Building Traditions

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Fr. Thaddeus T. Marchant, the first parishoner to be ordained priest. (Photo: Diocesan Archives) In the fall of 1916, two long-standing traditions were initiated. Fr. Calvey introduced All Souls Day envelopes to the parish, inviting everyone to hand in names of people for special prayers.

And on November 28, the parish had its first bazaar. It eventually became the major fund-raising event of the year. In the 1950s it was moved to the summer so it could be held outside. Before it was discontinued in 1966, it had grown to include carnival rides.

There were other parish customs from that time that have since ceased. One was the coal collection, an annual drive started by Fr. Calvey when new heating systems were installed in the church and rectory It eventually became a $10 offering made when the priests visited on the annual parish census. Parishioners also paid pew rent for a particular seat in church at the Mass they usually attended. Fr. Calvey saw this as a way to "truly belong" to the parish - having one's own place. On Candlemas, February 2, the people received blessed candles for home use and returned the ones from the previous year. These were burned in church for their intentions.

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, 12 young men of the parish entered the conflict. One of them, Cpl. Martin F. Fitzharris, died in France shortly after the war ended and was buried in Alger Cemetery in August 1921. Several others are buried in the parish cemetery. Young men from the parish served our country from the Civil War on, but World War I is the first for which we have records.

While these young men followed the call to arms, another young parishioner had a calling of another sort Thaddeus T. Marchant became the first parishioner to be ordained a priest. He was ordained for the Diocese of Cleveland on May 29, 1919, and celebrated his First Mass here the next day, with Fr. Calvey as his assistant priest.

As the war was ending, a worldwide flu epidemic broke out. Public gatherings were banned by the health department, and churches and schools in Ohio were closed from October 20 to November 13, 1921. Prayers to St. Roch (St. Rocco), patron in time of pestilence, were circulated. There was one death in the parish from the flu.

Parish outings were held at different sites in the neighborhood. The most popular was Puritas Springs Park where rides, a dance hall, a roller rink, a baseball diamond and picnic areas could be found. This was established in 1898 at the site of the mineral springs at the west end of Puritas above the valley. During its 60 years of existence many parish picnics and reunions, end-of-school-year picnics and society outings were held there. Garden parties and lawn fetes were frequently held at the two local orphanages, the Home of the Holy Family and the Catherine Horstmann Home for Girls, where Holy Cross Lutheran is now located.