Bruno, Holy Family Parish

Holy Family Parish had a relatively brief history. After the Second World War when life was getting back into a more normal situation, there was a trend to build or at least to expand with a brighter look to the future. In the area northeast of Bruno, there wery about 30 young Catholic families who were far from town and church.

Thus in 1945 the thought arose of trying to get a church in that rather isolated area. Some of the local people decided to approach Fr. Bernard Schaeffler, OSB, pastor in Bruno, for advice. Henry Medernach, who had moved to a farm in the area soon after the end of the European war, and Joseph Eichinger, went to see Fr. Bernard. He told them to take up a petition and to present it to Abbot Severin Gertken, OSB, in Muenster. This was done by a delegation made up of Joseph Eichinger, Alois Helgert, Henry Medernach and Edward Weyland. Then on Easter Sunday, 1946, Fr. Stephen Mohorko (pastor at Willmont) called a meeting to be held at Willing School. Almost all of the people in the immediate area attended.

On Oct. 24, 1972, a meeting was held to discuss the future of Holy Family Parish. The parishioners stressed the importance of providing Sunday mass in the community. However, there was a gradual decrease in attendance and in parish support. Abbot Jerome Weber, OSB, pointed out the problem of the growing shortage of priests to serve such small parishes, and that several parishes had already been closed for these same reasons. However, on Nov. 12, 1972, Abbot Jerome sent the parish a letter which stated that the parish would remain open and have Sunday mass for the time being but that this decision could change in the future. Thus on Nov. 1, 1973, Abbot Jerome announced that services at Holy Family would be discontinued. In the fall of 1974, the church was sold to Leon Breit, who remodelled it for his business in Bruno.

The large crucifix was given to the Bruno Church, where it hangs behind the main altar. The church land was sold in February 1984 to Gerald Jasper. The cemetery was preserved, and in 1982, it was fenced in by 92 year old John Weyland and his grandson John Schmeiser.

Although Holy Family Parish endured for only 27 years, it served its purpose of ministering to the approximately 30 Catholic families of the area. Its history is therefore an important part of the overall history of St. Peter's Abbacy as we celebrate its 75th anniversary.