By Eileen Connelly, OSU

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES DEANERY — The hearts of parishioners at St. Anthony Church in Madisonville were enflamed with a sense of faith, community and hope when they gathered last month on the Feast of Pentecost, and the parish marked the beginning of its 150th anniversary celebration.

Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk joined the community and its pastor, Father Len Wenke, for the joyous occasion.

CT/TONY TRIBBLE

Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk at Saint Anthony's Church in Madisonville as the parish celebrates its 150th anniversary.

"Today we rejoice together in our past and our present and our future," Archbishop Pilarczyk continued. "But more than that, we rejoice together in the Spirit, the Spirit who came down upon the apostles at Pentecost, the Spirit in our midst yesterday and today and tomorrow."

The well-attended liturgy was also the chance to commemorate the parish’s first Mass celebrated in Madisonville, held in a private home in May of 1858. At that time, the village, then known as Madison, was home to some 6,000 residents. The families enthusiastic about starting their own parish soon realized the necessity of securing a site and obtaining funds. Their vision took shape when Michael Buckel secured a tract of land for $80. With a pick and shovel, Buckel broke ground in September of 1858. By October of the following year, the structure was complete and was dedicated as St. Michael Church by Archbishop John Baptist Purcell.

The parish grew under the leadership of Father Anthony Walburg, appointed in 1864, who acquired a larger tract of land and persuaded Catholic families to build new homes in the area. Recognizing the need to change the location of the church as the parish developed, Father Walburg sold the original property and donated a plot on which he erected a new structure in honor of St. Anthony. Archbishop Purcell dedicated the church in 1874.

Currently, the diverse parish serves some 500 households from more than 48 zip codes in the greater Cincinnati area. The faith community is committed to making a difference in Madisonville and beyond. Members participate in the Madisonville Education and Assistance Center, created to provide assistance to area residents in need, and twins with Our Lady of Health Parish on the Caribbean island of Dominica. St. Anthony Parish takes part in the annual PMAAC (Parishes Ministering in African-American Communities) revival. Faith formation, outreach opportunities and social gatherings abound, including the men’s Bible fellowship, network of care and parish book club.

"When I think of St. Anthony’s, I think of community," said Margaret Del Favero, co-chair of the anniversary committee and a parishioner for 23 years. "The consistency is the sense of community and the faith of the people. St. Anthony’s is like my home, and I get great comfort from walking into that building every week. We’ve experienced 150 years of community here and have the future to look forward to. I won’t be here, but we can build and plan for the next generation. With the faith and hope we’ve been given, we can do it."

Sally Coaston, a longtime Madisonville residence and convert to Catholicism, appreciates the parish’s diversity. "That’s important to me because that’s how God wants us to be — welcoming to everybody," she said. "We’re a community here. The people are friendly, and new members are made to feel welcomed."

Susan Wenker’s family has been in the parish since her grandmother, Mary Schmid, moved there in 1906. Wenker and her seven siblings attended the parish school, now closed, and were educated by the Sisters of Charity. As a child, their family life revolved around the parish activities and her husband, Don, even proposed to Wenker in the church, where they were married in 1962.

"I have a lot of emotional memories tied to the parish," Wenker said. "It’s always felt like home to me. There’s a warmth there, and we’ve always had such wonderful priests to keep us fed spiritually. Today, St. Anthony’s is a happening place, and the people are very spirit-filled."

The celebration at St. Anthony’s will conclude in October of 2009, marking the anniversary of the dedication of the first church. Until then, there will be a number of parish activities designed to acknowledge the spirit of the parish and include the surrounding community in the festivities.

Among the planned events are a visit from Bishop Gabriel Malzaire of Dominica, a harvest dance, a dress rehearsal by the parish choir before their trip to South Africa for a concert, and the publication of a hardbound history of the parish that will be given to parishioners after the closing ceremony.