Sacred Heart Catholic Church History

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People can spot this place for miles and miles because the church sits upon a hill, where people can hear the bells ring every hour, and where people can go to see this majestic site; Sacred Heart Catholic Church stands in the middle of the rural town of Schnellville, Indiana. Sacred Heart, one of many churches located in Dubois County, including the following: St. Celestine, St. Ferdinand, St. Mary’s, and St. Joe’s still stand to this current day. After Schnellville received its church in 1874, Sacred Heart Catholic Church has endured two fires, a complete rebuilding of the church in 1914, numerous priests, and changes to parts of the church throughout time. Marvin Welp, an elderly member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, states,“There was …show more content…

The church pleaded each farmer to transport a carload of bricks for six dollars and fifty cents a thousand. Also, the church asked each family to bring twelve loads of creek gravel. (“Schnellville 2” 14) The price tag of the new church would come out of a total of one thousand six hundred dollars; thereafter, Joseph Merkel took the position of the contractor. Construction of the new church began in 1874. (“Schnellville 1” 11-12) Schnellville had its first church when the laborers put what the townspeople called “weatherboards,” or made out of wood; later, white became the new color of the church (Welp 1). On May 4, 1876, Sacred Heart offered its first mass (“Schnellville 3” 12). Sadly on April 24, 1898; surprisingly, a fire occurred at the site of the church. The only things that survived included baptism, marriage, and death records because they found the records in a safe. Lightning may have caused the fire, but the truth of the source of the fire remains unknown. (Welp 1) Three hand carved angles and six stained glass windows, in fact, now located in the present church, came from the first church (Striegel 12). After the first fire occurred in 1898, the members of the church determined to build a new church sixteen years …show more content…

Currently, the outside of the church stands with bricks that originated from Huntingburg, Indiana and then shipped to Mentor, Indiana (Welp 1; Striegel 13). The second church laid its cornerstone on June 21, 1914. The church appointed Louis Wessbecher as the architect. The church assigned Bernard Tonnies, from eastern St. Louis, to become the contractor. For all the materials and labor, the grand total cost of the church would come out of twenty-five thousand dollars. (Striegel 14) The height and length of the church measured sixty feet wide and one hundred and twenty-six feet long. At the top of a one hundred and twenty- five feet tower, a seventeen foot gilded cross stood. The capacity of the church can hold up to seven hundred fifty people. (“Schnellville 1” 13) Sacred Heart secured its completion in October of 1916 (“Schnellville 2” 15). The original frame structure stood until replaced by the present brick and limestone in 1916. Acclaimed on Easter Sunday of 1916, the first mass began. (“Schnellville 3” 12) From 1950 to 1952 Reverend Lawrence Moll became the pastor of Schnellville and the youth honestly adored him. After Reverend Lawrence Moll retired, immediately, Reverend Francis Mellen, ordained on June 10, 1919, became pastor from 1952 to 1953. (“Schnellville 1” 17-18) Sacred Heart took a new interior by redecorating in 1955 (“Schnellville 2” 14). Messenger Othmar

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