St. Francis Borgia Parish and
SSND Anniversary Celebration
by Sister Carol Marie Wildt, SSND
Nearly 1,000 people came together on October 4, 2009, to celebrate the combined anniversaries of 175 years of St. Francis Borgia Parish (SFB) in Washington, Mo., and 150 years of continuous SSND ministry within the parish.
In a half-hour concert, the SFB adult choir, children’s choir, LifeTeen musicians and members of the Resurrection choir, directed by Paige Byrne Shortal and accompanied by Lucy Tobben, set the theme for the festivities.
Archbishop Robert J. Carlson presided at the anniversary Mass. The Communion reflection was God’s Cause, sung by the choir and SSNDs present. A short greeting from Rev. Timothy McMahon, SJ, and Rev. James Lause, OFM, preceded a reflection from Sister Joan Markus, SSND. The 35 SSNDs present renewed their vows prior to the singing of Holy God (Grosser Gott).
The Loehnig German Band from Herman, Mo., and several magicians provided entertainment for the guests who enjoyed a delicious catered meal in the courtyard, on Cedar Street or in Jesuit Hall (the renovated 1884 school, also known as the Annex). A hayride was also a delight for many of the guests.
The “dream by the river” began when 12 Catholic families from Hanover, Germany, landed on the southern bank of the Missouri River on October 12, 1833. They had originally intended to settle in Marthasville – on the other side of the river. Welcomed by a German family who had come the previous spring, they decided to stay and would become the nucleus of the town and parish. Twelve days later, in Neunburg vorm Wald, Bavaria, Caroline Gerhardinger, Barbara Weinzierl and Maria Blass would begin living community life and become the nucleus for the foundation of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.
The parish designates its beginning as the spring of 1834 when missionary Jesuits came to administer the sacraments for the pioneer settlers. The original town of Washington was laid out by Lucinda Owens in May 1839. Soon the original log church, located at the site of the present St. Francis Borgia cemetery, became too small. After some debate, a second church was built overlooking the Missouri River. Eventually, this church also became too small and was replaced with the construction of the present church in 1867.
In response to pleas from the pastor, Rev. Martin Seisl, SJ, Mother Caroline Friess opened the first mission in Missouri outside of St. Louis when she arrived with two sisters and a candidate on November 1, 1859. The school opened on November 3 with nine students. By spring, the enrollment had increased to 60 students.
During the past 150 years, thousands of students have been instructed and guided by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. More than 430 SSNDs have ministered in the parish as elementary and secondary teachers/administrators, pastoral ministers, directors of religious education, etc. More than 60 women have entered SSND from Washington with 24 more from the surrounding parishes. It is obvious that in 2009, Mother Caroline’s legacy continues in the minds and hearts of her daughters and the faith-filled people of this parish along the Missouri River.
[Sources: St. Francis Borgia Parish, A Dream by the River, Karen Marquart, 2009; SSND Chronicle; “A Parish Celebrates,” The Missourian, September 23, 2009; and program for anniversary celebration]
Back to Stories About Our History