St. Bridget was probably born in a small Irish village named Faughart about the year 450 A.D. St. Patrick, with whom she developed a close friendship, baptized her parents. According to legend, Bridget's father was an Irish chieftain of Leinster, named Dubhthach, and her mother, Brocca, was a slave at his court. Even as a young girl, Bridget showed an inclination to the religious life and as a youth took her first vows from St. Macaille at Croghan. She was probably officially professed as a nun by St. Mel of Armagh. It is also believed that he conferred on her the authority to establish a religious order and be its abbess. She settled with seven other nuns at the foot of the Croghan Hill, and then about the year 468 A.D., followed St. Mel to the city of Meath.

About the year 470 A.D., Bridget founded both a monastery and convent at Cill-Dara [translated Kildare] and was abbess of the convent, the first of its kind in Ireland. She built her room, called a cell, under a large oak tree, and thus derives the name of her convent: Cill-Dara [cell of the oak]. The convent developed into a center of learning and spirituality, while around the convent developed the cathedral city of Kildare. Bridget founded a school of art at Kildare and its illuminated manuscripts became famous, notably the " Book of Kildare." This book, which was praised as one of the finest of all illuminated Irish manuscripts, disappeared three centuries ago, when England invaded Ireland and killed thousands of Irish Catholics and destroyed many Irish treasures and buildings.

Bridget was one of the most remarkable women of her time, and despite the numerous legendary, often extravagant, and even fantastic miracles attributed to her, there is no doubt of her extraordinary spirituality, her boundless charity and compassion for those in distress. She died at Kildare on February 1, 525 A.D. This is also the traditional date of her feast day. Called "Mary of the Gael," she is buried at Downpatrick, Ireland with two other great Irish saints: St. Patrick and St. Columba. She shares the title "Patron of Ireland" with St. Patrick.

[Adapted from the Dictionary of the Saints, John J. Delaney, Doubleday & Company, Inc., New York, 1980, page 120]

THE SETTLEMENT GROWS

As each new settler arrived, the homes of those who came before were thrown open to welcome the new immigrants. They were invited to move in with an established family until such time as the new immigrant could provide a shelter for his family, which was done by all the neighbors gathering together, cutting and hauling the logs and helping build the house. Another family, another home, was added to the little colony, and as one old settler remarked:  "How the people of St. Bridget should love each other for the kindness of those days."

In 1862, Bishop Miege gave permission for a parish to be officially organized under the direction of Father John Meurs.  Father John was born in Prussia, Germany in 1837. He was the first priest to finish his theological studies at the newly founded St. Benedict's College in Atchison, Kansas. He said his First Mass there on March 21, 1862, and in September of 1862 was assigned to the Benedictine mission at Nebraska City, Nebraska. He soon made his way down to the St. Bridget area and established a residence in the Seneca - Wildcat area. The new parish began with some of the following as original members: James Carroll, John Clark, John Gossin, Peter Lynch, William P. Madden, Michael Maddigan and Michael Murray.

These early Irish settlers needed a name for their new parish. In honor of the Patroness of Ireland, the name Bridget was chosen for the newly-organized church. This revered Irish nun, known also as Mary of the Gael, was a close friend of St. Patrick. This was the saint the early pioneers admired and wanted as their model for Catholic life here in northeast Kansas. St. Bridget is often depicted in art with a dairy cow that accompanied her on her trips to bring mutton, milk and butter to her poor neighbors. She also is said to have wove a cross from "rushes" (thatch) from the river Shannon. Her pagan father saw the cross, and became a believer. Today, people place a "St. Brigid's cross" in their homes and believe God protects those homes from evil and deprivation. (Her life story)

THE FIGHTING IRISH

Sometime in 1863 or early 1864, a frame church (the second church building) was built on the site where the cemetery now is located, but this church was later moved up the hill to its present site. The story of how this move happened is an interesting story of "Irish" ingenuity. As Oretha Ruetti writes in the October, 1976 issue of Kanhistique,

"... in 1864, a frame church was built on the same site [as the log cabin church] despite dissension in the parish over the selection of this site for the church building. The disapproving group favored locating the church a mile farther north. It was this disagreement among the parishioners that spawned the many legends of the 'Fighting Irish' of St. Bridget."

"The dissenting faction, with their Irish definitely 'up', gathered at the church one dark night with their lanterns, oxen teams, and skids. They were going to move the church up the hill to their chosen site! The oxen tired and the moving rig broke down. At daybreak they were discovered at a point midway between the two disputed sites. A compromise was reached which left the church at this spot, on a ten acre plot donated by Patrick McGrath. The original site became the parish cemetery and is still in use today."

There are a few former parishioners who question the validity of this story about moving the church in the middle of the night. They sincerely believe the logistics of such an endeavor make it impossible to bring about. To move such a large building with only a few oxen, skids and ropes, is impossible, they claim. They are of the opinion that this story was conceived by some parishioners as a joke, and it ended up being believed by many later-generation parishioners as the " truth." They also claim this story originated in the 1940's; "None of our ancestors ever told us this story," although Emma Forter's 1917 Marshall County History mentions:  "... the first frame church was built on the site where the cemetery now is, but afterwards moved to where the present church stands."   "10 acres square of the south East corner of the west half of the North east quarter of Section 14, Township 1, Range 11, lying and situate in the County of Marshall and State of Kansas."

They would like the story to be true but find it hard to believe as it has been told and retold over the years. Maybe we will never prove one way or another whether it happened or not, but it is now definitely a part of our parish history.   On February 19, 1867, Patrick and Catharine McGrath granted a warranty deed to Bishop John Baptist Miege, Bishop of the Leavenworth, Kansas diocese.

EARLY PASTORS

 The frame church building also served as a school house for many years. In August of 1864, Fr. John Meurs left Wildcat.  He is remembered by the people as the priest who would ride a horse to death in order to reach a sick person in time to save his or her soul. He would also tell his parishioners:  "In case of storm, don't worry. Just go into your house, close the doors, and rest assured that God will take care of you."

Father John eventually ended up at St. Mary Church in Lyndon Station, Wisconsin where he served for seventeen years. His health failing, he returned to Kansas around 1895 to live in retirement. He settled in Chetopa, near the Oklahoma-Kansas Border, where his sister lived. The founding pastor of St. Bridget parish died on Thursday, June 27, 1901, age 64. He is buried in St. Rose Cemetery in Chetopa. 

In 1871, St. Bridget began a time where she was served by a number of Benedictine Priests from St. Benedict's Abbey in Atchison. They were responsible for the sacramental needs of many of the Catholics in North-east Kansas. Father Suitbert Demarteau, O.S.B., from Atchison, was appointed pastor in 1871 and began the erection of a rock church, thirty by sixty feet, which could seat over 300 people. It was completed by January, 1874. (This was the third church building.) Patrick Hughes donated and quarried with his own hands, on his own farm, much of the stone used for this church. Each member of the parish was asked to haul one cord from the quarry to the building site. Philip Coffey donated the plastering. James Carroll and John Stohl did the mason work.  The settlement at St. Bridget continued to grow and prosper in the 1860's and early 70's. A news item in the Seneca Courier of February 10, 1871, gives these encouraging words about the people at St. Bridget, although they misspell the name Bridget.

ST. BRIDGETT

This is the name of a post office in the northeast corner of Marshall County.

"A Catholic Church, named after the Saint, and a store kept by Mr. Michael Murray, comprise this town. It is the center of an Irish settlement, a large portion of which is in this county [Nemaha County]. The settlement does most of its trading in Seneca. They are a very thrifty and industrious community, and though most of them came there poor, all are doing well, and some have become quite wealthy. They are among the largest and most successful stock growers in this vicinity."

In March of 1891,  Fr. Hurley's pastoral responsibilities changed. A resident pastor was assigned to Axtell and Father Hurley was asked by Bishop Fink to begin a new parish at Summerfield.  It was during this same time that Father Hurley purchased the beautiful stain-glass windows that grace the present St. Bridget Church. It seems they were originally installed in the stone church and later moved into the new church. During his twelve years at St. Bridget, the young priest saw the parish develop in many ways. He built an addition on the west end of the stone church, ^{( 36 )} a sacristy. He also built a barn behind the rectory to house the pastor's horse and buggy. ^{( 37 )} When the parish outgrew the stone church, he oversaw the construction of a frame church to be used for church services. (This was the fourth church building.)

Approximately 70 families belonged to the parish during Father Hurley's pastorate. When the present brick church was completed in 1908, this frame structure, that was used as the temporary church, was then used as a Parish Hall for social activities. It was torn down in 1949. On January 25, 1896, Fr. Hurley was transferred to Emerald, Kansas, where he ministered until 1909, the year he died of throat cancer. Father Patrick O'Sullivan followed Fr. Hurley in February of 1896.

THE MARCH 28 TRAGEDY

In March of 1897, when Father O'Sullivan was pastor, a terrible tragedy struck the parish. There was a typical Midwest thunderstorm on Saturday night, March 27. Manley Creek (which ran at that time east of Jim & Kathy Fischer's present day residence) was beginning to rise. It was about 2:00 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon. Sarah McGrath was riding in a wagon with six of her children. The eldest, Frank, 14, was driving the wagon. They were traveling over to the John Hynes farmstead to tell them good-bye. The Hynes were moving away. When they came to a low water crossing point, Sarah was hesitant. The water seemed high and the current looked swift. The children insisted on crossing the creek so they could tell their neighbors good-bye. Frank was also confident they could cross the creek safely because earlier that morning several other wagons crossed with little difficulty going to and from church. And so Frank cracked the reigns and the horses entered the swift current. It was deeper and running faster than they thought. The horses began to swim and started turning around trying to reach the safety of the creek's bank. As they turned, it upset the wagon, tossing all into the water. The icy water soon numbed those in it but somehow Sarah made it to the creek's edge.

She began the search for her children. She found Frank, clinging to a limb but it was too dangerous for Sarah to try and reach him. Frank told his mother he could hold on and she should go for help. Reaching the home of Dan Calnan, rescuers soon arrived. But it was too late for all the children, including Frank, who lost his grip on the limb and was swept away in the fast current. A funeral Mass was held at St. Bridget Church on March 30, 1897. ^{( 38 )} Five children were buried in a common grave that day in St. Bridget Cemetery. On the day of the funeral, the sixth child was found and was buried later with the other children. The Mass that day mourned the loss of Frank; Mary, 11; Katie, 9; John, 5; Joseph, 3; and Tommy, 1 1/2. This was the tragedy of March 28, 1897. It was one of the saddest days in the life of the McGrath family, Father O'Sullivan and St. Bridget Parish.(See related story from the Axtell Anchor newspaper)

Humor also played a part in Father O'Sullivan's life at St. Bridget. A story is told about Father O'Sullivan and the visit of the bishop (believed to be Bishop Fink). Fr. O'Sullivan was an avid hunter and raised greyhound dogs as a way to supplement the sometimes meager parish income. The bishop was scheduled to arrive at St. Bridget for a Confirmation service. Knowing bishops frowned on most commercial activities pastors sometimes employed to increase parish revenue, Fr. O'Sullivan needed a place to keep his dogs, away from the eyes of the bishop. On his way into Axtell, to pick up the bishop at the train station, he dropped all the dogs off at the Michael Shaughnessy farm where Melvin Kramer presently lives). The dogs were locked up in the barn and the arrangements were to let the dogs loose the next day, after the bishop boarded the train. Somehow when Pat Lynch, (the son-in-law of Mike Shaughnessy and uncle of Charlie Shaughnessy) opened the barn door, the dogs got out and returned to the rectory just as the bishop and Fr. O'Sullivan finished their evening meal. They were sitting on the porch enjoying the evening breeze when this pack of greyhounds suddenly appeared and began lounging around the porch. Father O'Sullivan tried to chase them away but they always kept coming back. Covering his tracks, Father said to the bishop: " Whose dogs are these? Whose dogs are these? I wish those neighbors of mine would keep their dogs at home." The bishop supposedly replied: "Father, I think the dogs are at home."

Before the church was quite complete, Father O'Sullivan was moved to Lillis, Kansas and the Rev. Patrick R. McNamara was sent to take up the work where Father O'Sullivan left off, including the plastering of the church, the transferring the exquisite stained glass windows from the old church to the new building, and completing the furnishing of the interior.

Parishioners furnished the labor and donated much of the materials and furnishings the new church building would need. The red brick used in the construction of the church and rectory was brought in by railroad flat cars to the Carney Siding (presently the farmstead of John and Sherri Meyer) on the old Kansas City, Wyandotte and Northwestern Railroad. It was transported by parishioners with buckboards or other types of wagons from the Carney siding to the construction site of the church and rectory.

A unique feature of the church construction is its high vaulted ceiling unsupported by pillars. The main altar contains three of Ireland's greatest saints. St. Bridget, standing at the very top, surrounded by St. Columba on the left side and St. Patrick on the right. Left of St. Columba, stands St. Joseph with the child Jesus, and to the right of Patrick stands St. Jude, apostle and the patron saint of "hopeless " causes. St. Jude is the statue that causes the most questions. Protruding from his head is a "tongue of fire " symbolizing the gift of the Holy Spirit he received at Pentecost, along with the other apostles. The statue of Our Lady of Grace, is on the south side altar and the statue of the Sacred Heart stands on the north side altar. At the base of the main altar is a plaster casting of the Last Supper. The church was completed in 1908 and it loomed large as the pride of the parish and a monument to the self-sacrificing pioneers of St. Bridget's Parish. The bell tower was never completed. It was to be added on when times got better for the St. Bridget farmers. Unfortunately, the times never got much better.

 A most striking feature of the St. Bridget Church is its stain-glass windows. Archbishop Strecker, visiting the church in 1992, commented: "These are some of the most beautiful stain-glass windows I have ever seen in any church."  

The four large windows on the south side depictt (east to west):

In 1916, Father O'Leary was succeeded by the Rev. John A. Murphy who remained until February, 1917. Fr. Murphy, for health reasons, took a leave of absence from the diocese and for the next two years recuperated back in Troy, New York. The Rev. Daniel F. O'Reilly arrived in February of 1917. On Tuesday, March 25, 1919, a defective flue started a fire that completely destroyed the rectory. This was the new building erected by Father O'Leary less than three years before. The parishioners were sharply divided on the expediency of rebuilding the priest's house.  

In June of 1919, Fr. O'Reilly was transferred as pastor to St. Cecilia's Parish in Perry, Kansas. Father William L. Nelligan was then chosen by Bishop Ward to take charge of the parish and settle the controversy. Much credit is due him for the tactful manner in which he smoothed ruffled feelings and reconciled opposing factions. He remained only two years, but in that short time he built and completely paid for the structure. In 1999, this building was torn down. 

St. Bridget was far ahead of its time in bringing light to its buildings because electricity did not come to the rural area until twenty-eight years later in 1948. The rectory Nelligan built cost $5,600. While the new house was being constructed, Fr. Nelligan lived in the priest's sacristy in the church. Father Michael J. O'Farrell succeeded Fr. Nelligan and was pastor from April of 1921 to April of 1922. Next, Bishop Ward appointed Rev. Jerome J. Twomey pastor. He served the parish for ten years, from 1922 to 1932.

THE ST. BRIDGET FAIR AND FR. TWOMEY

Father Twomey, an amateur Golden Gloves boxer, introduced the western rodeo concept to the people at St. Bridget's. Advertised in the Marysville Advocate as the "St. Bridget Big Fair," it made its first appearance on Tuesday, September 26, 1922. Contest events included horse races, foot races, tug of war contests, and an eight-round boxing match with "Red" Latta from Marysville. Other contests included steer riding, bull riding, and kicking horses. Prizes were given to the winners of the various contests. The evening events included: a generous chicken dinner; an auction; and, concluding the evening festivities was a platform dance. The Fair was open to all. Many a tale is told and retold about the exciting times of the annual St. Bridget Fair. Besides the normal rodeo events of calf roping and bronco-riding, they had, over the years, wrestling matches, livestock auctions, trick roping, baseball games between various city teams, political speeches in election years, clowns, and a simulated Indian attack on a covered wagon train. Possibly the greatest attraction was in 1928, when it was advertised that a new Chevrolet Touring car would be given away. It was actually, a new Chevy roadster that was given to the winner, Frank McBride. Everyone in the parish was supposed to sell at least one book of tickets. It was said that Frank McBride sold only one ticket in his book, sold it to himself, and won the automobile.  The Bands that played for the dances following the rodeos were a "Who's Who" of the area bands. Mitchell's Orchestra played in 1923; the Seneca town band in 1926; both the Axtell and Summerfield town bands played in 1928, when the fair was expanded into a two day affair. In 1933, it was the "Rhythm Kings of Wymore, Neb." and in 1935, Paul Kennedy and his Orchestra entertained the dancers.

SOME SAD EVENTS BEFALL US

Father Leo V. Ahern was appointed by Bishop Johannes to replace Father Twomey in 1932. In July of 1935, commerce between Axtell and St. Bridget was improved when the road between the two communities was upgraded to an "all-weather" road with a smooth, wide ribbon of white, crushed rock. That was the high point of 1935 for Fr. Ahern. A low point occurred on Sunday, April 14, about 4:00 p.m. Following the afternoon services, Fr. Ahern ... "was standing on the walk in front of the church visiting with some of the parishioners, when a gust of wind lifted the manhole lid in the belfry and tumbled it outside, striking Rev. Ahern on the head and shoulders. He was knocked down and rendered unconscious, the lid being of heavy lumber, re-enforced by metal. Rev. Ahern sustained a severe scalp wound, a broken collar bone and was otherwise badly bruised. ...if the lid had struck him squarely on the head, it could have been fatal. " ( 53 ) This was the story carried in the April 18 edition of The Axtell Standard. The Summerfield ambulance arrived with Fr. Charles J. Williams of Summerfield and took Fr. Ahern to the Sabetha hospital where he was hospitalized. A later story in The Standard tells us that his injuries kept him away from the parish for three months, until July of 1935.

From 1941 - 1943 three Benedictine priests, Father Maurus Kennedy, O.S.B., (September, 1941-July, 1942), Father Philip O'Connor, O.S.B. (July, 1942 - May, 1943), and Fr. Odilo Otott, O.S.B. (May - July, 1943) served as Administrators (interim pastors) until the Diocese could appoint a permanent pastor. Father O'Connor left this assignment in May 1943, and joined the Armed Forces and served out the rest of the Second World War as a military chaplain. In August, 1943, the Rev. Vincent Kongs, a priest of the Diocese, was appointed pastor and he stayed until 1949.

The May 6, 1948, Axtell Standard carried a small note that Sister Ita, O.S.B. and Sister Mary Mark, O.S.B. had returned to Atchison after a very successful year at St. Bridget School. Two weeks later, in the May 20 issue of The Standard came this sad notice:

"Mother M. Lucy, (O.S.B.), superior at the sister's convent in Atchison, notified the school board of Dist. 52 that the (Benedictine) Sisters will not return to St. Bridget school because of the small number of pupils enrolled."

ST. BRIDGET CHURCH BECOMES A MISSION

An often expressed fear of the St. Bridget's people was that their church would one day become a mission parish. The rapidly declining population of the parish, as well as a shortage of priests, contributed to this fear. This was realized in 1949, when it was announced by Bishop Donnelly that St. Bridget's Church would become a mission parish to Holy Family parish in Summerfield.

Bishop Donnelly	Father Paul Miller	Storm Damage to Church

On June 1, Father Paul W. Miller was appointed pastor of both parishes. He had been pastor at Holy Family for a year already and he proved to be a most zealous and impartial pastor, dividing his attention and care equally between the two parishes. Mass continued to be offered as regularly as it had been when St. Bridget had a resident pastor. Thus, the transition was not nearly as disastrous as had been anticipated. In August of 1949, because of the deteriorating condition of the Hall (Church # 4), it was torn down. At the time, the parish was hopeful of replacing it with a new modern hall. In August of 1951, a concrete platform was poured north and east of the parish house. It was to be used for dances and other gatherings until the new hall could be built.  While Father Miller was pastor, a strong south wind, possibly a tornado, damaged the steeple and corner of the church roof. The "St. Bridget News" section of the May 11, 1950 issue of The Axtell Standard carried this notation:

"A wind storm of hurricane velocity destroyed part of the roof on St. Bridget Church (on Friday, May 5, 1950). The damage is estimated at $1,500."

The parish contracted with the Droge Brothers of St. Benedict to repair the damage.

PAINTED FOR THE FIRST TIME

On September 17, 1951, contractors began painting the church. This was the first time the church was ever painted since the walls were plastered back in 1908. The cost was approximately $4,800.00. A contract to paint and decorate the church was given to the Mulich Brothers of Kansas City, Kansas. The Mulich brothers lived at the old convent while the church was being painted, and often ate their meals with the Barney Runnebaum family, who lived a short distance from the church. The painting was completed about November 22, 1951.

In 1953, Father Frank Krul, a Philadelphia native, was appointed pastor and served until 1957. He was ordained on June 8, 1946, and had been an assistant in parishes at Topeka and Kansas City. This was to be his first parish assignment as pastor. With the help of the men of the parish, Father Krul was able to fulfill Fr. Loncaric's dream and had the basement under the church dug out and then remodeled into a parish hall.

Fr. Frank Krul	Fr. Leonard Moran	Fr. Dennis Pickert

In 1958, Father Leonard Moran was appointed pastor. Father Moran was a native of Blaine, Kansas. Under his direction, two projects were completed: a new organ was purchased; and the main aisle of the church, covered with old rubber mats, was replaced with linoleum. Father Denis Pickert replaced Father Moran in 1963 and he instigated many of the liturgical changes during his tenure. In keeping with the changes made by Vatican II, he installed a new altar that faced the parishioners. He also moved the organ from the choir loft to the front of the church in order to foster community singing.

In March of 1967, Father Robert Pflumm replaced Father Pickert. He was at the parish only six months when on September 3, he was authorized by Archbishop Hunkeler to announce the closing of St. Bridget Parish. The last parish Sunday Mass was scheduled to be offered on September 10, 1967. At the time of the parish's closing, there were about 25 families belonging to the parish.  According to the church records, the last wedding before the closure of the parish was the marriage of John Golay from Fredonia, Kansas to Margaret McGeeney, daughter of Francis and Adelaide McGeeney of St. Bridget. Fr. Denis Pickert witnessed this marriage on October 16, 1965. The last baby baptized at St. Bridget's was Jackie Koch, the daughter of Rock & Gladys Koch on February 5, 1967. She was baptized by Fr. Denis Pickert. ^{( 57 )} Sharing the Faith and honoring the Lord was what the parish of St. Bridget was all about.

SHARING OUR FAITH - - THE FINAL TALLY

When the parish closed an estimated 1007 children or converts had been baptized. 212 couples pronounced their wedding vows before her altar, and 465 funerals were conducted from the church or at the cemetery. The official records indicate 537 persons received the Sacrament of Confirmation and only 53 made their First Holy Communions, but we know these last two numbers are inaccurate. The Confirmation book, that was started in 1892, is missing the pages between the years 1906 and 1928. No one knows for sure how many Confirmation services were held at St. Bridget between those years. Also, one of the pastors in the early 1940's was suffering from " hardening of the arteries" or senility. As Galen Runnebaum recounts,

"It was evening and my mother noticed the glow of a fire coming from St. Bridget and asked me to go make sure everything was okay. When I got over there, Father was standing by the bonfire and said he was burning 'some records we don't need anymore.'" ^{( 58 )}

What he burned we are not sure. Missing from the records is the registry of First Holy Communions from 1870 to 1929. That is the only sacramental record book known missing. According to the remaining records, we can conclude that St. Bridget did a fine job of sharing the Faith with the people of Northeast Kansas and Southeast Nebraska. But little did we know ­­ St. Bridget was not to be counted out yet!

FATE OF CHURCH

The ultimate fate of the church building was not disclosed when they announced the closing of the parish, but it was made very clear that all religious services would cease after September 10, 1967. News of the closing led some parishioners and pastors to begin scavenging the church furnishings. Some families who donated religious items wanted them back now that the Church was closing. Fr. Pickert ordered the church locked up until this dilemma could be resolved. In years past, some religious items were simply tossed away when no longer used. The metal holy water fonts, for example, now mounted to the wall next to the front entrance doors, were found in the early 1970's buried in the ground near the foundation wall of the church. These fonts were retrieved, cleaned and returned to the church by Vince and Tillie Buessing. Some other items were picked up by neighboring parishes for use there. A few of these items have been retrieved.

At the news of the impending closure, parishioners could choose to join one of the three adjoining parishes most convenient to them. The choices were: Sacred Heart Church in Baileyville, St. Michael Church in Axtell or Holy Family Church in Summerfield. The transition to the new parishes was made on schedule. There was little overt protest from the parishioners, although they were saddened at having to give up their church and parish.

In July of 1969, a persistent rumor was heard in the St. Bridget Community concerning a plan to demolish the church. The rumor proved to be true for Archbishop Hunkeler announced that he had decided to demolish the church since it was a "closed" parish. Many bishops, rather than see closed churches deteriorate, waste away, become an eyesore or an insurance liability, choose to tear down their "closed church" buildings. This was the decision Archbishop Hunkeler made. The St. Bridget people had given in without much protest on the two previous occasions. They had accepted their mission status in 1949 and later in 1967, the official closing. However, this new diocesan directive was just too much for these strong-minded Irish individuals to accept.

A meeting was scheduled to consider what could be done to avert the impending catastrophe. A group met on the steps of the church on July 13, 1969. Thirty-one former parishioners and a former pastor, Father Nelligan, were present. A plan to incorporate the church into a Historical Society was discussed and explored. Twenty-seven of those present signed a petition to save their church. Leo Eagan, Vincent Buessing and Nell Glynn were elected to study the legal aspects of the proposed plan. ^{( 59 )}

The newly-formed committee was not able to talk directly with Archbishop Hunkeler, in spite of repeated attempts to do so. Father Pickert was asked to intercede with the Archbishop to reconsider his decision to demolish the church. Archbishop Hunkeler refused to reconsider his decision. The committee did not receive any more word for some time and was unaware of what to expect. Through it all, the people kept praying for a way to save the St. Bridget Church building from the wrecking ball.

SLOW PROCESS OF INCORPORATION

The process of incorporation was a lengthy and tedious one, lasting several years. Much correspondence and many meetings with state officials were necessary. The Archbishop added a condition to the transfer that stated, that any time the church is not maintained in a respectful manner, the property will revert back to the Archdiocese.  hen all the legal aspects were completed and St. Bridget's was officially incorporated into the Historical Society, the committee was free to turn their attention to other matters. Plans were made and carried out for a St. Bridget's Day celebration on June 7, 1970. Ninety-four families came to worship in their old church and spent the day rejoicing together.

ANNUAL ST. BRIDGET'S DAY

So successful was the first St. Bridget's Day, that the committee decided to hold a St. Bridget's Day each year on the Sunday closest to Memorial Day. This resolution was faithfully carried out from 1970 through 1987. The annual chicken dinner and dance was eventually dropped because of dwindling crowds and the rains that always seemed to fall on the day chosen to have St. Bridget Day. The Sunday before Memorial day is still celebrated as "St. Bridget Day" with the annual meeting followed by Mass and a potluck dinner in the church basement. As the years pass, time and death thin the ranks of the surviving parishioners, and the number in attendance slowly declines.  There are about 235 members who now belong to the organization. The annual family fee is $5.00. The present members of the committee in 2003 - 2004 are: Bill Sunneberg, president; Terry Stallbaumer, vice-president and Leo Glynn, Secretary-Treasurer. Each year, at the annual meeting, a report is made on the finances and what work projects need to be considered or completed. In 1972, a new roof was discussed for the Church. Plans were then made to put a new metal roof over the existing shingles. In 1977, a major project of releading the stained-glass windows was completed. Over the years many projects have been completed involving the church, the cemetery or both. (Highlights of Historical Society projects)

The members of the committee certainly deserve our gratitude for the many hours of discussion, planning and meetings necessary to secure the success of the organization and the maintenance and upkeep of the church and cemetery. The late Nell Glynn will always be remembered for her valiant effort to save St. Bridget's Church.

ST. BRIDGET'S CEMETERY

With the safety of the church finally assured, the committee turned their attention to the parish cemetery. Archbishop Strecker placed the jurisdiction and responsibility of the cemetery in the hands of the St. Bridget Historical Society in 1970. A drive was begun to raise a sum of money large enough to be invested profitably. The annual interest derived from this amount would be used to pay for the upkeep of the cemetery. The cemetery funds would be kept in a separate account from the regular fund and could be used only for the stated purpose. This was the equivalent to establishing perpetual care. The cemetery has been kept in excellent condition since the organization was formed in 1970. Many have remarked that the gently sloping terrain of St. Bridget's cemetery, with its naturally wooded surroundings, make it one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the country. In 1999, a former parish family, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Glynn, remembered the cemetery in their will. Their generosity to the cemetery will help keep it a beautiful memorial to our deceased families and former parishioners.

Over the last several years, the Historical Society has been able to make numerous improvements to the cemetery, thanks in part to a generous donation from Leonard and Tillie Glynn, long-time parishioners. Leonard and Tillie, both now deceased, wanted the place of their ancestors maintained well into this new millenium.

Cemetery entrance 2003

Statues at top of drive

Cemetery entrance - 2004

Parade of Flags - Memorial Day, 2003

VISITING THE CHURCH

Arrangements have been made with the Terry Stallbaumer family whereby former parish members or interested individuals may have the privilege of visiting this historic landmark. Now, one can again glory in the majestic simplicity of the high-vaulted ceilings, the stained-glass windows of varied size, and the dark oak pews, some still bearing the names of former occupants. And, towering above all, the familiar statue of St. Bridget still crowns the main altar. In this familiar setting, important religious events took place. Some were sad, like the funerals of loved ones, but many were joyful, like the baptism or the wedding of a son or daughter. Parishioners gathered each Sunday to celebrate their faith in God through the Sacrifice of the Mass. The sanctuary looks similar to a long-ago First Communion Day. Faces of former parishioners, now long since departed, can be remembered as they looked when attending Sunday or weekday Mass so many years ago. Time has really changed St. Bridget's very little.

At the May, 1993 annual meeting, the Committee members expressed a hope that the Statue of St. Bridget, atop the main altar, could be cleaned and repainted. The many years of having a wood- fired furnace left the interior of the church with a dingy, gray film of soot, covering everything in the church. At the Mass following the annual meeting, mention was made of the desire to refurbish the St. Bridget statue. Enough former parishioners in attendance expressed an interest in cleaning, repairing, and repainting not just the statue of St. Bridget, but all the statues. Eight different donors offered to financially fund the project. An official contract was let on June 8, 1993 with Johnson Restoration of Vermillion, Kansas for the restoration of the seven statues in the sanctuary of the church for $ 2,800.00. Work started in mid-June by Chari Johnson-Reynolds. This restoration sparked an interest to clean the soot residue on the main altar. At the July workday at St. Bridget, over 30 men and women showed up with ladders, brushes, buckets, gloves and washcloths to begin cleaning the main altar and other parts of the interior walls of the church. The statue restoration was completed by the time of the annual Mass near All Souls Day. St. Bridget shines again from her place on top of the main altar. The Stallbaumer family, in memory of their son Nicholas, had the baptismal font renovated. Johnson Restoration was able to complete this important piece of St. Bridget history by the November date for the All Soul's Mass. In October of 1993, the St. Bridget Historical Society began a new venture: publishing, twice a year, a newsletter. The first newsletter was sent to 207 names on our database. It is our attempt to keep society members updated to events and happenings around old St. Bridget Church and Cemetery. Publishing times have been set for April - May and again in October.

THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY:
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OLD

Archbishop Keleher	90" x 104" Ohio Rose design Quilt

June 4, 1995 was a very special day at St. Bridget's. This was the first time in over 30 years a prelate of the church graced the altar of St. Bridget Church. The occasion was the 25th anniversary of the founding of the St. Bridget Day by the St. Bridget Historical Society. To mark the occasion, the Society made plans for a good old-fashioned "St. Bridget Day." With the assistance of the officers and their wives and the Axtell Knights of Columbus, Council #1163, plans were made to have a barbecue chicken dinner (or ham), with all the normal trimmings of the old days. But the highlight of the day was the arrival of Archbishop James P. Keleher, Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas. He was to be the principal celebrant with nine other priests. Among the concelebrating priests were Father Paul Miller, former pastor (1949-1952), and Father Jim Shaughnessy, whose grandfather helped establish St. Bridget Church in the very early days. After the annual meeting at 12:30 pm, Mass began at 3:30 pm. Some of the finest Irish music to echo off the pews and walls of the church was heard that day thanks to Judy Glynn, Cheryl Reinecke, Norma Stallbaumer and Dawn Bailey, plus many others singers and musicians. Following the Mass, there was a quilt auction, a 90" x 104" Ohio Rose design. It was handmade by a former parishioner and auctioned on the front steps. At 5:00 pm the barbecue Chicken or ham dinner began. All during Mass, the delicious aroma of the cooking chicken drifted in and out of the open church windows, wetting the appetites of all in the church. But the wait was worth it. The chicken and ham was F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C!!! The only real disappointment that day was that one of our former pastors, Father Stanley Loncaric, (1938-1941), was not able to make it as planned. His many friends were disappointed. (See related article that appeared in The Marysville Advocate, written by LeNore Stumpf)

ELECTION TO THE STATE & NATIONAL HISTORIC SITES

In the fall of 1995, the Kansas State Historical Society nominated St. Bridget Church to nomination on the State and national registry of Historic sites. Members of the St. Bridget Historical society were invited to attend the quarterly meeting on Saturday, October 12. It was accepted as a Kansas State Historical Site and their recommendation to be placed on the National list of historic sites was forwarded to Washington, D.C. In September of 1996, the officers of the Historical Society received word that our nomination was accepted by the National Registry of Historic Places in Washington, D.C. The Society is extremely grateful to Chari Johnson-Reynolds for her dedication and perseverance in having St. Bridget nominated and accepted by both groups. (See related stories by LeNore Stumpf from the Marysville Advocate and from Kanhistique, November, 1996)

NINETIETH ANNIVERSARY

August 30, 1998 was a special day in the life of the St. Bridget Historical Society. Archbishop Keleher returned to St. Bridget to help us rededicate our church as we approached the Third Millenium. On September 2, 1908, Bishop Lillis dedicated the Church in an all-day affair. Sunday, August 30, 1998 Archbishop Keleher helped us celebrate our 90th anniversary. The day began with a jubilee Mass at 2:00 pm followed by an old fashioned Chicken Bar-B-Que. The weather was threatening, by the Archbishop commented that St. Bridget was keeping this five mile area around the church free of rain and bad weather. Flying into Marysville that day, the Archbishop encountered rough, rainy weather. He was delighted as he approached the St. Bridget area that the weather was very favorable. He attributed it to St. Bridget's ability to ask the Lord for good weather.

In 1908, when the present St. Bridget Church was dedicated, it cost approximately $30,000 to build. In 1998, as the St. Bridget Historical Society seek grants to help us repoint the brickwork and replace some of the flashing around the bricks, we are looking at price tag of $92,200.00, approximately three times the original construction costs. This caused us to calculate what the original cost in 1908 would have been, using 1998 dollars.

The 1908 dollar would be equal to $22.60 (1997 dollars)

In 1908 the common laborer might have earned $1.00 for a 12 hour day, making his hourly wage at 8 cents per hour. So $30,000 in 1908 would be equal in May of 1998 to approximately $684,780. ^{( 61 )}

Thanks to Dr. Lynn H. Nelson of the University of Kansas History Department, who used various charts (including the Consumer Price Index (CPI)), to come to the above calculations.

What is impressive is that a parish of approximately sixty families in 1908 were able to raise $30,000 to build this magnificent church building. A grateful people of 1998 say thank you to those parishioners of 1908 who sacrificed so much.

Archbishop Jim	Archbishop Jim after the Mass

The following is reprinted from The Leaven, the Archdiocesan Newspaper. It appeared in the September 11, 1998 issue on the front page. It was written by Joe Bollig, of the Leaven staff.

AXTELL - Can a church that has been closed for 30 years be called dead? Not if it's St. Bridget, the "little church on the hill" located between Axtell and Summerfield in rural Marshall County.  On Aug. 30, approximately 400 friends and former parishioners gathered in the sweltering heat for the 90th anniversary of the building's dedication. The celebration began with a Mass and concluded with a barbecue chicken dinner provided by the Knights of Columbus, Council No. 1163.  Archbishop James P. Keleher (who brought his mother, Rita Keleher, to the event) was the principal celebrant at the Mass. Concelebrants were: Father Dennis Schmitz, a native of the area; Father Albert Fey, CPpS, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Baileyville; and Father Thomas Dolezal, pastor of St. Michael Parish, Axtell. Master of Ceremonies was Michael Rebout, member of St. Peter Cathedral Parish, Kansas City, Kan.  In his homily, Archbishop Keleher noted that many people have fond memories of this, the "Mother church of Marshall County," that was founded in 1858 by Irish immigrants. But fond memories alone were not what brought so many people to the celebration.  "It is the power of your faith that invited you here," he said. "Without that faith, today would mean little or nothing, only a historical memory to be relished. "

This truth about the power of faith certainly held true for Alice F. Carroll, 99, now a resident of Omaha, Neb. She lived on the family farm three-quarters of a mile west of the church, and attended the now-gone parish school. Carroll, who was brought to the event by her niece, Marilyn Carroll, was possibly the oldest member of St. Bridget at the anniversary celebration and perhaps the only one present who attended the church's dedication on Sept. 2, 1908.  The present church is the fifth for the parish, the original being located at the present cemetery, to the south. At one time the parish had a school, convent and rectory. It was a thriving country parish for decades, but even by the 1940s there were signs of change.

In 1949, the parish was relegated to mission status. Archbishop Edward J. Hunkeler decided to close the parish, and the last Mass was on Sept. 10, 1967. Word came that the archdiocese intended to demolish the church, and a group of parishioners met on the church steps on July 13, 1969, to find a way to prevent this act.  The church was saved by Archbishop Ignatius J. Strecker when he gave his approval on March 24, 1970, to transfer the title of the property to the St. Bridget Historical Society.  Archbishop James P. Keleher approved the use of the church for weddings and funerals for families with ties to the parish, and the celebration of the Mass there twice a year.

PRESERVING THE RECORDS

The St. Bridget Historical Society recognizes its responsibility in preserving for posterity the old records of the parish. The original books of these records remain with St. Michael Church in Axtell. The records of St. Bridget parish date back to 1870. Many of the earlier records (1860 through 1870) can be found in neighboring parishes where the pastor resided: St. Mary's Church in St. Benedict; Sts. Peter and Paul in Seneca; St. Benedict parish in Atchison. The earliest record book that we have access to contains the Sacramental records between 1870 and 1892 is in a very deteriorating condition. Half of the book is actually missing, thanks to the ravages of some hungry church mice who have gnawed on it over the years. The brittle condition of the paper means that every time the book is opened, the edges of the page flake away. The second book, (the Sacramental records from 1892 - 1952), is in a little better shape. The binding is gone, the pages are loose, but mostly intact, except for the Confirmation section. The final book contains the Sacramental records from 1952 through its closing in 1967. It is in good condition. The only record book that needs to be continually updated is the Cemetery book. In 1991, with the help of Terry Stallbaumer, who oversees cemetery concerns, an effort was made to update the cemetery records to include all the burials made after the parish officially closed in 1967. No official entries had been made to the cemetery records since 1967. These interments were recorded and the information transferred to a computer database program for safekeeping and easier accessibility. The St. Bridget Historical Society has a computer copy of all the official records of baptisms, confirmations, marriages, deaths and burials that were originally recorded in the parish sacramental books.

The generosity of the Irish is unquestionable. We mention just a few examples of the early Irish generosity of our pioneers: Michael Maddigan, who donated 160 acres of land to benefit the church; Elizabeth Hoffman, who donated the cemetery site; and Patrick McGrath, who donated ten acres for the church site. There are countless other instances much less publicized. The faithfulness of the people in attendance at Holy Mass was an inspiration to everyone who knew them. It led one man to remark,

  "God never played to an empty house in St. Bridget's."

One of the earliest published histories of Marshall County, published in 1889, acknowledges two other early pioneers: Thomas J. Plunkett and Patrick Hughes. In the words of the 1889 Portrait and Biographical Album, it says:

"Thomas J. Plunkett was one of the original founders of this church organized in 1859. An honored old pioneer, he ventured into the wilds of Kansas as early as the spring of 1857." ^{( 62 )}

"Patrick Hughes was another pioneer who assisted in the organization of St. Bridget's church and also in the erection of the rock church in 1873. Much of the stone, of which the church is built, he quarried with his own hands on his own farm.

"... He came to this region in 1857 locating first on section 11 and later on section 16, this becoming now his homestead. He paid $1.25 an acre for his first land." ^{( 63 )}

Two other former parishioners are mentioned in other histories of the parish. They are: Mrs. Teresa McBride who served as organist for forty-eight years, and William F. Mitchell who did not miss a Sunday Mass for thirty-five consecutive years despite the many winter and summer storms. The dedication of the St. Bridget people to their faith can, in part, be traced to the time in the late seventeenth century when the Irish were cruelly deprived of human rights by their English invaders. People at that time could only attend Mass at their own peril or the priest's peril. Masses were secretly held in homes, ditches, or at a " Mass Rock" out in an open area. Having often heard from their parents of the dangers their grandparents faced in practicing their faith, it is understandable that attendance at Holy Mass was regarded as a sacred privilege by these early St. Bridget pioneers.

The memory of these pioneers should always be revered for the heritage they left us. The examples they set by their respect and devotion to the aged and infirmed; their willing assistance in times of illness or misfortune; and, their deep love for their homeland with its colorful legends and quaint Gaelic expressions. This heritage is well-known to all of us, their descendants. We gratefully say,

"May they be rewarded with eternal happiness," and may St. Bridget lead them through the heavenly gates to enjoy the kingdom of the Lord.  A favorite saying of the Irish is "May the saints be praised." We would add to that phrase and say  "May the saints be praised and so may all our St. Bridget pioneers!"