Crawford County WI Archives Church Records.....St. Gabriel's Parish ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/wi/wifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com October 27, 2007, 9:30 pm ST. GABRIEL'S PARISH—HIGHER EDUCATION St. Mark's Institute—St. John's College When Rev. Peter Matthias Abbelen, who had served as assistant-pastor during the short term of Eev. Anthony Koke, became pastor in 1872, a distinct impetus was given to Catholic education in Prairie du Chien. It was during his pastorate that the first step towards Catholic higher education was taken in the establishing of St. Mary's Institute by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Taking over the work begun by the Franciscans three years before, and assuming as a legacy from the early Dominicans the name 'St. Mary's' for their school, the School Sisters of Notre Dame carried on single-handed and under none-too-pleasant conditions, the self-imposed task of training the Catholic youth of Prairie du Chien. From that day to this, without intermission, they have continued in charge of the parochial school of St. Gabriel's parish. Later, they assumed the added burden of conducting the school attached to the Bohemian Catholic church, St. John's, which they still direct today. The beginning of St. Mary's Institute dates, by happy chance, from Washington's Birthday, 1872, when three Notre Dame Sisters of Watertown, Wisconsin, arrived at Prairie du Chien. Shortly after their arrival, Mr. John Lawler proposed several locations as possible sites for the projected school. The Sisters chose the historic site of Fort Crawford; and Mr. Lawler turned over to them a warranty deed for seven acres of land, on which were still, standing the principal buildings that remained of the old Fort. June 30, 1872, the corner-stone was laid; angl five months later, November 21, Mass was celebrated for the first time in the chapel of St. Mary's Institute by the energetic pastor of St. Gabriel's parish, Father Abbelen. The first superior of the school, Sister Serapha, still lives to tell the tale of the founding, and is at present an active member of the Community at St. Mary's Academy, Prairie du Chien. St. Mary's College, a later development of the Institute, was transferred about ten years ago to Milwaukee, and is now known as Mount Mary College. But, Father Abbelen, ever zealous for Catholic education, had previously taken definite steps for the higher training of boys. Here too, as formerly, we find the generous hand of Mr. John Lawler extended to help with the work. Already, as early as 1866, an effort had been made to establish a local college. But it was not until 1871, when Mr. Lawler secured the building accupied by the Prairie du Chien Hotel Company, that a school for boys under the name 'St. John's College' was opened by the Brothers of the Christian Schools. In 1879, the school was taken over by priests of the Society of Jesus, who also changed the name of it to 'College of the Sacred Heart.' Later still the school became known as 'Campion College of the Sacred Heart.' A few years ago, the college department was absorbed by Marquette University, Milwaukee. Today the extensive buildings and grounds are occupied by Campion Academy, a boarding high school for boys, under the direction of members of the Society of Jesus. After an absence of two hundred years, the 'Jesuits' had returned to familiar ground; and as the sequel will show, had much to do with the future of St. Gabriel's parish. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Centennial History of St. Gabriel's Parish PRAIRIE DU CHIEN WISCONSIN 1836 1936 DR. P. L. SCANLAN, M. D. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/wi/crawford/churches/stgabrie23gbb.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/ File size: 4.0 Kb