Catholic Record Society - Diocese of Columbus

Society News

August, A.D. 2007

197 E. Gay Street, Columbus, Ohio  43215     614-241-2571      www.catholicrecordsociety.org

Summer Quarterly Meeting -- September 16

Our Summer Quarterly Meeting will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 16, 2007, at St. Joseph  Montessori School, adjacent to Sacred Heart Church, 933 Hamlet St., Columbus.  The presentation will be "William and Mary Phelan, Early Benefactors of the Church in Central Ohio" by Society member Christine Donaldson. 

In the 1840s William Phelan helped fund St. Mary's Church in Lancaster and in 1852 donated the land that became the site of Sacred Heart Church in Columbus.  His role in the Church in Central Ohio and at Notre Dame University has been known only vaguely and the details of his life have eluded researchers.  Christine Donaldson recently learned of the Phelan papers in the archives of Notre Dame University and will present a slide-illustrated talk describing the intriguing interrelationships surrounding this development.  She will tell us of Phelan's origins, the source of his wealth, and the reason for his burial in the crypt of Sacred Heart Church at Notre Dame.  She found in the sources that Mr. Phelan's wife Mary was very involved in his decisions and her role also will be explored.  

Chris Donaldson, who holds a Ph.D. in history from Ohio State University, began researching the Phelans while a member of St. Joseph Montessori School's Board of Trustees.  SJMS has been at the Sacred Heart Parish site since 1987.  Chris Donaldson's son, now in college, attended SJMS from pre-school through the 8^th grade. 

Membership

Society member Sister Margaret Hoffman, O.S.F., received the Romana Hemmelgarn Award from the diocesan schools office on May 1.  She was honored as the educator who best demonstrated the qualities of care, concern, dedication, and encouragement of students' dreams and potential.  Sister teaches English at St. Charles Preparatory School.  Congratulations, Sister!! 

Member John Flowers of N. Branfort, Connecticut passed away on March 2.  We will have a Mass offered for him.  May he and all of our deceased members rest in peace. 

Society dues remain $15 per calendar year for one person (or two persons at the same address), $35 per institutional subscription.  Those enrolled since the last newsletter, as of August 8, are: 

James E. Bray, Marion
Catholic Cemeteries of Columbus, Lockbourne
Helen L. Clingan,  Columbus
Msgr.  John K. Cody, Columbus
Elizabeth Delong, Sonoma, Cal.
Msgr. William A. Dunn, Logan
Ellen Gordon Dye, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Patricia M. Flowers, N. Branford, Ct.
Msgr. Charles J. Foeller, Mt. Gilead
Joseph C. Grimes, Columbus
Msgr. Kenneth Grimes, Columbus
Deacon Frank Iannarino, Columbus
Robert W. & Elmira V. Leister, Columbus
Rev. Kevin F. Lutz, Columbus
Msgr. James B. Nugent, Columbus
Deacon Don Poirier, Powell
John C. & Karen B. Ruetty, Marysville
Mary Evelyn Ruetty, Columbus
Barbara Sabo, Hermosa Beach, Cal.
Jean M., Schmelzer, Rushville
Josephine Simon, Columbus
David M. Smithhisler, Mt. Vernon
Robert M. Stark, Columbus
James E. & Carol J. Staudenheimer, Powell
Thomas & Diane Tague, Southgate. Mich. 
 
Gifts to the Society

We recently purchased and installed three large new bookshelves for our office, and just on time to help house some of the donations we recently received: 

The Catholic Times gave us 43 document boxes containing hundreds of books, pamphlets, and booklets.  Included are documentation of Papal and other Vatican statements, addresses, encyclicals, etc., since the 1960s, USCC/NCCB publications, and other works.  Three items of local interest are:

- Diocese of Columbus, Financial Report, July 1, 1974 through June 30, 1975

- Carberry, Most Rev. John J., Reflections on the Year of Faith, Oct. 18, 1976

- A Time for…, written and compiled by "The Upper Room Prayer Group" and Friends, St. Philip the Apostle Church, Columbus, 1973. 

Pat Mooney has donated a collection of some 200 books related to Catholic history at various levels, which complements our existing collection very nicely.  We will keep this intact as the "Mooney Collection" for some time. 

Program of the blessing of the new "Phase One Building" at the Church of the Ascension, Johnstown, June 16, 2007, including a parish history.

      - gift of Pat Davis 

Colton & Fitch's Introductory Geography; New York: Ivison, Phinney & Co., 1860.  Several pages of this book were used as a scrapbook by Brother Albert Murphy, O.P., at St. Joseph's College, Somerset, in 1878; and 

"Bulletin" or grade sheets of Miss Maggie Luby, St. Columba's Female Academy, Zanesville, 1868 and 1869; and 

Playbill for Musical Entertainment give by pupils of the same academy, June 24, 1873; and  

Half-sheet of the Catholic Columbian, October 24, 1878 (pages 9-10), carrying the sermon by Bishop John L. Spalding of Peoria at the Consecration of St. Joseph Cathedral, Columbus, October 20, 1878.

      - gifts of Marjorie (Luby) Emerick and Gerald Emerick 

Three half-sheets of the Columbus Register, December 5, 1947 (found under flooring of a house on Nelson Road)

      - gift of Steve Harrison via Jim Varga 

Program: Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood, February 28, 1948, St. Joseph Cathedral, Columbus (with photos and data on the class of 13 ordinands); and 

Program: CYO Holy Hour…Central Deanery, Diocese of Columbus, March 21, 1948 at St. Joseph Cathedral; and 

Program: Memorial Holy Hour, Red Bird Stadium, Columbus, May 30, 1946… Sponsored by Columbus Diocesan Holy Name Union…

      - gifts of Bernadine Bauman 

Holy Rosary Parish, Columbus, Golden Jubilee booklet; and 

Columbus Dispatch, January 14, 1979, page A-14, on the closing of Holy Rosary Parish; and 

Three, 8x10" black and white professional photos of a large papal audience, May 30, 1957

      - gifts of Father Tom Brosmer