A new century and a new church, 1901–1913

In April, 1901, Bishop Richard Scannell came to O'Neill and administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to two hundred and thirteen children. He expressed his surprise at the splendid achievements in such a short time at O'Neill.

He inspected the new convent and was moved by seeing the poverty of each Sister's cell. He promised to send a second priest to O'Neill so that daily Mass could be celebrated in the convent chapel. And as the first school year closed, there were two-hundred-and-ten day students and twenty boarders.

The Mission of Clearwater was annexed to St. Patrick's on January 1, 1902. Mass was celebrated at Stafford and Clearwater every second Sunday of the month and these people were prosperous, energetic and punctual in the fulfillment of their religious duties. On April 19, 1903 the Sacred Heart League, the Catholic Knights of America, the Young Ladies Sodality, and the Angels Sodality as organizations within the parish.

One of the urgent needs of the parish now that the convent and school were completed was a hall for the purpose of holding meetings. A fund was begun for this purpose in the fall but after much deliberation, it was decided to begin a fund for a new church as the old one was in need of repair and which will in the course of time have to be replaced by a new one. The hope to erect in a very few years a fine brick church, and then convert the old one into a hall was the idea Father Cassidy desired to see fulfilled.

Even with the much parish work in O'Neill and covering the missions of Clearwater, Ewing, Oakdale, Stafford, Turner, and Emmett, Father Cassidy had the help of many assistant priests throughout these growing and building years.

On June 18, 1903, the initiatory commencement of the Academy of Our Lady of Perpetual Help took place at the opera house in O'Neill. Seven young ladies (Margaret M Barrett, Agnes F. Clark, Rose E. Grady, Margaret M. McGreevey, Florence E. Mullen, Anna S. O'Donnell, and Mary

Hagerty) received the first diplomas from the Academy which was hailed as one of the finest educational institutions in the state and is a credit to this part of Nebraska and was the pride of O'Neill and Holt County. And the younger students of the school presented the entertainment which consisted of a "dumb-ben-drill" and a "flower circle by the lower grades, a military drama "Rising of the Man" was also presented and appreciated by the large audience, many of whom had come many miles to be present at these exercises.

In November,1904, the pupils of the school contributed a quilt to the fair. It was artistically made of silk materials with the signatures of the O'Neill citizens worked on each block, The quilt was raffled off and won by Miss Maggie Cullan and the ten dollar gold piece was won by D. A. Doyle. Events such as these were aiding in planning the new church. Bishop Keane, an intimate friend of Father Cassidy, came for a visit in June, 1905, and preached a week's mission at St. Patrick's. Bishop Scannell came in May,1906 and participated in the first-sung solemn High Mass at St. Patrick's which was sung by the Boys Choir.

He administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to two hundred persons. He also commented on the new cement sidewalks which were laid in front of the church property just prior to his visitation.

The sanctuary of the church was redecorated by Fuchs in 1907 at the cost of forty-five dollars. A parish hall was really needed but Father Cassidy's prayers were answered when, in 1907, the Knights of Columbus formed a stock company and built the Knights of Columbus Hall, erected on the corner of Third and Douglas Streets. It was to be ready for occupancy in the winter of 1908, and when it was formally opened, it was a building that was needed by all.

The summer of 1907 witnessed a severe hail storm that destroyed the crops, but Father Cassidy still dreamed of a new church. More cement sidewalks were added to the church property. And he was good to the Sisters, too. He bought them a gasoline engine and machinery for mixing bread at the Academy. Mixing by hand all those large quantities of bread needed for the convent and school was a tedious process and the machinery would greatly reduce the amount of labor in this line. And thus the plans began to get ready to build a new church. Subscriptions (pledges) were issued and bids for the erection of the new church were opened on March 17, 1909. The building committee consisted of John J. Kelley, Fred Vitt, J. A. Donohoe, P. J. McManus, Joe Mann, Neil Brennan, Thomas Griffin, 0. F. Biglin, and Henry Stanton. The new church was to be fifty two feet wide and one-hundred-and-thirty-five feet long with towers for belfry and gallery entrance on either side of the front. The estimated cost was thirty-five thousand dollars, complete with furnishings: (the building = $28,335; windows and inside furnishings = $3,500; lighting and heating = $2,000). Robert Butke of Omaha had the contract for the structural work. The old church was moved back and work was begun. Father Cassidy had entertained a desire to see a new church completed by the twenty fifth anniversary of his pastorate in O'Neill and it was a dream that was going to come true.

Wednesday, August 4, 1909 was a grand and glorious day in O'Neill where the business houses were all closed and the business places and homes were decorated with American, Irish, and Vatican flags. It was a red letter for St. Patrick's parish when the corner stone of the future Romanesque church was laid by Bishop J. J. Keane of Cheyenne, assisted by twenty-five other clergymen. The day was suitably fitted for the occasion. Monday's rains cleared the atmosphere and the morning of Wednesday ushered in a day of golden sunshine and blue sky, peculiarly Nebraskan, and the people came to O'Neill from all the surrounding country and towns by rail, auto, buggy, horse, and on foot and the city of O'Neill outstripped her former self in hospitality, color, and dress and was aglow in smiles and new clothes. All creeds and races were merged in one solid body of citizens who vied with each other to do suitable honor to the occasion and visiting clergy. Mass was said in the old church every hour from six to ten and at ten thirty o'clock O'Neill witnessed her first solemn pontifical High Mass “Coram Pontifice" with Father Moriarty of North Bend as celebrant, Father Loecker of Atkinson as deacon, Father D. W. Moriarty of Omaha as subdeacon, and Father Stenson of Creighton University as master of ceremonies.

At the close of the Mass, Bishop Keane imparted the blessing and from there all went to the Knights of Columbus Hall where the ladies' of the parish served dinner. At two o'clock the procession formed at the Knights of Columbus Hall and marched to the church site. It was headed by the old soldiers who were the survivors of the Civil War and they were followed by the small girls who were dressed in white and carrying the banners and the flags. Then the boys and girls of the parish marched and they were followed by the Young Ladies Sodality. They were followed by the Knights of Columbus and then by the congregation. The fourth degree Knights of Columbus in full dress and regalia, acted as escort for the clergy and the bishop. Bishop Scannell of Omaha was to be here and take an active part in the ceremony, but he was unavoidably detained at home by the presence of Cardinal Gibbons who was on a visit in Omaha, and was on his way to the dedication of the cathedral in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The procession went south to Everet Street, and then east to Fourth Street and then north on Fourth Street to the church where on the temporary floor over the basement, bowries for the speakers and seats for the audience were provided. After the blessing of the foundation and laying of the corner stone, with contents, the bishop and assistant priests chanted the Te Deum in which Fathers Ruesing, Brass, Muenich, Morarity and Brougeist took leading parts.

Then Bishop Keane of Cheyenne delivered the sermon of the day and took his text from the Book of Genesis where Jacob sacrificed his time in that noted journey in the desert on his way to Mesopotamia by piling stones in honor and glory of his God and after God's manifestation to him in the desert Jacob immortalized himself in the minds of the human race by exclaiming: "God was in this place and I knew it not." The bishop dwelled on the importance of building temples of worship to the ever living God and to the utility of prayer and sacrifice, but showed that what Jacob did in the desert was more than done in O'Neill by Father Cassidy and his people, for while Jacob sacrificed his time in his poverty, the people of O'Neill have consecrated the comer-stone of a future temple of divine worship in the sacrifice of their means embalmed in the endurance of their undying faith in God The bishop stated that it would be an act of presumption on his part to elaborate on all of the sacrifice on the part of the people of O'Neill.

He went on merging the American Flag -Old Glory-the stars and stripes on whose escutcheon there was not a single blotch or stain, and the other flag - the sunburst of Erin - with its glories and sorrows commingled, with its cross and round towers and the hybrosal tides weeping copious tears on her sea-beaten shores, where for the last two hundred years the exile of Erin departed heart-broken and dejected to find a new home and country under the protecting folds of Columbia's starry banner, which has protected and sheltered the worthy exiles from all lands. He then pictured the great wars in which these two flags were carried side by side in the interest of liberty and humanity by the progeny of Uncle Sam in which the fighting race of Kelly, Burke, and Shay are merged, culminating in the total rout and defeat of perfidious Albion, the pirate and robber nation of the world and the trailing of the Union Jack in the dust.

The good bishop and gifted orator held his audience spell-bound and transfixed to their seats for about an hour but he was the rich man in the right place. He was a great as an orator, had a great subject, and preached a great sermon to what he called a great people doing a noble work. A committee composed of Frank Campbell, Joe Mann, and P. J. McManus then took up a collection which amounted to four hundred dollars. The choir sang a beautiful song and the bishop imparted a papal blessing. Judge J. J. Harrington was marshal of the day and was mounted on a milk-white steed, and both looked and acted well. He was aided by Col. Neil Brennan, Major M. H. McCarthy and Senator Frank Campbell. The following clergy were present: Father P. McArthy of Jackson, Father J. Ruesing of West Point, Father D. W. Moriarty of (Omaha) Benson, Father John T. Smith of Omaha, Father H. Loecker of Atkinson, Father E. S. Muenich of Coleridge, Father W. L. McNamara of Alliance, Father J. G. McNamara of Bloomfield, Father T. S. Moriartv of North Bend, Father W. Kroupa of Ord, Father J. W. Stenson of Omaha, Father G. Stratman of Butte, Father A. Brass of Howells, Father J. Hutner of Stuart, Father J. Buckley of Norfolk, Father J. Crowley of Albion, Father B. Ilordeman of Spencer, Father C. Petlach of Verdigrie, Father J. Rose of Ewing, Father P. A. Flanagan of (Omaha) Benson, Father J. Blare of Valentine, Father

Dolan of Chadron, Father M. Bronsgest, S.J., of Creighton University, and Fathers M. Cassidy and W. J. O'Sullivan of O'Neill.

The old church was moved to the rear and the new one was erected on the old site, which was also the location for the first church. The moving was done by George Lammers of Hartington for a consideration of four hundred and seventy five dollars, and the church was used for services until the completion of the new church. On October 10, 1910, it was sold to Thomas Donlin for six-hundred dollars and he later tore it down and used the material for building purposes.

The architect of the church was James Craddock of Omaha and the contractor was Robert Butke of Omaha, and the total cost, including the moving of the old church, construction of the new church, plumbing, furniture, furnishings and windows was $45,177e85. It progressed on its schedule and the Solemn Dedication Ceremonies were set for Wednesday, October 19, 1910.

A coincidence noticeable that Wednesday morning when Father John T. Smith of St. Patrick's in Omaha, celebrated the last Mass in the old church, was that he also built and celebrated the first Mass in the same building, twenty seven years ago. In those twenty seven years, two hundred and two children were baptized in the old church.

Wednesday was a very disagreeable day for those who wished to attend the dedication services. A drizzling rain fell all day Tuesday and Wednesday was cold and rainy, but, notwithstanding, a large crowd of people from all parts of the country were present. The late trains Tuesday evening brought many .people to the city for the celebration. All the business houses were closed during the forenoon and all the citizens helped to make this a day long to be remembered.

The dedication exercises took place according to the program previously arranged. The bishops and priests assembled at St. Mary's Convent and shortly after ten o'clock the procession began toward the church. Marching around the outside of the building Bishop Scannell blessed the exterior of the building. He then entered the church and marched around on the inside, after which the procession entered the sanctuary and began the pontifical high Mass with Bishop P. J. Garrigan of Sioux City as celebrant and with the following priests as assistants: Father John Smith as assistant priest; Father C. Mugan as deacon; Father T. Moriarity as subdeacon; Father Eugene Mageveny, S.J., President of Creighton University, who delivered the sermom; Father J. W. Stenson as master of ceremonies; Father M. Dolan as Cross Bearer; Father L. Blair as Mitre Bearer; Father B. Lordeman as Candle Bearer; Father W. O'Sullivan as Thurifer; Father J. Moore as Book Bearer; Fathers D. P. Harrington and P. McGovern as chaplains to Bishop Scannell of Omaha; Fathers P. A. Flanagan and B. Galuin as chaplains to Bishop Keane of Cheyenne. The Mass was sung by the parish choir and the music was written by Theodore La Hoche in honor of St. Louis. The accompaniment was Dr. Sturdevant as first violinist, Miss Phoebe Scott as cellist and Miss Loretto Sullivan as organist.

The banquet was given in honor of the visiting clergy and plates for three hundred were laid. The visiting bishops and priests responded to toasts suitable to the occasion and several of the local orators also spoke. Rosary was held that evening with a sermon preached by Bishop Keane of Cheyenne with solemn benediction by Bishop Scannell of Omaha with Father P. A. McGovern as deacon, Father D. P. Harrington as subdeacon and Father J. W. Stenson as master of ceremonies. Other priests present at the dedication were Fathers Hettwer, Blair, Ruesing, Crowley, Bronsgest, McGivney, Buckley, Moriarity, Mugan, Lordeman, Dolan, Stenson, McGovern, P. Flanagan, Harrington, Loecker, Jangels, Stratman, Galvin, Moore, Heines, and Cooney. The church was now dedicated and it was debt free.

A new addition was being added to St. Mary's Academy to make more room for the boarders. But it was a severe winter and thus progress was slow and a severe storm hit with high winds and blowing snow on May 1, 1911. Bishop Keane did make it to O'Neill from Cheyenne to confirm 227 persons even though there were outbreaks of measles and small pox. But the new addition was finally completed and dedicated. In 1913, two new side altars each costing two-hundred-and-fifty dollars and two new statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph each costing fifty dollars were added to the new church. Mr. & Mrs. B. Jones donated the Blessed Mother's altar in memory of her brother, Mr. Noonan, and Nicholas White donated St. Joseph's altar in memory of his wife. On September 7, fire broke out in the parish granary and burned it to the ground. The following day the men of the town assembled and collected five hundred and forty dollars to cover the cost of erecting a new granary.