Our History

History of the Province

Cumberland Memories

(Part 4) - Taking Root

As was noted in the previous chapter, in mid-1877, the theretofore prosperous Westphalian commissariate suddenly started coming unglued in a painful struggle between the provincial vicar in Dieburg, Hesse, and his American representative.

The symbolic struggle was over whether or not to accept houses at Metamora and Peoria. The real struggle, however, was a clash in philosophies of the key men involved. Both philosophies were justifiable, but so different that they had to clash.

Bonifatius Soenger took charge of the province as provincial vicar following the death of Irenaeus Kofler in November, 1876. As Bonifatius had never been to America, the country, its life, and even its people had little hold on his affections. For him the main purpose of the commissariate was to keep the friars together and ready to return to Germany once the oppression ceased. It satisfied him to have the friars bide their time in Cumberland, even if they were not able to engage in useful work there. His main fear was that the friars would get so attached to their work in America, that he would never get them back. He was fighting desperately, therefore, to protect what little was left of the past.

Anton Schuermann, on the other hand, was no longer in Germany and was not experiencing how it felt to live in a house and work in an apostolate doomed to extinction if friars were not ready to return at the end of the persecution. Anton wanted to spread the friars out, especially among the thousands of fellow German immigrants, where they were needed and able to do effective work and thus support themselves. He realized that possibly the friars might fall in love with America and not want to go back. That was a risk he was willing to take, however, in order to do what he felt needed doing. He was willing to let go of an uncertain past to grasp hold of a promising future.

Bonifatius wanted merely to drop anchor and ride out the storm; Anton, however, wished to drop roots instead and capitalize on the opportunity to grow in America.

Already in his letter of July 3, 1875, Anton made it clear that he did not expect to have the whole commissariate sitting idle in Cumberland, nor was he much concerned whether the province was in Germany or in America. "The Archbishop assured us," he wrote, "we could have missions here, as many as we wished. So there would be work enough, even if you brought the whole province over. There would be room here for all your novices and students."

Anton then proceeded to tell of how the Redemptorists had already built seven churches in Baltimore, four of which they had turned over to the secular clergy. Another of these parishes was in a new suburban development; and besides the brand new church, there was also a rectory and a large garden. "Only the day before yesterday the provincial of the Redemptorists wrote me," Anton noted, "offering to turn the whole setup, church, house and garden over to us, if we wished, the sole consideration being that we take over the debts. How great the debts are, he did not say. It was too burdensome...to send two Fathers out there every Saturday for Sunday work, since it was too distant from the monastery..." (Annals V,2,37-38).

For what reason Anton refused the offer is not presently known; but the very fact that the offer was made, set the stage for Archbishop Bayley to demonstrate his high regard for the Capuchins. The Recollects who had come over on the Caland with Bernardinus and the others had been scouring the country for a place to settle. In the course of their travels, they investigated the rumor that the Redemptorists had a parish in suburban Baltimore heavily saddled with debts which they were anxious to give up. Archbishop Bayley told these friars he was unwilling to turn the penniless parish over to penniless Franciscans. "If it is a poor place," the old prelate said bluntly, "let the Redemptorists improve it. But if it is a good place, I'll give it to the Westphalian Capuchins." (Musser 49).

After the Cumberland parish, the first apostolate taken on by the Westphalian Capuchins was at Bean's Cove, some 15 miles northeast of Cumberland in the neighboring Diocese of Pittsburgh. English families had settled there and occasionally had been visited by a priest. When they appealed to the Capuchins at SS. Peter and Paul's for regular pastoral care, Franz Wolff, who was well-versed in English, took over the pastorship "temporarily" in 1876 and visited the Cove once a month till 1881. (Annals V,2,33-34).

Subsequent pastors (and starting dates) have been Ildefons Bleyler (1881), Angelus Baumgartner (1888), Aloysius Kausler (1891). Thomas Petrie (1900), Aloysius Kausler (1903), Kilian Lulz (1910). Theodosius Mullen (1915), Gaudens Fischer (1918), Marcellus Horn (1917). Clarence Tschippert (1918), Pius Kaelin (1921), Kilian (1922), Fidelis Meier (1925), Charles Heupler (1928), Cuthbert Schoeppner (1930), Patrick McGann (1931), Alan Madden (1934), Michael Neff (1936), Bonaventure Becker (1937) Agatho Brisgal (1938), Maurice Ackermann (1939), Alphonse Schreiber (1940), Frederick Becker (1942), Ervan Maisel (1946), Ulric Zeller (1947), Roland Raible (1951), Gordon Heath (1952), John Chrysostom Lipinski (1953), Gerard Greenewald (1985), and Felician Brookman (1968). SInce 1970 the parish has been administered by the pastor of SS. Peter and Paul's.

By mid-1877, there were nearly 25 men living in the Cumberland friary, eight of them priests. Another six friars, two of them priests, were headed there. Already in July of 1875, Anton had urged Irenaeus Kofler, "Have the Fathers who are to come over study English. One must know it here; English is the language of the land." The advice was not, however, taken seriously enough; and later on the Westphalian historian Raymund Linden had to write, "In Cumberland the confreres had hardly anything to do, because even with their best efforts their ignorance of the language made them almost useless." (Linden 120),

To remedy this situation and get the friars working, and thus also able to support such a large number, Anton decided to seek another foundation. After several fruitless efforts, he received from Bishop John Lancaster Spalding the offer of a German-speaking parish at rural Metamora, III., in the newly-formed Diocese of Peoria.

Taking with him Frs. Maurus, Angelus, and Franz Xaver, and Bros. Wendelin, Gottfried, and Aegidius, Anton left immediately for Metamora, so as to accept the parish on July 25, 1877. After the friars had started building a friary, one large enough to accommodate also a house of studies, Anton took time out to write the provincial vicar about the matter, Bonifatius disapproved strongly of the commissary's action and immediately notified Giles of Cortona, the general minister. He also refrained from sending any new candidates to America. (Linden 119-120).

Giles of Cortona issued Anton a severe reprimand for accepting the foundation without permission. He agreed, however, to apply for the canonical erection of the house at Metamora, if the fraternity at Cumberland would consent. Accordingly on Oct. 15, 1877, the priests at Cumberland had a limited local chapter and agreed, "1. that a monastery or house of our Order should be erected in Metamora in the Diocese of Peoria, and 2. that this monastery should be designated as a house of studies, specifically in philosophy and theology." The priests signing their consent to this document were Fathers Anton, Gregor M., Franz, Leonard, and Bernardinus. (Photocopy in Vice-Provincial Archives, Hays).

Technically this did not constitute a majority of the house, as there were five other priests stationed there. True, three of these, Angelus, Franz Xaver, and Maurus, were probably considered members of the Metamora house, but as of yet it canonically was non-existent. As they were stationed in Metamora, however, one may presume they were in favor of the resolution. Incidentally the 10 lay brothers, as unfortunately was typical in those days, were not even consulted.

According to Hyazinth Epp, it was recorded that Anton took over Metamora to more easily support his large family at Cumberland and obtain the wherewithal to meet his Cumberland debts.

"If he really had such ideas in mind," Hyazinth added, "he was surely deceived... The parish at Metamora was small and the members did not distinguish themselves by generosity. The building of the monastery and the enlargement of the church plus the equipment of both were expensive and the debts thereby incurred were by no means small. Consequently, there could be no thought of helping the monastery of Cumberland. As a matter of fact, Fr. Anton saw himself compelled to expend funds on Metamora which had been sent from Germany for the support of the Cumberland monastery." (Annals 1,2,22).

In the spring of 1878, Bishop Spalding begged Anton to start a new friary in Peoria. Surprisingly Anton accepted, and assumed the pastorate at Sacred Heart Church in Peoria, leaving Franz Xaver behind in Metamora as superior and pastor, Franz Xaver made heroic efforts to liquidate the debts of both church and monastery and for this reason declined his pastor's salary and all income, save what was absolutely necessary for livelihood. (Ibid. 23).

After the earlier uproar over Metamora, what could have prompted Anton to accept Peoria without prior permission of his provincial vicar? The answers to this question are still being sorted out; but surely major elements involved in Anton's motivation included the urgency of the Bishop's request, the advantages an acceptance held for the Capuchins In America, and the entirely unreliable and completely exasperating postal system between Peoria and Dieburg during the 1870's. Bonifatius was unable to appreciate Anton's reasons and disappointedly removed him from office as commissary, and asked the general minister to send Frs. Titus Steiner and Joseph Cupertin Moritz from the Tyrolean Province as commissary-visitator and novice master respectively. With Titus's arrival in late August, the flow of candidates again resumed. (Linden 120-121).

After visiting Dieburg, Titus left for America with very definite instructions. Arriving in Cumberland on August 16, 1878, he listened to all the circumstances and complaints that existed there. Then he paid a visit to the Bavarian commissary. Conversations with Hyazinth Epp convinced Titus that Bonifatius's guidelines were not functional in America. (Ibid. 121).

Just what did Hyazinth say? Possibly about the same thing he wrote 27 years later: "Fr. Bonifatius, the pious, learned but too solicitous provincial, tried to govern his American commissariate from his residence in Dieburg. It is evident that this could not be done, because the provincial had no knowledge of actual conditions." (Epp 1880 n. 1).

After visiting Pittsburgh, Titus went to Metamora and Peoria and talked with his confreres and with the Bishop. After examining all things, he had to admit he agreed with everything Anton had done.

He therefore confirmed the acceptance of Peoria, established a friary there, and stayed on as pastor. He also told Anton he could remain in Peoria and Franz Xaver to continue at Metamora. In all of these matters, however, Titus strove to keep the vicar in Dieburg informed, and tried his best to win Bonifatius over to his own way of thinking.

Bonifatius, however, would not budge. Instead he sent Titus a very strong reprimand, which arrived Oct. 17. In it he refused to approve the founding of a friary in Peoria and ordered that Anton be sent back to Metamora and Franz Xaver back to Cumberland. Furthermore he declared most explicitly that Titus could not be both pastor and commissary.

For emphasis, Bonifatius called an extraordinary provincial assembly at Mainz to discuss the whole matter. This assembly, which brought together the provincial vicar and his definitors, the Guardians of Mainz and Dieburg, and four other priests, informed Titus that it had resolved that Peoria would not be accepted by the province, that the clericate was to remain in Cumberland, that the debts at Metamora would not be assumed by the province, and that Titus was to conduct the work of commissary and visitator, and not take on any other jobs.

Titus wrote back quickly, insisting that it would be a horrible mistake to give up the Peoria parish and would cause an enormous scandal in the American press, as no one in Peoria would understand why the friars were being pulled out to go back and sit in Cumberland. After presenting his arguments, he suggested that there really was no reason for him to continue as commissary.

Bonifatius made a surprise move in his letter of Jan. 5, 1879, and it is difficult to know whether it was tongue-in-cheek sarcasm or not. Bonifatius said Titus could write to the general minister and have himself appointed provincial minister of Peoria and Metamora. He would support Titus in this; and anyone who wanted to, could join his company. Moreover, once the Kulturkampf was over and the friars at Cumberland had returned to Germany, Titus could have Cumberland for his own new Province. Bonifatius ended by saying he wouId let the Peoria matter rest until he had heard Titus's reaction to this latest proposal. In the meantime, however, Titus was not to hold any visitations.

Titus's answer is equally a surprise and an enigma. He said he did not want to be named minister, but would be satisfied merely to become custos under obedience to the Westphalian province.

From Bonifatius's reaction to Titus's action, it would seem both letters had indeed been written in sarcasm. On Feb. 24, 1879, Bonifatius revoked Titus's appointment as commissary and declared that he was no longer under obedience to the Westphalian province. (Linden 121122).

This opened the way, however, for both Anton and Titus to seek refuge in the Bavarian commissariate. Anton applied for complete and unconditional admission to that commissariate June 10. Titus, wishing to remain a member of the Tyrolean province, merely asked to be allowed to work in the Bavarian jurisdiction. At the same time, both priests asked Hyazinth Epp to take over the parish at Peoria. Hyazinth consulted his own minister in Altoetting; and on Aug. 1, 1879, all three proposals were accepted. (Epp 1880 n. 1).

In the meantime, Titus's replacement, Joseph Cupertin Moritz, a fellow Tyrolese, arrived in the States on May 29, 1879, and took over the duties of a novice master at Cumberland. Joseph Cupertin brought with him a lay brother and a lay candidate; but within three' months typhoid had killed two clerics, and the totals stood as before.

Toward the end of the year Bonifatius was elected provincial minister, and after appointing a triumvirate of commissaries, Joseph Cupertin, Gregor M., and Franz, to rule the American group, he informed them that because of the circumstances he would send no more students to America. (Annals 1,2,23).

By this time both former commissaries had cast their lot with the Bavarians and were at the Peoria friary which had also been officially accepted by Hyazinth Epp. By the spring of 1880, another priest and two lay brothers also transferred to the Bavarian commissariate.

Faced with losses by transfers, death, and defections from the order, and cut off from receiving German candidates by their minister and from receiving American candidates by their own reputation as an asylum for Germans, the triumvirate authorized Joseph Cupertin to make overtures to Hyazinth Epp, to see if he would also be willing to take over the houses at Cumberland and Metamora. Joseph Cupertin and Franz went to Pittsburgh in October to discuss conditions under which the union could take place, and by August of the following year, the agreement was sealed at the Bavarian's provincial chapter at Altoetting and ratified by both the Westphalian province and the general minister. (Epp 1880 n. 16, 1881 n. 3).

The friaries at Cumberland and Metamora thus became part of the Bavarian commissariate, which during the following year became the Pennsylvania Province of St. Augustine.

The friaries at Peoria and Metamora, which had been pioneered by the friars from Cumberland, and which had been the center of so much heartache and sacrifice, were later relinquished by the Pennsylvania province in 1893, following a mandate of the provincial chapter of 1891, which was faced with the difficult decision of whether to drop the Illinois friaries or the one that Hyazinth Epp had accepted in Kansas. The Capuchins were replaced at Peoria and Metamora by Franciscans of the Cincinnati province. (Epp 1891 n. 4, 1893 n. 1)

In the years following its foundation, the Province of Pennsylvania continued to drop roots in the area around Cumberland.

The first was in Cresaptown, Md., where on Nov. 8, 1889, Cardinal Gibbons "temporarily" assigned the administration of St. Ambrose parish, established in 1887, to the Capuchins of Cumberland. (Annals V,2,33-34).

The Capuchin pastors and their beginning dates are as follows: Angelus Baumgartner (1889), Benedict Wich (1891), Thomas Petrie (1909,. Anscar Zawart (19'5), Theodosius Mullen (1918), Gabriel McCarthy (1917), Clarence Tschippert (1919), Gabriel McCarthy (1920), Clarence Tschippert (1921), Pius Kaelin (1926), Martin McCabe (1931), Kilian Lutz (19321), Alvin Werth (1933), Bonaventure Becker (193),. Michael Neff (1937), Alvin Werth (1939), Cletus Blockinger (1947), Hugh Rauwolf (1951), Carroll Warner (1952,. DeSales Young (1968), Wendel Moliski (1971), Edward Stoehr (1975).

The next places accepted were Grantsville and Avilton. On Aug. 24, 1909, Cardinal Gibbons addressed a letter to Fr. Aloysius Kausler, asking him to accept the pastorship of St. Stephen's and 51. Ann's churches, "until other provisions can be made." (Kausler, Hist.Grants.& Avilt., 21). Through the appointment never appeared on the status, Aloysius had the mission parishes until he left Cumberland in 1921.

His successors in these twin pastorates have been Gabriel McCarthy (1921), Pius Kaelin (1925), Clarence Tschippert (1926), Charles Heupler (1930), Cuthbert Schoeppner (1931), Michael Neff (1932), Hilary Liehr (1936), Celestine Rohr (1942), David Dressman (1944), Camillus Schmitt (1950), Hilary Liehr (1952), DePaul Ripko (1957), Fidelis McManus (1959), Conrad Raffel (1959), Fabian Kekich (1966), Conrad Raffel (1968), Kenny Cox (1972). From 1936 until 1950, the pastors were part of a sub-family of the Cumberland fraternity which lived at Alverno near Salisbury, Pa.

There are also several other apostolates that the friars have been involved in from the Cumberland house In recent years.

These have included the chaplaincy of Sacred Heart Hospital, Cumberland, which has been filled by Gerard Greenewald (1965), Aurelius Nickel (1969), Conrad Raffel (1972), and Ervan Maisel (1975); the chaplaincy of the Newman Club at Frostburg State College, which was filled by Thomas Quinn (1968) and Alfred Fusco (1971) and handed back to the Archdiocese In 1972; an associate pastorate at St. Michael's, Frostburg, which was held by Maynard Appeldorn from 1969 to 1973; and the administration of St. Anthony's Church, Ridgeley, W.Va., filled by Lawrence Wiest (1968), Francis Roscetti; (1970) and Luke Stephens (1972), before being taken back by the Bishop In 1973.

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