Carmel, Our Lady Of Mount Carmel Parish

The first church was built on a little knoll northeast of the town and was blessed by Bishop Pascal on June 11, 1910. The first marriage recorded for Carmel was that of Peter Wolf and Theresia Huber on June 5, 1910. It was officiated by Fr. Boniface. The first funeral was that of John Haupt on March 16, 1910, also officiated by Fr. Boniface. In 1917, a teachers' residence was erected nearby.

As time went on, the need to expand was evident. However, this location left no room for expansion. At a meeting on Aug. 14, 1921, with parishioners and Prior Peter Windschiegl and Fr. Leo Ojdowski present, it was decided to move the church to a more suitable location - the site being south of the railway and quite close to the town and the main road. The job of moving the church was given to Mr. Koob of Bruno and on Sept. 25, 1921 mass was said at the new site.

When Fr. Stephen was transferred to Englefeld in September 1939, Fr. Alphonse Ludwig was appointed pastor. During his pastorale, a new church was erected in 1947. It measured 74 ft x 42 ft. On Oct. 3, 1947, Prior Peter blessed the church assisted by Frs. Paul Kuehne and George Brodner who were the deacon and subdeacon at the time. Vernon Engele was the master of ceremonies and Fr. Alphonse directed the choir. The church's large basement was the main attraction after the high mass, where the ladies of the parish served dinner.

Fr. Alphonse was in charge of the parish at Carmel for nine years before being transferred to St. Benedict. Fr. Theodore Doepker succeeded him in September 1948. Two years later, the Ursuline Sisters of Bruno took over the Carmel school. They had been serving the educational needs of Carmel's children and the next year a house was erected for them near the church and school.

In 1968 the parish purchased the house formerly the residence of the Ursuline sisters in Carmel, to be used as the rectory. They paid $7,000. This was much below the estimated value but consideration was given for work done by the community in building and maintaining the house. Renovations required an additional $1,000. Families in the parish were each asked to contribute $100 toward these expenses. The old rectory was rented to Mr. and Mrs. Ed Helmink. It was later sold to Rudy Schidlowsky and moved to Stoney Lake where it serves as a summer cottage.

In 1965 when the parish of the Immaculate Conception was amalgamated with the parish of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, the number of trustees rose to six. They were John Becker Sr., Albert Engele, Albert Greipl, Peter Germaine, Peter Kosokowsky and Wendel Klaschinsky. This continued until 1970 when the number of trustees was reduced to three once again.

Fr. Damian was the last parish priest to reside in Carmel. After his death in May 1989, we were briefly served by: Frs. Peter Novecosky, Albert Ruetz, Werner Renneberg with Fr. Sylvester Vredegoor (until he returned to Brazil in February 1990), Werner Renneberg with Martin Brodner (1990- 92) Albert Ruetz (1992).

It is also noted that in the early years of the Immaculate Conception Church that the men sat on one side of the church while women and children sat on the other side of the centre aisle. Prior to 1982 only boys served mass in Carmel but in 1982 Fr. Philip was asked if girls could serve as well and being a progressive, fair minded person he agreed. Since then we have had a fairly even representation of boys and girls helping at the altar.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Fr. Theodore insisted that school age children sit in the front benches supervised by the sisters during mass. Each family had its own pew with their name on a small plaque. This was later changed and families were encouraged to sit together and to come as close to the front as possible.

Since 1950 we have celebrated a number of special events in our parish. In 1978 the community gathered together to celebrate "Colonie Jubel." A cairn was erected in front of the church with a brass plaque dedicated to the early pioneers of our parish. It reads: "Erected by the people of the Carmel district June 1978 in appreciative memory of the pioneers who settled this area 1903-1978."