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St. Felicitas Parish in Beaver Prairie Celebrates 125th Anniversary

Story and photos by LIZ QUIRIN
Messenger editor

With wind and rain winding down as the remnants of Hurricane Ike made its way to and through the Midwest, the people of St. Felicitas parish in Beaver Prairie gathered at the church Sept. 14 to celebrate 125 years of faith.
Through the years, the parish has been under the care of priests from St. Mary Parish in Carlyle, St. Rose in St. Rose and then after St. Theresa Parish in Marydale was established, under its care.

Today, Father Ed Schaefer in St. Rose is canonical pastor of St. Felicitas with Father Pat Peter and Father Ben Stern sacramental ministers.

Sister Diane Turner SSND is parish life coordinator.
In 1967, a tornado heavily damaged the church that was built in 1883 on five acres of ground donated by Joducus Petermeyer, and plans had to be made to rebuild the church.

The original structure was torn down, and parishioners celebrated liturgies in a parish hall east of the church site.
In 1969 the late Father Jerome Feldmann, then pastor of St. Felicitas and St. Theresa’s was among the dignitaries turning the first spades of dirt for the new church. This was also the day young parishioners made their first Communion.

“For 125 years the people of God have gathered here,” Bishop Edward K. Braxton said in his homily.
In the 1960s, St. Felicitas counted 66 families among their parishioners. Today, Sister Diane Turner SSND, said the parish has 90 families on its roles.

When the parish was established in 1883, challenges were different, the bishop said.
Today, the challenges of life pull people in many directions, but the call to faith remains the same as it did when the first church was built.

The dedication and constant care of the families of faith keep St. Felicitas Parish alive and thriving.
“We ask the Lord for the grace and gifts we need so that the parish can celebrate its 250th anniversary,” the bishop said.

A reception was held after the liturgy in the parish hall, now housed in the basement of the church.

Parishioners had the opportunity to look at photos and other memorabilia from the parish’s history.
Among the guests were Eugene Heldorfer and Regina Peppenhorst, who would celebrate her 99th birthday Sept. 15.
Mr. Heldorfer’s mother was listed on the parish rolls as the second child baptized in the parish in 1884.