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The History of Saint Ignatius Loyola Parish
Hicksville, New York
Compiled by Arthur A. Schreiber
In the history of the United States the year 1859 was neither a
particularly quiet or serene one. The country was in an economic
depression and the call for secession was rife throughout the south. It
was the year in which Abraham Lincoln scored highly in his famous debate
with Stephen Douglas, but lost his bid for the nomination to run for the
United States Senate seat for Illinois, and John Brown led an abortive
uprising at Harper’s Ferry in Virginia. In Europe Charles Dickens
published “A Tale of Two Cities,” and Charles Darwin published his “Origin
of the Species,” and in the City of New York work was in progress on the
building of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, the cornerstone having been laid
the year before.
At this time, Hicksville, already a two hundred year old community, was a
largely rural village of just less than 900 souls but was destined to be a
major Long Island center because of its position on the Long Island
Railroad. Much thanks for this was due to Valentine Hicks, a vice
president of the line and a resident of Jericho, a village just to the
north of Hicksville. The line was extended from Hicksville to Syosset in
1859.
While the area was principally agricultural, before the end of the
century, in just forty years, it would become a manufacturing and
mercantile hub with all the attendant industries and professions.
According to the BROOKLYN TABLET, when Bishop John Loughlin began his
episcopacy on November 9, 1853 the Brooklyn diocese consisted of thirty
churches and mission stations, all of Long Island, and a catholic
population of 15,000 souls. Only fifteen parishes had resident pastors and
twenty-three priests had the care of it all. When St. Ignatius Loyola
parish took on an identity, in 1859, there were only twelve churches in
what was to become Nassau County and Suffolk County. Nassau County became
a separate entity as a result of the five borough consolidation of the
City of New York in 1898 by breaking away from the borough of Queens. In
1859 our nearest neighbor parish to the west was St. Brigid’s in
Westbury and St. Patrick’s in Huntington to the east. Holy Trinity
Lutheran church had already been established in Hicksville in 1850.
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The first recorded
Mass said in Hicksville was in the home of shopkeeper John O’Hara in
1855 at 175 Broadway, located on the north-east corner of Broadway and
East Carl Street. John O’Hara was the great-grandfather of Fathers
Stephen and John Stolz. The celebrant of that Mass was Father John
McCarthy, the pastor of St. Monica’s parish in Jamaica. It was the
practice of the day for a pastor to be a circuit rider of his outlying
mission parishes, often on horse-back. Father McCarthy’s circuit carried
him as far as Greenport, another mission church which became St. Agnes
parish.
It is interesting to note that when Father McCarthy arrived in Hicksville
he found the home of a brother Irishman in a town of nearly all German
speaking citizens. One can imagine what the burghers told Father
McCarthy after Mass because the next recorded celebration was by Father
Ignatius Theodore Goetz in 1859. An interesting corollary to this story
can be found in the fact that of the twelve parishes located in “Nassau” and
Suffolk counties in 1859, five were named for St. Patrick.
While Catholics in the communities which were served by these traveling
priests welcomed them joyously, the church in general suffered during this
period at the hands of “Native American” zealots. During the late 1840’s
and 1850’s this pseudo-patriotic aberration took the form of the
American political party, or the “Know Nothings.” This name came about
because of the requirement which had its members say they “know nothing”
when questioned about their organization by the curious. It was a true
secret society complete with passwords and secret handshakes. Former
president Millard Fillmore unsuccessfully ran for the presidency of the
United States under its banner in 1856 and attracted more than 21% of the
popular vote.
The group was directly responsible for the burning of a convent in
Massachusetts and caused services in all Catholic churches in Philadelphia
to be suspended because of incendiary rioting. Saint John Neumann was
Bishop of Philadelphia during this period. The party was also active in
New York City and the City of Brooklyn. Churches in central and eastern
Long Island also suffered at their hands. The churches of Sts. Peter and
Paul and Most Holy Trinity in Brooklyn were marched on and damaged.
Rioting accompanied Father Joseph Brunemann’s attempt to purchase a
dwelling in which to establish his mission church in Southold. It was in
no small measure that the patriotic and heroic services of young Catholic
men during the Civil War finally quieted the bigotry and false claims
these misguided fanatics of the American party left when they finally
disappeared.
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It would not be until 1872, with the arrival of Father Lawrence Fuchs,
that we would have a full time, non-mission riding pastor. From 1850 until
1859, Hicksville’s Catholics would have to journey to St. Brigid’s in
Westbury by buggy, horse back or ox-cart. Before 1850, when St. Brigid’s
was founded, they waited for a visiting priest on his far from frequent
rounds.
Father Goetz was the pastor of St. Mary’s parish in Winfield, now better
known as Woodside, Queens. Today, St. Mary’s is officially known as
Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians parish. The enthusiasm with which
he was met may be gauged by the generosity of parishioners Henry and
Elizabeth Pasker, who deeded over two lots of valuable land, 53 by 150
feet, right on the main street, upon which was erected a 25 by 50 foot
church that had a capacity of 150 persons. The cornerstone was laid on
August 21, 1859, the very year Father Goetz came to Hicksville. Our pastor
had to be shared with other parishes, but we had our own church.
Undoubtedly, the naming of the parish was in no small way influenced by
Father Goetz’ name, Ignatius.
The new church of St. Ignatius was not to begin its existence without its
trials because as soon as the carpenters, Henry Pasker and his son Adolph,
had the framework erected, a storm knocked it down. In the collapse, some
of the timbers, a scarce commodity in those days, were broken. Since it
would be too costly to purchase new timbers, the shortened timbers were
used and an iron tie-rod, running the width of the building, was used to
hold it together. This church served the parishioners for thirty-two
years, and, after it was moved to make way for the new edifice in 1891,
served the congregation as a parish hall for another fifteen years until
it was taken down to make way for the first school. Warmed in the winter
by a pot-bellied stove, furnished with rough and uncomfortable back-less
benches, the congregation was, nonetheless, justifiably proud of its
church.
In this church, on January 10, 1860, was baptized Charles Frederick, the
son of Frederick Betz and Victoria Rinne, our community’s first Baptism.
His godparents were Simon Kenninger and Frances Sophie Pasker. On
September 30, 1861, the first bridal couple, George Bumbman and Margaret
Schikert pronounced their vows in the presence of Christopher Frank and
Mathia Bruederle.
Little is known of the pastorate of Father Casper Mueller, who replaced
Father Goetz in 1863. He is mentioned in the 1916 Diamond Jubilee Journal
of Most Holy Trinity parish in Brooklyn as “an old missionary from the
southwest.” Evidently Father Mueller was a resident assistant in Father
Goetz’ parish in Winfield and took over St. Ignatius when Father Goetz
became overworked. The meager records he left here show the struggles of
the time. On January 1, 1866, New Year’s Day, the collection amounted to
$1.70, on the first Sunday, “rain and storm” resulted in a collection
of 28 cents. The Easter Sunday collection, on the other hand, “came to
$12.50 which was disbursed as follows, $7.00 in the hands of the priest,
Father Lowecamp who gave his services for a few days, $2.00 for other
expenses, remain for me $3.50; $1.00 false money; remain $2.50.”
Father Joseph Hauber became pastor in 1868 attending to St. Ignatius from
his own parish, St. Boniface in Foster’s Meadow, now Elmont. It was he
who organized the Altar Society in May 1868, evidently one of his first
acts. He certainly knew who the shakers and movers were when he wanted to
get things done. Father Hauber had a sacristy built onto the church and
organized picnics to help defray the cost.
In November 1870 Father Lawrence Schneider became pastor. It was he who
purchased a plot of land adjacent to the church and on it built the first
Rectory. Until this time the attending priest had to depend upon the
hospitality of his congregation in finding his night’s rest, or sleep in
the sacristy of the church. Father Schneider’s records indicate that he
ministered to the needs of Catholics in widely surrounding areas,
baptizing in Farmingdale, Deer Park, Amityville and Breslau City
(Lindenhurst). When Father Schneider resigned because of ill health he
returned to his native Germany.
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When Father Lawrence Fuchs came to Hicksville on September 1, 1872 the
parish had been without an attending priest for four months. It had a debt
of $1,200., and Sunday collections averaged between three and four
dollars. Seat money was often paid with a bushel of potatoes or vegetables
enough to supply meals for a few days. Despite these conditions, this
twenty-eight year old priest, ordained only three years, was destined to
lead St. Ignatius through remarkable growth; direct the spiritual
well-being of doubled and re-doubled parishioners, build a new church,
erect a parochial school and replace it with a larger one when enrollment
required it, and become beloved not only by his own flock but also by the
community at large. He attained the title of Very Reverend and Dean of
Nassau County and served us for fifty-one years.
His early years in Hicksville were difficult ones. He had to borrow
additional funds to meet ordinary operating needs. But at the end of his
second year as pastor there remained only a small deficit, proving Father
Fuchs a canny manager of finances. Also, he learned to lean heavily on the
advice of the prudent men of the parish. Through his and their wisdom and
foresight, land was purchased adjoining the church property, thus the
frontage of an entire block was obtained on Broadway. He had an eye on the
future.
A building fund first appears in 1883. The old church building was
nearing the end of its usefulness, and the congregation was increasing
slowly but steadily and conditions were becoming cramped. Records show
that the pastor was the fund’s best friend because an examination of the
records shows him to be a generous contributor. The notation “Donated by
the pastor” appears in nearly every year’s entries. Finally, in May
1891, the old chapel was moved to the adjoining plot just to the south of
its original position. On Independence Day, July 4, 1891, the cornerstone
was laid by the Right Reverend John Loughlin, the first Bishop of the
Diocese of Brooklyn. Five months later, on December 15th, the Bishop
returned to dedicate the new church. Father Fuchs, in a letter, adds a
poignant footnote to the dedication ceremonies. He wrote –
“…here it may
incidentally be remarked that the venerable prelate had come in the
morning to dedicate the church feeling unwell. He had scarcely performed
the ceremonies, when in the parish house, he grew worse – after
returning to his home, he took to his bed, from which he was never again
to rise. On December 29, 1891 he returned to his eternal reward –
It was the last Episcopal function he performed.”
The new church measured 40 by 96 feet and had a steeple 110 feet high. It
had a seating capacity of 400, four times that of the original church. In
the steeple was the small bell taken from the old church. In addition, and
after overcoming the objections of the pastor because of the additional
cost, a new bell, weighing 755 pounds was installed. The donors were Henry
C. Stolz, William Braun, Sebastian Braun, Valentine Lottermann, and August
Scheiber. They convinced Father Fuchs that the new bell was “imperative,”
and so it was, giving a strong voice to St. Ignatius for the
community. It was a long nourished dream of Father Fuchs to build a school. He wrote
-
“No parish is truly
complete until the foundations of a Catholic life are laid in the minds of
the young and their Characters are shaped according to Catholic
principles.” However the financial condition of the parish would not permit the
expenditure for fifteen more years. The new church had cost just in excess
of $20,000.
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About the turn of the century, the parish debt was paid off and a
surplus slowly began to accumulate. In 1906, with much justified pride,
Father Fuchs announced the plans for his dream – the parish school - to
the congregation. That summer the demolition work on the old church, now a
parish hall, began. Father Fuchs must have watched the work with a large
lump in his breast for he told a BROOKLYN TIMES reporter at that time –
“Many a happy day have I
spent in that little church, many a dear friend and kind neighbor have I
assisted to bury from there. Many, very many, have passed out of it to
their eternal reward. But times have changed now, the people and their
thoughts have changed. Those were good old times; neighbor helped
neighbor, and his love for his neighbor and his sense of duty caused him
to do so.”
The architect’s plans called for a two-story building with a
frontage on Broadway of 40 feet and a depth of 65 feet. The cornerstone
was laid on July 29th by the Right Reverend Monsignor Peter Dauffenbach of
Brooklyn, a classmate of Father Fuchs. Monsignor Dauffenbach gave his
address in German and Father John York, the pastor of St. Patrick’s in
Huntington, spoke in English. The following September (1907) the new
school opened its doors to the first 104 pupils.
In 1890, property on Jericho Road, now North Broadway, where the Broadway
Mall now stands, was donated to the Diocese of Brooklyn for the erection
of an orphanage for boys, the St. John’s Protectory, under the care of
the Sister of St. Joseph. In 1900 additional adjoining property was
donated bringing the total acreage to 155. Its farms and dairy operated
until 1937 when the boys were transferred to St. John’s Home on Albany
and St. Mark’s Avenues in Brooklyn. The land was finally sold to
developers in 1952. But from its opening day until infirmity prevented him
from continuing, Father Fuchs ministered to all the spiritual needs of the
boys and the sisters. Sunday after Sunday Father Fuchs would be picked up
by one of the older boys in a cart to offer Mass at the home before the
first Mass at St. Ignatius.
In 1909, Father Henry Spengler, our first curate arrived. Father Spengler,
like Father Fuchs, was a product of Most Holy Trinity parish in
Williamsburgh, Brooklyn, itself the cradle of many, many priests and
religious. It was to Most Holy Trinity parish, and the protection of the
Very Reverend John Raffeiner, its pastor, that the Sisters of St. Dominic
first came from Ratisbon, Bavaria, in August, 1853.
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In 1907 the Sisters of St. Dominic came to St. Ignatius to teach Sunday
School traveling each week from Nazareth Trade School in Farmingdale. In
1910 the Sisters were given charge of the elementary school. Until this
time, Sunday School classes were held first in the old church building and
later in the 1907 school building by Sister M. Bonaventure, O.P. and
Sister M. Honorata, O.P. A small cottage, which stood on Carl Street just
west of Broadway, was their first convent. The school had been operated
for its first three years by a lay staff. Now the Order purchased property
on East Cherry Street to build their own convent, a three story frame
building, named for St. Peter of Verona. This building was purchased from
the Congregation in June 1949 along with all adjacent land permitting
plans to be drawn up for the erection of a new convent. Work was begun in
October 1952 and the new building was opened in March 1954 at a cost of
$325,000. In 1998, after ninety years of service to the parish, the
sisters moved out of the convent. Their presence will be missed but the
memory of their service will remain.
Hicksville and St. Ignatius grew by leaps and bounds after the first World
War. Population and prosperity kept pace and before long Father Fuchs was
thinking about a new and larger school. Property was purchased from the
Sisters of St. Dominic on East Nicholai Street behind the church and on
March 15, 1922 Father Fuchs turned over the first spade of dirt and the
excavation was begun. The excavation, incidentally, was accomplished
without cost, by volunteers from the parish, farmers bringing teams of
horses, workingmen digging out soil and wives bringing coffee and hot
food. The entire cost of the new school was $100,000. But as work
progressed, Father’s health began to fail. He would not live to see the
completion of this grand undertaking, the first day of classes for his
children. He died on the 8th of June, 1923, in the fifty-first year of his
pastorate.
Hicksville as a community owed a great debt to this grand old man.
Everyone, regardless of creed knew or knew of him. The LONG ISLANDER, a
local newspaper of the day wrote –
“The funeral Tuesday was
very large and most impressive; in fact the entire village attended in
spirit if not in person. The community flag was placed at half-mast. All
business houses closed between the hours of 10:00 and 12:00 A.M. More than
75 priests came to our village to assist in honoring our beloved Father
Fuchs. The Public School was closed during the forenoon. The Supervisor
and the Town Clerk were there as representatives of the Town of Oyster
Bay. The sermon was preached by the Very Reverend John C. York, a
life-long friend of Father Fuchs.
“The funeral procession
passed down Broadway headed by American and Church flags, draped, followed
by represent-atives of the American Legion, and Fire Department. Then came
the St. John’s Home boys and Parochial School children, followed by the
business men of Hicksville, and representatives of the town. The men and
women of the parish followed with hearses and pallbearers in the center.
“The procession continued north on Broadway to John St., where the
entire line divided and stood with bared and bowed heads while the hearse
passed slowly on toward Westbury, where rest the other members of the
family.
“Thus did Hicksville honor its noble dead.”
The high esteem in which he was held by the Catholic and non-Catholic
citizenry was unique and long standing. When he celebrated his fiftieth
year as pastor the year before, a parade was held and a public reception
was tendered to him by the various denominations of the town. Everyone
attended the Solemn High Mass he celebrated in thanksgiving that morning.
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One can imagine the feelings of the new pastor as he sat at the desk of
Father Fuchs for the first time. Indeed, imagine him entering the old
gentleman’s apartments and attempting to let sink in the fact that he
was going to have to fill his shoes.
It was Father Francis X. Wunsch who had the honor of opening the new
school. On his arrival, on June 23, 1923, he was informed that the school
would receive 350 pupils in the following September. By 1926 that number
had risen to 485, with a faculty of nine Sisters and one lay teacher. Also
at this time, the pastor estimated the parish census to consist of 328
families comprising 2,000 souls.
One of Father Wunsch’s first decisions was to give his blessings to
plans submitted to him by William Braun, William Duffy, Joseph Duffy and
Jeremiah Hennessey to institute a council of the Knights of Columbus, a
national order of Catholic men, in 1924. The council was named for Joseph
Barry, a parishioner who was one of the three Hicksville men to lose their
lives in the first World War. Father Wunsch became the council’s first
chaplain. The Holy Name Society had been established as a parish society
since June 19, 1904. In 1925 the Brooklyn Diocesan Holy Name Rally was
held in Hicksville and hosted by St. Ignatius parish. Father Joseph Hack,
then a curate here, and later Monsignor Hack, pastor of St. Boniface
parish in Elmont, remarked its success –
“…a torrent of rain
that day dampened the huge parade but we showed the Ku Klux Klan a fine demonstration ofour respect for and honor of the Holy Name of Jesus.”
The presence of the local Ku Klux Klan was among the reasons for the
establishment of the Knights of Columbus council.Father Wunsch left his unique mark on the parish too. It was he who, in
1925, built the transept of the church, increasing its capacity. The
exterior of the building was stuccoed, two confessionals were added, new
Stations of the Cross were erected, and additional stained glass windows
were installed. Bishop Thomas Molloy came to dedicate the renovated church
on November 25, 1926. The celebrant of the Mass was Father Eugene Nolan, a
Hicksville boy and St. Ignatius vocation. He also had the Rectory enlarged
and the grounds beautified with lawns, trees and gardens. Father Wunsch’s
tenure as pastor was to be a relatively short one, as compared with his
predecessor’s. Just long enough to present diplomas to the children he
welcomed as first graders, the first students to use the new school, only
eight years before when he first came. Indeed, he asked his successor,
Father George Bittermann, to delay his arrival for two weeks until he
could preside at the graduation exercises for his boys and girls.
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Father Bittermann succeeded Father Wunsch officially on June 23, 1931.
These were now “depression” years and times were hard. Unemployment
grew, farm prices dropped and money was scarce. But despite all of this,
Father Bittermann managed to pay off the parish debt, and make plans for a
new Rectory. The little white house on the corner of Broadway and East
Nicholai served its occupants for seventy years and was the scene of much
joy and turmoil, triumphs and sadness. But the plain fact was that the two
story frame building had become a fire-trap. Work was begun on the feast
of St. Ignatius in 1939 and in April 1940 a beautiful English manor style
building was completed, providing room for three priests, a guest and a
housekeeper. Father Bittermann must have been clairvoyant because on June
1st, 1940 the parish welcomed its first “second” curate in the person
of Father Lawrence Ballweg. The cost of the new building was $65,000.
World War II saw 386 of its young parishioners go off to war, eighteen of
them never to return. During the war, the church saw its second major
renovation. Work began in June 1943 and was completed in August 1944.
Paneling, gilding and decoration were applied to the ceilings and columns
and the front entrance was remodeled permitting entry straight into the
church from the street rather than from the two original right angle
entrance doors.
In the postwar boom years, which saw city population spill over into the
suburbs of Long Island, many new parishes were formed from the original
St. Ignatius jurisdiction; St. Bernard’s in 1948, Holy Family in 1951,
Our Lady of Mercy in 1953, St. Pius X in 1955 and St. Paul the Apostle in
1962.
In 1949 the library wing was added to the school at a cost of $100,000. A
drive to raise $25,000 towards its completion that year yielded $32,000.
In July 1953 two additional classrooms were added atop the left and right
sides of the East Nicholai Street front, and a Third classroom was
remodeled at a cost of $65,000. In the school year 1953-54 St. Ignatius
School was first in the county for school population with an enrollment of
1,258 pupils. At this time our Confraternity of Christian Doctrine program
had 1,900 children under instruction under the direction of Father Ballweg
and a staff of 60 Volunteers. By the end of the decade St. Ignatius was
providing religious instruction for 3,600 public school children. Father
Ballweg and his program was the subject of a major pictorial article in
the national Catholic magazine THE SIGN, which provided the model for many
parish Confraternity of Christian Doctrine programs over a wide-spread
area.
A very great honor was bestowed on our pastor on May 7, 1954 and by
extension, on the parish. Father Bittermann was named a Domestic Prelate
with the title “Right Reverend Monsignor” by Pope Pius XII. Monsignor
Bittermann also had the honor to be the Dean of Central Nassau county with
the additional title of “Vicar Forane,” and Diocesan Consultor to the
Bishop. In 1960 Monsignor Bittermann celebrated the Golden Anniversary of
his priesthood. Perhaps the greatest accolade paid Father Bittermann was
given by his assistant, Father Ballweg, who came to him right out of the
seminary in 1940 and remained with him for twenty-six years. In the
parishes’ 125th Anniversary memorial book he wrote a personal
appreciation, something only someone like him could experience and carry
with him throughout his life. He wrote –
“Very often the first
impression can be deceptive. Not with Father Bittermann, however. I never
changed my opinion of him. I was truly impressed by the warmth, the
friendliness and the simplicity of my new pastor. And he was always the
same – not only to me but to everyone else. There wasn’t the
slightest bit of guile in him. In fact, I have never met a person who was
more universally loved. Bishops loved him. Priests loved him. The
parishioners loved him. The children loved him. Even his curates
loved him.” It was said of Father Bittermann that if after Rockville Centre was
created a diocese in 1957 the position of Vicar General was to be voted
upon, he would have been the unanimous choice of his peers.
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THE THIRD SCHOOL
On May 7, 1961 Bishop Walter Kellenberg came to St. Ignatius parish to
dedicate our third school, which was located on East Cherry Street, just
east of the convent. An additional 550 children were on the register in
the new facility bringing the total registration well over 1,600 pupils,
with no more than fifty pupils in a classroom according to the Bishop’s
request. Assisting Bishop Kellenberg at this time was his secretary,
Monsignor John McGann, later Bishop McGann, and one of the acolytes, St.
Ignatius’ own Jim McNamara, later Monsignor James McNamara who served as
Diocesan Director of Priest Personnel.
On January 30, 1969 Monsignor Bittermann was given the title of “Pastor
Emeritus,” and succeeded by Father Frederic Harrer, our eighth pastor.
Indeed, his position in the diocese was so unique that Bishop Kellenberg
came here, to the Rectory, to inform him. Monsignor Bittermann died on May
11, 1970, in his eighty-fifth year, just ten days short of the 60th
anniversary of his ordination. It is interesting to note that the
pastorates of Father Fuchs, Father Wunsch and Monsignor Bittermann,
together, spanned ninety-seven years of parish history.
It fell to Father Harrer to complete the implementation in St. Ignatius
parish of the many and far reaching decrees and changes to come out of the
Second Vatican Council. Almost immediately a parish advisory council was
established through which the voice of the laity was brought to the
forefront. In it many social and pastoral issues of the day were
discussed. National attention was attracted to the parish in the May 24,
1976 issue of TIME magazine. In it, St. Ignatius was depicted as being one
of the typical American parishes coping with the changes brought home by
Vatican II. In 1975 the parish sponsored an eleven member Vietnamese
family, bringing to St. Ignatius the Hao family. 1975 also was the year
which saw the birth of the Human Services apostolate in the parish under
the direction of Sister Beata Maria Berger, O.P. Sister Beata was soon
joined by Sister Kathleen Murphy, O.P. who continued the program after
Sister Beata’s departure. Sister Kathleen McCarthy, O.P. took over
operations in 1995.
On December 17, 1972 a Mass of re-dedication was offered in the newly
refurbished church. The interior of the church was vastly changed: the
original altar and altar rail were removed and a new offertory platform
and altar was erected in the sanctuary, a new organ was installed at the
front in the north transept facing the altar, a Blessed Sacrament chapel
was added, and the baptistery was moved to the altar area. Also, as a
result of Vatican II, three men of the parish were ordained permanent
deacons.
During his twenty-one year pastorate, Father Harrer completed three, and
was working on his fourth round of parish census visits to every family in
the parish. He oversaw a wide ranging Youth program, and a short-lived
experiment that used the services of Altar girls, initially disapproved by
the diocese but later permitted. On January 28, 1990 Father Harrer retired
and became our second Pastor Emeritus. He returned to celebrate the Golden
Jubilee of his ordination on April 30, 1995.
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Father Edward Tarrant came to St. Ignatius at the request of Bishop
McGann on June 18, 1988 to serve as administrator of the parish. Father
Tarrant became our ninth pastor at Father Harrer’s retirement on January
28, 1990. Father Tarrant had a knack of finding talent. Many parishioners
gave a hearty “yes” when approached by Father Tarrant asking for help
on the many ministerial, social and financial projects he began. The
Annual Bishop’s Appeal was re-vitalized, new and innovative services
were provided and the means to fund them established. The grounds and
buildings began to take on a new look.
In 1990 a parishioner approached Father Tarrant to ask him if he would
approve a plan to permit volunteers from the parish to take over the many
gardens and the landscaping of the parish grounds which had been neglected
for many years. He gave his enthuastic approval. The original “Adopt-a-Garden”
volunteers grew from the three who responded to the original call, led by
Jane E. Schreiber, to a group of 50 dedicated men, women and children who
literally turned the parish grounds into a show place. National notice was
achieved with the publication of our story in the October 1995 issue of
U.S.PARISH, a national newsletter.
Two major restoration projects were begun, one in 1994 with the work on
the altar in the church and the other in 1998 with the external church
building and auditorium-gymnasium renovations.
When one of our parishioners, who requested anonymity, came to Father
Tarrant in November 1993 to arrange a fitting memorial for his wife,
recently deceased, the first object that came to mind was a new altar.
Father Tarrant came to the staff with the proposal and after much
consideration, and an offer by the parish Maintenance Club, led by Fred
Hess, it was decided to permit them to craft not only a new altar, but to
completely renovate the sanctuary area. Many pieces of the original wooden
altar in the Gothic style, the original altar railing, and their fittings
salvaged from the 1972 renovation remained stored in the basement of the
church. Some pieces, now over 100 years old and in perfectly usable
condition, would be brought back, refurbished and used in the restoration.
The best of the remnants were selected and sent to professional furniture
refinishers to strip away all the coats of stain and varnish applied over
the years. What was used was the old communion railing for the railing
behind the celebrant’s chair and ambo (a word resurrected from the early
church meaning “pulpit”), and the railing on the right side of the
ambo. These railings dated back to Father Wunsch’s 1926 renovation in
which the north-south transepts were added to the church. The base of
the ambo was taken from a statue pedestal. A new lectern top was
constructed and affixed to it. A similar statue pedestal was used to
replace the one in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel used as a base for the
tabernacle.
The altar base also used parts of the old communion railing. The front
pieces depicting the grape vines and the loaves and fishes were taken from
the two hinged gates. The upright side-pieces came from the reredos of the
high altar between the statues of St. Ignatius Loyola and St. Francis
Xavier and the tabernacle. The altar side pieces as well as the base of
the ambo date back to the1891 construction of the church and are over 100
years old. A new altar top had to be constructed because the old one did
not meet our measurement requirements. The altar was blessed by Father
Tarrant on Holy Thursday, 1994.
The celebrant’s chair came from the pre-1940 Rectory and was probably
used by Father Fuchs In his dining room. This chair was at least sixty
years old. It, too, was sent to be stripped and re-upholstered. A Deacon’s
chair, matching the celebrant’s chair except that it had no arm rests,
was subsequently found, refurbished, and placed in use.
Pre-dating the donation of the new altar by a few months, two catafalque
candles, part of a set of six, were also discovered in the church
basement. They were in bad condition but were salvageable. The steel was
brass plated and the black enamel was replaced by red. The fittings were
changed to eliminate wax candle fittings and to accommodate the newer
safety flame canisters used elsewhere on the altar. The eventual new altar
plans were kept in mind when the refinishing instructions were given.
The crucifix hanging over the altar was also altered. The result was a
subdued appearance more in keeping with the conservative look of the
renovated sanctuary.
The general intent of this renovation was to unify the look of the church
into an all-Gothic appearance instead of a multi-architectural
conglomerate of styles. It was meant to be a pleasing return to the
traditional style of St. Ignatius Loyola Church, one conducive to
undistracted worship. From the outset, it was recognized that merely
replacing the altar was not feasible. Liturgy, esthetics and tradition had
to be considered and satisfied in all that was to be done.
On July 29, 1996 our pastor and his parish were again honored in the
elevation of Father Tarrant to papal honors and the title “Reverend
Monsignor.” On November 6, 1998, Monsignor Tarrant was additionally
honored by the parish in the re-naming of the newly refurbished
auditorium-gymnasium as the “Monsignor Edward L. Tarrant Parish Center.”
To accomplish this, a parish campaign was undertaken in 1997 – 1998 to
raise the funds. The result was gratifying and a tribute to Monsignor
Tarrant.
On June 30, 1999 Monsignor Tarrant retired and was named “Pastor
Emeritus” by Bishop Mc Gann. He took up residence in Corpus Christi
parish in Mineola. In his place came Monsignor Donald T. Bennett to become
our tenth Pastor. In his coming, the parish was again honored in that he
was the first new pastor to come to us as a Monsignor.
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Shortly after his arrival Monsignor Bennett’s expertise was put to
the test. Our parish plant began to display serious and immediate
problems. The one hundred and ten year old church and the seventy-five
year old school on Nicholai Street began to crumble. In addition, the
Rectory and convent suffered deterioration. To correct these major
problems, which were given temporary fixes because of financial problems
in the past, a major reconstruction had to be undertaken. To finance
this a Vision of Faith Campaign was accomplished. This along with the
Diocesan Jubilee Fund Campaign contribution to the parish and a loan
from the Bishop financed the project. While we will be paying off this
loan for some time, we will not have to face sudden major tasks in the
foreseeable future. In our Vision of Faith Campaign, our parishioners
responded with pledges in excess of eight hundred thousand dollars.
Monsignor Bennett also brought to us his own special spirituality that
he makes us aware of in many subtle ways. Each of our pastors has
endeared himself to us in his own unique way.
If it is true that the past is prologue, then much is expected of our new
pastors. A priest does not come into a parish that is so rich in faith,
history and tradition without a strong sense of responsibility and
expectation. A pastor of St. Ignatius parish need never worry about
support. All he needs to do is look over his shoulder to see all the
followers. All he needs to do is ask.
With much thanks and appreciation,
Arthur A. Schreiber
February 8, 2002
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The primary sources of the facts used in this compilation was the dozen
or so previously published articles and histories printed between 1890 and
1984, the parish COMMUNITY magazine and the Sunday BULLETINS. Every effort
to corroborate dates and names was made. In addition, the following were
used:
Diamond Jubilee Souvenir Journal, St. Ignatius Loyola Church, Hicksville,
Long Island; 1859-1934.
125 Years of Faith, St. Ignatius Loyola, Hicksville, New York; 1984.
Diamond Jubilee Souvenir Journal, Roman Catholic Church of the Most Holy
Trinity, Brooklyn, New York; 1916.
The TABLET – Supplement, One Hundredth Anniversary, Roman Catholic
Diocese of Brooklyn, 1853-1953, Brooklyn, New York; October 31, 1953.
Sharp, Msgr. John K. & Redmond, Rev. Herbert P., Priests and Parishes
of the Diocese of Brooklyn, 1820-1972, R. C. Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y.;
1973.
Evers, Richard E., Hicksville Today and Yesterday, undated monograph.
Hicksville’s Story, 300 Years of History 1648-1948, Hicksville, Long
Island, N.Y.; 1948.
VERBATIM COPY OF A LETTER IN THE HANDWRITING OF FATHER FUCHS PLACED
IN THE CORNERSTONE OF THE NEW ST. IGNATIUS PAROCHIAL SCHOOL ON JULY 29,
1906.
Hicksville July 27/1906
St. Ignatius Church was organized as a parish by Rev. Ignatius Theodore
Goetz, acting pastor of St. Mary’s Church – Winfield – L.I. in the
year 1859 – The cornerstone of the old Church was laid on August 21st of
the same year. Pope Pius IX being Soverign Pontiff of the Church – Rt.
Rev. John Loughlin Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn – and James
Buchanan President of the United States – after being attended by
several priests Rev. Father Goetz – who died Feb. 8, 1879 – Rev.
Caspar Muller – died Oct. 29, 1881. Rev. Hoseph Hauber who attended from
Fosters-Medow (sic) for three years – died Oct. 8, 1905. Rev. Father
Laurentius Schneider succeeded Father Hauber but on account of ill health
attended only for 18 months – and resigned – returned to Germany and
died Aug. 24, 1883 – The Rev. Laurentius Fuchs, the present pastor then
a young priest – ordained June 30, 1869. Acting curate for three years
in St. Nicholas Church
(Page 2)
Brooklyn – N.Y. was assigned by the Rt. Rev. Bishop John Loughlin to
take charge of the comparatively small and poor parish – after it had
been left for four months without a priest – The first Mass was offered
up by him in the old church – a frame structure 25 X 50 for a half
filled church on Sunday September 1, 1872. Enough to make anyone feel
discouraged – but God blessed the work. Under him a debt of $1100 on the
new erected parish house was paid off. – The parish increasing made it
necessary to acquire more grounds and soon it was found out that the
little Church was inadequate to accommodate the Congregation after hard
struggling enough money was raised to build a larger and more
accommodating edifice – on May the 12th 1891 the old Church was moved to
an adjacent lot – ground was broken and on July the 4th 1891 the
cornerstone was laid by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Loughlin of Brooklyn – and
the handsome well build (sic) was dedicated by the same venerable prelate
– on Dec 15-1891-here it may incidentally remarked that the venerable
prelate had come in the morning to dedicate the church feeling
(Page 3)
Unwell, he had scarcely performed the ceremonies, when in the parish
house, he grew worse – after returning to his home, he took to his bed,
from which he was never again to rise. On Dec. 31, 1891 he returned to his
eternal reward – it was the last Episcopal function he performed. The
Rt. Rev. Chas. E. Mc Donnell succeeded him, and was consecrated Bishop on
April 25, 1892 – It was a long cherished wish of the pastor to have a
parochial school and hall connected with the church, finally after 15
years hard work, the Mortgage on the Church was liquidated, and funds to
the amount of $7000 collected –
On April 16, 1906 – after plans and specifications drawn up by the
Architect Franz T. Berlenbach had been approved by the Rt. Rev. Bishop and
the trustees of the church Adolph Pasker – Peter O’Brien, and Henry C.
Stolz – the contract was signed and given out to Sebastian Braun to do
the Mason work, Poschman and Stolz the Carpenter work, P. Sherman of
Westbury the Roofing – and Henry Braun the painting. The estimated cost
of the Building when completed will amount to $15000.
(Page 4)
Laying the corner stone took place on Sunday afternoon July 29, 1906 at 4
Oclock – the Rt. Rev. Peter Dauffenbach an old classmate of the Rector,
on the same day the Holy Name Society connected with the Church, have a
new banner blessed. The event took place under the concourse of a large
assemblage. Pope Pius X being Sovereign Pontiff of the Catholic Church Rt.
Rev. Chas. E. Mc Donnell Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn and Theodore
Roosevelt president of the United States – Priest (sic) present on the
occasion were Mgr. Peter Dauffenbach, who laid the cornerstone and
preached in German and Rev. John C. York Rector of St. Patrick’s Church
– Huntington, L.I. who preached in English Finally Rev. Gerard Spielman
O.S.B. Rector of St. Killian’s Farmingdale – Rev. Dr. Mc Ginnis of
Westbury – and the Rector Laurentius Fuchs.
May God bless the Work and the Benefactors.
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Rev. Linus Stahl
1920 Rev. Eugene Nolan
1924 Rt. Rev. Msgr. Elwood Purick
1925 Rt. Rev. Msgr. Myron Purick
1930 Rev. Stephen Stolz
1931 Rev. Francis Bintener
1940 Rev. John Stolz
1941 Rt. Rev. Msgr. Marion Reinhardt
1942 Rev. George LaFlare
1943 Rev. Harold Buetow
1971 Rev. Msgr. James McNamara
1971 Rev. Randal (Russell) Gillette, C.P.
1972 Rev. Bernard Palka, S.A.
1973 Rev. Donald Harrington, C.M.
1976 Rev. Paul M. T. Dmoch, N.Y. Archdiocese
1981 Rev. Msgr. Robert McCann, Oakland Diocese
1981 Rev. Thomas Murray
1984 Rev. Brian McNamara
1991 Rev. Richard Gill, L.C.
1991 Rev. Martin Klein
1992 Rev. Michael Shannon, L.C.
Deacons
1979 Deacon Don Zirkel
1979 Deacon Frank Moore
2007 George A. Mais
Brothers
Bro. Edward Metzger
Bro. William Boslet, O.S.F.
Bro. Symeon (Michael) Gillette, O.S.B.
Sisters
(Sister) O’Brien
(Sister) O’Brien
S. Grace Adelaide Healy
S. Charles Joseph, C.S.J. McGunnigle (Florence)
S. Emeline, C.S.J. McGunnigle (Emmy)
S. Ignatia, O.P. Markle
S. Theresa, O.P. Markle
S. Isaabel, O.P. Francke
S. Grace Lawrence, C.S.J. Quinn (Mary)
S. Thomas Edmund, C.S.J. Purick (Alice)
S. Maurita Therese, O.S.F. Waters (Virginia)
S.Therese Isabel, O.P. Klewicki (Mary)
S, Mary Imelda, G.G.S. Buetow (Evelyn)
S. Henry Joseph, O.P. Braun
S. Clarence Aloysia, O.P. Braun
S. Maria St. Peter, M.M. Heilig
S. Maureen, I.M.H. Schrimpe
S. Patricia, O.P. Saunders (Pat)
S. Francis De Sales Sarli
S. Laurentia, O.P. Doyle
S. Charles Joseph, O.P. Doyle
S. Leona Knoll
S. Robert Francis, O.S.F. McGann
S. Elizabeth Carmel, C.S.J. McGunnigle
S. Michael Bernadette, O.P. Lamoureaux
S. Mary Cyril, O.P. Spinner
S. Marie Celine Reinhardt
S. Bernadette, O.P. Jones
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PASTORS
1859-1863 Rev. Ignatius Theodore Goetz
1863-1868 Rev. Caspar Mueller
1868-1870 Rev. Joseph Hauber
1870-1872 Rev. Lawrence Schneider
1872-1923 Very Rev. Lawrence Fuchs, V.F.
1923-1931 Rev. Francis X. Wunsch (Later Rt. Rev. Msgr.)
1931-1969 Rt. Rev. Msgr. George M. Bittermann, V.F.
1969-1990 Rev. Frederic J. Harrer
1990-1999 Rev. Msgr Edward L. Tarrant (Administrator 1988-1990)
1999- Rev. Msgr. Donald T. Bennett
1909-1915 Rev. Henry Spengler
1915-1919 Rev. Peter Schutz
1919-1920 Rev. John Regulski
1920-1921 Rev. Alphonse Rickert
1921-1923 Rev. John O’Mahoney
1923-1924 Rev. Paul Korczyk
1924-1931 Rev. Joseph W. Hack (Later Rt. Rev. Msgr.)
1931-1959 Rev. John J. Wissler
1940-1966 Rev. Lawrence F. Ballweg (Later Rev. Msgr.)
1950-1965 Rev. Leo J. Goggin (Later Rev. Msgr.)
1959-1973 Rev. John P. Vitsas
1961-1969 Rev. Edward J. Shanahan
1965-1969 Rev. William J. Gallagher
1966-1969 Rev. James Carmody
1969-1970 Rev. Charles Guarino (Later Rev. Msgr.)
1969-1980 Rev. William Karvelis
1970-1978 Rev. Patrick Boyhan
1973-1977 Rev. Hugh Cannon
1977-1979 Rev. Robert Field
1979-1981 Rev. Edward Caskin
1980-1984 Rev. Louis I. Newman
1981-1987 Rev. Alfred Rogers
1984-1988 Rev. Thomas Costa
1987-1995 Rev. Peter T. Liu
1988-1993 Rev. Robert J. Giuntini
1993-1997 Rev. John V. Tunny
1995-2003 Rev. Gerard A. Gordon
1997-2007 Rev. James Carmody
2003-2008 Rev.
Douglas R. Arcoleo
2008- Rev. Jose Quilcate
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1910-1913 S. Bonaventure Elling, O.P.
1913-1925 S. Antonia Berlenbach, O.P.
1915-1948 S. Rosarita Conawsky, O.P.
1948-1955 S. Adelaide Schuerkamp, O.P.
1955-1961 S. Rose Dominic Funsch, O.P.
1961-1967 S. Mary Venard Clair, O.P.
1967-1970 S. Alphonsus Marie Maus, O.P.
1970-1976 S. Roseann McHale, O.P.
1976-1977 S. Kathleen Patricia Murphy, O.P.
1977-1980 S. Loretta Marie Devoy, O.P.
1980-1982 S. Alice Byrnes, O.P.
1982-1984 S. Mary Theresa Keane, O.P.
Interim S. Kathleen Patricia Murphy, O.P.
1984-2001 Jacqueline Burdi
2001- S. Mary Noonan, R.S.M.
2001-
S. Mary O’Donnell, O.P.
Rev. Lawrence Ballweg
Rev. John Vitsas
S. Lillian DeLorme, O.P.
S. Maureen McCullough
Henry Fuoco
Lorraine Manning
Peggy Bischof
Mary O’Brien-Carbajal
Jane Ellen Schreiber
Rev. James Carmody (interim)
Mary Jane Mastrodomenico
1970-1974 Robert I. Jones
1974-1977 Don Haines Guidotti
1977- 2006 Frank Crosio
2006-2007 Dominic Eckersley
2007-2008 Dr. Thomas Tirino
2008- Ms. Jennifer
Toohey
1984-1988 Martin Klein
1988-1996 Arthur A. Schreiber
1996-1997 Edward Lundy
1997-1997 Robert McGuire
Interim Arthur A. Schreiber
1997-2006 Donald Cleary, Jr.
2006-2007 Maria McCarthy
2007- Linda Price
1904 Michael R. Hines Earliest records
1904-1922 Peter O’Brien date from 1893.
1922-1927 Joseph J. McGunnigle
1927-1951 William Duffy
1951-1972 Vincent McGunnigle
1972-1988 Arthur A. Schreiber
1988-2005 Charles I. Montana, Jr.
2005- William
White
1918 Adolph Pasker
1918-1934 Henry C. Stolz
1934-1958 Lawrence Braun
1958-1979 Herbert Purick
1979-1981 Joseph Robinson
1981-1991 William M. Heberer, Jr.
1991-2006 Constance Clarke
2006
Mary Ann Lang
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