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In May, parishioners held a special Mass under a tent at the corner of Main and Jefferson streets in recognition of the first parish services held here just after Easter 1834, which are believed to have been held in an inn or tavern that stood at that same location 175 years ago.
Over the summer, the parish participated in the annual Washington Town and Country Fair Parade, again with a sizable float showcasing the giant birthday cake.
The anniversary celebration will culminate in a little more than a week when the parish holds an anniversary Mass, dinner and festival Sunday, Oct. 4. Borgia's pastor, Father Andrew Sigmund, has referred to it as "the highlight of the year - the big event."
The activities will begin at 2:30 p.m. in the church with a 30-minute concert by the St. Francis Borgia Choir and children's choir. The concert will focus on traditional sacred music and the parish's German heritage.
The anniversary Mass will get under way at 3 p.m. with Archbishop Robert Carlson presiding. Borgia's own priests, Father Sigmund and Father John Mayo, will be concelebrating along with many of Borgia's former parish priests.
"We've sent invitations to all of the priests who have served at Borgia, and we have heard from 15 to 20 of them who are coming," said Father Sigmund. "These are Franciscans, Jesuits and Diocesan priests who served at Borgia or were raised in the parish."
Also invited were all of the School Sisters of Notre Dame who have served or were raised in the parish. At least 40 are expected to attend.
"Their participation is a blessing and a reminder of how much they contributed to our faith community," Father Sigmund remarked, noting this year is a milestone for the Notre Dame order, as well - 150 years.
"I believe they have been teaching here at Borgia longer than at any other school in the St. Louis area," he added. "We have one sister, Sister Gloria Petralia, teaching at Borgia Grade School."
To mark that special relationship between Borgia and SSND, the sisters will renew their vows at the end of the Anniversary Mass.
Also speaking will be the Provincials of the Jesuits, the order that founded St. Francis Borgia, the Franciscans, who served the parish for 96 years, and the SSND.
Following Mass, the celebration will move to Jesuit Hall with a buffet dinner catered by Droege's, B&B Barbecue, Williams Brothers and Schulte Bakery being served for Borgia parishioners from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
In the Franciscan Courtyard behind Jesuit Hall, festival-like activities will provide entertainment between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. The Loehnig German Band from Hermann will perform traditional German music, there will be a hayride around the area of Main and Second streets with historical commentary provided by Marc Houseman, director of the Washington Historical Society, and there will be various activities for children.
"To continue the German theme, we are even asking the ladies of the parish to bring their favorite German chocolate cakes for everyone's enjoyment," Father Sigmund remarked.
Over the last several weeks, Borgia Grade School students in Peggy King's art classes have been creating posters depicting various events in the parish's 175-year history, beginning with the landing in Washington of the original 12 German families who founded the parish. The posters will be on display at the Oct. 4 anniversary celebration.
"It will be a whole day of thanksgiving and celebration," said Father Sigmund. "Thanking God for blessing this parish for 175 years, thanking the people who have gone before us . . .
"And had the vision," noted Lynn Unnerstall.
"Yes," said Father Sigmund, "and also thanking the present parishioners who have donated the time, treasure and talent to make this parish great."
12 Families Grow to Over 1,500
Today St. Francis Borgia Parish is home to between 1,500 and 1,600 families - the most in its 175-year history.
But back in 1834, the parish was founded by a group of just 12 families, all German Catholics who had departed their native Osterkappeln and Belm in Hanover and came to America in 1833, arriving in October.
The 12 families were:
Frederick Bleckman, John Henry Buhr, John Edelbrock, John Matthias Hustermann, John H. Koering, Frederick Riegel, Herman Schwegmann, Adolph Smertmann, Gerhard H. Trentmann, Gerhard Uhlenbrock, Rudolph Uhlenbrock and Wilhelm Weber.
The group had intended to settle in Illinois, but after a long journey from Germany across the ocean and up the Mississippi River from New Orleans, the group stopped in St. Louis.
A boat was ready to head up the Missouri River, and "committing themselves to Divine Providence, they set sail," a new 175-year history book on the Parish reads.
They didn't have a designated stop in mind, but one of the men had read stories by Gottfried Duden about the Marthasville area and mentioned that to the group. All agreed that was the place to go.
When the ship reached the landing place, however, it was night and Marthasville was still a good distance to the north of the riverbank. So the captain suggested the group instead go to Washington where they could more easily find a place to stay for the night.
And they did. They found shelter in a tavern at the corner of what is now Main and Jefferson streets owned by Bernard Fricke, who had come to America in the spring of 1833.
The 12 families learned they would be able to buy land, so "they unanimously agreed to remain," the Parish history reads.
By the spring of 1834, the Catholic settlers were eager to go to confession and Communion, but the only priest in St. Louis who knew German was too busy to come out for Mass, the history notes.
"The Jesuits, however, had several stations along the Missouri River . . . thus it providentially happened that Fathers Verreydt and Adrian Christian Hoecken in their excursions heard of these remote abandoned families.
"Father Verreydt . . . assembled them in the hotel where they had gathered when they landed and heard their confession and celebrated Holy Mass."
Later, a rector of the Jesuit Mission used his own resources to buy 40 acres (where the Borgia cemetery is now located) and urged the people to build a log church.
There were some delays, but the Catholic settlers were able to build a log church around 1838. There were only 15 families in the parish.
Second, Third Churches
The church that stands today as St. Francis Borgia is the third in the parish history. It was built in 1869.
The second church was built in 1846. Several families had wanted a new and larger church built on the site of the log church, the history notes, while others wanted the new church built in the town of Washington.
"In 1842, the party in Washington gained the upper hand, especially when John F. Mense offered a beautiful site for the church."
The second church, which stood just west of the existing church, was made of brick and stood 36 feet wide and 70 feet long. Hewn tree trunks served as pews.
The log church at the cemetery was taken down and put up again at Main and Elm streets, where it was used as a school.
The School Sisters of Notre Dame began teaching at the Borgia school Nov. 1, 1859. The convent, first known as St. Mary's Academy at the corner of Main and Elm streets, wasn't ready until 1860.
There were only nine students the first day that the School Sisters taught, but by the following spring, enrollment had jumped to 60, the history book notes.
The growth of the parish continued as well. By 1860, it had more than 150 families - which meant that a new church was needed.
After being delayed by the Civil War, plans for the third church were approved in 1866. It was completed and blessed Easter Monday, April 6, 1869.
The three bells installed in the church in the 1860s are the same three bells used in the church today. During war years, the bells were used to call people to service, said Karen Marquart, who is credited with researching and writing the current parish history book.
With a new larger church, the parish soon was in need of a larger school. A new one was built at the corner of Main and Cedar streets (now Jesuit Hall) in 1884. It was followed by construction of a convent/school building at the southeast corner of Second and Cedar streets in 1891.
Franciscans Arrive
By the mid 1890s, the Jesuits were looking to leave Borgia Parish.
"There were more missionaries than parish priests," said Father Sigmund.
The Jesuits transferred the parish to the Franciscans, who arrived in August 1894. At first there was resistance among the Borgia parishioners to the "barefoot priests," but "realizing it was the will of God" and "understanding the Franciscans were laboring zealously for the spiritual and temporal welfare of the parish, the parishioners gradually came around and cooperated gladly with the fathers.
"The great spirit of kindness and devotion, which the fathers showed to everyone, soon won the hearts of Catholics and non-Catholics within the community," the history reads.
The Franciscans introduced the parishioners to the Franciscan Devotions (the Forty-Hour Devotion), Stations or Way of the Cross, the May and October Devotions with procession, annual celebration of Portiuncula and Devotions to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the conversion of sinners, all by 1896. Others followed in later years.
A high school was created in 1901 with 14 girls and nine boys in the first class. Many years later, in 1934-'35, a new high school and auditorium were built at the corner of Second and Cedar (now the grade school).
In the early 1900s, many improvements were made to the church - the 12 Apostles were painted on the ceiling in 1903, stained glass windows were installed in 1904 and a new pipe organ was added in 1909.
The following year, a tornado ripped into the church roof and steeple, and while the damage was great, it was quickly repaired, the history notes.
By 1914, growth in the parish was such that there were 73 baptisms, 13 marriages, 26 funerals, 66 children received their First Communion and school enrollment was up to 352.
The first church choir, known as the St. Cecelia Mixed Choir, was introduced in December 1920 by Father Valerius, who was the first director and organist. Fame of the choir spread far and wide.
"The present well-trained church choir still reflects the fruit of the Rev. Valerius' labors and sacrifices," the history reads.
Borgia celebrated its 100th anniversary as a parish in October 1934.
More Recent Events
The last 75 years leading up to today have been packed with growth, improvements and changes at Borgia Parish. The new history book contains all of the details, which are too many to condense here.
Karen Marquart mentioned a few more of the highlights from her research and writing the book:
In 1958, Borgia Parish was split to form Our Lady of Lourdes Parish on the east side of town. The number of families at Borgia was too large to be served in one church.
A new marble altar facing the people was erected in 1965.
The new high school was opened in 1982, and the grade school moved into the high school.
That same year, the Advent Giving Tree program was started by Sister Theresa and the adult choir was organized.
In 1984, Borgia celebrated its 150th anniversary, and the following year the parish's first RCIA (Right of Christian Initiation of Adults) group was received. There were 27 in the group.
In 1987, a lifelong member of Borgia, Gilbert Holtmeyer, was ordained a permanent deacon of the St. Louis Archdiocese.
In 1988, for the first time since the SSND arrived in 1859, the grade school did not have a sister on staff.
The Franciscans left in 1990 after 96 years at Borgia.
"The Franciscan leaders were reducing the number of parishes served . . . citing increasing age of the priests and a decrease in new devotions," the history reads.
The priests of the St. Louis Archdiocese took over.
The first Spring Fest and Car Show were held in 1992; Encore resale shop to benefit the parish was opened in 1993; and the 1909 pipe organ was restored.
Borgia parishioner Leon Noelker was ordained a deacon in 1996; and the Faith of Our Fathers Campaign was started in 2002.
The history book Marquart has compiled details all of these points and more. It also includes many photos from the 175-year history, just a few of which are included with this story.
There also is a complete list of the religious from the parish, including 89 women who became nuns in various orders.
The book, "St. Francis Borgia Parish, 1834-2009, A Dream by the River," is available to nonparishioners for $10.
Along with Borgia history, the book includes the 150-year history of the SSND at Borgia.
For more information on the history or to order a book, people may call the parish office at 636-239-6701.
