St Francis Minor Seminary - Via Yearbook (Milwaukee, WI)

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DIAMOND JUBILEE -Q856 THE MOST REVEREND FREDERICK X. KATZER, D. D. 6Professor at St. ffranci: Seminary 1865-1875 CBixhop of Green 6Bay 1886-1891 Third oArchbisbop of Wilwaukee 1891-1903

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be The topic of the occasion was the Oriental Schism and was ably defended by the Messrs. J McCarthy, J. Pietrasik, J. Siebert, P. Lippert, B. Celichowski, and F. Freckmann in the presence of the Most Rev. Archbishop, his Vicar-General, and others. From time to time throughout the history of the Salesianum, it has been visited by fire, which in the earlier days was ever terrorizing to institutions which had been built at the great sacrifice of so many. During February of 1894, a fire which broke out in a room of the new building threatened destruction. On the eleventh of December in 1895, the building was again endangered by a fire which broke out in the orphan house and raged for about six hours. 1895-1904 9 The scholastic year which began in September, 1895, was delayed a whole week by the extensive improvements which were made. Most progressive among the improvements was the installation of elec- tric lights. This happened on September, the seven- teenth. Less than a month later, the Most Reverend Archbishop, who had been in Europe, returned and received the enthusiastic welcome of the student body who seemed, in those days, to re ard a torch-light welcome as the highest note of tri ute. The Seminary chapel was newly frescoed during the summer vacation of 1897. Its freshness lent beauty, though it may not have been decorated pre- cisely for the occasion, to the celebration of Septem- ber, the thirtieth, which marked the fiftieth anniver- sary of the arrival of the Seminaryis founder in America. After the High Mass, Dr. Salzmann was remembered in prayer at his tomb. The occasion was closed with the blessing of the new heroic statue of St. Francis de Sales which was donated by the class of ,76 and stilli stands high up on the front of the building. A feature of the occasion was the Latin hymn, composed by the Rector in honor of St. Fran- cis and set to music by Sir John Singenberger. The last two years of the century were rather uneventful, except perhaps for the celebration of the silver jubilee of the societies of the Blessed Albertus Magnus and of St. Caecilia. This was an event which occupied June 21 and 22. A Pontifical Mass was offered on each morning. In the afternoon of the former day, the Albertus Society creditably rendered Calderon,s drama 11Die Morgenroethe von Copaca- bana? There were about eighty-iive members presen on this occasion. ' No more fitting manner of ushering in the new century could be thought of than the celebration of midnight Mass in accordance with the indult granted by His Holiness, Pope Leo XIII. This privilege was renewed for the following year and was again used. The brand new century ushered in a brand new rule which we can readily imagine met with general favor SAINT FRANCIS SEMINARY ethe supper hour was changed from seven to six. 1901 was a year of divine supplication. On Jan- uary the sixteenth, fear of a greater spread of the prevalent inHuenza epidemic caused a Solemn Votive Mass 9pm Vitanda mortalitateii to be sung. In ac- cordance with the requirements for the gaining of the indulgence of the jubilee granted by Leo XIII, a jubilee procession was had on fifteen consecutive days beginning with April 29. These processions were alternately made to the chapel in the orphan house and convent. On September 19 a Solemn Votive Mass Zora paceii was celebrated by order of the Archbishop on the occasion of the funeral of President McKinley. The year 1902 would have been rather uneventful, had not a smallpox epidemic broken out on the day preceding the Patron Feast. It spoiled the cele- bration and sent most of the students to their homes, where they remained until February 29. This no doubt sped up the building of the new infirmary which was completed on November 18. The twentieth of July, 1903, was indeed a sad day for the whole world, for it marks the passing of a holy and learned Pope, Leo XIII, a man of God who spent untold eHott in an attempt to teach the things of God and to emphasize the moral and social relationship which should exist among the various classes of people. The day was, however, of two-fold sorrow for our Seminary and the Province of Milwaukee; for, as if awaiting the preparation of a place for him in heaven, Archbishop Katzet sur- vived the saintly Pontiff by but five hours, departing this life at about nine oiclock in the evening. After the solemn obsequies held in St. John,s Cathedral, his mortal remains were brought to our cemetery in the woods and found repose between his parents. Bishop Eis of Marquette pronounced the absolution. It was August, the fourth, when the joyful news reached the Seminary, that a new Pontiff had been chosen. The choice was of great interest, for the new- ly elected Pontiff was to be the one who would choose a new Archbishop for Milwaukee. All who were present in the Seminary on this occasion gath- ered in the chapel and the Rector announced the choice of the College of Cardinals as that of Cardinal Sarto who took the name of Pius X, and the as- sembled students and faculty offered prayers for His Holiness. Not four months elapsed until the new Pontiff had designated the Bishop of Green Bay, the Most Reverend Sebastian G. Messmer as the future guide and shepherd of our Archdiocese. This new Arch- bishop, who was destined to rule the Archdiocese for more than a quarter of a century and who, in his very appearance, was apostolic, solemnly entered his metropolitan city on February, the tenth, following. i391

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QED It was eight days later that he paid his iirst official visit to the Salesianum. The celebration occupied the entire morning. At eight oiclock, His Grace was introduced into the chapel with solemn ceremonies. He imparted his pontifical blessing and spoke a few words prior to his offering of the Holy Sacrifice. At ten oiclock, formal reception was tendered the newly enthroned Archbishop. The students and professors met in the Seminary hall, where two addresses were made, one in Latin by Mr. W. Kubale and the other in English by Mr. Thomas Pierce. A short theological disputation followed in which Messrs. F. Murphy and C. Hugo took the principal parts. 1904-1906 During the summer of 1904 two important events transpired. The St. Francis Alumni Association held its first reunion in the Seminary hall. The Archbishop, Bishop Fox of Green Bay, and many priests were present on this joyful occasion. It is recorded that at this first reunion four hundred priests declared their intention of joining the association. In July of the following year, a second reunion was held. It is especially of note because of its having given birth to an Alumni paper which came to be known as 9The Salesianumii. The ninth day of January, 1906, marks its first issue: its first editor was the Reverend D. J. O,Hearn, D. C. L. The joy of the first reunion was heightened much by the Archbishopis announcement to the assembly that the Rector of our beloved institution had been raised to the dignity of a Domestic Prelate of His Holiness. On the fourteenth of October, 1904, Mon- signor Rainer was honored by the student body. A program was given at ten dclock at which Messrs. A. Lofy and F. Murphy delivered addresses. SAINT FRANCIS SEMINARY The Right Reverend A. F. Schinner, whom we mention particularly here because he has the dis- tinction of being the first bishop who had taken his full course at the Salesianurn, was nominated and consecrated Bishop of Superior in the spring and early summer of 1905. During May of 1906 many repairs and additions were being made in preparation for the Golden Jubi- lee celebration, which was fast approaching. This will be treated at length in the following chapter. It would not be fair to the noble Rector, who spent so many years in the service of the Seminary and to whom this volume is dedicated, to conclude without speaking a word on his dearest hobby. Many, indeed, would not regard deep interest in the sick and troubled as a hobby, but we know that Monsignor Rainer did. Those who have known him remember well how untiringly, he went twice daily to visit the sick and to bring into the sick-room a ray of spiritual sunshine. His was a task of love. He re- garded those students who were sick and troubled as having the first claim upon his fatherly care. It can readily be imagined how deeply he was touched by the death of a student now and again in the long period of his Rectorship. This concern is evidenced by his frequent mention of profound grief at the death of some student or by the notation that he accompanied the studentis remains to his home and preached the funeral sermon. Many of his other remarkable traits may pass un- noticed when we look back through the Seminaryis history, but surely these acts of sympathetic love shall ever claim enduring tribute; they shall live on and shall ever cause his name to be profoundly treas- ured by all in the forming of whose priestly character Monsignor Rainer played no small part. EDWARD M. KINNEY, B. A.