History of Holy Cross Parish

During the latter part of the 19th century, priests from Pierz, Belle Prairie, Brainerd and Aitkin worked their way through the wilderness to the lake area, holding services for the early settlers and lumberjacks. As early as 1900 a priest from Princeton regularly made a trip every six weeks into this area. He said Mass at the Mission Station – the Lynch home, three miles north of Onamia – with the Baker’s, the Bauer’s, the McAcoloney’s and the Shaughnessy’s in attendance.

By 1908 the village of Onamia was growing by leaps and bounds, so the Mission Station was moved into the village, to the home of Mrs. Shook (the house which later became the residence of Gene Gravel). church1913.jpg - 29199 Bytes

In 1910 Fr. William van Dinter, with Fr. Yzermans, Br. Henry, and 84 Dutch immigrants arrived in Butler, Minnesota from Holland. The Master General of the Crosier Fathers had sent the two priests and one lay-brother to Minnesota to establish a monastery. The same year the D.S.B. Johnston Land Company invited Fr. van Dinter to come to Onamia. They offered several acres of land, provided that a monastery be built on the tract and promised a residence for the priests, to be ready on their arrival.

With the permission of Bishop James Trobec of St. Cloud, Fr. van Dinter and Br. Henry moved from Butler to Onamia on September 10, 1910. A month later Fr. van der Hulst, Fr. Keyzers, Br. John and Br. Lambert arrived from Belgium and Holland and joined Fr. van Dinter. There were many problems: the language barrier, the complications of resettling new immigrants, the sub-zero weather and the lack of money. But determination and the help of the people of Onamia would overcome the difficulties. The village schoolhouse had become too small, and was to be replaced by a two-story building. The new parish purchased the old schoolhouse for $65.00 and moved this first Catholic church in Onamia to the corner west of the priests’ house. Jim Gravel came from Little Falls to make an altar, confessional, communion railing, vestment cases and twelve small pews. On Dedication Day, in 1910, 48 people filled the little church to capacity. The first parishioners were the R. Albers, H. Boyers, Clarys, H. Goulets, C. Gravels, Kobleskis, H. Van Risseghams, A. van der Heydens, and Mrs. Petrin. A year later new arrivals increased the size of the parish: The H. De-Groods, Sheppers, D. Yzermans, P. Dobbelaires and J. Blomer. According to the church records, Leland Petrin was the first baptism (October 16, 1910), James Plavotish the first burial (August 17, 1911), and Mike Williams and Mary Boice the first wedding (May 2, 1911). churchinterior1940.jpg - 20430 Bytes

Crowded as it was, the little church served from 1910 to 1913, but new arrivals made it necessary to consider putting up a larger building. This promised to be a difficult project, for the weekly collections ran to three or four dollars. In 19113 a drive was made and money was subscribed: logs, lumber and labor were promised by the parishioners; the Johnston Land Company promised a substantial donation, as did the Crosier Fathers. Work began on June 13 and progressed through the summer. On September 25, 1913, 15 priests came from area parishes for the dedication of the new church, a Solemn High Mass marked the occasion. According to church records, Girard Kokke was the first baptism (Sept. 28, 1913), Elma Russell the first burial (July 16, 1914,) and John Blomer and Antionette Bausch the first marriage (June 27, 1914).

In September, 1920, Holy Cross Parish purchased the outgrown public school building for a parochial school. The cost of purchase, moving and interior work was $5,000; parish families were assessed $50 each (payable in five years), and a parish picnic was organized to help raise funds. Farmers were asked to bring in at least two loads of rock for the foundation of the school. churchinterior.jpg - 13193 Bytes

In the fall of 1922 the new school, set up near the new church was ready for its first pupils. Fr. Van der Hulst, the pastor, had obtained a staff from the Ursuline Sisters of Kenmore, North Dakota. The Ursulines staffed the school until 1931, when the Benedictine Sisters from St. Joseph assumed its direction until the school closed in 1938. After that date, several of the Sisters stayed on to give catechetical instruction to the parish children. The large hall on the second story of the school was used for parish meetings and social functions. In 1948 the school interior burned out. The shell fo the building was sold and torn down for the lumber.

In 1950 plans were made for a new addition to the monastery, including a large chapel. With the approval of Bishop Bartholome of St. Cloud, who felt that the parish could not build a needed new church at the time, the trustees, pastor and Crosier Prior worked out an agreement, still in effect, by which the parish would pay rent for the use of the church. The church records show that Celeste Baker was the first baptism in the new church (May 27, 1951), August Athman the first burial (Sept. 29, 1951), and Lawrence Thyr and Delores Klein the first wedding (August 11, 1951) churchwith169.jpg - 29268 Bytes

On completion of the new church, the old church was torn down. Some of the people of the Onamia community – people who were baptized, who received their First Communion, who were confirmed and married there – still have fond memories of that little church.

From the spring of 1952 through the spring of 1955, kindergarten classes were held by Sr. Mary George, a Benedictine nun attached to the Little Flower Mission at Vineland. Classes were held in the rooms under the church for eight weeks in the spring and eight weeks in the fall.

In 1952 a school bus was purchased and a three-stall garage built on the parish grounds.

The 50th anniversary of the Holy Cross Parish was celebrated on July 10, 1960. A Jubilee Mass was celebrated on the Crosier grounds, with Archbishop Brady of St. Paul, Bishop Bartholome of St. Cloud and the Crosier Master-General, Fr. William van Hees of Amersfoort, the Netherlands, present.

In the fall of 1960 the parochial school was opened for grades one through four; rooms in the church basement housed the little school. Since the sisters’ residence had been torn down some years before, and arrangement was made with Community Mercy Hospital to house the four teaching Sisters in the Sisters’ residence wing of the hospital.

The grade school was closed in 1969.

A parish council was organized in 1973. A constitution for the council was adopted in 1974. The council is made up of six elected adults, two trustees and two elected junior members. One of the duties of the council is to provide for the spiritual education of the children in the parish. The release-time program, in which the children in grades one through six are bused from the public school to the church for one hour each week, involves approximately 103 children. The size of this group is due in part to the consolidation of the schools. Religious instruction is held in the evening for young people in grades seven through twelve.

In 1974 a new organ was purchased for the church; the expense was shared by the parish and the Crosier Seminary. In 1976 a renovation of the sanctuary was begun and mostly completed in the spring of 1978.

Father Ramond Steffes became pastor in 1979 and at present (1985) there are about 248 households registered in the parish with 544 baptized members.

Pastors of Holy Cross Parish:

Fr. John van Dinter, O.S.C…………………………………………………………….1911

Fr. John van der Hulst, O.S.C…………………………………………………...1911-1922

Fr. John van Dinter, O.S.C……………………………………………………...1922-1927

Fr. John vand der Hulst, O.S.C………………………………………………….1927-1933

Fr. Thomas Brandon, O.S.C…………………………………………………….1933-1936

Fr. Adrian van Zutphen, O.S.C………………………………………………….1936-1939

Fr. John van der Hulst, O.S.C…………………………………………………...1940-1942

Fr. Joseph Snyers, O.S.C………………………………………………………..1943-1947

Fr. Joseph Fichtner, O.S.C………………………………………………………1947-1949

Fr. Christopher Mehr, O.S.C……………………………………………………1949-1952

Fr. Leo Kapphahn, O.S.C……………………………………………………….1952-1955

Fr. William Hegge, O.S.C………………………………………………………1955-1958

Fr. Lawrence Zok, O.S.C……………………………………………………….1958-1973

Fr. Fridolin Mische, O.S.C……………………………………………………..1973-1976

Fr. Jim Hentges, O.S.C…………………………………………………………1976-1979

Fr. Raymond Steffes, O.S.C………………………………………………1979 to 1985

Fr. Tom Enneking, OSC ………………………………………………....1985 – 1987

Fr. Gerald Macho, OSC ……………………………………………….......1987 - 1988

Fr. William McNiff, OSC ………………………………………………......1989 - 2004

In Solidum: Fr. Jude Verley, OSC, Fr. Dave Gallus, OSC, and Fr. Greg Poser, OSC.......2004 – 2009

Pastor: Fr. Jerry Schik, OSC, Parochial Vicars: Fr. Greg Poser, OSC and Fr. Jude Verley, OSC...2009 - Present (2010)

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