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Commemorative Pages
Dedication
Foreword
Genesis
Inhabitants
Church
Parish
Patronat
School
Events
World War
Closing Words
Heroes of WWI
Footnotes
Bell from United States
Places Mentioned
People Mentioned
Author Credits
Translator Credits
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Original Jubilee Book

In order to turn out at least somewhat fair within the assigned narrow scope of this description, those senior pastors must be remembered first of all under this heading who in the course of time of one and a half centuries performed any canonical visitation or confirmation here and therefore honored the community with their important visit.

The first confirmation took place in the year 1803 on the 6^th of September, for which His Excellency Ladislaus Kößeghy, Bishop of Csanad, arrived here for the first time and conferred the sacrament of confirmation on 451 children.

In the year 1813, all the candidates for confirmation had to set off to Glogowatz to be confirmed there.

There was confirmation in the year 1835 for the second time. In this year, His Excellency Diocesan Bishop Dr. Josef Lonovics appeared here on the 13^th of May, who the second time confirmed 653 persons here and at the same time carried out the examination (inspection) of the parish, in consequence of which the so-called “Canonica Visitatio” was written.

In the year 1842 on the 18^th of May, the same senior pastor confirmed 361 candidates for confirmation from Neu Panath in Arad; the list of whom was inserted in the register book here.

In the year 1853,[130] His Excellency Dr. Alexander Csajàghy came here and conferred confirmation on 590 children on the 28^th of August.

On the 10^th of May, His Excellency Alexander Bonnaz, Bishop of Csanad, had arrived here and confirmed 442 persons.

On the 20^th of May 1875, His Grace Josef Nemeth, Suffragan Bishop, conferred confirmation on 510 children.

On the 10^th of September 1883, the very same confirmed 365 persons here.

His Excellency Diocesan Bishop Alexander Dessewffy de Csernek et Tarkö held the 7^th confirmation here on the 22^nd of September 1893. On this occasion, 530 persons were confirmed.

In the year 1908 on the 19^th of September, His Excellency Dr. Johann Csernoch, bishop of the diocese, confirmed 667 children in this community.

In the year 1919, His Excellency Diocesan Bishop Dr. Julius Glattfelder called on this community to administer confirmation to the 461 persons intended for it.

The tenth confirmation took place in the year 1926 on the 23^rd of September when His Grace Apostolic Administrator Augustin Pacha appeared here to administer the sacrament of confirmation to 283 persons.

The last confirmation here was on the 27^th of March 1933, which His Excellency Diocesan Bishop Dr. Augustin Pacha performed. On this occasion, he confirmed 263 children after he ordained Johann Wolf, the son of our community, a priest the previous day in his native church, of which ordination mention is made below.

As far as the remaining events of the community are concerned, many years in the course of one and a half centuries left behind a bitter aftertaste in spite of their departing. This community was repeatedly afflicted by great conflagrations. In the height of summer in the year 1861, a big fire broke out in house 174, a blaze which spread quickly and set on fire and reduced to ashes all the standing houses down to number 163, with the exception of house number 167 which had stood in the middle of the row but miraculously remained undamaged.

In the year 1867 on the 27^th of August, a terrible fire likewise broke out in house number 252 standing on the main street. The fire was fanned by a fierce wind and spread with terrific speed on the southwest direction. All the houses of the street, down to number 247 and up to number 260 at the end, fell victim to the flames, with the exception of houses number 251 and 255. The inhabitants of this quarter fled in all haste and were happy to escape with their bare life.

The year 1927 was not less a year of misfortune for the community. It was just the feast of the Visitation of Mary; it was on the 2^nd of July. The people were all mostly in the field where they were reaping. Then at half past five in the afternoon, a terrible thunderstorm sprang up.  The thunderclouds appeared dark black and from the roaring of the wind one could hear that the thunderstorm was approaching with enormous speed. One could hardly escape; the storm was already there and lasted roughly 10 minutes. This short time was enough for the strongest trees to be uprooted, the roofs to be carried way for the largest part and the fences to be thrown around like straw. A crack and clank was audible and then many chimneys were destroyed. Then, hailstones which reached the size of a nut followed after that, whereupon a terrible downpour followed then. After a good half hour, the rain eased off and when one dared to look outside one saw horses running through the lanes and streets with mangled wagons; one heard only screams, wailing and lamentation everywhere. Those working in the field were hardly able to hide since the storm threw the crossed-up sheaves[131] far apart. The crop still standing[132] was completely beaten into the ground so that nothing more had stood and the harvest was ended on 3 fields, while the “meadow” suffered hardly any damage.

Many—almost all—of the houses were severely weakened as a result of the terrible storm; no less the parish church, whose artificial slate plate were flung as far as the next street.

The damage was incomprehensible; at least, no human life had fallen victim to the unforgettable thunderstorm.

The priest and the faithful surely took the hard stroke of fate with pain and sorrow but also with courage. Even though now and then with complaints, nevertheless on the whole everyone got ready for the great work of restoration in calm and silence. That all the faithful took a large share in this heavy work is self-evident. There was nobody who let himself be outdone by another with regard to helpfulness and inclination to sacrifice.

There are not only sad but also joyful days to enter in the history of this parish. If for 6 years one always had to listen to only one bell, one can imagine what joy prevailed when at the kermis festival of the year 1923 the 2 newly-procured bells were solemnly dedicated and put in the steeple. For this bell dedication festival, great preparations were made and the Roman Catholic church committee was active in the work to make the festival grander.

At the kermis festival of the following year (1924), the big bell which the American tribe brothers from Chicago and Portland intended for their native church was dedicated. The appearance of the Catholic singing choir from Reşiţa[133] gave a quite special honor and distinction to the festival. The “Eisenquartett”[134] had already appeared on the evening before to acquit the mass “De St. Therese von Theodor de La Hache”[135] during the Pontifical Mass on the other day. After the High Mass, first the bell, this beautiful act of love for the homeland, was solemnly dedicated by Right Reverend Abbot and Archdeacon Josef Olajos and then hoisted into the steeple. At noon when it rang out for the first time, it certainly carried in all directions of the world through the breezes the wish of the donors, which reads cast into the bell: “Proclaim faith, hope and love—Proclaim eternal peace to the people.”

The 31^st of July of the year 1925 was an additional gala day of the community. On this day, the Piarist professor Georg Konrad, who was born here, completed his studies in Budapest and was ordained a priest on the 14^th of July in that very place, held his Primiz. The newly-decorated and splendidly-painted church was too small this time to hold the faithful who came in crowds and all wanted to be witnesses of a joy which was experienced again not only by a family but by the whole community. This celebration developed into a real great day of the community as well as a red-letter day of the local pastor who saw one of his priestly endeavors crowned in the extraordinary ceremony.

In the year 1933, the community prepared for a celebration just as beautiful as rare, incidental to which Johann Wolf, a son of the community, was supposed to be ordained a priest in his native church. As a worthy preparation for the ordination, the pastor held a mission from the 19^th-25^th of March, with the collaboration of the pastor from Livada. Despite the dreadful weather and the indescribable snowstorm, the mission went fine and was crowned by almost unbelievable success. But the ordination could not take place on the arranged day, i.e. on the 25^th of March, since His Excellency, who wanted to travel here by auto on the 24^th of March, got into storm and wind between Vinga[136] and Segenthau,[137] could not continue on the road of thawed snow, indeed even had to go on a forced march back to Vinga. Not until the morning of the 26^th, it was a Sunday, did he succeed in reaching as far as Arad by train, and here from there. Therefore, the drum had to sound[138] to notify the faithful of the ordination. Since indeed everybody waited for days already for the sacred act with curiosity, the faithful soon came from all sides in an extremely large number to the church, where His Excellency Diocesan Bishop Dr. Augustin Pacha then carried out the ordination in the presence of the local pastor, of the theology professor Dr. Josef Korner, of the religion professor Peter Kühn and of the episcopal secretary Michael Willjung. At the same time, the senior pastor gave a sermon as well.

The Way of the Cross was in the afternoon with an opportunity for Confession and at 7 o’clock in the evening Pastor Alexander Kummergruber held the conclusion of the three-day period. His Excellency confirmed 263 children the next day with the assistance of several clergymen from the neighboring communities and in the afternoon left the community, which could not thank the senior pastor enough that he had given them any opportunity for such an unforgettable ceremony.

On the 2^nd of April of the same year, the newly-ordained priest Johann Wolf held his Primiz then, in the course of which Theology Professor Dr. Johann Farago acted as official orator and the local pastor as Manuductor.[139] The Abbot Canon Josef Olagos from Timişoara was also present at the beautiful ceremony. Before the Primiz, an unbelievable crowd of faithful appeared in a solemn procession in the parental home in order to be witnesses of the leave-taking of the new priest from his parents. After the first Holy Mass, the Primiziant[140] gave the customary blessing which continued up to the midday hour.

In addition, the 22^nd of April 1934 was a big day of rejoicing for the community; after all, the deserving pastor of the community was able to celebrate his 60^th birthday on this day. The community did not leave things take care of themselves to honor the most worthy pastor in an appropriate manner on this occasion, thankful for the untiring, successful work of 30 years. It was not only a festival for the 60-year-old priest, not only a festival for the 8 men of the same age of the community; no, it was a festival for everyone, poor and rich, great and ordinary, distinguished and humble; it was a family festival in the true sense of the word, where all the members of the parish, of one mind about their spiritual father and leader, assembled to offer their admiration and respect to him, to give their thanks to him for his long, long-standing, self-sacrificing work.

Already on the evening before, all 8 men of the same age (recruits) went to Holy Confession together with their wives. On Sunday, the contemporaries of the pastor, in particular Jakob Klemens, Georg Schmidt, Jakob Schwager, Josef Wolf, Peter Plennert, Franz Mittermüller, Peter Janson and Karl Wachter, together with their wives, went with musical accompaniment in front of the rectory, from where they collected the pastor, their contemporary, for the Mass. In the early Mass, these 60-year-olds ministered to the 60-year-old minister. They also went together with their wives to the Lord’s Supper. Afterwards, the pastor gave a moving speech which touched many deeply. The beautiful thought of a colleague of the 60-year-olds made a deep impression on the inhabitants of the community. After the High Mass, not only the recruits (60-year-olds) but representatives of all the community organizations, community administration, church committee, principal of the school and of the funeral society had appeared in the rectory to give an expression of their devotion and esteem.

Also, the beautiful choral festival which the Obermaroschgruppe[141] of the Banater Deutschen Sängerbund[142] under the direction of the group chairman Wendel Vormittag from Glogowatz held here on Pentecost Monday in the year 1935 cannot remain unmentioned. The festival, at which the choral societies of Glogowatz, St. Ana,[143] Livada, Sanlean[144] and Panatulnou and a delegation from Sanmartin[145] took part, proceeded in a most festive mood.

At 9 o’clock AM, a solemn service took place under the open sky then the general meeting was held in the course of which Johann Weber gave the formal address. The festival singing began at 3 o’clock PM, at which every society brought two choirs to the performance. After the festival concert, the societies, accompanied by the entire community, proceeded to the cemetery where an impressive ancestor ceremony was held, the center of which was the deeply-touching speech of the pastor. Returned to the festival ground, the festival was brought to a close, which will be a lasting memory for all the participants.

Finally in the framework of this short history, that emigration cannot remain still unmentioned which starting from the year 1905 drew many of our compatriots to the New World as if the history of our ancestors from the year 1787 had repeated itself. The size of this emigration was quite large and only the restriction of immigrants to the United States, which took place after years, was able to dampen the desire to emigrate at home. From the year 1905, those disillusioned here sought success for their work and even if no longer any rise for themselves surely at least for their children. Every path for that in this homeland seemed cut off for them and every prospect shrunken. They wanted out of the endless unrest and hoped for a chance in foreign parts. They were not simply the unemployed who complained and hoped that way.  Good, industrious farmers and artisans also were among those who held onto the rest of their wealth saved from an unexpected collapse and now wanted to save what could be saved. It was certainly regrettable to have to see them move who especially could have been used for the construction of the homeland first. But who wanted to hold it against the farmers in particular if they, on account of daily torture, were on the lookout for another homeland where they could at least work in peace even though with hard work? And so they, one family after another, moved first to the United States then to Canada, Argentina, Paraguay and so forth. In addition, our emigrated tribe brothers abroad have caused us no damage and competition. They settled down like here and in addition are now among our truest national brothers in the world whether they are in Chicago or Portland or Canada or Argentina. They are still in constant correspondence not only with their relatives but also with the good old pastor and so it was possible that, informed of many a want, of many a need of the old homeland, they especially rushed to help the native church through their heartfelt offerings which they sent here for the acquisition of the big bell and of the iron bell-loft. In this way, they have proven that our holy Catholic religion is a precious blessing to them which they inherited from our ancestors and intend to cherish in the future.

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