St. Aloysius Church, South Garryowen

MCCAULEY, MCNAMARA, KELLY, CARROLL, FITZPATRICK, KINSELLA, SHANAHAN, ALLEN, SULLIVAN, ROONEY, KUNKEL, WALSHE, EDWARDS, KENNEDY, LOUGHNANE, CONNELL, SCHMITZ

Posted By: Anne Hermann (email)
Date: 7/3/2008 at 14:55:11

CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF THE ARCHDIOCES OF DUBUQUE,
Rev. M. M. Hoffmann, 1938

ST. ALOYSIUS CHURCH, SOUTH GARRYOWEN

In the year 1891, Bishop Hennessy sent Father P. H. McCauley to Alma, Jackson County, to establish a new parish in that locality. Father McCauley purchased six acres of land and offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass several times in the public school which was adjacent to the newly acquired property. He also held a picnic to raise funds.

The following spring the Rev. P. M. McNamara was appointed to continue the work. While collecting funds and making plans for the building, he boarded with Father Kelly at North Garryowen and with a private family for several months.

The corner stone for the new church was laid in November, 1892, by the Rev. Lawrence Roche. The Rev. John P. Carroll, later Bishop Carroll, preached the sermon. In June of 1893, the new church was blessed by the Rev. James Fitzpatrick, who also preached the sermon. The church was a large frame structure and was built as a cost of approximaltely $4,000.00. An eight room house was built that year at a cost of approximately $1,000.00. A few years later a gallery and vestry were added to the church.

The members of the new parish were nearly all Irsih and Bishop Hennessy designated about fifty families as its nucleus. The majority previously belonged to St. Patrick’s Church at North Garryowen and a few to Otter Creek.

The first baptism recorded was that of William A. Kinsella, son of Mike Kinsella and Nora English, born July 2, 1893, baptized on July 8. The first marriage was that of Patrick Shanahan and Margaret Allen on April 3, 1894. The first member to be buried from the new church was Mrs. John Sullivan, who died October 13, 1895. Confirmation was administered for the first time at the new parish on November 17, 1894, by Archbishop John Hennessy. Forty-eight were confirmed.

In November of 1905, Father McNamara was appointed pastor at Placid and was succeeded by the Rev. Thomas Rooney. Father Rooney remained as pastor until 1912. During his time a tower was added to the church and several acres of land were purchased.

The Rev. Wm. Kunkel was pastor from 1912-1914. The Rev. Austin Walshe succeeded him in 1914 and he remained until 1927. Many improvements were made during his time. Parcels of land were donated to the parish at various times by Jim Edwards, Mike Kennedy, and Mary Reagan. Father Walshe is at present resideing in England.

The Rev. P. Loughnane came in the year 1927 and died in June of the following year. The Rev. J. P. Connell succeeded him and the latter remained until January, 1936. In his regime two disastrous fires completely destroyed the hall and church, the former in the winter of 1933-1934 and the church in the fall of 1936. Anotherr hall was erected in 1934 at a cost of approximately $5,000.00. Its dimensions were 80 by 30 feet.

In March, 1936, the Rev. A. J. Schmitz was appointed to succeed Father Connell. The parish hall was converted into a church. New pews were installed and a sanctuary and sacristies added.