Winfield Catholics

Cowley County is included in the land under the Diocese of Kansas City control at the time of its establishment.
Courier, October 16, 1873.  The Catholics of our city are notified that Paul M. Pontziglione of Osage Mission will hold mass next Sunday the 19th inst.
Courier, May 8, 1874.  The Catholic minister, Rev. J C. Schurz, of Wichita, successor to the Rev. Sweenburg, will hold service at Winfield on the 14th inst.  All Catholics are requested to be present.
Courier, June 26, 1874.  Our Catholic friends will take notice that Father J. C. Schurz of Wichita will be at Winfield to hold service on Sunday the 5th of July.
Courier, August 7, 1874.  The Catholics in this city are hereby notified that Rev. J. C. Schurz will preach at Winfield on Thursday, August 20th at 9-1/2 o'clock A.M.
Courier, September 11, 1874.  The Catholics of Winfield will take notice that the Rev. J. C. Schurz, will hold divine service in this city on the 30th inst. at 9-1/2 o'clock a.m.
Courier, September 16, 1875.  Notice.  Roman Catholic meeting will be held in Winfield Sunday, Sept. 19th, at ½ past 9 a.m.  Services by the Rev. Father J. C. Schurz, of Wichita.  Evening service, also, from 6 to 8 p.m.  A cordial invitation is extended to all Roman Catholics to dine at Mrs. Winner's residence at 1 o'clock p.m., on the same day.
Courier, October 14, 1875.  Catholic service will be held in the schoolhouse on Sunday, the 24th inst., by the Rev. Father J. C. Schurz.  All Catholics are requested to attend.
Courier,  January 6, 1876.  The Catholics have a mission established here, with service once a month by Rev. J. C. Schurz, of Wichita.
Courier, March 29, 1877.  Rev. J. C. Schurz has returned from Europe and gives notice that he will hold divine service in Winfield at 10 o'clock, a.m., on the second Sunday of April, the 8th, prox.  The Catholics of Winfield and vicinity will please take notice.
Courier, September 13, 1877. Rev. Father J. C. Schurz is about to move to Winfield and build a residence.  He will superintend the building of a new Catholic church just north of the schoolhouse.
Courier, October 18, 1877.  The Rev. pastor of the Catholic church asks the public to be punctual in handing to H. Jochems the moneys contributed or assessed to the church building fund.
Courier, October 18, 1877.   The erection of the Catholic church will commence on the 29th, and will be pushed forward for completion so rapidly that services are to be held in it on the second Sunday in November.  Building committee.  Rev. J. C. Schurz, president; H. Jochems, treasurer and collector; Daniel Maher, secretary; J. Hoenscheidt, architect.
Rev. Father J. C. Schurz called on Monday, having held services in this city Sunday.  He says that his district is too extensive, and that it is necessary to locate a pastor here, to take charge of a part of his district.  The Rev. S. Rohr will probably soon be located as Catholic pastor.  Services will then be arranged for twice a month.
Courier, October 18, 1877.  The Rev. pastor of the Catholic church asks the public to be punctual in handing to H. Jochems the moneys contributed or assessed to the church building fund.
Courier, November 22, 1877.  The new Catholic church has been enclosed.  The new Catholic church will be dedicated on Sunday, January 6th, 1878.
Courier, December 27, 1877  The Catholics are about to build a church at Oxford.

Courier, APRIL 25, 1878.  Please announce to the Catholic public and friends that the blessing and dedication of our little church will take place on Sunday, May 5th.  Divine service at 8 o'clock a.m., Solemn high mass at 10 o'clock a.m.; solemn vespers at 2 o'clock p.m.  The assistance of Rev. Felix P. Swembergh, Catholic pastor of Newton, is procured for the occasion, who also will deliver the address to the audience.  Subject:  "Reason and poetry of the Catholic church."  A collection will be taken up for the benefit of the church.  Admittance free.  Expecting one and all of our friends and well-wishers to grace the occasion with their presence, as all are herewith invited, I am, dear Editor, in the meanwhile regardfully yours, S/ J. C. SCHURZ, Pastor.
Courier, May 9, 1878.  DEDICATION.  The concourse of people that assembled on last Sunday to witness the ceremonies of the dedication of the new Catholic church was greater than the capacity of the building, and many were left outside.  The altar was decorated with eighteen golden candlesticks, bearing lighted candles, arranged on four terraces, and interspersed with vases of beautiful flowers.  The room was lined with green boughs; the music was very fine, and the ritual was very beautiful and imposing.  The ceremonies were conducted by the Rev. J. C. Schurz, pastor.  The address of the Rev. F. P  Swenbergh, of Newton, was one of great merit and well delivered.  From a Catholic standpoint we should say it would be pronounced very brilliant and logically strong.  Mr. Schurz is warm-hearten, zealous, and enterprising, and is doing much for his church and for public improvement.  The Catholics here have exhibited much public spirit, and among them are numbered some of our best citizens.
Courier, August 21, 1879.  Rev. Paul M. Pontziglione, S. J., of St. Francis Institute, Osage Mission, is said to be a near relative of the present king of Italy.  The people of Winfield will remember that Father Pontziglione had the Catholic church of this place in his charge during a few of the first years, and was highly esteemed.
Courier, October 16, 1879.  Next Sunday services will be held at the little Catholic church, on 8th avenue, at the regular hours.  The services are interesting, and you will be welcome.  Father Kelly, of Topeka, the new priest, is expected to officiate.
Courier, December 25, 1879  The Catholics of this city will hold a festival on January 13th, 14th, and 15th to raise funds to finish their church.  We do not doubt this will be an enjoyable affair and a grand suc­cess, for the Catholics are famous for getting up good festivals.
Courier, January 29, 1880.  On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Feb. 3rd, 4th, and 5th, the Catholic people of Winfield will give a Fair in the Opera House for the purpose of raising means with which to complete their church, which is in an unfinished condition.
Courier, Feb. 4, 1880 - The Catholic Fair opened Tuesday evening under very favor­able auspices, and with a good attendance.  The ladies had the hall tastefully decorated, and the company seemed to be enjoying themselves.  The Fair closes Thursday evening with a grand ball.
Courier, February 6, 1880.  The Catholic fair held here last week was a grand success, both socially and financially.  The net proceeds were $519.25.
Courier, March 4, 1880.  The Catholics are holding a series of mission meetings at their church, on Eighth Avenue.  Rev. Filley (Kelly)is conducting the services.
Courier, Sept. 2, 1880.  The new work on the Catholic church in this city was dedi­cated last Sunday by Father Leary, of Newton, Kansas.
Courier, September 16, 1880.  Father Kelley (Kelly) opened a select school in the Catholic church Monday morning.  All are admitted to this school without regard to religious beliefs.  All the common school branches will be taught, and also the languages to those who desire.  Terms reasonable.

Courier, December 9, 1880.  Ed. Courier:  The Catholics of Winfield, under the effi­cient leadership of Rev. G. M. Kelly, are preparing to have a grand fair the last three days in December.  As the cause is a  worthy one, it is hoped that all our citizens will assist in every possible manner to make it a success.
When the present pastor came to Winfield, he found matters in a rather precarious condition, but through that untiring zeal and ambition which is a peculiar trait in his character, he went to work at once, worked hard and faithfully until he established and built up his congregation, which is at present an honor and credit to the city of Winfield.
Having first fitted up the church in a proper manner for the worship of the Most High, his next aim was to procure a neat, comfortable little parsonage.  It is in order to clear this of debt, that the fair is to be conducted under his supervision.  It is not saying too much, especially to those who are acquainted with Father Kelly, that an evening or two spent at his fair will not be lost time.  All who know him say he is a man of pleasing and gaining ways, and it is promised that he and all the members of his church will make it as pleasant a time as will be afforded the public during the winter.  S/ Subscriber.
Winfield Courier, January 6, 1883         The Catholic Church, Rev. Father Kelly, pastor, has a membership representing 85 or more families. Has a neat frame church building 82 x 52 in size, in which services are held twice each week.
Winfield Courier, January 11, 1883.
The select school of the Catholic Church of this city is an institution well worthy of patronage. It is presided over by Rev. Father Kelly and his sister, Miss L. M. Kelly. All the branches of both a high school and primary department are taught. The languages are also taught to those desiring to study them. While there is great attention paid to the religious education of the Catholic children, yet the religious convictions of non-Catholics is not in the least interfered with. The principal object of the school is to train children in morality and in all those branches which will tend afterwards to make them ornaments in society and useful men and women in business. Terms of the school are so low that they are within the reach of all; namely $1.00 a month, or, if there be two children out of the same family, $1.50 a month for both; and if three, $2.00 a month for the three. Persons desirous of further infor-mation concerning the school, can call on Rev. G. M. Kelly, Catholic Church, 8th Avenue.
Winfield Courier, August 7, 1884.
On the 25th of August the Winfield Catholic School will open, under the direction of Mrs. McAtee. Mrs. McAtee is a graduate from the Normal School of St. Louis and has taught in the Public High School of that city. Applicants desiring admission to this school must apply to the Pastor, Rev. John F. Kelly, on or before the 20th of August.
In 1887 the Diocese of Wichita was created out of a portion of the country previously controlled by the Diocese of Kansas City.
Winfield Courier, October 23, 1978 by Angela Brungardt.
As pioneer settlements pushed westward across the plains in the mid 1800's, missionaries from Osage Mission, now St. Paul, Kan., endured untold hardships to bring the faith and to minister to the spiritual needs of the hardy settlers who were determined to make the prairie their home.
Father Paul Ponziglione, S.J., an Italian who belonged to the nobility of his country, came to Osage Mission in July, 1851, and by 1869 his travels had reached Winfield where Mass was first offered in a missionary station kept in the house of a Mr. McDonald.
Father Ponziglione continued his ministrations in southeast Kansas until 1889, when he was transferred to Marquette College, Milwaukee.  His work and that of his associates was the beginning of moral force in Southeastern Kansas, instilling here their religion, education and culture.

Holy Name Parish was established on a plot of ground donated by Mrs.  Fuller.  A small frame church was built and from 1878 to 1880 the parish was served from Wichita by Father F. X. Kraus.  In 1881, Father Gregory M.  Kelly came to Winfield as the first resident pastor.  He added a rectory and opened a day school which was taught by his sister.  Father Gregory M.  Kelly also provided for St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Other priests who served the parish in its early days were Father Killiam Call for a short period in 1883; Father John F.  Kelly, 1884-85, Father E. F. Dooley, Father P. J. Kennedy, and M. C. Duggan who died and is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Father B.J. McKernan served the parish for 12 years.  In 1887, under his direction, the cornerstone was laid for a new Gothic stone church.  The cost was approximately $16,000.  The basement was arranged for a school, the students first being taught by lay teachers and then by the Sisters of St. Joseph.
The frame church, which had been Winfield’s first Catholic church, was moved to Red Bud, consisting until then of only a store and post office approximately five miles northeast of Udall.  Catholics in the Red Bud Area used the church for worship whenever a priest was able to include a stop there in his travels.  (Note- Red Bud is the only other town in Cowley County that has a Catholic cemetery.  RKW)
Father McKernan was transferred to Fort Scott in 1900 and he was succeeded at Holy Name by Father Eugenio Bonacini.  The next pastor, Father J. E. Chapuis, was of Swiss nationality and conversed and wrote fluently in eight different languages.  Then followed Father Hilary Walsh for one year.  Father John Vanston, C.P., and Father M. J. O’Farrell in 1903.  Father J. F. Burke became pastor in 1904, remodeling the rectory and adding more rooms. On July 19, 1913, Father Thomas O’Donohue, who became pastor at Holy Name in 1910, was recalled to his diocese of Concordia.  His successor was Father Austin B.  Hull, who served the parish lovingly until his death on April 9, 1945.
It was during Father Hull’s pastorate (February 1921) that fire razed the church, and it became his task to lead the parish in the construction of a new church.  C. A. Smith, architect of Salina, arranged plans to fit the foundations of the old church, with extensions for the sanctuary and sacristies.  Construction began in the fall of 1922; during this time Mass was held in the Old Moose Building on Main Street.
On November 4, 1923, Bishop August Schwertner dedicated the beautiful present church,$80,000.  Many family names which appear as donors for the construction and furnishing of the church are still on the membership rolls today.
The church indeed is a monument to the priestly zeal of Father Hull, but one of his most fervent hopes was that holy Name would also have a school.  He prayed that he would live to see the realization of that dream.  At his requiem in 1945, the Bishop spoke to the parishioners of that hope and suggested that the people of Holy Name Parish build a memorial to Father Hull, a fine parish school.
In June 1945, Father Thomas C.  Glynn became pastor of Holy Name Parish, and Holy name School became a reality on June 15, 1952, when Bishop Mark K.  Carroll laid and blessed the cornerstone.  The parish is indebted to the 18 Sisters of St. Joseph and the four lay teachers who have made up its faculty over the past 26 years.
During Father Glynn’s pastorate, the parish acquired the remaining property in the block and already owned by Holy Name except for the Church of Christ building on the northeast corner.  A house on the southwest corner was converted into parish hall, two houses were moved away, two others torn down, and the remaining house became the Sisters’ home.
Father R.  Raymond Schmidt served as pastor from June 1957 to September 1958.  He was succeeded by Father James J.  Shaughnessy until May 1963 when Father Michael Garrahy became pastor.  The parish acquired the Church of Christ property for a parish hall and the house formerly used was demolished.  Upon Father Garrahy’s transfer to Wellington in July, 1967, Father Ivan Ec. became pastor at Holy Name, serving until July 1970.
Father John L.  Dinah became pastor July 12, 1970.
Winfield Courier, March 20, 1884.

Rev. Father Call, for the last six months in charge of the Winfield and surrounding Catholic churches, left this week for Los Angeles, California. His place is filled by a Father Kelly from Ellinwood. It seems that there are a good many Kellys in the Catholic ministry. The Winfield church is in a flourishing condition.