. C. Gannon, deacons of honor to the Bishop. Rev. W. Stenson, with whom Father James Borer had been closely associated for four years at St. Philomena's church, preached the funeral ser-

520

mon. A choir composed of priests, Rev. E. M. Gleeson, director, rendered the music. Interment was in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. His death was a great loss to the city and diocese of Omaha.--R. I. P.

PRESENT CONDITION OF HOLY FAMILY PARISH,
JANUARY, 1931

The parish numbers about 167 families, with three high school and five grade teachers, one music teacher and a cook. The Superior is Sr. M. Bertram, who has replaced Sr. M. Ezra, in fall, 1930. The present faculty is composed of the following Sisters: Sr. M. Bertram, M. Celeste, Joseph Maria, M. Maurice, M. Ernestine, M.

Rev. B. Teves, Randolph, Nebraska

Casimir, M. Clement, M. Ethel. The first three Sisters teach in the high school. Sr. M. Assisium is the music teacher, and Sr. M. Jervita is the cook. Thirty-two (32) students attend the high school and one hundred sixty-four (164) children in the grade, making a total of one hundred ninety-six (196).

SOCIETIES OF THE PARISH

The Altar society numbers one hundred five members; the Holy Name men's society, 62 members; the Young Men's sodality, 68 members; the Young Ladies' sodality, 62 members; the Priscilla club, 57 members; the Third Order of St. Francis, 39 members.

The trustees were changed about every year and nearly every man of the parish served as trustee some time. The trustees in 1929 were: Messrs. J. W. Raemakers and Tony Oberhauser.

STATISTICS

Confirmation: May 17, 1899, Rt. Rev. R. Scannell, D. D., 41; May 24, 1901, Rt. Rev. H. Scannell, D. D., 34; May 9, 1904, Rt. Rev. H. Scannell, D. D., 24; May 12, 1908, Rt. Rev. H. Scannell, D. D., 69; Oct. 8, 1912, Rt. Rev. J. H. Tihen, D. D., 107; June 10, 1917, Most Rev. J. J. Harty, D. D., 217; Oct. 18, 1921, Most Rev. J. J. Harty, D. D., 97; April 26, 1928, Rt. Rev. F. J. Beckman, D. D., 97.

521

© 2004 for the NEGenWeb Project by Sherri Brakenhoff, Ted & Carole Miller