St. Francis Xavier Church
Carlsruhe, Ontario, Canada
Our History
Chancery
FAITH OF OUR FATHERS
The Biblical mustard seed tended with zealous devotion by the Jesuit missionaries from Guelph around 1841 evolved into four flourishing churches in our area whose history is closely interwoven from those humble and arduous beginnings.
The first mass in Carlsruhe was celebrated in a home in 1853. Until 1861 the settlement was intermittently visited by missionaries. A baptismal register was begun in 1856 and a site for a church purchased in 1858.
At about the same time a faithful band of worshippers in Ayton, also without a church had to travel as far as fifteen miles by horse-drawn vehicles to assist at the sacrifice of the Mass. The early Catholic settlers in Neustadt fared a similar ordeal. These hardships served to strengthen the faith of our forbears.
In 1861 Carlsruhe became a Mission of the newly formed parish of Formosa and in 1865 it was made a separate parish. A Dutch born priest, Rev. Francis Rassaerts was its founding Pastor. In 1872 work began on the present church which was modeled on a Dutch Cathedral. Stained glass windows were a donation from the Catholics of Holland and they were imported by Father Rassaerts.
Meanwhile, in 1869, Mrs. Henry McMahon of Ayton donated a lot for the erection of church which was blessed in 1875. Until 1882, when it became an independent parish, St. Peter's was a mission of Mt. Forest.
Neustadt had not been overlooked for, as early as 1858, Rev. George Laufhuber S.J. had purchased a site and within two years, a large frame church was constructed. St. Joseph's became a mission of St. Francis Xavier's in 1972 until 1880 when it was assigned to the new parish in Deemerton.
Ayton's first resident Pastor was Rev. P. S. Owens. At first without a rectory he soon occupied a comfortable dwelling and, in 1902, completed the original plans of the church by erecting a roomy sanctuary and a substantial tower and belfry. Father Owens died in 1902.
In Carlsruhe, during the pastorate of Father Michael Halm, the church super-structure was renovated around 1894. The bricks salvaged from the dismantling of the dome served to build a new though smaller church in Neustadt. The bell was donated by Rev. Halm's Father.
But the shoot that sprang from the tiny mustard seed was still spreading and Father Rudolph Lehman(1896-1898) organized a new mission in Hanover. He also established the first separate school in Carlsruhe. The construction of a Church in the Hanover Mission was the achievement of Father Jonas Lenhard. Hanover became a separate parish in 1912.
The years passed with successive Pastors leaving God's finger mark on the new parishes. Father Hoffarth, between 1926 and 1934, landscaped the site of St. Joseph's Church, sodding the quick-sand hill and planting evergreens.
Later Father Hartlieb redecorated the church and added new pews. St. Joseph's reverted to Deemerton in 1934 but once again became a mission of Carlsruhe in 1970. It has remained so to this day.
In Ayton, Father J. E. MacNeil (1923-1933) promoted the cause of education through starting a continuation School for Students of both Catholic and Protestant families. The project was successful.
Looking back at the history of St. Peter's one become aware that the parish was notably prolific in religious vocations; eight of its parishioners became priests, one of them a bishop, twelve other young men became Brothers of the Christian Schools and thirteen young women joined various religious orders.
The years from 1912 to 1930 were difficult for Father Isadore Hoffarth, then Pastor of St. Francis Xavier, for the strain of inadequate income caused him to struggle continually against financial shortages.
In the early 1930's a new organ was purchased by Rev. Lawrence Dogorski and later.
Father Henri Brick had the interior of the church redecorated for its 60th anniversary celebration in 1947.
From 1952 to 1970 Carlsruhe and Ayton were under the tutelage of the Sacred heart Fathers from Holland, during some of those years Chesley was attached to St. Francis Xavier parish as a mission and in 1964, a new Separate School was opened in Carlsruhe.
In 1969, due to the death, within a month, of Father Schoemaker, Pastor of Ayton and of Father Reuser, pastor of Carlsruhe, Ayton was assigned to St. Francis Xavier as a mission and Rev. Philip Sherratt was appointed Pastor of Carlsruhe, Ayton and Neustadt.
In 1973 the parishioners of St. Francis Xavier celebrated the Centennial of their church. Rev. Harry Englert was Pastor at the time.
In later years, during the Pastorate of Rev. Fr. Edward Clark O.M.I, and with the financial assistance of the Catholic Women's League, Kitchen and Wash-room facilities were added to the Hall.
Father Chernish initiated major repairs to the roof of the church and Father Placid C. Nolan, O.P. appointed Pastor in 1985, was the stimulus that sparked an impressive renovation of the interior of St. Francis Xavier church. He left in 1993 for health reasons.
Our present pastor, Father T.A.P. Kurudeepan O.M.I. is better known to all his parishioners, young and old, as Father Tom. He has successfully tackled a more mundane but very essential project and revitalized the heating systems in all three churches and the rectory. He is also adept with the sound system. Furthermore the windows of St. Francis Xavier are in the process of repairs while recent innovations at St. Joseph's greatly enhance the simple dignity of the diminutive church.
But a more intangible change is imperceptibly taking place. Through annual and monthly events and spiritual gatherings involving all three churches, and even Holy Family Church, the individual identity, of each Congregation is slowly yielding to the sounder ideal that we the people of Ayton, Carlsruhe and Neustadt, belong to one and the same believing family, that together we are proud to be one 'COMMUNITY OF FAITH'.
(In consultation with the Chancery office of Hamilton Diocese, the information were taken and edited by Marti Varleur)