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(God the Son) "And thou, Lord coeternal, God's sole begotten Son, O Jesus, King anointed, who has redemption won." Just as in the first period we saw the creative hand of God the Father at work in the parish, so in the second we see the benign influence of God the Son, extending and increasing the parish through the sacraments. The first trickle of grace in Clear Creek now swells to a rivulet, bringing living waters to the parched fields and causing the seed of Faith to swell and burst into new life. The second stanza from the hymn to the Trinity quoted above thus serves as a good introduction to the second period. The redemption having been won by Christ, our anointed king, the growth of his Mystical Body is now accomplished through the sacraments as channels of grace. Cascading through the bed of Clear Creek, the torrent of grace is funnelled [sic] to the parishioners by means of the seven sacraments. Hence the growth of the parish is closely connected to the sacraments. For that reason we have seen fit to speak of the second period from the viewpoint of the sacraments, treating of each one in full from past to present, to show how the pattern of growth fell in naturally with the seven sacraments. Confirmation only has been excepted, being reserved to the third period because properly the Holy Spirit is at work in all of the sacraments but particularly in Confirmation. Members of the parish, and of the larger parish, the Mystical Body of Christ, are incorporated into Christ through the sacrament of Baptism. Baptismal records of the church indicate that up to the present 1,902 souls have had the saving waters of salvation poured out upon them. But souls must grow in grace and for this a resident pastor, a shepherd living with his flock, was necessary. With the coming of Rev. John Fedler in the fall of 1887, Bishop Henry Cosgrove was influenced to prepare the parish for a resident pastor. He appointed Rev. Joseph A. Rangger in April, 1893, first to Sigourney, with Clear Creek as an outmission, but then, at the pastor's request, to Clear Creek with Sigourney as an outmission. The request was logical since the former had a larger number of Catholics. A place of residence for the pastor was thus necessary. At a parish meeting on April 24, members resolved to build a rectory at a cost of $1,400. The pastor moved into the new rectory in February of the following year. The accommodations were used the next week by the Redemptorist Fathers (Rev. John B. Neu and Rev. Francis Straubinger), who preached a mission February 25-March 4, 1894. Father Rangger, well-pleased with the results of the mission, wrote in the ledger, "Populus bene attendebant—ducenti et nonaginta dua confessiones susceptae sunt. Deo Gratias." (The people attended well—292 confessions were heard. Thanks be to God") Visiting the parish October 5, 1894, Bishop Cosgrove confirmed a class of 58. Three years later, returning for Confirmation of 49 members, he was pleased at the growth of the parish (59 members in 1864, 91 members in 1873) and suggested that a larger church be built. In October, 1897, Father Rangger began to collect money for the church proposed by the bishop. On June 8, 1898, Bishop Cosgrove laid the cornerstone. April 18, 1899, the new church was dedicated by the bishop. Contract price for the new church, a handsome, neo-Gothic type structure so peculiar to the midwest of this time, was $5,850. This did not include bricks, furnishings, frescoes, or lumber which was to be hauled from Harper. Total cost was estimated at $10,000. (More than $25,000 has been expended by the parish in the past three years to renovate the structure and modernize it.) Architect Borgolte of Rock Island, Ill., drew the plans, while Harry Schroeder of Washington was the contractor. Annie Peiffer, later to be Father Rangger's housekeeper, boarded the church workers during the time the church was being built. The Peiffer family lived on what is now the Cletus and Tony Weber place. This was convenient for the workers, being so close, but rather inconvenient for Annie who had so many extra mouths to feed. As a memento of her work, Annie received a fine portrait of the pastor, beard and all, in a fine brass frame. On her death the picture was brought to the parish, where it now hangs in the sacristy, its brass frame newly-refinished by Teresa Kiefer. Bricks for the new church were made on the church ground by Fuller and Schumacher of Muscatine. (Mr. Schumacher was a great-uncle of the present mailman, Cletus Striegel). Concerning the brick in the church, there is an interesting story told. Father Rangger was a man of strong mind. He was particularly concerned that the church should be built to endure and he was not of a mind to tolerate shoddy workmanship. On one occasion he remonstrated with the contractor about a wall which was out of kilter and not to his satisfaction. Unable to obtain any remedy from the contractor, Father took matters into his own hands. He knocked the wall down. Only the necessary number of bricks had been made from the clay pits back of the church and the bricklayers had departed. Not enough bricks were left to complete the church. Consequently, new bricks, which did not match the old in color, had to be purchased. Today a close observer may detect the difference in the texture of the bricks on the upper portion of the church and those of the lower layers; they bear colorful testimony to Father's integrity of purpose. That integrity was shown on yet another occasion, according to old timers who told the story to Father Kleinfelder. The church having been completed, Father Rangger found that only a few hundred dollars were necessary to pay all the bills for the construction of the new church. Wishing to have a debt-free church for the dedication, he called the people to Mass in the newly finished church on the Sunday preceding the dedication. Once the congregation was inside admiring the magnificence of the building, he locked the doors. Until the members had "shelled out" enough to make up the deficit, he would not open them. Thus the building was dedicated debt-free. Father Rangger did not long enjoy the fruits of his labor, for in 1902 he departed to other fields. Rev. Henry Grothe succeeded him for a brief period. In 1902 Rev. Peter Stahl was appointed pastor. As the cornerstone indicates, the present school was built during his administration (1906). A peculiar feature of its early years was an arrangement for boarding students. Some students still walked five and ten miles to school, but many families boarded their children. They would leave the children after Mass on Sunday and pick them up again on Friday. The building, a large structure, was hard-pressed to accommodate the many boarders, who, at times, slept three to a bed ... crossways. Concerning its building, the story is told that Father Stahl, remembering how his predecessor had utilized the talents of the Peiffer family to provide for the workers, thought to do likewise. Annie had gone to be housekeeper for Father Rangger, but her sister, Mary, was still at home. So Father thought. But Mary, having made plans to do housework for a family, was actually packing her trunk to leave on the morrow when the pastor drove into the farmyard. "Mary, I need you to board the workers for the school," the pastor said. "Oh, Father, I cannot. If you had only said something sooner! But I must go work for a family that I promised last week," Mary lamented. "Well then, Mary," countered the pastor, "it must be on your conscience if the school is not built. We cannot build unless someone boards the workers and there is no one else." Mary, conscience stricken, stayed home and took care of the workers as her sister had done before. Like her sister also she became a priest's housekeeper—her brother's, Msgr. Peiffer—remaining with him until his death in 1957. In later years the boarding school was discontinued, but its influence is still seen in the architecture of the building. In what is now the Sisters' dining room there was a sliding panel connecting it with the kitchen. The dining room functioned more or less as a cafeteria, with the sliding panel devised to keep the youngsters out from under the feet of the cook sister during serving time. She must have fried a lot of potatoes. The boys didn't like them, considering them too greasy, but they had to clean their plates before they could leave the table. Rev. Raymond Pacha's mother recalls that the boys used to put the potatoes in their pockets . . . and the mothers never could understand why their pockets were always so greasy. There are many stories told about the shenanigans that went on. One story is about the day some rapscallion boys, after poking and pushing to get a dog upstairs, let it loose into the schoolroom. Then, in pretended innocence, they burst into the room saying, "Oh, Sister, we'll get the dog out for you." This and similar tricks were great fun. Richard Hammes remembers Sister M. Lily teaching him to play the violin. Only occasionally now does Richard haul out his fiddle to play for a dance, but he still recalls the boxes on the ears that Sister used to teach him how to keep time. The old music case which formerly stood in the music room has since been transferred to the choir loft where it serves as a music library case. Another feature of the school was the livery stables which had stood so long behind the school. On Sundays these stables housed the many horses and carriages or wagons which hauled the families to Mass (much like the stables still to be seen in use in the Amana colonies). On weekdays they housed the horses and ponies which the children rode to and from school. Formerly parents counted the cost of education in the number of horses a child wore out riding to school. August Peiffer used to buy a new horse every year, and he was wont to say that his children's education had cost him 26 horses. As late as the early '40s it was common to see 25 or 30 horses going east and west when school let out. The older children would ride the horses out to the iron fence that used to be in front of the school. In order to reach the horses, the little children would mount from the fence. Sister M. Laurelle, the former Cecilia Greiner, jokingly compared this daily loading to the complexity of departing from Union Station in Chicago, only there was more bedlam, adventure and confusion in the Clear Creek terminal. Youngsters who long for those adventuresome days are cautioned by the oldsters that riding one of those wide plow horses was not the joy it might seem. Parishioners complained about the dilapidated state of the horse sheds, but to their complaints Father Fleinfelder replied, "We can't take the sheds down until Gerald Becker graduates." So Gerry goes down in history as the last horse-riding student in Clear Creek. Throughout these "horse 'n buggy" days the sacrament of Baptism made SS. Peter & Paul a family parish so that today there is a closeness and intimacy here which is not found in the larger city parishes. That, family unity in Christ was amply demonstrated in a baptism in the James Greiner family. The Clear Creek Notes of the Keota Eagle had this to say about it: " ... There to see their youngest sister baptized and made a child of God were the six older Greiner children, Hubert, Janice, Eugene, Diane, Leon and Linda. It was an imposing sight to see the six lined up, in a pew, each head a little shorter, welcoming their sister into the larger family of Christ and his church. Born on St. Patrick's day, she was named Joyce Patricia. That's a good German name for you!" Likewise, the day of christening for Calvin Anthony Clubb was a momentous occasion, as the Keota Eagle relates: " ... There was a regular congregation present for the baptismal ceremony, about 25 people in all. Father commented that it was very fitting for relatives and friends to attend the baptism since it showed the social character of baptism which makes us all one in Christ. When all joined in reciting the Apostles Creed, it showed the unity of the faith which led the Apostle Paul to comment, 'one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism.' "George and Beatrice were very happy to see their little one christened. Actually he had been baptized at birth by the hospital chaplain for it seemed that he had come into this world only to leave it. Yet modern science and prayer saved the little guy. Because of the RH factor his blood had to be changed completely three times. Someone else's blood saved his natural life; the blood of Christ saved his supernatural life." No better is this family unity brought out than by the Easter Vigil which Father Kleinfelder inaugurated as soon as it was permitted by the present holy pontiff. At the Vigil it is the common practice, when conditions warrant it, to baptize adult converts, thus granting them an opportunity to be welcomed into the parish. The parishioners also show their oneness in Christ in welcoming the newcomers into the parish. Donning the large white robe made expressly for this purpose were converts Lynn Bower, 1955, Don Paarman, 1956, and Mrs. Raymond Kiefer, 1958. Also at the Vigil the parishioners renew their baptismal vows, renouncing Satan and all his works, vowing allegiance to Christ their Redeemer as they hold lighted candles in their hands. It's entirely a parish affair, which means children too, as the Keota Eagle again states: "Ardis Hammes says the kids are looking forward to the Easter Vigil because they've been promised that they might stay up for this one great night of the church year. They have their Paschal candles and their Holy Week booklets all ready for the climax of Holy Week." Weekly, parishioners are reminded of their Baptism by the Asperges held prior to the Sunday community high Mass. The sprinkling of the congregation with holy water is a reminder of the graces which have come and are coming to the parish through the sacrament of Baptism. These visual signs are constantly used in the parish to instruct the members in the Faith. At Baptism, for instance, a gown made by the Sisters is used. Rather than just an insignificant piece of white cloth, it actually looks like a small gown which it is supposed to be. An embroidered Chi Rho, representing Christ, emphasizes that the child indeed "puts on Christ" as the ritual indicates. Having been planted, the seed must be nourished. This is done primarily through the Eucharist, offered and received. From early times there was a love for the Mass. This love did not diminish over the years; rather it increased. This was evident during the time of Rev. H. Sendbuehler, who arrived in September, 1907, to succeed Father Stahl. During his administration the parish celebrated its Golden Jubilee. Records show the gifts donated by parishioners so as to make the celebration of the Mass more glorious and fitting. Three albs, five altar boys' red cassocks and five black, ten boys' surplices, a black Mass vestment and a violet one, a purple antependium (which is still used on suitable occasions), a ciborium cover, ablution cup, holy water container, processional lanterns and torches (which now repose in the school attic) and a host of paraphanalia [sic] for worship—all were donated for the jubilee. Added, too, were the four minor statues On the side altars: figures of St. Henry, St. Aloysius, St Ann and St. Mary Magdalene. (There was some dispute about the sex of this last statue. Some thought it might be St. John. In making purple cloths to cover the statues during Lent, Sister M. Seraphine put names on all the other statues' cloths but this one, though the other Sisters told her to call it St. Annonymous [sic]. When the statues were being repainted in 1956 doubts about gender were dispelled by Father's checking records left by Father Sendbuehler; it was St. Mary Magdalene). Two of the three bells in the steeple were purchased for the Golden Jubilee. The Stuckstede Co. of St. Louis, Mo., which provided bells for many other churches in the diocese, cast the bells. The larger one, weighing 2,060 pounds and costing $566.09, was donated by Nick Weber in memory of his wife. The smaller bell of 1,100 pounds was given by the children of Frank Schmitt at a cost of $290. On the feast of the Ascension, after a sermon by the neighboring Sigourney pastor, Rev. J. G. Hauser, the bells were blessed by the Very Rev. W. P. Hoppman. Legend has it that the bells are named Peter & Paul, but no documents have been found to prove this a fact. Regardless of their names, over these 50 years the three bells have called the farmers from their fields for Mass, for funerals, weddings, devotions, and have signalled [sic] times of prayer, such as the Angelus. It is the custom of the school children to ring the Angelus (when they remember) during the school year. They vie for the honor of scurrying up the tower stairs to pull the old bell ropes while their playmates pause to pray the angelic salutation. Prancing up the stairs, the bell ringers do not always maintain the proper decorum. One fateful day Dick Adrian and Mikey Greiner were clambering up with more than usual glee when the wrathful figure of Father met them at the head of the stairs and admonished them to greater respect for silence in God's house. The bell tower was struck by lightning in June, 1950. The next evening Martha and Celeste Weber were practicing the organ in the choir loft. Hearing a rumbling noise in the tower, they thought some boys were trying to frighten them. They left their music on the organ and ran home to tell their father. Irate, he returned with them to chastise the pranksters. He opened the tower door. Flames swirled out! The noise heard by the girls had been caused by parts of the huge beams, which had been burning since the night before, finally burning through and dropping to the floor. Father Kleinfelder, faithfully attending one of his bi­monthly K. C. meetings at Harper, was unaware of the danger facing the church. A phone call brought him home to find the fire under control and no great damage done to the church proper. C. P. Hammes repaired the damage and so strengthened the tower that it stands as firm as ever. With all of the recently purchased appurtenances, the parish was well-equipped to celebrate its Golden Jubilee worthily. So it was that a pontifical high Mass was celebrated on June 27, 1911 (a date which is a variance with the centennial date because it was estimated from a different "first"). In these pre-World War times, two sermons were preached, one in German by Fr. Peter Kern, another in English by Fr. H. Grothe. Serving as deacon and sub-deacon of the jubilee Mass were two sons of the parish, N. J. Peiffer and Mike Schmitt. Both were in minor orders and later were ordained priests. No breathing spell was granted after the big celebration, for in July of that jubilee year the pastor called a meeting to build a new rectory. Peter Adrian, Sr., (notice the now-modern spelling) bought the old rectory and moved it to the Adrian farm east of the church property. The pastor had the privilege of living in the old rectory until the new was completed. New families now appeared on the rolls as subscribing to the new rectory. They complemented the old families who had contributed to the support of the priest in the formative years. Peter Peiffer, who was thinking of selling his farm and moving away, volunteered to give $50 on the condition that he stayed in the parish. Some other new contributors were: Peter Hammen, Sr., Peter J. Redlinger, Anton Conrad, Joseph Sieren, Nick Pitsch, Anton Ott, Hy Bombei, John Schmitt, Jacob Baker — all of whose family names are still to be found on the parish register. None of these contributions was made without sacrifice. These contributors saw that only by denying themselves and giving their labor to God could they effectively participate in the sacrifice of the Mass. Giving of themselves, they too were changed into the image of Christ. A good example of the charity which stamps them in this image is shown by the parish celebration of Holy Thursday. The washing of the feet is performed, with the men of the parish representing the Twelve. The priest washing the feet of these men is a graphic example of the love they should have for one another. The Keota Eagle has this to say about one Holy Thursday: "Some of the men were kidding Father about not being able to count because there were 13 apostles lined up for the washing of the feet on Holy Thursday. Undaunted, Father had a reply, 'That 13th man was for the apostle Paul, who himself said that he was born out of due time.' "It was rather ironic, how it happened that there were 13 men there when only 12 took part in the original ceremony. Clarence Weber was the one who stayed behind when the men realized there were too many. Because he had been the first one asked, Father consoled him at the faux pas by saying, 'The first shall be last and the last first.' "Holy Thursday must have been effective in its lesson, for the Keota Eagle later on carries this account: "Seems Joey Heisdorffer was having a hard time memorizing his Act of Contrition in preparation for his First Communion. Tender­hearted Larry Greiner came up to him, put his arm around his shoulders and said, 'say Joey, why don't you pray to your little sister up in heaven? I'm sure she'll help you learn your Act of Contrition.' Kids really know how to show Christian charity." The Mass carries over to the sick of the community through communion brought by the priest to the various households where someone is ill. Such a place was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hahn, to which Father was going when, as the Clear Creek Notes state, "the little white Ford coughed, choked, wheezed and sputtered to a stop. Out of gas! Father hot-footed it up to the nearby farmhouse and borrowed Lawrence Adrian's car to continue his errand of mercy while Lawrence drew out some gas for the white "tin lizzie" stalled on the road. When Father returned, Lawrence was harnessing up the horses, causing Father to remark, `There's something good about those hayburners of yours; they never run out of gas!" The seed of Faith planted and nourished must also be cultivated so that the torrents of grace can reach it and produce their effect. When driftwood blocks Clear Creek, the farmers must clear out the debris so that the water can flow freely once again. When sins and imperfections block the flow of grace, the pastor must raise his hand in priestly benediction and absolution so that the soul may be free from sin. The confessional, where absolution is given, was first located in the front of the church by the St. Joseph altar. The pews were indented so as to allow space for it. In later years the ornate "box" was removed to the rear of the church where it shares a corner with the baptismal font. Entering the confessional, the parishioners were accustomed to greet the priest with "Gelobet sei Jesus Christus" (Praise be to Jesus Christ). In return the priest would answer "Von nun an bis in Ewigkeit" (Now and for all eternity). This greeting and response were not confined to the confessional, but were made part of everyday life. Some of the old timers still use the German saying when receiving the sacrament of Penance, but rarely does the priest know what to respond. The strong spiritual life of the parish is attributed in no small part to the good spiritual direction given by means of the confessional. Although in early years the people received the sacrament of Penance infrequently, through the years the legislation of the popes encouraged their more frequent reception of the sacrament. Especially after the time of Pius X and during the pastorate of Father Kleinfelder (1930 to the present), frequent confession was urged. Father recalls the custom in some parts of Germany of putting up the confessional only during Passiontide and storing it away during the rest of the year. Consequently, it was his task to educate the people to new forms, a task which he accomplished by making himself ever available in the confessional. Long ago, because of the distances from the See City, there were occasional differences of opinion with the bishop and various pastors and/or parishioners of the diocese. One such "difference of opinion", which was not unique to Clear Creek, provoked quite a trial for the parish when it bumped horns with the bishop over the matter of roads. In those days it was the custom for farmers everywhere to use the road for pasture. Gates were therefore erected at regular intervals across the road to keep the stock in place. Father Kleinfelder can recall visiting his grandmother's farm near Muscatine and having to jump out of the carriage 13 times in five miles to open the many gates across the road. Having to stop to open and close each gate in order to reach the church caused much discomfort on the part of the outlying parishioners. Those parishioners having farms on the road were asked to remove the gates. They did not. They would not. Finally, when some proved recalcitrant about removing their gates, the bishop acted firmly. He transferred the pastor (a very strong-minded man) and left the parish without a pastor, making it a mission of Harper until such time as the parishioners would remove the gates and widen the road. This strong action on the part of the bishop produced the desired result, and the road was soon open. The dusty roads, now much traveled, made it necessary to clean the church often. This was done by the girls and women of the parish. A new vacumn [sic] sweeper, a floor polisher and dust mops have been purchased to make their job easier in these latter days, but then they had only their brooms and dust cloths. Just as they swept and mopped the church through the years, so did the priest cleanse and polish their souls through the dissolving power of the sacrament. And just as cleanliness is something accomplished by daily, weekly and monthly cleanings, so has the practice of weekly and monthly confessions been built up in the parish. When Father Kleinfelder came, he inaugurated the custom of having the penitents come at least once a month. To instill this habit, he would ask the ladies of the Altar and Rosary society to come on one weekend, the men of the Holy Name society, on another, and the young people of the CYO on still another weekend. Building on this practice, the parish has now reached the point where Penance is seen as a sacrament to be received monthly or even weekly, not only as a means of having sins absolved but also as a means of obtaining grace to resist further sin. The school children are now trained to confess on their own, during their free time at the noon hour, rather than in ranks at schooltime. (Father Sieger makes his lunch time available). Parents have assumed the responsibility of seeing to it that their children receive the sacraments frequently, not only during the school year, but during the summer as well. Thus good habits are cultivated in the cycle of growth through the church year. Such a cycle demands the yearly reproduction of seed. For once the planting, cultivating and harvesting are done, the cycle must begin over again. Clear Creek has always provided for the repetition of the cycle by producing great numbers of healthy youngsters. As Bernard Greiner says, "Children are our greatest product." These children are the product of the love of their parents; they are proof of the unity of the sacramental bond uniting two Christians in the holy sacrament of Matrimony. Parish registers show a record of 432 marriages during the 100 years. Back in the old days when there was no resident pastor, marriages were solemnized when the priest arrived. Later on arrangements were made with the priests of nearby parishes. Father Fedler (1887) used to come on horseback from nearby Harper for occasional weddings. One winter snow covered the roads as high as the fence tops. Mike Peiffer and Barbara Berg were to be married the day of the big snow. The bride had come to the Peiffer home, which was near to the church, the day before; the bridegroom was already there. Just as they despaired of being married on their chosen day, Father Fedler and the wedding guests came trudging over the top of the snow. The wedding was celebrated on schedule. Continuation of the old family names was usually assured. Some of the fine old names have died out in the parish as the young folks moved out and the old folks died. Many parents, self-sacrificing as they were, began the practice of moving to neighboring towns of Sigourney, Harper, Richland and Keota, so that the farms might be turned over to the sons . . . Paul Sieren and Fremont Sieren, for example. The result has been that Clear Creek has been a young parish of late, with very few old timers around. Frank and Anton Peiffer, Julia Waechter, the Mike Spaniers, John Engledinger, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Greiner, Mr. and Mrs. John Pohren, Mr. and Mrs. John Adrian, Mr. and Mrs. August Adrian, Mrs. Peter Buch, and Grandma Hahn (at 88, the oldest living member) make up the present old guard. Many of the young people migrate to the cities. Msgr. Hauber of St. Ambrose College used to contend that Catholic life was always strong in those towns which had a strong Catholic rural area nearby. Such is true of the surrounding towns which have been populated by Clear Creekers. The result has been that weddings in Clear Creek have been few, two or three a year. They are parish festivals when they occur. Father Kleinfelder has always had the tradition that the sacramental aspect of the marriage should be emphasized. Every wedding Mass, therefore, is a high Mass; the bride and the bridegroom always receive Communion at the nuptial Mass. No profane music is allowed to be played at the wedding. Instead the wedding hymn traditionally sung at a Clear Creek wedding emphasizes the sacramental aspect, as in these verses: "Lord, Who at Cana's wedding feast didst as a guest appear, and bless the bridal couple there, also bless these two kneeling here. For holy Thou indeed dost prove the marriage vow to be, proclaiming it a type of love between Thy Bride, the Church, and The." To our knowledge, there has never been a divorce in the parish. The reason for such a record is the strong family life which is so typical of the parish. The father of the family (Alvie Baker, for instance) readily sinks to his knees with his family of an evening. Kneeling against the kitchen chairs, the whole family recites night prayers before retiring. By gathering the whole family in one pew, the pew rent system emphasizes family unity. Some families, such as that of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Hammes, still manage to squeeze into one pew, but others, such as Mr. and Mrs. Henry Weber's, will take up more than one. Red hair is no longer the peculiar distinguishing mark of a Hammes; there has been so much marriage with other families over the years. Nevertheless, there is a fair amount of certitude that there is Hammes blood in the background if a carrot-top is spotted in the crowd. But Mrs. Elizabeth Meyer's brood (she was a Hammes) are almost all towheads. New blood has been brought into the parish as Clear Creekers have gone out and courted girls from other parishes and towns. Many converts have thus come to know and enter the church, proving to be some of the outstanding parishioners. Not having had a Catholic education in their youth. they are most desirous that their children shall be formed in the Faith. Such a mother is Mrs. Leo Hammes, whose children's names all begin with the letter "J", from James through Janice and Joyce and Johnny, down to Jeffrey just beginning school. (Kevin Joseph, the baby, kept the "j" in his second name.) Childless couples such as Mr. and Mrs. Adrine Kaska, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Tinnes, Mr. and Mrs. John Baker and Mr. and Mrs. Zeno Kiefer, have ever shown their interest in the parish children. Rarely a week passes that one of Edwin Hammes' boys, or one of the Clubb or Meyer children are not at Johnny and Dolores's for a few days. Those called to the single state have proved a boon to the parish. They have cared for their families, many times denying themselves and making sacrifices to do so. In parish life they also have a role to play, each as called by God. Edna Coble and her brothers, Walter and Vernon, Raymond and Elsie Pitsch, the Pohren boys and Elva, Veronica Weber, Veronica Vogel, Clara Hammen, Frank and Anton Peiffer and Bill Kiefer — all have been called by God to this state in life, one which can be holy and pleasing to God for those who see it as their vocation. Grace Heller, the housekeeper, is one who has seen the single state as her vocation, but it has not been a barren state. Over the years, out of her meagre savings, Grace has ransomed some 20 or 30 pagan babies through the Holy Childhood association. Each time she sends in her ransom money to Msgr. Dingman she includes the name she has picked out for the ransomed child. Having grown and taken nourishment, the seedling has also to be sprayed. The poisonous spray prepares it to bear much fruit. So also the seedling of faith must be prepared to bear much fruit - that is the role of the sacrament of Extreme Unction. This sacrament is rarely administered in the parish since so many of the older people move to town where they are cared for by other pastors. Occasionally though, the priest is called out in the night to bring the last rites of the church to a dying person. The family recites the prayers for the dying along with the priest, using pamphlets from the parish pamphlet rack. These prayers of the Church reveal the Christian joy at death, which is seen as an entry into heaven. Funerals, therefore, are joyous. They have always been parish affairs, with the entire parish turning out for the funeral Mass, another staunch parish tradition. Many of the oldtimers who have moved away are returned for burial in lots purchased during their residence in the parish. Over the years there have been 398 funerals in the parish. Most tragic was that of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hammes. Victims of an appalling accident when their car was struck by a train as they were on their way to school, the eight children were killed on October 25, 1956. Their funeral, at which the congregation sang the Mass of the Angels, was attended by some 3,000 persons. A memorial to the children was erected in the parish cemetery. Sister M. Clarice, CHM, and Donna Meyer of Marycrest College, Davenport, were commissioned to design and execute a massive crucifixion group of cast aluminum. The contemporary design corpus of the group was mounted on a redwood cross, at the base of which were affixed eight heads of wheat signifying the eight children: Ronnie and Donnie, 9; Karen, 8; Linda, 7; Gary, 6; Rose­mary, 3; Vicky and Ricky, one. Figures of St. John and the Blessed Virgin Mary, symbolizing the sorrow of the parents, were cast side by side to stand at the foot of the cross. A plaque affixed to the old cornerstone of the church embedded in the altar bears an inscription from the funeral sermon text: "A voice was heard in Rama, lamentation and great mourning. It was Rachel weeping for her children and she would not be comforted for none is left ... and the Lord said, let thy voice cease from crying and thy eyes from weeping, thy children shall return to their own country." This quotation is taken from the Mass text of the feast of the Holy Innocents. Constructed of rocks from the Hammes yard and from the fields of each of the parishioners, the altar reflects the unity in sorrow which filled the parish over the tragedy. The altar itself is thus a symbol of the parish, the rocks representing the parishioners being held together by the cement of charity. the whole overshadowed by the cross of Christ. Death considered more as a beginning than an ending is emphasized by the psalms which are sung in English for the funeral procession along the walk from the church to the cemetery. Most eloquent is an antiphon sung by the choir on the way to the cemetery situated on a knoll some distance from the church: "May the angels take you into paradise; may the martyrs come to welcome you on your way, and lead you into the holy city, Jerusalem." According to the liturgical prayers, the soul of the departed is surrounded by heavenly choirs of angels and the church triumphant. Its long trek from the church to the cemetery is pictured as a triumphant journey from earth to the joys of heaven. At the grave, as the body is lowered into the ground to join the dust of many generations of Clear Creekers, the pastor recites the consoling words of our Lord: "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, even if he dies, shall live; and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die." Memorials to the dead take the form of bequests to the church of the living. Frank Peiffer donated the funeral vestments, with the pall for the coffins, in memory of his parents. Mr. and Mrs. John B. Weber donated the new benediction cope in memory of their son, Clare, who was tragically killed when the tractor he was driving overturned. The seed falls into the ground to die and out of this decay new life rises. Nourishing and fostering this divine life were the many priests who came to the parish to minister to the people. Truly they were gardeners in the Lord's vineyard. This may be taken quite literally. Outsiders tend sometimes to look down on a rural parish. Not so with those who have ever been associated with a country parish in any way. Very often, too, it has been city folk who have come to the parish, either as religious or priests. Father Kleinfelder was a native of Davenport; Father Wiebler of Fort Madison; Father Sieger of Milwaukee, Wis. Yet they all fell in love with rural living and out-farmed even the farmers with their concern for the beauties of nature about them. An old picture shows Father Kleinfelder in he garden with a hoe in his hand. Father Wiebler often went down to the back pasture to call his pet lamb, Billy Boy, who came running no matter how far afield [sic] he was. Father Sieger became a potato planter. Having inviegled [sic] two rows in Grace's potato patch. Father planted them in Idahoes while she planted the rest of the patch in the traditional Cobblers and Early Ohios. At this writing all varieties have fine tops, but the parishioners are taking bets as to which variety will produce the best potatoes. Though the city has sent gardeners to the Lord's vineyard in Clear Creek, the parish, in turn, has contributed few of its sons to the priesthood. Most notable has been the Most Rev. William L. Adrian, D. D., Bishop of Nashville, Tenn., who was baptized in the parish although his family moved to Sigourney shortly after his birth. Rt. Rev. Msgr. N. J. Peiffer, son of one of the founders, Nicholaus Peiffer, was ordained in 1905 and offered his First Mass in the parish on June 15. On his death in 1957 Msgr. Peiffer willed a farm to the parish, the income of which is being put into a school fund. An unusual honor was conferred on the parish when one of its sons, Michael Schmitt, later Rt. Rev. Msgr., was ordained deacon in the parish church by Bishop Wehrle, OSB, of Bismark, N. Dak., on one day and priest on the next. His First Mass. was celebrated July 30, 1912, with Rev. J. I. Grieser as the assistant priest. Very Rev. W. P. Hoppman preached the sermon in German and Rev. B. Jacobsmeier preached in English. The parish has high hopes that some of the young men of the community will eventually become priests. There seems to be some hope of the younger ones doing so. The story is told that Norby Greiner, 6-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Norbert Greiner, one day stated that "When I grow up I want to be a Kleinfather." Vocations to the sisterhood have flourished in Clear Creek; 22 have entered the convent over the 100 years. A list of those entering the convent from the parish is given following the picture section. The motherhouse of the Franciscans, where many of them entered, is regaled with stories about Clear Creek. Older Sisters threaten younger ones with being sent to Clear Creek, "where they have the skunk." They are not referring to the river, but to a little inhabitant of the church basement. He always chose Sunday morning to scent the air. Sister Seraphine used to go around with a deodorant spray early Sunday morning to disguise his calling card. Stories at the motherhouse are also told about the well-stocked larder at Clear Creek. One year Sister Lipharda told Grace to be sure to take care of the cherries when the Sisters were gone. Joe and Annie Sieren came over to help, picking for almost a week. Finally Maggie Sieren came over to see what was going on. "Who ever heard of picking cherries from one tree for a whole week?" she asked in a disbelieving voice. She nearly wilted when she saw that they had put up 76 quarts from that one tree and there were still cherries on the branches. Twins, which have always been plentiful in Clear Creek, were a problem for the Sisters who taught. None were more bothersome than Mr. and Mrs. Carl Vogel's identical twin boys, who could exchange seats in class without being detected. Sister Lipharda complained one day after such a switch, "I know those boys are playing tricks but I can't do anything about it since I can't tell them apart." Father Kleinfelder told her, "Sister, get up close and notice that Hubert has the smallpox scar on his forehead. That's the only way I know which one I'm talking to." Somewhat later, having tried his method, Sister commented to him, "Father, that might work for you, but not for me. By the time I think of that scar business I forget which one has it." The devoted zeal and good example of the Sisters have been the instrumental cause of the many vocations among the girls of the parish. Prayer and meditation also have had their place in nourishing vocations. On the arch above the sanctuary, there used to be inscribed the words, "To be close to God one must love to be alone with Him in prayer." This sentence was the inspiration for Sister Paulette, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Kiefer, to enter the convent. Even today, she says, she has but to close her eyes and see the inscription. Protege priests have also been part of the Clear Creek tradition. The custom hereabouts is for some families to adopt young men for education in the priesthood. Three members of the parish, Frank and Anton Peiffer and their sister, Katherine Weber, have been responsible for the education of three young men in the order of the Sacred Heart Fathers, Hales Corners, Wis. Upon ordination, the three young priests, Rev. Wessel, Rev. Flood, Rev. McGuire, celebrated their First Solemn Masses in the church at Clear Creek. Rev. Michael Diedrichs, adopted son of William Greiner, then a member of the parish, also celebrated his First Solemn Mass in Clear Creek. Through the years the parishioners have always had a great veneration for their priests. They have always invited the pastor into their homes, to grace some occasion as a wedding, anniversary or reunion, or just for the purpose of visiting and blessing the home. Too, they have ever brought the products of their fields and gardens to the rectory, seeing to it that the priest's table never lacked for meat (such as the delicious sausages that Leo Greiner is so famous for) or for cream (as Almie Weber is wont to bring) or anything else that was needed (the Beckers and rhubarb, for instance). Perhaps that is why Father Kleinfelder has been so happy in SS Peter and Paul parish in his many years as pastor. Does it explain, perhaps, why his nephews, Peter and Paul, were so named? The older, Paul, was naturally named after his priest-uncle, and the younger, therefore, could have been named nothing else but Peter. Maybe the names are indications that someday a Father Peter or a Father Paul will come to Clear Creek. In the meantime, others will come as they have came in the past. One such was Rev. F. Schroeder, a Dominican priest of Minneapolis, Minn., who conducted a parish mission in 1913. Such spiritual activities led the parishoners to provide for the material needs of the parish. In 1915 the storm windows on the church were installed by the DePrato Statuary Co., of Chicago. The Young Men's sodality and the Young Ladies sodality each paid for one window while voluntary subscriptions paid for the rest. Modernization of the parish plant gradually took place, with Campbell furnaces being installed in the church and school during 1916 and a bathroom being equipped in the Sisters' dwelling. The school children continued to use the outdoor plumbing facilities until 1955 when indoor lavatories were built. The construction of the latter and the demolition of the former structure resulted in a great saving of boys' caps, which, for some reason, seemed to keep falling into the holes. Parishioners were extremely proud of the frescoes which were put on the ceiling of the church at this time (1916). An Italian artist, Faliero Conquidi of the John Amidei Co., Chicago, did the work. An artist from Davenport, D. Beanci, executed two large pictures, one of St. Francis of Asissi, paid for by the St. Aloysius sodality, and another of St. Rita. paid for by the St. Agnes sodality. Parishioners in 1919 purchased a tabernacle and some vestments, goldplated the chalice and ciboria, and erected an iron fence on two sides of the cemetery as well as in front of the church. This was in gratitude for the safe return of the 18 young men who served in the armed forces during World War I and for protection against influenza — over 250 persons in the parish had the flu, but no deaths resulted. In November of 1919, Rev. J. I. Grieser and Rev. William Carroll came for the St. Ambrose college endowment fund drive. During the solemn high Mass Father Grieser (whose assistant Father Kleinielder was first appointed) preached the sermon in German; Father Carroll preached in English after the high Mass. Father Carroll remained three days in the parish, during which time $7,100 was subscribed, $4,000 of which was paid within the first year. A diocesan institution was thus provided for the higher education of the sons of the parish. Over the years a number have gone there. Several will enroll this fall: Kenny Weber, James Heisdorffer, and Jerome Horras. In 1922 a new roof was needed on the church. C. P. Hammes was engaged to lay asbestos shingles for $1,500. The parish oversubscribed $300 in a collection to pay for the new roof. Rev. Bernard Luedtke succeeded Father Sendbuehler in August of 1923. Father Luedtke was plagued with poor health during his pastorate. Nevertheless, he initiated the installation of a light plant and the wiring of the buildings. This work was incomplete when he died in October of 1927. Rev. John Sherf, who served as pastor until July 1, 1928, completed the installation. From July 1928 to July 1930, Rev. William B. Schmidt (now Msgr. Schmidt, pastor of St. Mary's, Fort Madison) was the pastor. Father Schmidt will be remembered by historians for his most legible handwriting in the parish records — it stands out in contrast to the other entries. He is still remembered by the parishioners for his eloquence in the pulpit, brief though the period was that he was here. In his time the roads were not graveled. He kept two cars, one an old "tin lizzie" which he used to travel the mud road from the rectory to the highway. The other car, a more elegant vehicle, he kept on the highway, transferring to it once he had gotten off the mud roads. The periods of incubation and growth, during which saw the foundation of the parish and its flourishing under zealous pastors, now give way to the pentecostal period of harvest which begins with the pastorate of Father Kleinfelder.

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