History of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Gibson City
The Catholic presence in
the area now known as Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Gibson City, Illinois,
dates back to the 17th centaury, circa 1675. At that time the territory was
sparsely inhabited, only Indians and French-Canadian fur trappers, whose
spiritual needs were tended to by French Jesuit missionaries, under the
political rule of France and the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the
diocese
of Quebec in Canada. In 1763 French rule ended, and English rule began,
which was short-lived because of the American Revolution. In 1789 the first
American Diocese was created at Baltimore, Maryland, under Archbishop John
Carroll, and ecclesiastical jurisdiction passed from Quebec to Baltimore.
As American settlers pushed westward this area came successively under the
Diocese of Bardstown, Kentucky (now Louisville); St. Louis, Missouri,
Vincennes, Indiana (now Indianapolis); Chicago, Peoria; and most recently,
Joliet. It was under the auspices of the Peoria Diocese that Our Lady of
Lourdes was officially established as a parish on April 29, 1875. As of that
date it was recognized as legal entity, with property deeded to it, namely,
Lot # 7, in Block #18 of Guthrie's addition, which today would be the
northeast corner of Church Street & 5th Street. It did not have a resident
pastor, but was served by Father John Fanning, living in Fairbury, as a
mission parish from 1875 to 1880. In 1880 the Parish was transferred from
the jurisdiction of St. John the Baptist in Fairbury to St. Joseph's in Loda,
with Father Thomas Cahill as pastor, soon succeeded by Father Martin Kelly.
The chronological evolution of Our Lady of Lourdes shows as parish that has grown from a mission parish itself to be a parish that in turn has had its own missions: Farmer City, Bellflower, Strawn, Colfax, all now in the Peoria Diocese, and Melvin and Roberts in the Joliet Diocese.
1860-1875: No official Pastor, no official Parish, but Mass was said in private homes by Father John Fanning, coming from Fairbury, about once a month.
1875-1880: Father John Fanning. Property acquired by donation at northeast corner of Church and 5th St. on April 29, 1875. Fund drives held for building a wood-frame Church on the property, which was completed within a few months at a cost of $1,100. The Church was dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes, in honor of the apparitions of Mary at Lourdes, France, less than 20 years earlier.
1880-1881: Father Thomas Cahill (1880), succeeded by Father Martin Kelly (1880-1881). both of Loda. Jurisdiction of Our Lady of Lourdes passed from Fairbury to Loda, in 1880.
1882: Father F. Recouvreur, living in Loda, arranged for Mass to be said and the Sacraments to be administered in Gibson City by Fransican from Bloomington.
1883-1890: Father Louis Heideman. Continued the arrangement with Bloomington Franciscans. The debt of $1,100 on the Church was paid off.
1891-1894: Father John Barry, first resident Pastor. Built first rectory, with horse and buggy stable, on north Wood St., lot #1, Block 39, of First Addition to Gibson City. Original frame church was moved from Church & 5th St. location to new Wood St. location lot #2, next to the Rectory. Cost of the 2 lots was $850. Melvin, Roberts, and Farmer City designated as missions of Gibson City. 47 Baptisms were recorded in these years.
1894-1898: Father Joseph Kelly. 85 Baptisms recorded, with 22 marriages and only 4 funerals - a record to be envied today.
1898-1901: Father John H. Cannon. Continued growth of Catholic population, with 67 Baptisms and 76 Confirmations recorded.
10901-1908: Father Martin Gleason. Frame church severely damaged by fire, renovated and redecorated.
1908-1917: Father James Fitzgerald. Replace old frame Church with present brick Church at a cost of $12,000, furnishings included. The cornerstone was laid in 1913, and the completed church was dedicated in 1914 by Bishop Edmund Dunne of Peoria.
1917-1926: Father John McMullen. St. Rose in Strawn added to the list of Gibson City missions in 1922. 72 Baptisms recorded & 22 marriages.
1926-1942:
Father Michael Coffey. St Joseph's in Colfax added to Gibson City's mission
parishes in 1932. Built St. Rose Church in Strawn mission in 1940.
Established Altar & Rosary Society in Gibson City in 1940.
1942-1948: Father Charles Bourke Motsett. Custom of Sunday Ice-Cream Socials on Rectory lawn begun. Ecumenism actively promoted. New Organ, still in use, replaced old pump organ in the Church.
1948-1955:
Fr. Edmund O'Neill. Diocese of Joliet established in 1949, with Gibson City
part of it, along all Ford and Iroquois Counties. Missions in McLean and
Livingston County dropped, remaining with the Peoria Diocese. Franciscan
nuns from Chatsworth teaching Catechism classes.
1955-1959: Father Joseph Jurkovich. C.C.D. Board established. Summer school of religion begun. A small, seldom used bell in the bell-tower was replaced by the bell still in use today, brought here from Loda in 1958, when the bell-tower there was demolished.
1959-1965:
Father William Kirk. Built the present parish hall and catechetical center
at a cost of $41,000, on donated land adjacent to the church and
rectory lots. The Hall was named in his name after his death in 1967. Holy
Name Society organized. Council of Catholic Women locally organized.
1966-1967: Father James Duffy. Began some still on-going events, such as theannual Turkey Dinner, and "after Mass" coffee and rolls. Council of Catholic Women affiliated with the Diocesan organization. First nun from parish, Alice Wisthuff, professed.
1967-1972:
Father Vytas Memenas.
Replaced original rectory of the 1890's with the present one at a cost of
$47,000, furnishing included, in 1968. Church renovated & redecorated.
Parish Council started. Summer school for Spanish-speaking children.
1972-1978:
Father Dominic Morissette. Spanish Mass for the migrants introduced.Statue
of Our Lady of Lourdes set on the front lawn. Church air-conditioned. C.C.D.
program under supervision of nuns from Ashkum.
1978-1982: Father Denis White. Church and the Hall redecorated and roof replaced. Knights of Columbus organized. First priest from parish, Fr. Dennis Kollross, ordained in 1981.
1982-2003: Father William Smith. Longest serving Pastor in the history of our parish. Redecorated the Rectory and painted entire interior himself. Parish Hall air-conditioned, windows replaced and the heating system upgraded. Replaced the roofs of the Church and the Rectory. Redecorated the Church and put new carpet. The parking lot enlarged and resurfaced. The Church and Parish Hall made handicap accessible. Created Lourdes Grotto between the Church and Rectory. Designed and installed Marian stained glass on the front doors of the Church. Initiated various ministries in the Church. Redecorated CCD class rooms with new carpet. The 125th Anniversary of the Parish was celebrated in 2000. His Golden Jubilee as a Priest was celebrated in 2002. Father Smith died on March 31, 2003.
2003-2008:
Father Joseph Mundakal C.M.I.
2008- Father Denis Spies
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In addition to the afore-named pastors, mentioned should be made of the many other priests who, in one capacity or other, have served Our Lady of Lourdes parish over the years: most notably, the Franciscans of Bloomington, (Frs. Bruno, Theodore Stephen, Charles Schoeppner, Leo Molengraft), Frs. Charles Williams, B.J. Thomaszewski, Paul Kuszinski, Omer Fulton, J.W. Schumacher, A. Mankowski, Anthony Taschetta.
[Sources: Gibson City Courier-Oct. 30,1875 and passatim, Ford Co. Atlas, "Historical Atlas of Ford County", "Ford Co. History" by by Ford County Historical Society, Parish Sacramentsl Records - 1875 to present, DeWitt Co. Courthouse (Recorder's Office) Ford Co. Courthouse (Recorder's Office), Joliet Diocesan Archives, Joliet Cathedral Dedication Book, O.L.L. Centennial Book, Joliet Diocese 50th Anniversary Book, Paxton (Loda) Parish Records]