St. Matthew Parish Founded July 15, 2008

St. Matthew Parish – Founded July 15, 2008 Remembering Our Past Foreword

Whenever we begin something new, like the founding of a new church, it is only natural and fitting that we ponder the possibilities that the future holds. The future holds great promise and is eagerly anticipated. However, this is also a great time to look back and reflect on the efforts and sacrifices of the people who paved the way for our new church and to pay tribute to their efforts and sacrifices. In doing this, we better understand who we are and where we came from which allows us to better determine where we go in the future.

i Introduction

Around 1800, coal was discovered in the Minersville area but it was not until 1814 that any actual mining began. As more mines were opened and the Schuylkill Haven and Mine Hill Railroads provided a means to transport the coal from the region, the coal industry grew very rapidly and attracted many immigrants to the area. The English and Welsh arrived first and brought their knowledge of mining from their home lands. The Irish and Germans were the next to arrive but they were soon followed by many other ethnic groups including those of Slavic descent.

The Parish of St. Vincent De Paul’s became the first Catholic Church in Minersville and was founded in 1842 by the Irish community. This church was also used for services by the German and Lithuanian families until their communities increased in size and they decided to establish churches of their own. In 1855, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church was founded for the German families of Minersville. In 1857, St. Kieran’s Church was erected to serve the Catholics living in Heckscherville. In 1886, St. Mary, Star of the Sea Church was erected as a mission chapel for the Catholics living in Branchdale. In 1893, St. Francis of Assisi Church was founded for the Lithuanian families in Minersville. In 1905, St. Stanislaus Church was founded for the people of Polish decent in the Minersville area. And in 1913, the fifth Catholic Church in Minersville, St. Barbara’s Church, was founded as a mission church of St. Joseph’s Church in Pottsville for the Italian families in the Minersville area.

It’s important to recognize that each ethnic community felt the need and desire to establish a church of its own. Many of the churches were built by the members of the congregation who worked on building the church after they had already worked a full shift in the coal mines. They also sacrificed precious time away from their families because of their desire to establish their own church. But as a result of the dedication and sacrifices of the

ii founding families, each of the 7 churches was successfully completed. The dedication of and sacrifices made by the founding families established a strong bond between these families and their church which is still shared by the members of each of the ethnic communities.

With the establishment of regional churches in place of ethnic churches, it is essential to recognize the importance of these ethnic churches. They are the pillars that provide the foundation for the new St. Matthew Parish. Their history is the history of St. Matthew Parish. And their members are the new community of St. Matthew Parish. It is with this understanding that we pay tribute to the founders and past members of St. Mary, Star of the Sea Church, Branchdale and St. Francis of Assisi Church, St. Stanislaus Church and St. Barbara’s Church in Minersville. We do this by Remembering Our Past.

iii St. Mary, Star of the Sea Church Branchdale, PA Founded 1886

St. Mary, Star of the Sea Church was erected in 1886 as a mission chapel of convenience for the Catholics of Branchdale. Prior to the erection of the church, the Branchdale Catholics had been attending Mass at the Ancient Order of Hibernians Hall in Branchdale and prior to that had walked to St. Vincent’s Church

1 of 13 in Minersville, a few miles away. Father P. F. Beresford was the pastor when the church was built.

The first resident pastor was Father Vincent Corcoran. Under Father Corcoran’s direction, a rectory was built adjacent to the church in the early 1900’s.

In 1925, under the direction of Father Cornelius O’Brien, an elementary school was built and a Convent erected. The Sisters of St. Joseph from Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania staffed the school.

In 1936, Father A. Paul Lambert oversaw the renovation of the church building.

2 of 13 The congregation was comprised mostly of Irish, German and Slovak descendents and provided many sons and daughters to the priesthood and religious life. In all, there have been fifteen religious sisters and twenty priests from this parish.

(Need additional history of the church)

The closing Mass at St. Mary, Star of the Sea Church was celebrated on Sunday, July 13, 2008 at 8:30 am.

3 of 13 St. Francis of Assisi Church Minersville, PA Founded 1893

On September 18, 1893, Father Zebris of Shenandoah visited the Minersville area and held Mass for more than 50 of the approximately 200 Lithuanians who had made their homes in Minersville. This first Mass was held in St. Vincent’s Church since there was no established Lithuanian church in Minersville.

4 of 13 Soon after this Mass, a chapter of the “Lithuanian Roman Catholic Alliance of America” was formed in Minersville.

Services continued in St. Vincent’s Church for Catholics from Minersville, Pottsville and other outlying areas. As the number of Lithuanian parishioners increased, a more desirable place of worship was sought. The classrooms of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parochial School were used but it became too difficult to follow two different schedules, one German and one Lithuanian so a separate church building was sought.

Father Matulaitis, the first resident pastor, began the search for a new church building and on May 18, 1900, the Evangelical Lutheran Church building was purchased and used as the first Lithuanian Catholic Church in Minersville. The Church was named St. Francis of Assisi Church.

On May 30, 1898, Father Matulaitis began editing and publishing the Lithuanian weekly, “The Voice of Lithuanian-Americans.” This publication had previously been edited and published in Shenandoah but due to financial difficulties could no longer continue so Father Matulaitis undertook editing and publishing it from Minersville.

In 1902, Father Dargis was appointed Pastor of St. Francis. During this time, a plot of ground was purchased which became the cemetery for the Church.

The Lithuanian community continued to grow and in October of 1906, three acres of land were purchased to build a rectory and a new church.

In 1909, Father Dumcius was appointed Pastor and began the building of the new church and rectory. Men of the parish, after coming home from a hard days work in the mines, formed their own crews and worked on building their church.

In 1910, Father Abromaitis was named Pastor but after serving about nine months became ill and died and Father Dumcius was re-appointed Pastor.

5 of 13 In 1923, Father Joseph Karalius was appointed Pastor. Under the direction of Father Karalius, the Parochial School and Convent were built. The addition of these two building resulted in a large debt for the parish.

In 1929, Father Michael Daumantas was appointed Pastor and was succeeded by Father Casimir Klevence in 1933.

Father Klevence was faced the difficult task of freeing the parish from the debt incurred during the building of the school and Convent. Based on his unfailing devotion to attain the goal and the cooperation of his flock, the debt was eliminated to the relief and joy of his parishioners.

In spite of the Depression that was occurring in the country at that time, a shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes was also erected during Father Klevence’s time.

6 of 13 In September, 1970, the church proudly celebrated the Diamond Jubilee Anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi Church.

On June 27, 1971, Father Klevence was elevated to the rank of Monsignor. Monsignor Klevence remained at St. Francis of Assisi Church until his death on February 27, 1973.

On September 7, 1972, Father John Luksys was appointed pastor of St. Francis Church.

(Need history from 1973 to 2008.)

The closing Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Church was celebrated on Sunday, July 13, 2008 at 10:30 am.

7 of 13 St. Stanislaus Kostka Church Minersville, PA Founded 1905

In November, 1905, The Rev. Stanley Frog was appointed by Archbishop Ryan of Philadelphia to found a parish for the people of Polish descent in the Minersville area. Initially, the pastor resided in a home near Fourth and Sunbury streets and services for the congregation were held in the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. The pastor and his Committee acquired a part of the Kear estate and transformed it into a Church and Rectory.

8 of 13 In 1907, Rev. Anthony Ziebura was named pastor. Father Ziebura acquired the tract of land that became the parish cemetery.

In May of 1910, Father Ziebura was replaced as pastor by Rev. Joseph Kuczynski. By this time, the congregation had grown so large that the Church could not seat all present. So Father Kuczynski had the existing Church building enlarged to accommodate the crowd.

In February, 1912, Rev. Joeph Gazdzik became the new pastor. Due to a continuing growth of the congregation from its founding, a new church was needed and in 1913 work began on the new church under the direction of Father Gazdzik. The church was built in the Renaissance style in the form of a Roman Cross of red-pressed brick.

In May, 1917, Rev. Stephen Zmich became the new pastor. Father Zmich was a former professor at St. John Kanty College in Philadelphia and devoted much of his time to the instruction of

9 of 13 the parish children in the fundamental principles of the Catholic faith. As his classes grew, Father Zmich converted the original Church into a school and a Convent. In 1920, the Bernadine Sisters of Reading took over the instruction of the children in the school.

In July, 1922, the first American-born priest, Rev. Anthony Brzozowski, was named pastor. Two years later, he started building a new Rectory. In 1925, Father Brzozowski established Polish Day, which celebrated its golden jubilee in 1975.

On March 13, 1929, Rev. Walter Dabrowski was assigned to the parish. During his stay, Spruce and Oak streets were widened and paved providing better access to the church. Additionally, the interior of the church was decorated with 22 stained glass windows and new chandeliers. Father Dabrowski died on January 29, 1939.

Rev. Leon Krajewski was appointed as Pastor to replace Father Dabrowski. He served 21 years as Pastor and during his time many things were accomplished including acquiring the land for St. Stanislaus No. 2 cemetery in 1945, acquiring the union Hall in 1950, and in 1955, acquiring 2 family homes which were torn down and erecting a Convent with a chapel to house the teaching Sisters. In 1957, he had the Parish School remodeled.

On March 23, 1960, Rev. John Baruch was appointed Pastor. In his first year at the church, Father Baruch oversaw the erection of a new parking lot on the east side of the church with space for eighty cars.

In 1962, a Shrine to Our Lady of Fatima was erected on the east side of the church. The Shrine contains five figures of white Italian carrara marble.

In 1963, a renovation of the Church began. The outside walls were sandblasted to their original beauty. The dome and cross were relined with copper and a new roof was installed. The interior of the church was also repainted and redecorated and

10 of 13 wall-to-wall carpet was installed. Bishop Joseph McShea blessed the renovated Church on Sunday May 23, 1965.

From 1965 to 1975, Father Baruch oversaw several additional projects including the renovation of the school and rectory and the enlargement of the parking lot. During this period, Father Baruch was elevated to the rank of Monsignor.

The closing Mass at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church was celebrated on Sunday, July 13, 2008 at 11:00 am.

11 of 13 St. Barbara’s Church Minersville, PA Founded 1913

St Barbara’s Catholic Church was founded on July 23, 1913. It was a mission church of St. Joseph’s Church in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. The Rev. John DeStefano was the founding pastor and served the church for 11 years.

In July 1924, the Rev. Joseph Landolfi was appointed the pastor of St. Barbara’s and established a residence in Minersville.

12 of 13 On February 4, 1956, a fire broke out that damaged the church and rectory. Father Landolfi had a heart attack while watching the fire and died that same night.

Father Anthony Ricapito was assigned as the next pastor of St. Barbara’s and had the task of rebuilding the church and rectory. During the restoration period, Father Ricapito resided at St. Vincent’s rectory and conducted services for St. Barbara’s congregation in St. Vincent’s school hall. Father Ricapito served at St. Barbara’s until 1970.

In 1970, Rev. Paul B. della Picca was assigned as pastor at St. Barbara’s and served ??? years.

The closing Mass at St. Barbara’s Church was celebrated on Saturday, July 12, 2008 at 6:30 pm.

13 of 13 Acknowledgments

This document was compiled by Dave Lengel whose father, LeRoy, was born and raised in Minersville. Several public access information sources and documents including 2 prepared in Minersville, “Minersville: Etched In Time, 175th Anniversary” and “Heritage 1976, Minersville Area Bicentennial Celebration Commemorative Book” were used as references.

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