HISTORY OF ST. BONIFACE 2nd OLDEST ORIGINAL CHURCH IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PORTLAND, By Evangeline Ripp (photos are missing here)

1879 The first in Sublimity, and dedicated to St. Boniface, was a small building in Block 7, (corner of Center and Maple streets). It was leased from August Schellberg for $1.00, on March 10, 1877 by Mathias Houpert, Henry Glass and Peter Thomas. This building was adapted for church services only. These services were held by diocesan and Jesuit missionaries at sporadic times, first in private homes and then in this building until the roof collapsed under a heavy snowfall in 1880. There were about five Catholic families in Sublimity at this time, and they asked Archbishop Francis Norbert Blanchet to send a missionary priest. Rev. Peter J. Stampfl came to hold services once a month. He had come from Germany to Minnesota and on to the Willamette Valley in Oregon, and for some years took care of the outlying missions in Marion and Linn Counties. In the picture to the right, the small building in the left forefront, could have been a similar building.

1880 Fr. Stampfl purchased the vacated United Brethren College building, which had been built in 1857. Though called a college, this school was similar to today's grade schools. The first teacher and president of the school was Milton Wright, father of Orville and Wilbur Wright. The school and twenty acres of land were purchased for $400.00. Fr . Stampfl converted the ground floor into a church. This building stood just north of the present Rectory and west of the Middle school. One acre of ground on the southwest corner of this property was designated for the first Catholic cemetery, and called the Cemetery of Holy Angels.

1881-1884 With the arrival of the Benedictine Priests at Gervais, Sublimity was then under their care. Prior Adelhelm Odermatt and other priests took over the parish services until the Rev. Wernher Ruettimann was appointed as the first resident in 1884. Since the rooms were so small he had an addition built to be used as an extension of the second church. The upper floors later housed the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, from Jordan, recently arrived from Minnesota and Ohio, who were in need of a convent. The Sisters of the Most Precious Blood would later become the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon. This Convent then was named Maria Zell, after the name of a Marian Shrine in Austria. Benedictine Priests serving the area during this time besides Prior Adelhelm Odermatt were, Revs. Nicolaus Frei, Barnabas Held, Anselm Wachter, Bede Horat and Wernher Ruettimann.

1887 On March 25th, 1887, Archbishop William Hickley Gross, assisted by Prior Adelhelm Odermatt, administered the profession of vows to ten ladies, five professed Sisters and five Novices. Those professing their vows were: Sr. Mary Clara (Barbara Hauck), Sr. Mary Benedict (Theresa Arnold), Sr. Mary Wilhelmina (Emerentiana Bleily), Sr. Mary Josephine (Catherine Eifert), Sr. Mary Cecelia (Aurelia Boedigheimer), Sr. Mary Gertrude (Mary Silbernagel), Sr. Mary Aloysius (Anna Bender), Sr. Mary Rose (Martha Eifert), Sr. Mary Johanna (Matilda Silbernagel), and Sr. Mary Magdalene (Mary Giebler). Sr. Mary Wihelmina was elected Mother Superior.

1888 The first parochial school was built by Joseph Spenner under the direction of Fr. Wernher Ruettimann. It was a one-room framed building, with a high-pitched roof and steeple, which looked more like a mission church than a school. It was there the Sisters had their first teaching experience, trained by Sr. M. DeSales OSF, from Wisconsin.

1888 After a long illness, Fr. Wernher Ruettimann died and Rev. Anselm Wachter and Rev. Eugene Bolla came to serve the parishioners.

1888 Around this time a new rectory was built. Prior to this Fr. Wernher had lived in a small room in the old College building, then in the first rectory, a tiny two-room house, with a front door only and two windows on each side. This stood to the northeast of the second church.

1889 Rev. Joseph Fessler, pastor, directed the building of the third and present church. Local parishioners supplied much of the labor and materials. The church is 36' x 72' with a spire of 110 feet in height. The steeple has its own foundation and is a floating steeple, not structurally attached to the church. Archbishop William H. Gross dedicated the church on October 26th, 1890. On this same day the 350 pound bell was blessed, ten persons confirmed and the habit of the Order of the Precious Blood conferred on four sisters. In the left background of the picture on the right is the old United Brethren building.

1889 Around this time the addition or second church which had become the Sisters Convent, was moved to where the present convent is located. The old United Brethren building was then used for parish functions and later used as a home for new parishioners moving into Sublimity. An accidental fire caused it to burn to the ground on June 1, 1910.

1890 Archbishop Gross requested three of the Maria Zell Sisters be sent to Beaverton, Oregon to assist in the organizing of St. Mary's Home for Boys.

1891 The Sisters left Sublimity and moved their Motherhouse to Beaverton. Fr. Joseph Fessler went with them to help in the organizing of the Home for Boys. The convent in Sublimity was then known as St. Boniface convent and housed the Sisters teaching staff for the parochial school.

1891-1895 The Revs. Joseph F. Kempker, P.J. Beutgen, and Joseph L. Bucholzer, served the parish during this time.

1895 Rev. Anthony Lainck was appointed pastor of St. Boniface parish and remained there for the next thirty two years.

1898 Fr. Lainck had a second grade school built and the former school was added as an annex.

1903 The first addition was made to the present church. A sacristy and an extension for the altar were added. Also in 1903 the Men's National Catholic Order of Foresters was chartered.

1903 A new church was built in Stayton, and that became a mission of St. Boniface until 1931 when their first resident pastor was appointed.

1905 The Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, who had their start at Maria Zell Convent in Sublimity and somewhat influenced by the Benedictines, changed their name to Sisters of Saint Mary of Oregon.

1907 The Forester Hall was built. It was the center of parish and social activities for many years until the building was demolished in 1980.

1907 The Women's National Catholic Society of Foresters was chartered that year.

1908 A new High Altar, and two side altars were built for St. Boniface church, and the interior was redecorated. The Altars were hand made by Engelbert Gier and decorated with gold leaf. The Bell Tower was also built at that time, it contains three bells. Imprinted on them is the date of 1909 from the "Henry Stuckstede Bell Fdy Co. St. Louis, Missouri." Written in Latin on the big bell is "Bonifacius - vocat populum suum (calls his people)." On the mid sized bell is "Sancta Maria - ora pro nobis, (pray for us)," and the small bell is "Sancta Barbara- protege nos hora mortis, (protect us at the hour of our death)." Today these bells ring automatically for Sunday Mass and the daily Angelus.

1913 The third St. Boniface grade school was built. It was a two-story building consisting of four classrooms and a full basement. Archbishop Alexander Christie blessed the corner stone on September 29th 1913. The former school was then used for parish functions.

1923 The Knights of Columbus was organized under the name of St. Anthony Council. This took in the surrounding areas including Stayton, Mill City, Lyons, Jordan and Scio. There were seventy nine charter members.

1927 Fr. Anthony Lainck died and the Rev. Charles Seroski, who helped Fr. Lainck over the years, became the temporary pastor until Rev. Francis Scherbring was appointed parish pastor. Fr. Seroski donated the bronze Crucifixion group to the Cemetery in memory of Fr. Lainck.

1931 Rev. Joseph Scherbring, (brother of Fr. Francis Scherbring), was appointed first resident pastor of Stayton parish. Therefore Stayton was no longer a mission of St. Boniface.

1935 Fr. Francis Scherbring died and was buried in the Cemetery next to Fr. Lainck. His brother Fr. Joseph Scherbring replaced him as pastor of St. Boniface.

1940 Fr. Joseph Scherbring directed the building of a new full sized gymnasium with a basement large enough to seat 250 persons, at a cost of $7,500. He also established the first St. Boniface High School in the former grade school building. It consisted of three rooms, and the teaching was done by the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon. The first graduating class from this high school were: Camilla Lulay Butler, Bernice Ruettgers, Dolores Bentz Cremer, Loretta Etzel Zeibert, and Joseph Spenner.

1945 Fr. Joseph Scherbring had a new High School built. It was made of brick veneer consisting of five classrooms, library, and office, at the cost of $38,000. This attracted students from neighboring parishes. It was dedicated by Archbishop Edward D. Howard on September 9, 1945, and was taught by the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon.

1948 Now Fr. Scherbring had a brick veneer Convent for the teaching Sisters built at a cost of $52,000. With that another dream of Fr. Scherbring was realized by having the old convent moved to the eight acre property, donated by Minnie Hassler, to be used as a home for the elderly and infirm . 1954 At this time Fr. Scherbring obtained a group of refugee Sisters from Austria, belonging to the Order of Our Sorrowful Mother, to staff and manage this home. What for many years was known as the Marian Home is now the Marian Estates.

1957 With the sudden death of Fr. Joseph Scherbring in 1955, the Rev. Robert S. Neugebauer was appointed pastor. In 1957 he directed the building of a new brick rectory to match the convent and high school. This building has five apartments and a full basement for meetings, breakfasts, etc. Cost of the construction was $67,000. Fr. Neugebauer also made improvements to the church, convent, school and cemetery. He was also instrumental in the formation of the first Parish Council.

1962 On October 12, the Columbus Day storm damaged parish buildings, new roofs were put on the gym, high school, grand stand and bell tower. At that time the grand stand was converted into a shop and storage building. Also around that time the second parochial school, used for many years for parish functions, and later used as the first high school, was torn down due to age and storm damage.

1963 The new Regis Catholic High School opened in Stayton, this at a cost of $689,000. The St. Boniface High School was then converted into a Grade School, and the two-story grade school built in 1913 was taken down.

1969 Fr. Robert Neugebauer retired and the Rev. Thomas Gadbois was appointed new pastor.

1973 After eighty-five continuous years of parochial schools in Sublimity, St. Boniface Grade School closed. The school, gymnasium, and land were leased to District School 7C for $10,000 per year, than purchased in 1993.

1975 Because of ill health, Fr. Thomas Gadbois retired, and the Rev. Daniel Hurley became resident pastor.

1979 St. Boniface Parish celebrated its 100th Anniversary this year. Archbishop concelebrated the ceremonies with the other of the Archdiocese and the Priests from the Parish. There were many Priests, Sisters, and parishioners from Sublimity and surrounding parishes in attendance.

1986 Rev. Edward Altstock became the resident pastor.

1990 The Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon are no longer in residence at St. Boniface. The vacated convent is now used for parish functions.

Resident from: 1991 Rev. Glenn Dare 1994 Rev. Galdino Monteiro 1997 Rev. Arthur Dernbach

2000 Extensive repairs were made to the St. Boniface Church due to time and the 1993 Spring Break Quake damages.

2001 Rev. Michael Sprauer became resident pastor.

2002 Rev. Patrick Donoghue became the resident pastor.

2004 On June 5th with Fr. Patrick Donoghue celebrated the Mass for the 125th Anniversary of St. Boniface Parish. This was on the Feast Day of St. Boniface and the 1250th Anniversary of the martyrdom of Bishop Boniface. Other celebrations throughout the year were, the Parish Picnic held on August 8th, Parish Dinner on October 10th, the 114th Anniversary of the dedication of the present Church on October 25th, held on October 24th, and the Church parking lot was repaved at a cost of $46,000. We finished the year with the 125th Anniversary of the founding of St. Boniface (first recorded date December 3rd, 1879) on December 5th with Archbishop John G. Vlazny celebrating Mass followed by a reception.

Missions of St. Boniface are: St. Catherine in Mill City, with Mass Saturday evenings. St. Christopher in Detroit with Mass also on Saturday evenings, from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Marian Estates in Sublimity has a weekly Mass on Friday mornings.

We don't know what the future holds for our parish, but as it has grown steadily for the past 125 years we can only hope it will continue on for many years to come in our own "sublime" country.