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lv/ live. Ill, 11C IOIUCU IU1over a year with Father John J. Smith, pastor of Assumption parish. He assisted Father Smith withhis parish duties as well as serving as pastor of the new parish.There were-about 125 families in St. Thomas parish when it was formed. Assisting Father McNemey in organizing the new parish and m erecting the church was a committee consisting of Robert Shea, Lot Laughlin, P.V. Nolan, James Dunigan and Thomas J. White.Parish firsts The first Baptism recorded in the parish records was that 01 John Julian Kneer on April 23, 1905. His parents were Francis Kneer and Mary Jensen. This Baptism actually took place in Assumption church as St. Thomas church was not yetcompleted.The first two Baptisms in the new church were those of Ralph Thomas Joynt on Sept. 13, 1906 and Agnes Margaret McEvoy on Sept. 30, 1906. Ralph was the son of Thomas Joynt and Mary McNally. Agnes Margaret McEvoy is now Mrs. Lawrence D. Brennan of Emmetsburg. Her parents were Michael T. McEvoy and Mary Rashford.The first marriage recorded in the parish was that between Robert Laughlin and Catherine Agnes Jackman on Oct. 2, 1905 in Assumption church.The first wedding to take )lace in the new church was et ween John Joseph Martin and Anna M. Nolan on Sept. 3, 1906.The first funeral was that of Wiliam O'Connell who was buried on Sept. 17, 1906. The second funeral held in the church was that of John O'Neil who died in April, 1907. Previous to tnis, funeral, services for three members of the parish were held in Assumption church. They were: Catherine Brennan in June, 1905; John Nolan in November, 1905; and Wiliam Hester in August, 1906.On Oct. 8, 1905, 10 children of St. Thomas parish received their First Holy Communion in Asuump-tion church. It was not until 1907 that First Communion was held in the new church. In that year a class of 40 made their First Holy Communion.The Sacrament. of Confirmation was administered in St. Thomas church for the first time in 1908. In that ear, a class of 65 was con-irmed by Bishop Garrigan.*ilJUUlUIJVUDC 13 111 JL/UUU^UC.When the school first opened and the enrollment was small, the sisters lived in the school building.A red brick convent for the sisters was built, in 1925. The cost was $25,000 with the building funds provided by the parishioners.In 1952, a new brick Catholic high school was built in conjunction with Assumption parish. This building cost $180,000.In 1957, Corrigan Hall was. built to serve as the gymnasium-auditorium-diningroom for the high school. It was named alter Miss Florence E.M. Corrigan of Illinois who left a 160-acre farm in Palo Alto County for this purpose. The building cost $237,000. The sale and income from the Corrigan farm amounted to $57,000. The remainder of the cost was paid for by the members of Assumption and St. Tomas parishes.Onlv two pastorsSince the parish was found-■ ed in 1905, there have been only two pastors - Father McNerney who served faithfully from 1905 to 1944 and Msgr. Clarence E. Farrelly who has been the pastor since 1944, Before coming to Emmetsburg, Msgr. Farrelly was the assistant pastor of Sacred Heart church, Boone, from 1927 to 1931 and was the pastor of Sacred Heart church, Laurens, from 1931 to 1944.Because of the shortage of sisters, St. Ellen's school of St. Thomas parish and St. Mary’s school of Assumption parish were consolidated in September of 1967. For the same reason, the high school was closed in September of 1968. The former high school building is now being used for the Emmetsburg Catholic grade school. These buildings are on the grounds of Assumption parish. At present, St. Ellen's school and convent are being used by the Em-metsburg Community School District.St. Thomas parish has been blessed with many vocations to both the priesthood and to the sisters.Among’ the priests are Msgr.‘ Edward L. McEvoy who was ordained in 1927; Msgr. James H. Duhigg who was ordained in 1934; Father Richard Kinsellawho .as ordained in 1944; Father Francis P. Conway who was ordained in 1946 (deceased); and Father Mueller who was ordained-in 1956.When St. Thomas parish was established there were 125 families, about 500 souls. Today, there are 350 families, about 992 souls.St. ThomasAlmost 1,000 souls are inembers oj St. Thomas parish.
Newspaper Details
Globe
Sioux City, Iowa, US
Thu, Apr 28, 1977
Page 26
Full Page
Clipped by
Emmetsburg P.
AL, 19 Sep 2020
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