April 27, 1950
This was indeed a very memorable day in the history
of Our Lady’s. Fr. Lehmann acted as host
to his fellow priests who were also alumni of the Innsbruck Seminary. And on this day, 200 priests from all over
the world came to the church to assist of a Solemn Mass. It was an unforgettable date for all.
In 1953, the Archbishop launched an educational
financing campaign for
1953 was also a memorable year for the parish. Our church was completely renovated at a cost
of $15,000. This included a total
redecorating inside. All Stations of the
Cross and statues were refinished by two artists. The original windows were repaired and storm
windows were added to keep the church comfortable in winter. It also included a complete rewiring of all
the electrical outlets and a refinishing of the pews. All parishioners were pleased with the
results.
Vocations
from Our Lady’s
In the past twenty–five years, vocation to ordained
life include the Rev. William J. Brennan, who was baptized at Our Lady and
ordained to the priesthood on June 11, 1949.
The Rev. Michael E. Byrne, ordained May 25, 1963, attended the lower
grades of Our Lady school. Among the
women who entered religious orders are Sr. Mary James, O.S.B., Sr. Mary
Redempta, S.L., Sr. Mary Gualbert, R.S.M. and Sr. Mary Laurita, R.S.M.
During the
long history of Our Lady’s, the parish can only claim one ‘native son’ being
raised to the dignity of the priesthood, that of Rev. William Fichteman (photo left).
He graduated Our Lady school in 1955 and
Fr. Fichteman’s assignments include: St. Francis of
Assisi, associate pastor, 1981–86; Director, Office of Clergy Personnel,
1984–89; Church of the Epiphany, weekend associate pastor, 1986–89; St. James, Elizabethtown
and St. Ignatius, White Mills, pastor, 1989–97.
In 1997, he became pastor of the Cathedral of the Assumption.
Rev. John Dalton, considered an ‘adopted son’ of the
parish, received the sacrament of Holy Orders and he was assistant pastor at
Following his ordination, the young priest offered
his first Solemn Mass on March 27, 1955.
This was followed by a gay reception in the school building. At this time, the parishioners stole Fr.
Dalton’s heart away by presenting him a gift of money which enabled him to pay
a visit to his home in
Korean War
During the conflict between North and
John Edward Curley,
Entered service April 18, 1949 and discharged
December 19, 1952
Awarded the Purple Heart
Religious
Jubilees
On Wednesday, March 13, 1957, three graduates of
Innsbruck Seminary had a joint ‘clergy day’ celebration for the Silver Jubilee
of their ordination to the priesthood: Fr. Lehmann, Monsignor Van Bogaert and
Monsignor Schmidt. Fr. Lehmann was celebrant
of the Solemn Mass offered that morning at the Cathedral of the
Assumption. Each of the Jubilarians had
a parish celebration on the following Sunday, March 17. At Our Lady Fr. Lehmann was assisted in the
Solemn Mass by Monsignor Joseph Misich of Cleveland, Ohio, who served as deacon
and preached the Jubilee sermon. Fr.
Earl Rausch was the sub–deacon.
A dinner for the visiting clergy followed the
Four years later the Silver Jubilee decorations were
dusted off and put back in use. On May
17, 1961, the class of 1936 celebrated the Silver Jubilee of their graduation
at the Cathedral the Assumption with a solemn Mass for their fellow priests and
friends. Fr. Louis Bossung was
celebrant; Fr. Charles Foltz, deacon and Fr. William M. Griesbaum,
sub–deacon. Fr. Michael K. Lally served
as master of ceremonies; Fathers Richard O'Hare and Leo Sheeran were chaplains
to the Archbishop. In 1961, Fr. Lally
also celebrated his Silver Jubilee.
On August 19, 1962, the 9:00 Mass was offered in
thanksgiving for the Silver Jubilee of Brother Dionysius (Adolph B.
Recktenwald, Jr.), and a parish reception honoring Brother was held in the
school cafeteria that afternoon. One
year later, August 25, 1963, Sr. Bernard Marie, S.L. (Flora Recktenwald), an
aunt of Brother Dionysius, observed her Golden Jubilee in religion with a Mass
and afternoon reception at Our Lady.
Silver Jubilee of Fr. Lehmann – March 17, 1957
Silver Jubilee Celebration of Fr. Lehmann
Fr. A. G. Gerst, Fr. Joseph Missig, Fr. Lehmann, Fr. Earl
Rausch & Fr. J. B. Kieffer
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Bro. Dionysius, C.F.X. Silver Jubilee 1962 |
Sr. Bernard
Marie, S.L. Silver Jubilee 1963 |
Rectory late 1950s
The McAuley
Girls
Dedicated to the practice of kindness and charity to
others and to help spread sunshine and happiness in a drab world, the junior and
senior groups of the McAuley Girls were organized in Our Lady’s parish under
the direction of Sr. Mary Alicia, R.S.M. in 1957. They have been worthy successors to the Young
Ladies Sodalities of the past, to whom the parish has owed much.
These energetic groups get their name from the
inspiration of Catherine McAuley, whose many charitable and benevolent deeds
are widely known, especially in
Since 1957 the McAuley Girls have not swerved from
the purposes of their organization. On
Sundays, the girls visit the neighboring
Senior McAuley Girls
The senior group of the McAuley Girls is made up of
girls of high school age; the junior group is comprised of girls from grade
school.
The first president of the senior group was Carolyn
Drury who was succeeded by Janice Ziegler who served two terms. Mary Ann Cronen Then took over for 1960, to
be followed by Cheryl McKnight in 1961, Dolores Ziegler in 1962 and Carol
Craven in 1963. The 1964 officers were:
Romana Hagan, president; Becky Grose, VP; Phyllis Powell, secretary and Judy
Ande, treasurer.
Other senior McAuley Girls were:
Judy Craven, Sherry Emge, Peggy Luckett, Lynn
McKnight, Penny McTighe, Joan Stemm, Barbara Ande, Connie Lanham, Sue Seng,
Rose Ullrich, June Craven, Barbara Fritz, Sue Frerman, Sandra Wimsett, Patsy
Ande, Patsy McCrory, Barbara Vonderhaar, Donna Robbins, Sharon Robbins, Rita
Down, Judy Coons, Pay Shawler, Carey Arnold, Mary Ann Patton, Karen Daly, Linda
Stith, Rita Jamison, Beverly Crumpton, Sarah End, Beverly Bay and Janice
Carroll.
Junior McAuley Girls
The junior group’s first president was Bonnie
Hallahan. Her successors, all of whom
have served one term each, were: Cheryl McKnight, Mary Adams, Romana Hagan,
Carol Ott, Teresa Craven, Sandy Wimsett and Maureen Harrington. Other officers in 1964 were: Debbie Emge, VP;
Kim Daly, secretary; Margie Stemm, treasurer; and Darlene Fambrough,
corresponding secretary.
Other members of the junior McAuley Girls:
Pat Young, Martha Stemm, Colleen Denkhoff, Carol
Cronen, Lynn Lockhard, Carolyn Jamison, Marilyn Jamison, Jane Craven, Kathie
Hallahan, Frances Vonderhaar, Rita Yates, Barbara Snyder, Iris Harrington,
Debbie O’Brien, Beth Cross, Connie McCoy, Mary McCoy, Joan Neuling, Karen
Lally, Sue Wathen, Patty Malick, Rita Carpenter, Donna Pfuelb, Mary Agnes Ott,
Nancy Anderson, Sue Luckett, Joan Ande and Luanne Wilson.
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Senior McAuley Girls Christmas carols at the |
McAuley Girls play 'Works of Mercy’ with student Charles Wetzelberger III– 1956 |
Junior McAuley Girls
Baked goods for the poor – early 1960s
Christmas
Cantata 1949
Christmas
Cantata 1958
Christmas
Carols 1961
Death of Fr. Lehmann
After valiantly undergoing two major operations and
going on to almost the very last, Fr. Lehmann died on March 12, 1959. His Excellency, our Most Rev. Archbishop
presided at his funeral
The following is a spontaneous tribute to his
eighteen memorable years by Fr. M. Raymond. O.C.S.O., Abbey of Gethsemani,
Trappist,
“I
want no fame, no other name, than this: A PRIEST OF GOD.”
These few words sum up the life, show the heart and
express admirably the entire being of this man of God, who for the last
eighteen years of his life on earth, was pastor of our church, of the
parishioners of the Parish of Our Lady.
This distinction between parish and parishioners is
made with set purpose; for, while Fr. James Edward Lehmann ably administered
the former, it was the latter who were his life, his love, his soul’s consuming
concern. He well knew that, practically
speaking, a competent layman could administer that organized physical entity
called the parish, but only a man marked by god could administer on to the
mystical organism made up of immortals souls.
He was keenly conscious of the fact that when God, on March 13, 1932,
stamped his soul with the character of Christ the Priest, he had been set apart
not as a builder of buildings, but as a sacrificial victim for people who would
be branches of the Vine which is Jesus Christ.
Holy Orders was an anointing for him not only to offer the Holy
Sacrifice; for, in the new law, priests and victim are one. Hence, when Fr. James Lehmann bent over bread
every day and said, “This is My Body,” and over the wine to say “This is My
Blood,” he knew that personal, possessive pronoun refer to himself as
explicitly as it did to Jesus Christ.
That fact explains this man of God as nothing else can, and as nothing
else should. It is the only satisfying
explanation of his eighteen years as pastor of the parishioners of the parish
of Our Lady.
Pastor is a Latin word meaning shepherd. But when applied to a Catholic priest, it
means more. It means that he must be a
“good shepherd,” one who, as Christ said, “lays down his life to save his
sheep.” When Fr. James Edward Lehmann
offered his first Mass as pastor of the parishioners of Our Lady on the Feast
of Our Lady’s Assumption, in 1941, he began the life of a “good shepherd”; he
actually began to “lay down his life” for the people of his parish.
That he was no “hireling” is evidenced by the fact
there were months on months where he would take no salary, and year after year
when he would forego all vacations. That
he was determined to be the kind of shepherd described by Christ, one who would
“know his own” and be able to “call them by name,” as evidenced by the fact
that it was the pastor of these parishioners who gave the names to all the
parishioners’ offspring’s in the Sacrament of Baptism. That actually he was the sacrificing good
shepherd is evidenced by the medical facts that for the last half of his term
in office, he was a dying man who went on living in laying down that life of
his for his sheep.
For seven full years, Fr. Lehmann was under medical
care, a very sick man. But his
contention was that while the man in him might be sick, the priest and pastor
in him was never unwell. So he went on
“unto the end” loving his own and living for them alone. The end came on the eve of his 27th
anniversary of his ordination, March 12, 1959.
It was an end worthy of a man of God, a priest, victim, and a good
shepherd.
The parish he’s so ably administered will one day
ceased to be. The school he erected will
ultimately crumble to dust. But the souls
he shepherded will live on as long as God is God and be a glory, not only to
God, but to him who attained eternal fame by truly acquiring the holy name of
“Priest of God – James Edward Lehmann.”
Rev.
Michael K. Lally
On August 3, 1960, the Most Rev. Archbishop
appointed the Rev. Michael K. Lally pastor of Our Lady’s. A native of
Boy Scout Troop
One of the first activities to appear after Fr.
Lally’s arrival was the official chartering of Boy Scout Troop #391. The following scouts were named on the first
charter: Joseph Mattingly, Ronald Joyce, Bill Veasey, Denis Kline, William
Powell, William Cahill, Dennis Jamison, Perry Aberli, Kenneth Krekel, Stephen
Weber, al Bere, Richard Downs, William Drury, Michael Connor, Terry Luckett,
Thomas Bernardi and John Carroll.
Walter Lally was named institutional representative
and Randall Watkins became committee chairman.
The committeemen were Paul Recktenwald, Anthony Pfuelb, Douglas Downs,
Thomas Bernardi and Charles Mattingly.
Joseph Cahill was named scoutmaster and Gerald Recktenwald and Thomas
peak were his assistants.
By November, 1961, there were 42 boys
registered. In 1963, the troop received
the national camping award. To qualify
for this award, 50% of the troops registered scouts must have had ten days and
nights of camping during a twelve month period.
In December, 1963, the committee announced the
selection of Gerald Recktenwald as scoutmaster to succeed Joseph Cahill who
resigned. His assistants were Michael
Recktenwald, Larry Meixsel and Paul Recktenwald.
The 1964 charter listed these names:
Corky Amos James
Austin Paul Booker John Kane
Terry Luckett Nickey
Paine Tony Pfuelb Michael Shawler
Dennis Thompson Charles
Wahl Garry Brown James Joyce
Wayne Roberts Joseph
French Mike Woods Mike Sils
David Elder Dennis
McTighe Terry Dearing John Luckett
Morris Paine Steve
Pfuelb Jerry French Marty Hellinger
Mike Carroll Val
Bere Michael Mulloy Michael Falone
Robert Robbins
The institutional representative is William Shawler,
Claude Paine is the committee chairman and his committee men are Randall
Watkins, Donald French, Arthur Woods and Chuck Luckett.
Parish
Improvements
It has already been pointed out how interested Fr.
Lally has been in the parish’s athletic program. Now he forged ahead on other activities. In 1961, he followed through with the plans
previously made to sand–blast, tuck–point and water-proof the exterior of the
church. In 1962, there were new front
doors and new floor and furnishings for the sacristies and the ambulatory. That same year, the parishioners painted the
convent and helped remodel the chapel.
In 1963, the communion rail was lowered, the interior of the church was
redecorated, and the aisles were carpeted.
In 1964, Mr. T. W. Merrified,
The Ladies
Club
The Ladies Club was formed in the mid thirties by
the group who worked in the kitchen, preparing and serving meals for parish
socials and other affairs. Even today,
they meet each month for a social hour, and each year, and make a substantial
donation to the pastor to be used for the needs of the parish.
The
Ladies Club on a picnic at
seated:
Ms. Georgia Fichteman, Mrs. Ada McKinzie, Mrs. W. H. Davids, Mrs. Raymond
Smith, Ms. Mary Fichteman, Mrs. Emma Meagher, Mrs. Josephine Ware, Mrs. Hugh
Sanders.
kneeling:
Mrs. C. S. Williams, Ms. Elizabeth Doherty, Mrs. Paul Hicks, Ms. Carrie Ross,
Ms. Myrtle Craven.
standing:
Mrs. Lillian Hillebrand, Mrs. Sally Shircliff, Mrs. Wyatt Sebrey, Mrs. Henry
Coons, Mrs. George Ferling, Mrs. Catherine Myers, Mrs. Nannie Cochran, Mrs. A.
B. Recktenwald, Mrs. Roach, Mrs. Mary A. Coons, Mrs. Roy Bennett, Fr. James
Lehmann.
Altar Society
For many years, faithful altar society members
quietly served the honor and glory of God by cleaning the church, washing linens,
and sewing and mending vestments.
Twenty–five years ago, the officers were: Mrs. Paul Hicks, president;
Mrs. William Bay, VP; Mrs. A. B. Recktenwald, secretary–treasurer. These officers continue to serve for twenty
years. On April 26, 1956, Mrs.
Recktenwald died and was succeeded by Miss Rose Recktenwald.
Fr. Lally reorganized the Society on July 26,
1961. Its officers were Mrs. Earl Neff,
president; Mrs. William Buecher, VP; Mrs. William Fichteman, secretary and Miss
Rose Recktenwald, treasurer. They served
for two years and on September 5, 1963, they were succeeded by the present
officers: Mrs. John Grose, president; Miss Quinlan, VP; Mrs. John Carroll,
secretary, and Mrs. Tyler Veasey, treasurer.
The society has two meetings a year and each meeting is usually
addressed by visiting priests.
Confraternity
of Christian Mothers
Given that mothers have a profound impact on their
children’s spiritual formation, the Confraternity of Christian Mothers was
established to aid them in their family life.
To increase the involvement of mothers, Fr. Lally introduced the
confraternity to the parish in 1967. The
following letter was sent to the ladies of Our Lady:
February 7, 1967
Dear Friend:
You and all the adult ladies of the parish (those over high school age)
are invited to join with us in introducing the Confraternity of Christian
Mothers to Our Lady Church, as combined with our already existing
Enclosed are two leaflets, one describing how the Confraternity can be operated with
an already existing society, to the benefit of both; and the other, a guideline
for parents in their God–given responsibility toward the Christian upbringing of the children placed in their care.
At the last PTA Meeting, Feb. 1st, Dr. Elliott Podoll, M.D., local
child psychiatrist, insisted that it is of the greatest importance for parents
to realize that no matter what you teach a child, the child will still do as
the parents do. The purpose of the
Confraternity of Christian
Mothers is to spiritualize the home education or character formation and
development of children guided
primarily by the mother at home.
We were short on the enclosures; consequently there may be quite a
number of ladies eligible for membership who do not receive one of these letters. As an act of charity, insist that the
omission of their name was not intentional and that the benefit which they and
their families will reap should make them most anxious to become active
members.
On Sunday, February 19th, after the evening devotions, there will be a
meeting of the Altar Society
and all the ladies interested in becoming charter members of our combined St. Ann Altar Society
and the Confraternity of Christian
Mothers. The following Sunday, Father Bertin Roll, O.F.M. Cap., National
Secretary of the Confraternity,
will speak at all the Masses and in the afternoon at 4:00 PM and receive the
new members in a church service.
Yes, we really do need you, so spread the news around and resolve to be
a joiner.
Devotedly in Christ and Our Lady,
Father Lally & Father Fowler
Fr.
Lally’s birthday 1960s
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