Chapter Eight

History of the Parish 1939–1964

Our World: 1939–1964

Not long before the celebration of the first centenary of Our Lady’s Church, two events – one local and one international in scope – occurred, and both have had a great impact on this parish.

The first came in late 1937, when His Holiness Pope Pius the XI elevated the diocese of Louisville to an Archdiocese and appointed the most Rev. John A. Floersh As the first Archbishop. The apostolic delegate, the Most Rev. Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, came in person to preside over the ceremony early in 1938. At the same time the western part of the Louisville diocese became the new see of Owensboro, and the local Chancellor, Rev. Francis Cotton, its first Bishop.

The second event was the election of Eugenio Cardinal Pacelli to succeed Pope Pius XII (photo left) in March, 1939. It would be impossible here to do justice to the many–splendored reign of Pope Pius XII. It is enough to say that if Pope Leo XIII restored the papacy to its greatest prestige since the Reformation in the sixteenth century, Pope Pius XII led a pontificate of such comprehensive service to all men that it has had few parallels in the twenty centuries of our faith. His many and brilliant encyclicals; his almost endless discourses to an almost incredible number of groups of professional persons meeting in Rome, about the moral and spiritual implications of their activities; his helpful and humane changes in the Eucharistic Fast – all these are better known than what he did to make possible all that has occurred since his death in 1958. As one acute observer put it then, “He was a giant and a saint.”

Meantime, as parishioners and friends, both old and new, came to 35^th and Rudd to thank God for the first 100 years of Our Lady’s parish on August 15, 1939, war clouds were once again gathering over Europe. Then in the first days in September, Hitler invaded Poland. France and England immediately declared war.

The City of Louisville was almost unknowingly standing at the threshold of its most dynamic era of industrial and business growth as this quarter century, 1939–64, made its appearance.

By that summer of 1939, the city seemed to have largely recovered from the disastrous flood waters of 1937. There still was widespread unemployment; however, the depression’s effects had eased and there were suggestions of normalcy.

By the time World War II was a year old, it was becoming more apparent, day by day, that the United States might be dragged into this ever–expanding conflict. So, Congress passed the first peacetime draft (the Selective Service Act) and in late October, 1940, fourteen Louisvillians were among the first to enter the Army. And as war drew nearer to the United States, the Louisville area became a beehive of activities.

Fort Knox became the home of the U.S. Armored Force, ‘The Armored Center’; the Army Air Corps took over Bowman field as a training base; Standiford Field (now Louisville International) was built; one of the nation’s largest powder–making complexes was started at nearby Charlestown, Indiana. Within the city, the Naval Ordnance Plant, the Army Medical Depot, and Nichols Hospital were established. Then too, Cutriss–Wright opened a cargo plane plant, and the Rubbertown development on Bell’s Lane started when various plants were erected to making neoprene, butadiene, and other substances which go into the making of synthetic rubber.

Yet despite all this preparation, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, caught Louisville, like other American cities, by surprise. After this sneak attack plunged the United States headlong into the war, no city of comparably sized played a more vital role in the war effort than did Louisville.

New plants continue to settle in the area, and existing firms converted overnight to war production until industrial capacity had doubled that of 1939. The National Defense Commission stated that Louisville was the eighteenth largest industrial area in the country in volume of work contracts awarded.

Here at home, during the earlier, darker days of the war, His Excellency, Archbishop Floersh (photo right), looking ahead, opened the long–needed second boy’s high school in the West End. Named appropriately For Kentucky’s first Bishop, the saintly Flaget, its first classes began in the fall of 1942. Around this very same time, Pope Pius XII established the feast of Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart for the entire world. And the local Corpus Christi procession, through the joint efforts of Colonel Matt Winn and Right Rev. Francis Timoney, moved to Churchill Downs in spring, 1943.

Long before the war ended, Louisville was thinking wisely about its conversion from war to peace–time industrial production. In October, 1943, 300 civic and business leaders gathered to discuss intelligent, long range plans proposed for readjustment once the war had ended. At that first meeting, these leaders formed the Louisville Area Development Association.

The war in Europe ended on May 8, 1945; the conflict in the Pacific, a little more than three months later on August 15. Louisville celebrated as it never had celebrated before. But there was a sobering undertone to it. The casualty lists had been long and terrible; hundreds of homes have lost a son, father, or husband. The parish honors those valiant sons who made the supreme sacrifice: William Boyd Martin; Edward Bennett; George Cousino; Joseph Bailey; Kendall LaPaille; Chesley Waterbury. May God reward them and their comrades with His own Presence forever!

By early 1946, the wartime restrictions on construction were over. The city had just taken part in as close a ‘horse race’ as any mayoralty election had ever been in years. E. Leland Taylor’s margin of victory over Roy W. Easley was less than 600 votes. Now Louisville began what has been a continuing interval of record breaking home–building. The next year, ten years after the all–time high water of 1937, work started on the city’s flood wall, a Federal government local protection project, which is the largest inland protection system in the United States. How this affected our parish will be found in the next few pages.

Meantime, events are beginning to take shape which would make prophets of those 300 leaders who had met in 1943 to plan Louisville’s post–war future. As they had expected, not only did most of the war industries remain and convert to peacetime production, but also new plants moved in to meet the demand for consumer goods.

In an unprecedented policy of foreign aid, the U.S. government was helping a badly staggered Western Europe to its feet by the Marshall Plan. A peace with Japan which prime minister Yoshida Called “an instrument of reconciliation” was signed; however, the communists were beginning to be harassing in the international arena and the United Nations. And in late June, 1950, prodded by Russia and communist China, the North Koreans swooped down on South Korea, again bringing the deep tragedy of modern war home to many Americans.

In such circumstances, our beloved Holy Father again sought to give us consolations which only God can give. He solemnly declared 1950 a Holy Year and also defined the dogmas of Our Lady’s Assumption, that great feast which this parish observes as its birthday.

Catholic education made great strides in Louisville during the fifties. Integration was peacefully accomplished under the leadership of Monsignor Felix Pitt. Bellarmine College opened its doors in the fall of 1950. Trinity and de Sales high schools were constructed to accommodate the ever growing number of Catholic boys of high school age. As this decade was ending, St. Xavier moved to its new location and modern plant on Poplar Level Road, and Bishop David became the city's fifth Catholic boy’s high school.

Meantime, a modern and enlarged Holy Rosary Academy moved to Southside Drive, a new Assumption High School, staffed by the Sisters of Mercy, and more recently, Angela Merici High School added to the facilities available to our Catholic girls. Loretto High School and Mercy Academy also erected new buildings at this time.

During 1958, Pope Pius XII was called to his eternal reward and was succeeded by the man, who in less than five years, was universally refer to as ‘Good Pope John.’ And in 1960, John F. Kennedy became the first Catholic to be elected President of the United States.

Locally in 1961, the annual Corpus Christi procession was an expression of joy over the 50^th year in the priesthood of Jesus Christ of our Most Rev. Archbishop. Later that year, I–64, a four lane modern road, was opened from Louisville to Frankfurt.

In 1962, the Sherman Minton Bridge, named after Indiana’s senator and later U.S. Supreme Court justice, was opened between Louisville and New Albany. It won an award as the most beautiful bridge of the year. During its construction, it was feared that the necessity of destroying approximately 160 homes in this area would seriously cut into the number of our parishioners. Occupants of these homes were largely Catholic. But it is a reason for joy and gratitude that a count showed that most of these persons relocated within our parish boundaries and therefore today, they remain loyal members of Our Lady’s parish.

In October, 1962, on the feast of Our Lady’s Motherhood, the Second Vatican Council opened. It has been widely recognized as the chief religious event of this century. As this is written, the effects of the council may well become more far reaching than any other council in the long history of the church.

In some ways, 1963 was a year of sadness for many, especially American Catholics. ‘Good Pope’ John died in June. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8–1 on June 17^th that state and local regulations requiring the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer or Bible verses in public schools were unconstitutional. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 35th President of the U.S., was fatally wounded by an assassin on November 22^nd as the 46 year–old Chief Executive rode in a motorcade through Dallas, Texas.

Pope John was succeeded, as somewhat expected, by the Archbishop of Milan, Cardinal Montini (photo left). Taking the name of Paul VI, this Pope almost immediately reconvened the Council and like his patron, he has captured the imagination and admiration of many with his unique missionary pilgrimages to the Holy Land and to India.

Among the most notable events of this quarter of a century, two Americans received the title of Blessed from the Church: the nineteenth century Bishop of Philadelphia, John N. Newmann, and native–born Mother Elizabeth Seton.

In Louisville and Jefferson County, the number of parishes reached 74 compared with 44 in 1939. In 1963, the Catholic population of Louisville reached 186,963. All three local Catholic colleges expanded their enrollment as our Archbishop celebrates his 40^th year as our chief father in Christ.

25 years of Progress of Our Lady’s

Following the centenary ceremonies, which will live always in the memories of those who witness them, Fr. Lyons stayed on as pastor for two more years. The following year, he reorganized the parish unit of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

It may be interesting to note that this organization first saw the light of day in France as the result of a dialogue between the zealous and dedicated layman, Frederick Ozanam and some unbelievers, all of whom were teaching at the Sorbonne University in Paris. They had been in an animated discussion for some time when suddenly one unbeliever put an edge in his voice and said: “My friend Ozanam, if you Christians want us to believe that you have the truth, show it to us by your concern for the unfortunates who are brothers of us all.” The new movement caught fire and was not long in coming to this country.

Here at Our Lady’s parish, the organization was first considered more than one hundred years ago. It was in 1862, that the church’s pastor, the Rev. John H. Bekkers, saw the need for a conference and superintended its organization with 53 members. Interest in this apostolic work lagged, however, and within a short time, the conference ceased to exist. In 1886 it was reorganized, but after a rather short time, was discontinued. Revived in 1895, the society functioned with varying degrees of success until 1906.

So, things remained until 1941 when Fr. John Lyons, then pastor, saw a great need for a St. Vincent de Paul Society. He was instrumental in its restoration and it’s being placed on a permanent basis. This reorganization dated February 19, 1940, was confirmed by the Superior Council in France on April 14 of the same year – just in time, it might be added, since less than two months after that, Hitler control much of that country.

The conference officers of the St. Vincent de Paul Society for that year were appointed by Fr. Lyons. They were: John A. Gathof, president; William J. Fichteman, VP; Charles A. Mattingly, secretary; Adolph B. Recktenwald, treasurer; Rudolph R. Reinhardt, wardrobe keeper. Fr. Lyons was spiritual director.

Active members were: Frank Blain, Maurice A. Byrne, Eli Elliott, Fred C. Friedmann, Frank LaPaille, Eugene McLaughlin, Allan Milligan, Eugene Murta, Joseph A. Roberts, Martin Robertson, Francis Secor, and Henry B. Shircliff. Honorary members were Wallace Craven, George Mattingly and James M. Mooney.

Since that reorganization, the conference at Our Lady’s has been very active. Weekly meetings have been held without interruption. Average attendance at each meeting is about 70% of the total membership. As this is written, the conference’s officers are: William J. Fichteman, president; John M. Carroll, first VP; B. M. Recktenwald, second VP; B. J. Recktenwald, Secretary; Louis Musselman, treasure. Spiritual director is Fr. Lally.

Other members are: E. Leon Ames, Joseph S. Burch, John T. Drury, John B. Grose, John L. Hagan, John W. Jamison, Charles A. Luckett, A. B. Recktenwald, Thomas Roberts, Lawrence L. Shaughnessy and Francis W. Wright. Honorary members are Joseph Bindner, G. W. Craven, Louis B. Craven, Arthur T. Daus, Herbert M. Jessel, and W. J. Ross.

Honorable mention is here given to A. B. Recktenwald who served as treasurer of the society until he was relieved of this duty at his own request, in January of 1964.

It is also noteworthy that our pastor, Fr. Lehmann, was chosen by our Most Rev. Archbishop to be the spiritual director of the Society’s Archdiocesan Council. He succeeded Monsignor Francis A. O’Connor in this office when Monsignor died in 1952.

Besides administering to the needy within our parish confines, Our Lady’s Conference takes part in the Twinned Conferences Program in which our less fortunate brothers in foreign countries are given aid. Since 1963, our society has been sending a monthly cash contribution to a conference in Curvelo, Brazil.

Holy Name Society

In the last quarter century, the holy name society has been active in our parish life. G. W. Craven, president in 1939, was succeeded in office by John Gathof, William Fichteman, Herbert M. Jessel, and Lee Horlander. John Gross, Sr., was elected president in 1953, with Otto Wirth, Jr. as VP, A. B. Recktenwald, treasurer and Donald French, secretary.

Until the liturgical renewal, it was customary to see the pews on the Gospel–side of the church filled with men assisting at the monthly Holy Name Mass and receiving Holy Communion in a body.

Our Lady has always been well represented among the workers who each year prepare the grounds and set up the altars for the Corpus Christi procession at Churchill Downs. The society provides transportation to the event and participates in good numbers in this magnificent display of Catholic faith. Till this day, there is an annual Holy Name Communion breakfast, at which the eighth grade boys are received as members in the Society.

Rev. James E. Lehmann

It was only two years after our centenary that Fr. Lyons was named pastor of the growing, but still youthful (four years old) parish on Eastern Parkway, Our Mother of Sorrows. In his place came a man, a priest of God, whose name is a wonderful memory for all, the Rev. James E. Lehmann (photo left).

Fr. Lehmann, a zealous and tireless worker in the vineyard of the Lord, was born on February 12, 1907, in Dayton, Ohio, the son of C. Joseph and Anna Reddington Lehmann. When the family returned to Louisville, he went to St. John’s grade school at Clay and Walnut. Then he attended St. Xavier’s High School for one year and spent the next four years at the minor seminary, St. Meinrad, Indiana.

In the fall of 1926, he and another young seminarian – now the Right Rev. Monsignor Edward Van Bogaert, pastor of St. Benedict Church, Louisville – entered the world famous seminary at Innsbruck, Austria. They were joined there in 1928 by the present pastor of St. Aloysius Church, Pewee Valley, and Right Rev. Monsignor Albert Schmitt. All three were ordained there on March 13, 1932, by the Most Rev. Sigismund Weitz, Bishop of Innsbruck–Feldkirche.

Returning to this country, Fr. Lehmann expressed his deep affection for his former pastor, then vicar general, Monsignor George W. Schuhmann, by celebrating his first Solemn Mass in St. John’s, July 17, 1932. The young priest’s first assignment was as an assistant at St. Francis Assisi Church, Louisville. There he remained until 1938 when he was appointed pastor at the Church of the Annunciation, Shelbyville.

World War II

In August 1941, Fr. Lehmann came to Our Lady’s where his untiringly and dedicated priestly zeal, his deep charity and spirit of faith combined to influence many to call him the good shepherd. However, Fr. Lehmann had hardly begun as pastor when that ominous day dawned… Sunday, December 7, 1941.

Many young men of Our Lady’s parish and two of our young women answered the call of duty. In gratitude for their service, the parish honors those who served:

Thomas E. Asberry A. A. Alvey Buford Anderson Marion Ahl

James S. Anderson Donald Bindner Lawrence Bindner Dara Bindner

Walter Bindner Stanley Becker Reinhart Becker Charles R. Baker

Edward Bossmeyer Walter Barker Edgar Bondie Curtiss Bennett

Patrick Bradford William Bradford William W. Bay Norbert Bay

Samuel Briggs Frank Bertholf John H. Bott Francis Blain

William Bowman Joseph Burch Walter Bender Edward Cousino

Theodore Conner Charles C. Coy George Cronen Edward Cahill

William Cahill George Craig Joseph Craven Joseph Cortie

David Doutaz Robert Doutaz Charles Doutaz William Davis

Paul Duddy Douglas Downs Nicholas DeMarsh Edward DeMarsh

Charles Delahanty William Donnelly Raymond Drury Arthur Daus

Joseph DeWitt James Edmondson James Elliott Henry Fichteman

Thomas Falone Norman French Donald French Frederick Friedman

James Goldbach Loyd Gambrall Eugene Ganz Bernard Hayden

Hugh Harlow Jr. Lawrence Harlow Lawrence Henderson Henry Hermes

Joseph Haueter William Hatzell Joseph Huff John Ivey

William Jenkins Charles Kelly William Kneisler Robert Kneisler

William Kirchner Charles Kirchner James Karibo James Lawes

John Lally Jr. George Mattingly Bernard Mattingly Charles Mattingly

Arthur McKinzie William McKinzie Gerald Murta Newman Murphy

John Murphy Joseph Mesmer Donald McGuire Frank McCrory

William Mooney Raymond Morris Charles Noon Louis Noon

George Noon Donald Noon Gerald Otto Kenneth Otto

William O’Hearn Charles Owen Herbert Popham Harry Popham

Walter Popham Ervin Popham Edward Reigling Sylvester Reigling

William Robertson Walter Roth Robert Ricketts John Robards

Thomas Robards Benard Recktenwald John Reinhardt George Reinhardt

Byron Reid Jr. Richard Ryan Charles Rafferty Earl Smith

Frank Schaub George Stemm Charles Sanders Rory Sanders

John Sanders Harry Smith John T. Smith John M. Smith

Arthur Sebrey William Secor Albert Schaub John Sheehan

Lawrence Stone Henry Shircliff Jr. Edmond Stone Ormond Stone

John Schaefer Jr. Carl Shircliff Charles Schneider Fabian Thompson

Gilbert Thompson James Thompson Robert Thompson Harry Thompson

Horace Ulmer John Ulmer Fred VanerHoeght Francis Villier

Walter Waterbury William Waterbury Albert Wilkins Raymond Wentzell

Louis Wentzell Thomas Whalen William Wallace Charles Williams

Marvin Warren Joseph Ziegler Lawrence Ziegler

Service Women: Margaret Doutaz and Mary Hughes

As these four long years of anxiety, overtime and rationing began to slowly enter the lives of all Americans, the Archdiocesan campaign for the new Flaget High School also appeared as a sign of hope in the future. The people of Our Lady’s parish rose to the occasion, and a generous $15,000 was their share in the citywide Catholic educational effort.

Mike Recktenwald, U.S Army, 104^th Infantry – awarded Bronze Star October 12, 1945
Sr. Geralda & Michael Nelligan – late 1950s		Sharon Vertrees as Mother Mc Auley & Paul Schuchard as St. Patrick – early 1960s

Assistant Priests at Our Lady

For almost six years after Fr. Lehmann’s arrival, the Franciscan Fathers from Mount Saint Francis Minor Seminary, across the river, helped out by saying a third Mass at Our Lady every Sunday.

In 1946, the parish had its first assistant priest, Fr. Lawrence Kieffer, who stayed until July, 1950. In December of that year, Fr. Richard Friedrich arrived and remained until March, 1952. When Fr. Lehmann had his first operation, Fr. Martin Moore took over for six weeks. After he left, Fr. Joseph Miller was assigned and remained until November, 1955. Fr. Stanley Schmidt arrived January, 1956 and stayed until February of the following year. Fr. Lawrence Kieffer returned at this time and remained until August, 1960, serving as administrator of the parish from Fr. Lehmann’s death until the arrival of Fr. Lally. After Fr. Kieffer’s departure, Fr. Theodore Sans, Fr. John Feistrizer and Fr. Robert Volpert also resided at the parish.

In August, 1961, Fr. Matthew Brennan arrived. A native of Louisville, Fr. Brennan first served at Christ the King. There he had frequent contact with Fr. Lehmann, a friendship that was strengthened during Fr. Brennan's time as chaplain at St. Joseph’s Infirmary. He also was assistant priest at Most Blessed Sacrament and St. Benedict parishes before arriving at Our Lady.

Rev. Lawrence Kieffer 1946–50	Rev. Richard Friedrich 1951–52	Rev. Joseph Miller 1953–55	Rev. Stanley Schmidt 1956–57
Rev. Theodore Sans 1960	Rev. John Feistritzer 1960–61	Rev. Robert Volpert 1961	Rev. Matthew Brennan 1961–67

The Flood Wall – A Reality at Last!

Throughout its more than 125 years, Our Lady’s parish has been plagued by the overflowing of the Ohio River banks. These waters have often damaged the church and brought unneeded mud with them.

While there are records to show how the church was affected by floodwaters in 1883, 1884, 1913, in 1922, there are no records before that to indicate other times in the distant past that ‘Old Man River’ overflowed its banks and swept into the church.

It remained for the record flood of 1937 to cause the worst damages in history, not only for this parish but for the whole City of Louisville. Officials and private citizens alike prevailed on the local district office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to build a flood wall to ward off such future flood rampages.

When the flood wall was first blueprinted, it was designed to run east and west between Rudd Avenue and Northwestern Parkway. This would have left Our Lady Church wide open to flood waters.

This was all that pastor Fr. John Lyons and his successor, Fr. James Lehmann needed. Both tirelessly contacted and corresponded extensively with city officials, engineers and even national representatives such as then senator and VP Alben W. Barkley. Local engineer Walter C. Wagner, a personal friend of Fr. John Lyons, assumed the task of petitioning officials and the Corps of Engineers on behalf of the parish.

World War II delayed this kind of construction and when the 1945 flood occurred, once again the church was badly damaged. This gave further substance to what Fr. Lyons first maintained and which Fr. Lehmann now vigorously pointed out – that this flood wall should be built in an area behind the church rather than in front of it. And the point was accepted. When this flood wall was completed in 1947, the district engineer publicly stated that it can hold back any amount of water. There can be little doubt that this leadership and determined foresight by two former pastors saved future generations many thousands of dollars in flood repair damage.

Flood wall ground breaking ceremony late 1940s

Letter to Mayor on floodwall – February 24, 1941

Letter to Corps of Engineers on floodwall – March 8, 1941

Letter to Archbishop Floersh on floodwall – April 11, 1941

Return to Top

© Copyright 2006, Church of Our Lady, Louisville KY.

Please send all website inquiries, problems and comments to the webmaster.