Father Bernard Mcgarty

Saint Mary's Parish La Crosse, by Father Bernard McGarty. Nathan Myrick opened a Trading Post at Prairie La Crosse in 1841, and shortly became Post Master of a settle ment that grew rapidly because of Federal Land Grants and Mississippi River Steam Boats. Sioux and Ho Chunk Native Americans negotiated treaties on the Prairie and played their game, which French missionaries labeled La Crosse. Twelve years later in 1853, the profile of settlers in La Crosse was: "30% born in Europe; 39 in Germany, 29 in Norway and Sweden, 23 in Britain, 19 in Ireland, 7 in Canada, 3 in France,: 70% of settlers were born in the United States; 89 in Vermont and New England, 109 in New York, 30 in Ohio, 20 in Pennsylvania, a lesser num ~ ber from Southern States:' A Wisconsin census in 1855 listed La Crosse population, 1,637. (1.) Native American numbers are ignored. If you were to walk through the village in 1853 this is what you would see: Native Americans, painted and in re galia on the streets. "1 04 Dwelling Houses, 8 Fancy and Dry Goods Stores, 4 Groceries, 2 Drugs and Medicines, 2 Boots and Shoes, 2 Hardware, 2 Tin Shops, 2 Tailor Shops, 3 Shoe Shops, 1 Harness Shop, 4 Blacksmith Shops, l Gun Shop, 2 Bakeries, l Cabinet Shop;' Also, "3 Physicians Offices, 4 Law Offices, 1 Justice Office, 5 Taverns, 1 Barber Shop, 1 Printing Office, 4 Joiners Shops, 1 Steam Saw Mill, 1 Wagon Shop, 1 Jeweler and Silver Smith's Shop, 1 Milliner Shop, 1 Office for the Sale of Government Lands, 1 Odd-Fellows Hall, 1 Court House and Jail, 3 Churches." (2.) Father Lucian Galtier was a legendary missionary from France working in the Mississippi Valley under the direc tion of the Bishop of Dubuque. In 1841 Galtier built a log Chapel, dedicated to Saint Paul, to serve soldiers and civilians at Fort Snelling, Minnesota Territory. That Chapel eventually became the name of the city, "Saint. Paul:' Minnesota. (3.) In 1848 \ Vi sconsin became a State. By 1853 Father Galtier was a priest of the Diocese of Milwaukee, Pastor of Saint Gabriel Parish in Prairie du Chien, a Vicar Generals of the Diocese of Milwaukee, which included all of Wisconsin. All of \Vestern Wisconsin was deemed part of Father Gal tier's responsibility. In May 1853, a notice on a La Crosse newspaper stated, "There would be services of the Catholic Church on 29 th of that month:' The home of Thomas Gallagher at 10th and Pine was host of the Liturgy and a meeting, conducted by, "The Rev. L Gal tier of Prairie du Chien.:' It was agreed that a Catholic church be built in La Crosse.; $500. was collected, promise .:; of lumber to be donated, and gift of land at 7 r1J and Cameron Avenue. (3 .} The new church \,·as dedicated to; "The Blessed Virgin Mary under the title, The Immaculate Conception:· For centuries the feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 81h, celebrated that Mary, when conceived in her mother Anna's womb, was free from Original Sin. 'Immaculate' meant sinless, in anticipation that Mary would be the mother of Jesus. Di\·inity and humanity are joined in the person of Jes us. No stain of sin can be involved. A theology phrase, "The la\,. of worship, is the law of belief" means, "what we celebrate in Liturgy, indicates what we believe in Faith:' It is noteworthy that this was 1853. One year later in 1854, Pope Pius IX declared the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception. The Catholics in the Gallagher house, totally understood that title, because they and their ancestors had been celebrating the December 8 Feast for centuries. On August 2, 1856 the Church, a 60 x 35 wood frame building was officially dedicated by Father Tappert, their first pastor. The 25 families that gathered for Prayer, began experiencing "community" and called themselves, "members of St. Mary's:' The believers represented all nationalities, who traveled form north, south, east, west, as much as 25 miles in each direction, to attend Mass. ( 4) Father Tappert saw the need for a school, and raised funds for a building adjacent to the church. The small student body were taught by, Sisters of Notre Dame, their Mother House in Mil waukee. After five years Father Tappert traveled to France and .• entered a contemplative order; The Carthusian Charter house. ·•~~3"~~~~~~~=~~~~~~~~ As Dom Denis Mary Tappert, he established a charterhouse in ~ Germany, was exiled during the Kulturkampf, 1872-1878, and died at a Charterhouse in Switzerland. (5.) sT. MARY"S FIRST CHURCH The second pastor, The Rev. F.X. Etschmann arrived in 1860. Besides serving St. Mary's, he served six neighboring coun ties in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The third pastor, Father Charles Schraudenbach arrived in 1863. La Crosse was growing; The 1860 census 3,860, the 1870 census 7,755. In Father Galtier's grave in 1863 German and Bohemian members of St. Mary's with- front of St. Gabriel's Church. Prairie du Chien drew to form a new parish, St. Joseph's, at 6'h and Main. The English and French remaining at the mother church. In February 1868 Father Lucian Galtier, founding priest of St. Mary's, died at St. Gabriel's Parish in Prairie du Chien at age 56. The premature death resulted from an infection caused while shaving. Devotion to the beloved pastor was so strong that Galtier is buried in a stone sarcophagus in front of the Church. No other such tomb exists in the Diocese of La Crosse. A biography of Lucian Gal tier was pub lished in 2013. Father Marco became the fourth pastor of St. Mary's, and served for five years until 1868. In that year Pope Pius IX created two new diocese in Wisconsin, Green Bay and La Crosse, dividing the state into three parts; Mil waukee the third part. Michael Heiss, a St. Francis Seminary professor of scripture, became our first bishop. St. Mary's little wood church became the Cathedral.( 6) St. Joseph's was larger, but under construction. Funds ran short and the contractor ceased work. A German Mis sionary Society was contacted. The Missionary Society supplied new money. The large brick church, with soaring tower was completed and became our "new" Cathedral. Father Abbelen was transferred from Chippewa Falls to La Crosse and named pastor of St. Mary's. When Father Abbelen's health failed, Father Henry Kampshroer, pastor of St. Joseph, took care of both congregations, and both flourished. James Schwebach at age 21, was a sub-deacon and came to La Crosse as spiritual director of St. Mary's School. The children and parish members were so impressed with James charisma, that they pressured Bishop Heiss to return Schwebach as their pastor. Shewbach's ordination was in 1870. It began a golden age for St. Mary's. A new church and school were needed. (7). B)' 1872 a two story brick school was built, ~taffed by franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, residing at St. Rose Convent. In 1875 a brick church in Romanesque style, seating 600, with twin towers, was dedicated by Bishop Heiss. The cost was $16,000. In the interior were statues of St. Patrick and St. Bridget. A magnificent stained glass window of the Immaculate Conception shone behind the main altar. In 1870 La Crosse population was 7,785, by 1880 it was 14,505. The North Side of La Crosse had been annexed and by 1886 St. James Parish was established. French families from French Island and Irish Railroad workers living on the North Side withdrew from St. Mary's. Father James Schwebach's popular twenty year pastorate at St. Mary's ended when he became the third bishop of La Crosse in 1891. Bishop Schewbach died in 1921, thirty years our leader. A number of"Yankees" from Vermont settled in Wiscon sin and one of them was Father William White, pastor of St. Bridget in Ettrick. Bishop Schewbach appointed Father White pastor of his beloved St. Mary's. Other parishes founded by Bohemian, Polish and German residents were established in the city. Nevertheless, St. Mary's doubled in membership during Father White's 16 years as leader. St. Mary's, by Father Bernard McGarty- continued Father White retired in 1908. Bishop Schewbach wanted a priest of special talent to Lead St. Mary's. Robert Condon, born in Chicago, had a distinguish scholastic record and excelled in baseball. After ordination Father Condon was pastor at St. Phillip, Soldiers Grove and associate pastor at St. Gabriel's, Prairie du Chien. In 1905 Bishop Schewbach sent the young priest to Rome for graduate study. At the Gregorian University Condon received triple doctorates; Canon Law, Dogmatic Theology and Philoso phy. Dr. Condon lectured to large audiences, and preached at special events in Rome. Returning to the United States, Dr. Condon was a featured preacher at the Eucharistic Congress in Boston. Father Condon addressed college audiences in Washington D.C., New York and Chicago. In 1908 Father Condon became pastor of St. Mary's. Dr. Condon declined an invitation to run for the United States Senate. He accepted an invitation from Senator Robert La Follette Sr., his friend, to settle a coal strike in Washington. Father Condon oversaw the building of a large brick, two story school with a full basement and eight classrooms. I spent eight happy years in that fine building. We listened to World Series broadcasts from a radio in the broad hallway. From 1916 to 1918 boys from St. Mary's fought in World War I, 'To save the world for democracy:' Father Condon exuded patriotism.

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