A FINAL WORD
NEGenWeb Project
Church/Catholic
Franciscans
A FINAL WORD
Such then is the record of the Franciscans in Nebraska as far as the author with his limited sources could ascertain. Fray Juan de Padilla, O. F. M., accompanied General Francisco Vasquez de Coronado to Quivera in 1541 and returned the following year, to evangelize the savages. The zealous priest died at the hands of the natives while enroute to the Guas or Kansas Indians. This happened most probably in 1542. If, according to reputable historians, such as Professor E. E. Blackman, of Lincoln, the late Rt. Rev. Msgr. M. A. Shine, etc., Quivira extended into Nebraska, whether Hall county, (Catholic Dictionary, see Padilla), Cass county, etc., Nebraska may well dispute with Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas the claim of harborning (sic) the grave of the protomartyr of the United States, until new researches disprove her claim.
In August, 1720, the Rev. Pedro Minguez, O. F. M., chaplain of the ill-fated Don Pedro de Villasur Expedition, perished near Monroe, Platte County, with his commander, sixty Spaniards and many Indians, while Fray Juan de Dios escaped on horseback.
RECENT RECORDS
At the end of January, 1877, the first two Franciscans, Fr. Ambrose Janssen and Anselm Puetz, arrived at Omaha and in the beginning of February, 1877, Fr. Ambrose began his activity in Columbus and vicinity. The Vicariate Apostolic of Nebraska then comprised parts of Iowa, Montana, Wyoming and Dakota and numbered 14,000 white and 9,000 Indian Catholics under 27 priests. In 1931 Nebraska among a population of 1,377,963 numbers about 162,000 Catholics, of which the Omaha diocese alone has about 95,500 Catholics with 151 diocesan and 61 religious priests on duty; with Creighton University numbering 245 instructors and 2,534 students; with one Missionary College (St. Columban's); two colleges for girls; thirty high schools with 114 teachers and 1,921 pupils; 84 elementary schools with 345 teachers and 12,332 pupils; 3 homes for working girls; one Father Flanagan's Home with 198 boys; Home of the Good Shepherd; 1 orphanage caring for 236 children; one St. James Nursery with 41 infants; a Home for the Aged at West Point; 5 hospitals with 160 physicians, 89 nuns, 250 nurses, and 875 beds.
To this wonderful development in the "Great American Desert" of 80 years ago, the Franciscans have undoubtedly contributed their mite especially in the Mid-western counties, in Omaha, in Lincoln and vicinity.
Father Ambrose found at Columbus the small St. John's parish; near Platte Center (Gleason), St. Patrick's with some missions; St. Mary's of the Angels in Stearns Prairie, and St. Patrick's, at Battle Creek, with churches. Butler county had a church at Luxemburg. Making Columbus their headquarters and having charge of the German and Polish Catholics within a circumference of twenty miles, faith was kept alive in many men, who were almost lost to the church, and many new settlers were attracted by the assurance of regular spiritual care of church and school. Fr Ambrose even founded with Mr. B. Schroeder the colony of St. Bernard for German Catholics. Soon other missions applied for Franciscan pastors and the Bishop entrusted also these to the friars at the request of Fr. Ambrose. They were: Battle Creek, town five miles west of Madison, St. Bernard, David City and Hollander Settlement, six miles south of David City. (See p. 258).
In 1884 St. Patrick's and St. John Nepomucene, and in winter 1891, St. John's at Columbus were also entrusted to the care of the Franciscans. Thus they were in charge of the whole of Platte County until August 3, 1930, when St. Stanislaus at. Duncan, St. Joseph's at Platte Center and Holy Family congregation at Lindsay with the three missions of St. Anthony's, Burrows Tp., St. John's Nepomucene in Joliet township and St. Francis de Sales in Schoolcraft were returned to the diocese. The Franciscans, however, continue to attend these three missions until His Excellency has priests to take care of them.
THE WORK OF THE FRANCISCANS
The Franciscans labored temporarily in Burt, Hall, Greely (sic), Valley, Holt, Butler, Merrick, Polk, Nance, Boone, Madison, Antelope, Stanton, Colfax, Saunders and Fillmore counties. Their chief scene of activity, however, was laid in Platte and Madison counties, where the Fathers of four friaries had charge of 14 parishes (12 in Platte county) from 1877 or 1884 and 1891 respectively, until 1930. They still have charge of seven 7 resp. 10 parishes and missions with friaries at Columbus, Humphrey and St. Bernard; the friary at Lindsay has been discon-
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tinued. Of sixteen or more parishes and missions, of 1 hospital and 1 academy and 12 parochial school they were the practical founders. Two of these parochial schools (at Burrows Tp. and Madison) have since been continued. In nearly all these parishes or missions the Franciscans have attained no small success, mingled with temporary or partial failures, the congregations of Platte county being ranked with those of Cedar county as among the best in the Omaha diocese. This success is due to the Blessing of Almighty God, the fatherly encouragement of the Rt. Rev. Bishops, the zeal of the Fathers especially of the pioneer Fathers, the generous co-operation of the devoted parishioners, the self-sacrificing work of the Franciscan Sisters (at Columbus and St. Bernard 1878-1882) of Joliet, Illinois, Manitowoc, Wis., (Lindsay) and Lafayette, Ind., the latter having charge since 1882 of all but one of the parochial schools in Platte county and of St. Mary's hospital at Columbus. St. Francis' Academy, flourishing for many years at Columbus, was also under their spiritual direction. Finally, also the Franciscan lay brothers come in for a share of the credit for they planned and erected buildings and made church furniture and long did sacristy and janitor work gratis or for a nominal sum. Moreover, the superiors repeatedly donated part of the salary. One mission paid only $300 salary in ten years. Other factors contributing to the success of the Franciscans were the fostering of Catholic societies with rather frequent reception of the sacraments, and, in recent times, of frequent or daily Holy Communion and of fostering the Third Order of Saint Francis. Humphrey had 55,300 Communions, St. Bernard about 22,000 in 1930.
Another symptom of healthy Catholic life is the attendance at Mass and devotions in a number of these parishes. Add to this the 10 brothers and thirty or more priests and the 200 or more Sisters hailing from the chief Franciscan parishes in a pioneer territory, which until recent years was not prolific in priestly and religious vocations. It must, however, be admitted that the "zeitgeist" is everywhere, also here, threatening to invade the parishes administered by the Franciscans. May the united efforts of clergy and people check its evil growth before serious harm be done. May the former or present Franciscan congregations thrive and prosper under their present spiritual shepherds and may they preserve the precious heirloom of the true faith for all ages to come under the blessing of Almighty God, under the direction of their most capable, zealous and prudent Bishop and the priests and successors and through the intercession of the Seraphic, St. Francis of Assesi.
Rev. Peter R. Pfeifer, O. F. M., Humphrey.
Of the Franciscan Friars who labored in Nebraska, the Rev. Theodore Arentz and the Rev. Cyprian Banscheid were elected Provincials; Rev. Seraphin Lampe was elected Custos or Vice-Provincial, Rev. James Meyer became editor of the Franciscan Herald, published at 51st and Laflin streets, Chicago, Illinois; Rev. Francis Borgia Steck has written "The Franciscan Martyrs In England", "Glories of the Franciscan Order" and a famous book on the Jolliet-Marquette Expedition. He has recently been invited to aid in writing the first volume of the History of Texas. Rev. Eugene Hagedorn has edited four historical jubilee souvenirs; so has Fr. Raymond Holte, his last attempt being the golden jubilee Souvenir of St. Bernard's parish 18781928. Rev. Stanislaus Rieman and Rev. Florence Kurzer published, the Silver Jubilee Souvenirs of St. Bernard parish and the Humphrey parish respectively. "The Franciscans In Nebraska" is the fifth effort of Fr. Eugene in historical writing.
The first school in the United States was founded and taught by the Sons of St. Francis in Florida and several of the Fathers hailing from or laboring in Nebraska have been college professors.
Nor have the missions ever so dear to the Order of Friars Minor and also to the Sacred Heart Province with Indian missions in Wisconsin, Michigan, (Arizona and California) been forgotten. One of the first to work among the Indians in Wisconsin was the Rev. John Gafron, the first pastor of David City. As the Sacred Heart Province is proud of having given China the first (German) American bishop (Athanase
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Goette, O. F. M., with two brothers also missionaries in China), and as far as known, the first native American missionary, the Rev. Francis Xavier Engbring. He was born in Cincinnatti, Ohio, and reared in Effingham, Illinois. Nebraska also has had one former missionary in China, the Rev. Edmund Roediger, as pastor of St. Mary of the Angels. The Rev. Ambrose Pinger, of St. Bernard, is at present doing missionary work in China and has recently been appointed "ecclesiastical superior" of his confreres in the Changtien district. His Excellency, The Most Rev. Albert T. Daeger adorns the archiepiscopal see of Santa Fe, New Mexico, after laboring five years in Lincoln, Nebraska, (1897-1902), and since 1902 in New Mexico as a very successful missionary and archbishop. Last, but not least, Nebraska claims-though this claim is disputed, to be the scene of martyrdom of the first one to shed his blood for the faith--we speak of the Rev. Fray Juan de Padilla, O. F. M. (1542).
Among the architects and carpenters who helped to build befitting temples of God, schools, etc., Ven. Brothers Adrian Wewer, Damian Bueschgens, Ildephonse Lethert and Leonard Darscheidt deserve special mention.
Ten Fathers and three Brothers await their final resurrection on Nebraska soil.
N. B. We add here the following important historical document.
The Chancery Office
Diocese of Omaha
Catholic Diocesan Bureau,
2507 Cass Street
Omaha, Nebraska.
July 29, 1930.
Rev. Donulus Evers, O. F. M.,
Columbus, Nebraska.
My dear Fr. Donulus:
May I ask you to prepare a financial statement of the Holy Trinity (St. Joseph's church) at Platte Center for the present year up to the time of your departure and also an inventory of the parish properties and funds. Please give one copy of these statements to your successor, Rev. Leo Mainser, and file another copy at this office.
Please also read the enclosed episcopal statement at the masses on Sunday, August 3d; thank the faithful in my name for their loyal support of the Franciscan Fathers; and ask them to give similar cooperation to your successor, who goes to them with the zeal of a good shepherd and the sympathetic kindness of a genuine spiritual father.
Be assured of the appreciation of your devoted services in this parish and accept my best wishes for God's blessing in your future labors for the Lord.
Faithfully yours in Christ,
Rt. Rev. Joseph J. Rummel, D. D.
Bishop of Omaha.
The Chancery Office
Diocese of Omaha
Catholic Diocesan Bureau
2507 Cass Street
Omaha, Nebraska.
To The Beloved Members Of The Parishes Of The Holy Family At Lindsay, St. Joseph's At Platte Center, St. Stanislaus At Duncan, St. Anthony's At Burrow's, St. John's At Joliet And St. Francis at Schoolcraft--Greeting.
The Very Rev. Vincent Schrempp, O. F. M., Provincial of the Franciscan Fathers, informed me by letter, dated December 3d, 1929, that the Provincial Council had decided to offer to the Bishop of Omaha the above named parishes in Platte County for diocesan administration.
In personal interviews we were informed that this proposed transfer was prompted by the difficulty of supplying the necessary number of Fathers for these parishes and by the desire to permit the Franciscan Fathers to comply more exactly with their prescribed rule of life, than is possible in isolated mission stations. On Thursday, January 9th, 1930, we submitted the proposition to the consideration of our Diocesan Council, which decided that the decision of the Franciscan Provincial Council be accepted, expressing at the same time the gratitude of the diocese for the services rendered by the Franciscan Fathers in the Parishes concerned.
The moment for carrying out these decisions has arrived. By mutual agreement the Franciscan Fathers will be replaced in these parishes by priests appointed from among the Diocesan clergy in the week following August 3d. Present arrangements call for resident pastors at Lindsay, Platte Center and Duncan; the Parish at Burrows is attached for the time being to Lindsay and Joliet and Schoolcraft are temporarily assigned to Platte Center.
Be it publicly known that we regret exceedingly the circumstances which induced the Franciscan Superiors to initiate these changes. We appreciate most profoundly the zeal and sacrifices of the Fathers, who have established and propagated our Holy Faith in these Parishes, and we are most grateful for their support of the Diocese during the years of their apostolic labors. It is for us a sources of consolation that they will continue the administration of the remaining Parishes of Platte county, as well as the Parishes of St. Joseph and the Im-
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maculate Conception in the city of Omaha. We are also gratified to know that they will lend assistance to the new Pastors, until we can make complete provision from among the Diocesan Clergy. The diocese will be blessed when the larger friaries can, as has often been suggested, supply priests for extra services throughout the Diocese.
To you, the members of the Parishes herein named, we offer our grateful appreciation of the generous support given to the Franciscan Fathers throughout the development of your Parishes. We admire the genuine spirit of faith, which you have cultivated under their guidance, and are particularly happy over the fostering of religious education in your midst. May you always endeavor to persevere in these excellent dispositions.
Nothing will be left undone by ourselves or your new aPstors (sic) which will promote your spiritual and material interests. Whether the administration be entrusted to a religious order or to the diocesan clergy, the Bishop as the chief shepherd and father of the Diocese,
watches with solicitude over each Parish and endeavors to encourage clergy and laity along the way of spiritual progress and material success. We ask you to give to your new parish priests that same loyalty and devotion which marked your relations to the Franciscan Fathers. Your Parish welfare, centered in the church and school, must receive your continued generous support. In this way alone will you render a service to Almighty God for your souls, which will meet with a divine blessing.
We direct that this letter be read in the churches named on Sunday, August 3d, by the retiring Franciscan Father and again on Sunday, August 10th, by the newly appointed Pastor.
May the grace of the Spirit of God in all its fulness (sic) descend upon the priests and people for true spiritual peace and happiness.
Faithfully yours in Christ,
Joseph F. Rummel,
Bishop of Omaha.
July 30, 1930.
Old St. Mary's Hospital with First Addition, Columbus, Neb.
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