Emmanuel Catholic Church, is a Roman Catholic church in Dayton, Ohio. It is historically significant as it is the oldest Catholic parish in Dayton and the "mother church" from which all Catholic churches in Dayton and Montgomery County, as well as those in Greene, Clark, Champaign, Madison, Logan, Hardin, and Marion Counties, trace their roots.[1][2] Established in 1837, the parish and its initial church building were named after its founder, the Flemish missionary Father Emanuel Thienpont.[1] The current church building, a German Gothic structure on Franklin Street, was completed in 1873 and is notably one of the largest church buildings in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.[1][3]
Immaculate Conception shrine at Emmanuel Catholic Church
The Catholic faith in Dayton predated the construction of a formal church, flourishing amongst pioneer men and women who settled the then undeveloped land.[1] The earliest priestly presence in the Miami Valley dates to 1749, when Jesuit Father Joseph Pierre de Bonnecamps joined an expedition led by Louis Celoron de Bienville to claim the Ohio Valley for the King of France.[1] It is speculated the first sizable amount of Catholic laity arrived in the area during the War of 1812, with another later wave of Catholics moving into the region in 1827, amongst Irish construction workers who worked on the Miami and Erie Canal.[1] With the Catholic population in the Miami Valley growing, visits from missionaries who traveled on horseback from Cincinnati also increased, such as Father Collins, visited occasionally, performing baptisms in August 1833.[1]
According to a 1939 centennial history, Father Frederic Baraga, later famed as the "Shepherd of the Wilderness" and elevated to bishop of Marquette, Michigan, is believed to have celebrated the first Mass in Dayton in May 1831 in the home of Robert Conway.[1] Other notable early figures ministering to the growing Catholic community included Father Stephen Badin, the first priestordained in the United States, Frederic Baraga, and Edward Fenwick, the first priest to serve in Ohio.[1]
Robert Conway, a devout Catholic, invited Father Edward T. Collins, a Cincinnati priest, to reside at his home from 1832 to 1834, making him Dayton's first resident clergyman.[1] Collins' wife, Mrs. Conway became Dayton's first recorded convert to Catholicism in mid-1832, and the first infant baptisms for the Catholic community in Dayton were recorded in 1833.[1] Given the infrequent visits of missionary priests, young Catholic Daytonians primarily learned their faith from their parents, gathering for prayer and Sunday devotions in their homes.[1] Prominent local families such as the Ohmers, Hochwalts, and Stephans contributed to the expanding Catholic community.[1]
Father Emanuel Thienpont
By April 1834, an episcopal letter expressed the pressing need for a Catholic church in Dayton, noting the city's situation and growth, contrasting it with the presence of several Protestant meeting houses but "not a single Catholic church."[1] The letter praised the local Catholics as "among the most zealous and exemplary in the state."[1] This set important context for the arrival of Father Emanuel Thienpont. Born in Belgium in 1802, Thienpont arrived as a newly ordained priest, quickly becoming a central figure in Dayton.[1] His work and fundraising efforts were crucial in establishing the church.[1]
Evidence of his relations with the Protestant community is seen in the gift of land on Franklin Street for the church by a Protestant, Mrs. Prudence Pierson, and additional contributions of $1,300 from Protestants, comprising over one-sixth of the total $7,000 construction cost.[1] Thienpont also took fundraising trips to Cincinnati in July 1835, and later to Philadelphia, New York, and Boston.[1]
In 1836, Father Thienpont was appointed pastor of Emmanuel by Bishop Purcell, and construction, under the direction of builder Theodore Barlow, a German trained carpenter and Catholic layman, began almost immediately. Thienpont named the church "Emmanuel" after himself, although his name Emanuel, is spelled with one 'm', the church's name uses two, both derived from the Hebrew term meaning "God is with us."[1][2] On November 26, 1837, the dedication took place, with tickets being sold to help pay off remaining church debt, and Archbishop Purcell leading solemnities.[1]
Emmanuel grew as Dayton's population expanded, becoming one of seven denominational churches in the early Dayton landscape. Thienpont performed the first recorded baptism in the new church on March 12, 1838, for James Charles Cramer, and officiated at the first recorded marriage in April 1838.[1] Thienpont served as pastor until 1844, later continuing his service in Chilicothe, Portsmouth, and establishing a new church in Pond Creek.[1]
Father Henry Damian Juncker succeeded Thienpont. During his early years, the church became too small, leading to an addition to the existing building. In 1846, English-speaking Irish members, tired of German-dominated services, sought and received permission to form a separate parish, Holy Trinity Church, which they named after Saint Joseph. Father Patrick O'Mealy was appointed to start the new parish and initially resided at Emmanuel.[1] Despite this split, space remained an issue for the hundreds of German congregants. Father Juncker improved the church's interior with a large organ, three white marble altars, and statues from France.[1] In 1850, Father Meyer served in Juncker's place. In 1857, after 23 years of missionary work, Father Juncker was named Bishop of Alton, Illinois.[1]
The Hahne era (1857–1911)
The Hahne era commenced in May 1857 with the arrival of Father John Hahne as pastor, a period that would span several decades and heavily influence Emmanuel's growth. His brother, Father Charles Hahne, joined him as an assistant in 1863 and later succeeded him as pastor from 1882 to 1911.[1] A new school building, described as having "the best in the city" equipment, was completed in October 1868, with enthusiastic parishioners raising funds to significantly reduce its debt.[1]
Construction of a new church
In March 1870, the original 1837 church building experienced a structural failure when its ceiling's center-piece and chandelier fell.[1] This prompted the formulation of plans for a new church building by Father John Hahne in 1869.[3]Leon Beaver, a Dayton architect, drew plans for a German Gothic structure that featured no supporting pillars in the side aisles, offering an unobstructed view of the altar, and included two balconies. One for the choir and organ, and another for school children[3] On September 8, 1871, the cornerstone for the church was placed.[3][1]
Construction of the new church was done by Andrew Kinninger and Frederick Lampert using soft brick and Dayton limestone trim, featuring twin spires that reached 212 feet, each with either clocks, and a smaller tower above the sanctuary.[1][3] Within two years, the interior was completed with painting, stenciling, and fresco work done by Arnold Hahne.[1] In total the new church cost approximately $93,000.[1]
On October 5, 1872, Bishop Caspar Henry Borgess of Detroit dedicated the new Emmanuel Church, drawing an estimated crowd of 8,000 to 10,000 visitors arriving by train, and a total of 12,000 to 15,000 attending.[1] Mass was celebrated by Bishop Borgess with a homily by Archbishop Purcell where the church was filled to a point where congregants had to stand throughout the two-hour long ceremony.[1]
After Father John Hahne, his brother Father Charles Hahne became pastor in 1882 and served until 1911. Under his leadership, Emmanuel Church and school remained among the city's most important institutions. By the turn 1900s, Emmanuel Church had overseen 8,868 baptisms and fostered vocations.[1] The church's interior grew with new frescoes and paintings, earning it the description of "the most artistically and handsomely decorated church in Dayton" at its silver jubilee in 1898.[1] In the fall of 1901, four bells were installed in the church towers, the largest weighing 5,000 pounds. These bells were blessed on November 17, 1901, by the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Father J.C. Albrinck.[1]
20th century and present (1911–present)
Great Flood of 1913 damage in Dayton, Ohio. Emmanuel Church can be seen in the background.
Father Joseph Sieber, PhD, from Cincinnati was appointed pastor on September 1, 1911, three months after Father Charles Hahne's death. In preparation for Emmanuel's Diamond Jubilee, on October 16, 1912, all parish buildings were renovated with a rock-face stucco finish reinforcing the aging walls. Other large renovations were also made to the church interior.[1]
During the Great Flood of 1913, Emmanuel Church suffered damages. Floodwater reached the level of the window sills. Pews buckled and collapsed, and the carved pulpit crumbled. This left most of the earlier redecoration efforts by Father Carl Hahne in 1897 largely destroyed.[1]
The 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic led many Dayton area churches, including Emmanuel, to cancel indoor services and move Masses outdoors temporarily.[1] Ongoing efforts to maintain the church led to a redecoration project in 1922, including enlarging the sanctuary and installing new pews and marble altars.[1] Father Sieber left Emmanuel in August 1923 to become president of St. Gregory Seminary, having left the congregation "in flourishing condition."[1]
Father Albert Kroum became the sixth pastor in August 1923, serving for 33 years, which included the Great Depression, during which he liquidated all indebtedness and acquired land for parking and a playground.[1] His renovations included new pews and two downstairs recreation rooms. In 1934, Daniel E. Pilarczyk, who would later become Archbishop, was baptized at Emmanuel.[1] During Father Kroum's time was the parish's Centennial in 1937. Father Kroum emphasized Emmanuel's role in the community's spiritual growth and as the historical "parent" church for many Catholic churches in surrounding counties.[1] The celebration Mass was attended by hundreds, including civic leaders and pastors from other Dayton Catholic churches.[1]
Mid to late 20th century (1955–1987)
By the mid-century, Emmanuel faced significant challenges. Beginning in the early 1930s, the construction of an elevated railroad line near the church initiated a decline in the neighborhood, transforming it into an industrial sector. This, combined with a migration of hundreds of Catholics to the suburbs, reduced Mass attendance from 1,750 in 1955 to 950 three years later.[1] In 1956, Archbishop Karl Joseph Alter asked the Society of Mary (Marianists) to assume pastoral care and administration of the parish.[1] Despite new boundaries, the parish comprised only 52 Catholic families with 136 members.[2][1]
Under Father Norbert Rupp in the mid-1960s, despite attendance dropping to 325, the Archdiocese decided to preserve Emmanuel due to its historical value, making it a non-territorial parish.[1] Father Rupp initiated the weekly church bulletin in May 1966, documenting the introduction of Vatican II changes, such as new methods for receiving Holy Communion and changes in the sacrament of Penance.[1]
Father Paul Wagner, S.M., became pastor after Father Rupp in 1967 and led a revitalization of Emmanuel. He maintained traditional services, continuing to offer a Latin Mass every Sunday, and inaugurated a Miraculous Medal novena.[1] By 1971, registered families had grown to 600, and baptisms increased.[1] On August 15, 1971, Archbishop Paul F. Leibold celebrated the centennial Mass of the current church building.[1] The church underwent refurbishment for the centennial. Emmanuel, noted for preserving older rites, also held a Maronite Rite Mass in 1974.[1]
Father James McKay, S.M., succeeded Father Wagner in 1976. He focused on maintaining parish vitality, with increasing baptisms and active volunteer programs like the Altar Rosary Society and St. Vincent de Paul Conference.[1]
Preparations for Emmanuel's Sesquicentennial celebration in 1987 included a $232,000 renovation of the church by Wellman Brothers and Conrad-Schmitt Studios.[1] Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk, who had been baptized at Emmanuel, celebrated the special Mass on November 22. The Mass was attended by 700 parish members and dignitaries. A pictorial booklet and history, based on Father McKay's research, were also published.[1]
21st century (2011–present)
The Marianist Order continued staffing the church until July 2011, at which point they turned control over to the Missionaries of the Precious Blood.[2][3] This transition was part of Pastoral Region 7 in downtown Dayton, which also includes Holy Trinity and St. Joseph parishes.[2]
Etching print of the old Emmanuel Catholic Church before renovations
The present Emmanuel Church building, completed in 1873, measures 166 x 84 feet with a ceiling height of 65 feet, making it one of the largest in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.[3] Originally, the church featured twin spires, each 212 feet high, equipped with eight clocks visible in all directions.[1][3] The spires were removed in 1956 due to wind damage, and a 150-foot rear spire had previously blown down in 1920.[3]
In 1912, a cement stucco rock face was applied to the exterior of all parish buildings, while the limestone trim was left in its natural state.[3][1] The church survived the Great Flood of 1913, although suffered large damages to its interior.[3]
The interior of the church has undergone several renovations. The original 1873 interior featured elaborate painting, stenciling, and fresco work by Arnold Hahne. A major redecoration occurred in 1897, making it "the most artistically and handsomely decorated church in Dayton," a look that persisted until the 1913 flood. Further renovations in the early 1920s, directed by Father Joseph Sieber, involved enlarging the sanctuary, installing new pews, and adding new marble altars.[1] At this time, the present stained-glass windows replaced the original ones.[1] These stained glass windows tell the story of the life of Jesus along the east wall and the life of Mary on the west wall.[1][3] The Emmanuel window over the main altar honors the Blessed Sacrament with angels. Other interior features dating from the 1895–1897 redecoration include the Stations of the Cross, polished bronze and marble altar railing, aisle floors, and two large chandeliers.[3]
Notable contributions
Emmanuel Catholic Church played a pivotal role in the establishment, development, or influence of numerous Catholic institutions in Dayton and the wider region including:
The first parochial school in Dayton. The parish constructed the city's first parochial school in 1846.[2][1][4]
University of Dayton. The parish had an influence on the founding of the University of Dayton.[2] The Society of Mary, which staffed Emmanuel for a significant period also has strong ties to the university.[2]
J. Fischer and Bro. Music. Emmanuel parish was the location of J. Fischer and Bro. Music, which would become one of the largest music publishing companies in America.[2]
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