PAGE NO. TEN
TABLOID EDITION, PLATTSMOUTH JOURNAL
OCTOBER 5, 1939
EARLY HISTORY. ST. JOHN'S PARISH
(Continued from Page 4)
Father Lynch, generously cancelled the
ntire debt. In recognition of this grand
act of generosity, to remind pastor and
faithful, a marble slab was set in the
sacristy with this inscription:
ANNUAL MASS FOR
MR. AND MRS. JOHN FITZGERALD
ON EASTER SUNDAY AND
AUGUST 15th
PRINCIPAL DONORS OF THIS
CHURCH
The above Masses are to be celebrated
every year as lone: as the church stands
by every succeeding; pastor.
In 1S84. shortly before his transfer to
Grand Island. Father Lynch purchased ten
acres of land from Joseph Corener for
$500 for a cemetery. It is called the Holy
Sepulchre cemetery, commanding a good
Tiew of the surrounding country, and to
day is one of the best cemeteries in the
state of Nebraska. In that same year
Father Lynch built the first part of the
brick school. In May. 1884, he was suc
ceeded by the Rev. W. J. Madden until
September, 1884, when the Rev. Thomas
J. Carney took charge of the parish. In
the meantime. Rev. Jordan Stutz was as
sistant to both Father Madden and Father
Carney from June, 1884, to October, 1885,
attending to the German and Bohemian
speaking: people of the congregation.
Father Carney's administration was a
preat blessing- to St. John's parish. He
opened the school in the same year it was
built, in September. 1884. with one lay
teacher. In 1886 he enlarged it to twice
its size at a cost of over $2,000, with six
lay teacl ers. and in 1888 he placed it
under tin- direction of the Dominican Sis
tors from Sinsinawa. Wisconsin. These
sisters had charge of this school until
1913, when the Benedictine Sisters of
Atchison. Kansas, succeeded them, until
1920. Thus the Plattsmouth parochial
school, after Nebraska City, is the oldest
school in the Lincoln diocese.
Father Carney also built the present
parochial brick residence in 1889 at a
cost of $3,500 and made many other con
siderable improvements on the church
property. For that reason, he borrowed
at different times various sums of money
to the amount of over $6,000. As the con
gregation, however, seemed unable to pay
back this sum. Father Carney very gen
' rously donated it to the parish. He died
a poor man. When Bishop Bonacum heard
of his sickness, he sent him $100 and
Father Carney answered with this short
letter to the Chancellor of the diocese:
I received your letter with open arms.
Now I can pay my housekeeper and for
some medicines. Please thank the Bishop."
After two days, he passed away, greatly
lamented by all who knew him, on July
2, 1903. His remains were taken to Ilion,
N. Y., for interment.
During Father Carney's administration,
in 1890, most of the Bohemian members
of St. John's withdrew from this par
ish and built a church of their own south
west of St. John's. It is called the Holy
Rosary church.
After Father Carney's death, the Rev.
Bernard Ulbrick had temporary charge of
the parish from July to August, 1903,
when Rev. William F. Bradley took charge
of it until August 1, 1908. In this time
numerous articles were purchased, many
repairs were made, and a number of memo
rial windows were placed in the church.
He was succeeded by the Rev. Michael
A. Shine, afterwards Monsignor. He made
many improvements inside and outside the
church property. A steel ceiling was set
in the church, and a beautiful main altar,
with two side ones, donated by Mr. and
Mrs. F. R. Guthmann. were installed: elec
tric lights in all buildings, an air furnace
placed in the church, a concrete basement
placed under the school with a steam heat
plant for school and priest's house, to
which he added a front porch. He had
Sixth and Oak streets paved and side
walks bordering the church property on
these two streets cemented. After the
Benedictine Sisters gave up the school,
Monsignor Shine called the Ursuline Sis
ters from Kentucky to conduct the school.
This they did, coming in the fall of 1921,
and are now conducting the school with
success. Even the non-Catholics have
great admiration for St. John's school.
Monsignor Shine's greatest work was in
literature. He devoted every spare moment
to historical research about Nebraska, es
pecially the territory covering the Diocese
of Lincoln, concerning the Church, the
Indians and the first white inhabitants.
Historically speaking, he is to this diocese
what Eusebius of Caesarea is to the Church
in the first three centuries. The notes he
has compiled in historical data about every
parish and mission and priest of the dio
cese are perhaps the most valuable in tne
country. He was a special authority on
Indian lore and true history of the var
ious tribes of early days. His research
work covers a period of over thirty years.
The desk he used for nineteen years in
Plattsmouth has been preserved by the
D. A. R. of Nebraska and is now in Arbor
Lodge, bearing an engraved silver plate
stating the value of his work to state and
nation. .
Father Shine had charge of St. John's
parish until his death in April, 1927. He
was succeeded by the Rev. George Agius,
D. D., J. C. D., now a Domestic Prelate.
Monsignor Agius soon paid the $4,000
debt he found against the parish, provided
a fine large chapel to accommodate on
week-days the 100 children of the school,
and placed new floors both in school and
in church. Not long ago the three main
buildings were remodeled to quite an ex
tent. Fifth street was paved, and two
more lots north of the church property
were purchased for a playground for the
school children. The latest improvement
is the addition of basement rooms under
the church buildng, used as a meeting
place for the different religious societies
of the parish. A special collection was
taken September 17, 1939, for further re
pairs to the church property.
The membership of St. John's church
at the present time is about 400.
Best Wishes from
Hotel Plattsmouth
Comer 6th and Main
Friendly Greetings
Hotel Plattsmouth
COFFEE SHOP
CONGRATULATIONS!
Hotel Plattsmouth
TAVERN
COMPLIMENTS OF
Herb's Liquor Store
Plattsmouth Hotel Bldg. Phone 18
CONGRATULATIONS !
Walt's Barber Shop
Plattsmouth Hotel BIdg.
GREETINGS FROM
Bob White Taxi
Phone 500 - Plattsmouth
COMPLIMENTS OF
Dr. A. R. Johnson, D. D. S.
Bekin Building Phone 236
AUTO SUPPLIES
RADIOS
Gamble Store Agency
Phone 294
Hardware
W. B, YORK
Oil Heaters
