OSCEOLA (SNR) – Nearly 100 members of St. Vincent Ferrer Parish in Osceola gathered June 6 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the parish’s first Mass.
The celebration included Mass, a catered brunch and short program.
Honored guests were Toodie Wobig, the oldest current member of the parish; Linda Johnson, one of the first infants baptized in the original church; Marlene Sterup and Vernon Kuhnel, members of one of the early first Communion and Confirmation classes in the original church; and Norman and Marian Hofbauer, the first couple married in the newly dedicated church in April 1961.
Father Thomas McGuire, who served the parish from 1997 to 2004, was a guest speaker, and current pastor Father Thomas Au provided information about the various priests who had served the parish. He also read a letter to attendees from Father Valerian Bartek, pastor from 2012 to 2019.
Altar Society President Marci Ostmeyer delivered a welcoming address to those in attendance and Debbie Girard gave a brief parish history.
Bishop Louis Kucera spoke in October 1944 at the dedication of St. Francis Hospital, now the main building on the Polk County Museum grounds, and his words fell on fertile ground. In March 1946, the bishop was meeting with a committee from Osceola to discuss organizing a parish there. At the time, three other Catholic churches existed in the county: rural St. Mary and St. Andrew churches, and Sacred Heart Parish in Shelby. Bishop Kucera appointed Sacred Heart pastor Father John Kean to organize the new parish April 5, 1946, the feast day of St. Vincent Ferrer. He was assisted by August Ienn and Leo Kresha.
The American Legion Hall, then a block south of the current Methodist church, was purchased for $5,000 and renovations began to turn the main floor into a church and the basement into a social hall. The first Mass was celebrated in the church June 2, 1946 by Father Gregory Petrus, with 65 participating in the liturgy. Father Petrus was then called to serve Czech-speaking parishes in Deweese and Loucky, and Father John Howe was appointed as pastor for St. Vincent.
Land in the southwest portion of town was purchased for a church, rectory and off-street parking. Groung was broken Oct. 7, 1959, and in August 1960, the move was made into the new church. Newly- appointed pastor Father Raphael Chonta, occupied the new rectory a couple months after his arrival in October 1960.
The old church located on State Street would be converted to be used solely as a hall for bingo games called by the Mens Club and lunches served by the Altar Society.
A new hall and catechetical center was constructed on the parish grounds in 1986 during Father Anthony Kotz’s stay as pastor of St. Vincent Ferrer. During Father Peter Gadient’s tenure, a Blessed Virgin grotto was constructed between the church and the hall, using stones from his home state of Minnesota.
Father James Cooper oversaw the complete renovation of the interior of the church in 2006 and 2007 and the parish hall served as the temporary sanctuary during this time.
Members of the organizing committee for the celebration included Marci Ostmeyer, Pat Gabel, Merle Runquist and Debbie Girard.
