For more than a hundred years, the faithful of Novinger and the surrounding area have looked up at this stained-glass tympanum as they entered St. Rose of Lima
Some of the photos on this page are from the Cyrus R. Truitt collection, “Mostly Ghosts,” at the Adair County Historical Society; used by permission:
http://www.webmoondance.com/ACHS/ACHS.htm
Originally, the Novinger area was a farming community. After the turn
of the century, coal mining became an important industry and over 50 mines
were developed in the area. Many Catholic Croatian, Italian and Irish immigrants
moved into the region. They settled near the largest mining areas of Danforth,
Connelsville and Novinger.
D-Day veteran Jakie Grgurich was baptized in St. Rose, and served as an altar-boy. His father remembered when it was first built.
St. Rose Church began with Fr. O'Hearn in April of 1901. He was the pastor at Milan and during the time he noticed many of the immigrants who settled at Novinger were Catholic or inclined toward Catholicism. Fr. O'Hearn saw the need for a church to minister to these Catholics and after the big mining boom hit, he began to celebrate Mass at the newly-built Knights of Pythias Hall in Novinger.
The photo is said to be from 1905 “a few years after being built in 1902 to 1903, started by Father O’Hearn of Milan, in 1901, and finished by Father McCormick […] dedicated by Father the Right Reverend Bishop Burke of St. Joseph, MO on October 18, 1905 […] Since this picture was made the church has been very much improved and is now in good repair and appearance. Photo supplied by Martha Harris, 1959.”
Ed note: The church appears to be under construction; the bell is not yet in place, and it hasn’t been painted. I wouldn’t trust that roof-scamper.
A rare view of the early interior of St. Rose, c. 1903-05, with Father McCormick at the altar. Photo supplied by Miss Alma Strayer, 1960.
After the liturgical reforms of Vatican II, the communion rail disappears, and the altar moves forward, so that the celebrant and the faithful face one another.
Soon thereafter Fr. O'Hearn obtained property and began planning a church. Work began in October of 1902 and the cornerstone was laid in 1903. However, Fr. O'Hearn was replaced by Fr. William McCormick, who finished the church. The dedication took place on October 18, 1905, Bishop Burke of the St. Joseph Diocese presiding.
Fr. McCormick, 1905
Around the same time (Dec. 22, 1902), land was acquired in Connelsville (block seven, lots 1,2,3 for $200) and a small church was built to serve Croatian parishioners there. Mass was celebrated once a month both at St. Rose and at Connelsville. After Mass at Milan the pastor would celebrate Mass on Sunday at St. Rose and afterwards he walked or was driven the four miles north to Connelsville for services. Later he would take the night train back to Milan. A mission church of St. Mary's in Milan, the Connelsville church closed in 1921. St. Rose was a mission parish of St. Mary's in Milan until 1925. It was one of the Milan priests who died of electrocution, July 1922, after returning from a Novinger funeral; Fr. J.J. Jermaine's umbrella touched a downed power-line, and he was killed instantly.
In 1925, St. Rose became a mission parish of Mary Immaculate in Kirksville. Since the decline of the mining industry in the 1940s and 50s, the population of Novinger and the parish has declined, to about 33 families at present.
St. Rose in 1959, photo by C.R. Truitt. The bell, which made the whole building shake ominously, would eventually be moved to the ground in front of the church.
In 1978, in a three-year project, a new prefabricated parish building was erected next to the church, containing a kitchen area, rest rooms and a large area for classrooms and social events. Contractors laid the foundation, erected the outer walls and poured the cement floor and suspended ceiling. Most of the remaining work was donated by parishioners, including interior paneling, installation of lighting fixtures, plumbing and front steps. Money was donated by the St. Rose Council of Women and other parishioners as the need arose. The donations of materials and labor kept costs to about $8500. The building is used for religious instruction of parish children and for parish social events.
Fr. Michael Flanagan was pastor at the time of the addition and served until 1986. He was followed by Fr. John Prenger to August of 1993. Then Fr. Kevin Clohessy, the Newman chaplain, cared for St. Rose, followed by Fr. Don Crosby. It was under Fr. Crosby's care when the church was re-roofed in spite of bad weather. Fr. David Maher was assigned as pastor of St. Rose after Fr. Crosby, until July of 2000 when care was transferred to Fr. Pat Shortt.
In 1998 St. Rose built a covered walkway to the entrance of the church. In 2000 the siding was replaced and new guttering was added. Also in 2000, St. Rose was named as a church of pilgrimage by Bishop John R. Gaydos of Jefferson City.
Familiar sights:
email memories, images to the editors
Click here for Maxine Montgomery's article on St. Rose of Lima church