Leofeld, St. Boniface Parish

The lake at the time was about three miles long and a mile wide. It ran west to east and was bordered by heavy growths of poplar trees. The land itself was seen to be ideal for growing grain. There were also patches of prairie with lush growth s of grass. In the area were a number of small sloughs, each with its families of ducks. The bushes teemed with rabbits and the howling of coyotes, interspersed with the hooting of owls, were heard.

Everything seemed to be in favor of Leofeld. Its pastor and founder, Fr. Meinrad Seifermann, OSB, was a wiry, fiery organizer. Before the people had a chance to build and furnish their own log houses, he convinced them to bring lumber from Ros thern in order to build a beautiful and functional church on his homestead. The original church is still standing, and in many ways is in better shape today than the day it was completed.

Many people co operated, hauling the lumber from Rosthern, much of it by oxcart. The distance was some 45 miles as the crow flies, made much longer by the winding trail and the many sloughs and swamps along the way. But the same year that most of the settlers and Fr. Meinrad arrived, 1903, the church was built and ready for occupancy.

The church is now a heritage site and visitors admire and take pictures of the beautiful, well preserved work.

The settlers and pastor realized the need for a school. Within a year of their arrival on site, a small parochial school was built.

Until the school building was completed, school was held in church. The first teacher was Peter Schwinghammer.

In 1904 a beautiful statue of St. Boniface, apostle of Germany, arrived. It had been purchased by Fr. Meinrad in Munich, Bavaria. That same summer, a 600 lb. bell, made in Troy, N.Y., was blessed by Prior Alfred Mayer, on Aug. 2. The bell was gi ven the name Maria Gloriosa. This was cause for a big celebration and an estimated crowd 300 attended.

With the coming of the Ursuline sisters to St. Peter's Colony, the need for a larger parochial school appeared. At a meeting of parishioners Aug. 5, 1913, it was decided to erect a three storey building at a cost of $4,000. It would accommodate the students as well as providing living quarters for teaching and cooking sisters, and rooms for student borders on the third floor.

This building was completed the following year and was blessed by Bishop Pascal on May 22, 1914. On Sept. 1 the school was opened with Ursuline Sisters Ursula, Anna, Catherine, Luarentia and Walburga in charge.

For a while it seemed the old church would simply go into disrepair. The old foundation was giving way and the tower was rotting, among other things. But while Fr. Roman Schneider, OSB, was pastor at Cudworth, Russel Renneberg, who had grown up near St. Boniface church, and who was an expert contractor, offered to redo the foundation of the church at his own expense. He not only redid the foundation, he put in a full basement.

His brother, Noel, and Oscar, his father, as well as other Leofeld people, spent many hours helping. The roof was given brand new cedar shingles, even though the price had recently skyrocketed. No expense was spared to make the old church look like new. I t is now a popular tourist attraction and is used occasionally for weddings and other celebrations.

St. Aloysius school was started in 1904 and was built on NE 20 40 25 W of 2, so the children northeast in St. Boniface Parish could have an education. Classes were held only in the summer the first years. Because the roads were poor and the horses were ne eded for farm work, the students walked, many of them several miles, to receive their education. Grades 1-10 were taught in the one room school. St. Aloysius school closed in 1957 and the students were bussed to Cudworth, some 10 miles away.