1941-1948
Unable to find a plan to their liking, and with
World War
2 being waged, the construction of a new church
was put
off from year to year. In the meantime, Mass was
celebrated
in the Catholic Order of Foresters meeting hall.
On October 7th, 1948, Father Robert Neugebauer (with
some
help from Archbishop Edward D. Howard) prodded the
congregation
into breaking ground for the third church at
Verboort.
On Thanksgiving Day, November 24th, 1949, the new
church
was formally dedicated at a mass officiated by
Archbishop
Howard, though there was still work to be done.
Every effort was made to have the church completed by the
75th
anniversary
of it's founding. Accordingly, asphalt floor
tile was laid;
specially designed Romanesque light fixtures
were hung; an
altar of imported Italian cremo, French Rose de
Brignolies, and
domestic Brocadillo marble with communion
rail to match
was constructed; and just one week before the
Jubilee Mass, stained
glass windows were installed. The
church was finished
except for the exterior brick facing,
which was added
during Father William Killions watch, in the
mid 50's.
(the
web volunteer would appreciate that if you know the date to
click here and let me
know--Thanks)
A
new gymnasium was built in 1949 by the public school
district
at Verboort. With the consolidation of the school
district,
Father Killion bought the gym for the parish in 1957.
October 12, 1962, the Columbus Day Storm topples one of
the 300ft.
Sequoia
trees, just missing the church, but
demolishing a
pump house.
(the web
volunteer remembers seeing as a 7 yr old, the entire church property
covered
by
limbs,
needles, and cones to a depth of what seemed like knee deep!)
In 1963, Father Killion was pastor as a new convent was
constructed.
Father James Harris was with us to see the construction
of an
outdoor shrine
in 1975, built following blueprints drawn
when the
church was constructed, a new rectory in 1979, and
the
Parish
Center in 1984. (rededicated as The Harris Center
on
January
23rd, 2000---and by order of the Archdiosese reverted
back to Parish Center in
July `07)
Father Joseph Heuberger was our spiritual leader when a
new
smokehouse
with a capacity of near 20 tons of our
famous
Verboort
Sausage was constructed in 1998.
Father Heuberger watched Visitation School add 3 modular
classrooms in
the summer of 1999.
In the summer of 2003 we bid Father Heuberger farewell
and
welcomed
Father Scott Vandehey to Verboort. It is almost
a
homecoming
of sorts, Father Scott spent his boyhood nearby
and is
related to many in our parish. Father Scott is the author
of a book
entitled "Wooden Shoes West".
We, the people of Verboort, pray that God will continue to
grant our
parish
his blessings.