The War Years

History:
Home
Introduction
Beginnings
St. Mary, Rockport
Stone Church
Age of the Streetcar
We Become a Parish
New School
Fr. Calvey
Building Traditions
Altar & Rosary
Calvey Club
Main School Bldg
Depression Years
Youth Organizations
War Years
Post-war Years
Parish Cemetery
Building Years
Aspects of Parish Life
Pastorate of Fr. Kelly
Hunger Center
Changing Needs
R.C.I.A.
Pastoral Council
Reaching Out
Parish Staff
Year of Celebration
Parish Leaders
Daughter Parishes

Other sections:
Calendar
Church & ministry
Scenes
School
Organizations

The plight of Catholics in Poland opened the eyes of parishioners to the horrors of World War II.

The people of St. Patrick's joined in a National Day of Prayer for Peace on Sunday, September 8, 1940, with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament after the 12:00 Mass. Special collections were made for the distressed Catholics of Poland in 1940 and for the war-torn nations of Europe in 1941.

The bombing of Pearl Harbor and the nation's entry into the war brought about drastic changes in the country and in the parish. The people were united in a war that was no longer foreign or remote. With the rationing of both gas and food, some changes had to be made. The parish dropped the roast beef dinner that was part of the annual St. Patrick's Day celebration. The Sisters of St. Joseph began taking public transportation, instead of relying on parishioners to drive them between the motherhouse and the school. The parish turned in scrap metal and paper and redeemed tax stamps to raise money for its needs. War bonds were raffle prizes. The "smoker" was replaced by an annual $1,000 raffle. The Patrician Club started its own publication to keep in touch with its members in the service.

Like many parishes during the war, St. Patrick Parish formed a credit union, which began on May 12, 1942.

Over the duration of the war, more than 250 men and women of the parish served in the military. One was Fr. Martin Gallagher, who left in April 1943 to begin training as a chaplain. With the large number of parishioners in the service, prayers for the killed, wounded and missing became a regular occurrence, and the parish drew together to support the families. Seven men from the parish were killed: Ens. Frank O'Brien, George Wade Dister, Sgt. James McEntee, Pfc. John J. Clark, S/Sgt. John J. Burke, Pfc. Michael Kauffman and Cpl. Joseph T. Hart. These men were killed in training and in combat in both the Pacific and European theaters.

The bomber plant (now the I-X Center) opened in Brook Park and the government built housing for the workers on Rocky River Drive south of the church (now the Riverside Park Estates, the C.M.H.A. housing projects). Because of the increased numbers of parishioners, Fr. Thorpe received permission from the diocese for a second 12:00 Sunday Mass and a second Christmas Midnight Mass in the school auditorium.

The diocese had a Service Roll of Honor that slowly made the rounds of the parishes. Families with someone in the service were invited to enter that person's name on the roll, which arrived at St. Patrick's on Sunday, February 20, 1944. There were 150 names of a possible 221 enrolled. The parish's own Honor Roll was dedicated on Sunday September 22, 1946, after the 12:00 Mass and was hung in the main vestibule of the church.

When the war in the Pacific ended, the church bells were rung, and the parish celebrated with Eucharistic exposition all day and a prayer service in the evening. The parish also took part in the National Day of Prayer on August 19 to thank God for the victory.