St. Anthony, Milan

St. Wendelin, Fostoria

Photo of the interior of the previous St. Wendelin's church. Not sure about the date, but the Christmas trees are a clue.

SS Peter and Paul, Old South End

Quote of the Day

"In youth the days are short and the years are long. In old age the years are short and day's long" - Pope Paul VI

St. Alphonsus Parish Festival

SUNDAY, JULY 13^TH – ST. ALPHONSUS PARISH, Settlement Road, extend a hearty invitation to all for their annual summer festival. Featuring chicken and ham dinners and homemade pie. Serving begins at 11:00 a.m. and continues throughout the day in the air-conditioned hall. Take out dinners will be available. Spend the day in the country! There will be hot air balloon rides from 5:00-8:00 p.m., a softball tournament, children’s games, an impressive silent auction, a corn hole tournament and much more for your enjoyment. On Saturday, July 12^th there will be a 5K run. Call 419-663-5530 for details.

I Have to Say It

I've been studying the history of the Church all my life. I've seen some amazing events. But this one takes the cake. Let's pray it continues.

St. Patrick

A Bit More

Amy Welborn has a post that offers a good role model for dealing with the PR problems I posted about, HERE.
As an example, there was a small fire, recently, at Queen of Apostles School. A rumor that it would be closed immediately swept the neighborhood.
That's the last I'll say on the subject.

Victoria - Pange lingua

St. Patrick

St. Gertrude of Nivelles, Patron Saint of Cats

I thought this would be appropriate. HERE'S her story.

Cats

One of the many cats you'll find at St. Alphonsus

Fr. R.A. Sidley

From the Sandusky Evening Star, Feb. 8, 1904

When Father Sidley arrived in Sandusky [1863], the Federal prison at Johnson's Island was crowded with several thousand Confederate officers, prisoners of war. It was one of the most important points in the country in this respect. There was a regularly appointed chaplain, but Father Sidley made it his business to call there frequently. He was given passports from Washington which entitled him to enter the place whenever he desired.

"The chaplain of the place was a Protestant minister," said Father Sidley, in speaking of this period of his work. "He was a good man, too—he's dead now. But the prisoners did not like him. They hated him—and all because he was a Northerner—a man furnished by the government against which they had rebelled. And so when I went there as a Catholic priest, being neither North nor South, I was welcomed. I served Catholics and non-Catholics alike."

Many a poor man in the prison, far from home, had cause to thank Father Sidley for some act of kindness. He would cross the bay in a small boat at any time he was wanted and he did much to cheer the men who were confined there. On more than one occasion he braved storms to answer a call of duty.

Cemetery at Johnson's Island

A Comment

I hope the priest's convocation includes a seminar on the one point where the diocese is woefully inadequate; basic PR skills. I can't speak for the outlying areas, but in Toledo, the diocese has a bad public image, and not nearly enough is being done to correct that. Past events, ranging from the conduct of a few priests to parish closings have left a climate of suspicion and distrust. The blame for that goes to both the public and the diocese. It takes two to tango, so to speak. Unfortunately, the blame for not correcting it can only go to the diocese. In case you haven't noticed, I avoid criticism of this sort. That tends to show that, if someone like me starts to lose trust and feels the need to speak out, the situation's not good.
What can be done? Well, in spite of the talk, openness and responsiveness remain hard to find. That's the starting point.
And, please, Excellency, tell our priests to avoid situations where they might get arrested.

65 Years

Monsignor Edward Dunn is celebrating 65 years as a priest this year. In the photo above, he’s at the far right, at the dedication of St. Mary’s School in Tiffin, Nov. 7, 1954. The others are (from left) Msgr. Kinnane, Fr. Heringhaus, and Bishop Rehring.

Fr. Richard Dunn, Monsignor’s brother, marks 63 years as a priest this year.

Thomas Tallis - Spem in Alium

Anonymous Bolivian - Caîma, Iyaî Jesus, motet Integrale

Immaculate Conception, Old South End

This was taken from Golden Rule Park, on Maumee Street, during an impromptu after-Mass picnic. Never know what's going to happen next at this parish.

St. Louis, Custar

The item St. Louis is holding is the Crown of Thorns, which he acquired. He built the Sainte-Chapelle, in Parish, to house it, along with other relics.

St. Louis, Custar

Thanks to David for e-mailing the pictures.

Prayer Request

Prayers are requested for a permanent deacon who's having a knee replacement.
I can sympathize. I could use a replacement for everything from the neck down.

Immaculate Conception Chapel, St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center

Believe it or Not.....

This was a church. St. James' Parish, in the Old South End, rented this building until they could afford to build. Ten to one, they even made the interior look good.

Oddly enough, I can see it from the back porch. My pastor had told me about it a good while ago, but couldn't remember anything about it, except that it had been painted powder blue the last time he noticed. A couple weeks ago, he gave me a ride back from Mass and decided to look for it.

Assumption, Reed Township

I like that tower cap.

St. Alphonsus, Peru

A view of the Sanctuary Ceiling

The Catholic Sun, by Hilaire Belloc

Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine,
There’s always laughter and good red wine.
At least I’ve always found it so.
Benedicamus Domino!

Tu es Petrus

Concierto 80 años Benedicto XVI Canción nueve tonos

Sacred Heart, East Toledo

Sacred Heart, East Toledo

This may be the best bit of terrazzo I've ever seen. It's a shame they made such a mess of the sanctuary after the fire. All around you is a beautiful church, and right there in the middle, bleeech.

Immaculate Conception, Old South End

Solanus Casey Center

I've just recieved word of a "Sundays with Solanus" event at the Solanus Casey Center, in Detroit. Mass will begin at 11 AM and a tour of the center, including the tomb of Ven. Solanus, will follow. For directions, click HERE.

Sorrowful Mother Shrine, Bellevue

Illustration of the chapel at Sorrowful Mother Shrine, which burned in 1912. The current chapel is built on its foundation. (From Fr. Edmund Binsfeld's 1950 history of the shrine.)

Trains from Cleveland brought many pilgrims to both Sorrowful Mother Shrine and Our Lady of Consolation in Carey in the early 1900s. (Sorrowful Mother Shrine's location has been known as Frank, Thompson, and Marywood -- Bellevue is the mailing address.)

?

Does anyone recognize the church?

Attention Fremont Readers

These photographs were taken between 1910 and 1920. The priests were probably at St. Joseph's, but possibly at St. Anne's. Any idea who they were?

Immaculate Conception, Old South End

St. Aloysius, Bowling Green

The recent posts on St. Aloysius prompted another regular source to e-mail these old postcards.
The roofline of the old church, in the one above, seems remarkably low.

St. Aloysius, Bowling Green

Photo by Allan Dieball

St. Alphonsus, Peru

Immaculate Conception, Old South End

Requiescat in Pace

Fr. Robert Lamantia

Tridentine Latin Mass

Sunday, June 15, at noon. Immaculate Conception Parish, Broadway and Eastern, Old South End.

Don't Be Hasty

Fr. V has a good post on preserving the heirlooms of the Church. I agree completely. We've seen far too much lost because people didn't have the sense to realize their own taste wasn't going to be an eternal trend.

Immaculate Conception, Old South End