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, 10:27 pm ST. GABRIEL'S PARISH—ONE HUNDRED YEARS Bishop Griffin It remains only to recount the final stage of St. Gabriel's parish history, that period extending from 1916, when for the second time the Jesuits assumed charge of the parish, to the present day. During these twenty years, four Jesuits successively were entrusted with the responsibilities of the pastoral office. The usual routine work that falls to the lot of every pastor, day by day, was theirs to accomplish; but each in his own way undertook individual tasks, which may serve to distinguish his pastorate from that of the others. Rev. William Schiermann, S. J., the immediate successor, together with his assistant, Rev. James P. Monahan, S. J., was active during the World War in Red Cross work. Again, after the war, when the influenza epidemic was at its height, each was occupied almost continually with ministrations to the dying and the dead. The death of Bishop Schwebach during this-period of stress" had left the See of LaCrosse open; and on November 21, 1921, Rt. Rev. Alexander J. McGavick succeeded to the vacant See. That same year, Rev. Michael Speich, S. J., and Rev. Francis J. Rudden, S. J., were appointed pastor and assistant-pastor, respectively. Previously, Father Speich had devoted many years of service to the colored people of St. Louis, and had been pastor subsequently of the Jesuit church at St. Charles, Missouri. Father Rudden came to Prairie du Chien with an experience of ten years as an army chaplain in the East Indies. In 1924, Rev. Mathias Peters was chosen to succeed Father Speich. The new pastor of St. Gabriel's, by his gentle manners endeared himself to the people of the parish throughout the four years of his ministrations. Prior to his appointment as pastor at Prairie du Chien, he had been engaged for an extended period in academic work at the various Jesuit colleges of the Missouri Province. For a few years, Rev. Joseph Wels, S. J., assisted Father Peters in the parish work. The present incumbent at St. Gabriel's parish, Rev. Joseph Blank, S. J., entered upon his duties as pastor in 1928, coming here from St. Ignatius parish, Rogers Park, Chicago, Illinois. For a short time after coming to St. Gabriel's, Father Blank was assisted in his work of the parish by Father Wels; but since 1929, he has been carrying the burden alone. At present, Father Blank is undertaking a major task, and one in proportion to his great powers of mind and body: the building of a new parochial school to accommodate the large number of children in his parish. The pastor trusts that the new bishop of LaCrosse, Rt. Rev. William Richard Griffin, who assists Bishop McGavick in his work, will have a magnificent school to dedicate at Prairie du Chien in the near future. Arranged by FATHER U. KILLACKY COPYRIGHT 1936 Crawford County Press Print 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/stgabrie32gbb.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/wifiles/ File size: 3.6 Kb