St. Bernadette built on cabbage farmland
APPLETON — You could call it the cabbage patch parish.
In September 1960, when Bishop Stanislaus Bona announced a new parish for Appleton's southeast side, the land for the church was farmland. Some of it was growing cabbages. There were no streets leading to it and no sewer, water or utilities at the site. None of that came for another three years.
So the new parish rented a Quonset hut a mile away and made their first church out of what had been a machine shop. Most of the remodeling was done by parish members and furnishings were provided by Sacred Heart Parish — St. Bernadette's mother parish — and Holy Rosary Parish in New Holstein. The first Mass was celebrated on Dec. 11, 1960.
This year, at 10:45 a.m. on Sept. 12, Bishop David Ricken will join the parish, its former priests, the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity who staffed the school for 15 years and others who have served there to celebrate its golden anniversary Mass. A jubilee choir will lead the singing and a reception, open to all, will follow. The day will conclude with a gala dinner.
St. Bernadette Parish anniversary chairperson Christine Mazier and Fr. Don Zuleger hold a handmade banner sewn by parishioner Barb Wiedemann. The banner will be hung on the ambo at the 50th anniversary Mass Sept. 12. (Kasi Koshollek | For The Compass)
The anniversary also includes a historical booklet and commemorative slide show.
One of those invited to the celebration is Fr. Harry Berryman, currently pastor of Holy Rosary, New Holstein, who was St. Bernadette's longest serving pastor, from 1989 to 2005. He oversaw the building of the present church. The parish had used the school gym as a church from 1964 to 1995.
"It was a parish of young families," Fr. Berryman recalled, "a lot of young families. Because of that, there was certainly a lot of vitality involved — in the school and the religious education program."
The parish's first pastor was Fr. Willard McKinnon. He died of a stroke, in 1968, at age 50. It was he who convinced Appleton to name the new streets surrounding his parish: Matthias (once called Clara) Street, Bona Avenue and Lourdes Drive.
The present pastor is Fr. Don Zuleger, whose family's 1880s farm was once located not far from St. Bernadette's, in nearby Darboy. He arrived as pastor on July 1, 2005, the day before the parish mortgage came due. It wasn't a large mortgage by modern standards, but there were miscellaneous debts. The total came to $1.55 million. The loan was renegotiated and plans to retire all the debt were undertaken.
The "50 and Free — Free to Serve" project, to bring the parish out of debt by its 50th anniversary, was started. Last year, at the parish picnic, the mortgage papers were burned.
"Those who are involved in the parish are extremely dedicated and loyal," said Fr. Zuleger. "There seems to be a renewed spirit in the parish, not only celebrating their 50th year, but throughout the past five years, it's been growing."
He calls it "a blossoming" that has included not only increased donations, but a growth of "new ministries, and greater outreach."
While the "50 and Free" project was under way, the parish also started a scholarship program for the school, religious education program and youth ministries. They currently provide assistance to 10 to 12 school families and another eight to ten in religious education.
Other recent projects have included a new school roof redone since, as Fr. Zuleger said, "it was leaking copiously in the classrooms," and resealing the parking lot. Next is raising funds for a corridor between the school and the church and to add an elevator in the school.
Fr. Zuleger notes that school enrollment, defying averages, has increased 25 to 30 percent in the past three years. One of those school families is the Maziers. Christine Mazier chairs the anniversary committee. She and her husband, Daren, sent their four children to St. Bernadette, with her twins still attending there, while the two oldest are at St. Joseph Middle School and Xavier High School.
"The connection between the school and the parish has had a strong influence on us to get actively involved in both the school and the parish," said Christine. "The most rewarding 'proud school parent' moments we have had have been seeing our children actively involved in their church, whether they are an altar server, usher, singer in the choir, doing a reading at a school Mass, or just helping out with cleaning and painting rooms at the rectory."
This is what Fr. Zuleger refers to when he says, "We're a parish that's not just growing, but blossoming spiritually, liturgically, educationally."
Each month sees a newcomers gathering with photos taken and information about various ministries shared. Those ministries include mission outreach to the Dominican Republic and to St. Anthony Parish in Neopit, a prayer shawl ministry, a health care ministry started by two parish members who are certified parish nurses, Bible study groups, and four choirs including two adult choirs, a youth choir and a funeral choir.
The monthly special needs collection has grown from $250 five years ago to $1,600 a month today. The parish Knights of Columbus boasts 60 to 70 members, and there are Advent giving projects, adult catechism study, monthly first Friday Adoration and, last year, the parish held its first mission during Lent. This year, they are starting a traveling vocations kit that families will use in their homes.
St. Bernadette has grown from its cabbage patch beginnings. But 50 years is young for a parish and, as its pastor today says, "Only the Spirit knows what other seeds have been planted and what will be budding forth."
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