Jefferson County Illinois Church Histories

St Barbara Catholic Church
The source of the Church History is
Centennial St. Barbara Catholic Church 1898 - 1998
Submitted By: Jo House 


1898   Centennial   1998
St. Barbara Catholic Church



The Old St. Barbara Church of Scheller

  In the vicinity of Scheller Lakes, there stood a small building that 
served as a chapel to the congregation under the Franciscan Fathers, as the 
first founders that came her from Radom to have Mass and preach sermons.

  The bishop then decided to seek a new location at Scheller on which to 
build a church. He chose a spot at the present location at Scheller. The 
ground at that time belonged to the late Scheller family, after whom the 
village was named. Barbara, Lazzey, Mary, Gertrude, Julia, and John Scheller
donated two acres of land on which the Church was to be built. The family 
migrated to Illinois from Indiana, being one of the Pioneer families settling 
here.

  At that time people were willing to donate time and effort, but the number of
parishioners was small, only about 25 families. Ed Reidelberger set up his saw
mill. The nearby farmers donated the timber. The men of the parish got together 
and made logs. So the work began, and the church was built in the year of 1898.
A large St. Barbara statue, donated by Joseph Bok, was erected on the new altar,
and the church was named St. Barbara Church. Joseph and his wife Mary, also donated 
the two bells for the church. In 1908, the bishop assigned a newly ordained priest, 
Rev. Stanislaus Berent as a first resident pastor.

  In 1956, word spread again about building a new church. Sister M. Humilianna of 
the Franciscan Order, seeing the crowded surroundings, made an appeal for more ground 
to one of the Scheller descendants.

  Again the parish was fortunate to get the plot of land on the north side of the 
convent from Mr. and Mrs. Harry Dodds of Mt. Vernon.

  The old school that served, at first as a chapel, was moved. The new school and 
church were built. Mr. and Mrs. Max Skortz and son donated more land adjoing the 
parrish grounds. The dedication of the new church was March 25, 1958.

  In 1996, SSt. Barbara Sodality paid for the bell tower to be constructed. Dedication
of the bell tower was on St. Barbara's day, December 4, 1996.


Church Dedication 
March 25, 1958


Interior of Old Church



Father Jerome Hibner, Pastor





Parish Grounds

    



"Firsts" in the St. Barbara Church in Scheller
Pastor - Rev. Remigius Bereudt O.F.M.

Baptism - February 18, 1900 
John Milloshewski 

Wedding - June 12, 1900
Emil Berg and Henrietta Reidelberger 

Communion - August 11, 1901
Leo Mamel, Augustinus VanHoarebeke, Joannes VanHoarebeke, 
Anna Gajewski, and Attilia Dressler 

Conformation - October 28, 1903  Bishop John Janssen
Joseph Bubuda, Dominick Milloshewski, Leon Mamel,
Augustyn VanHoarebeke, John VanHoarebeke, Justin Jennette, 
Thomas Jennette, Patrick Jennette, Anna Gajewski, Martha Gajewski, 
Pelagia Jurkiewicz, Helen Mamel, and Eva VanHoarebeke.

Franciscan Sisters of St. Barbara Church 





Sisiter Humilianna was the first nun that came to St. Barbara to start a parochial 
school. She came in 1919. That is the only record before 1928. The sisters to serve 
the Parish are as follows
(The * indicates the sister is deceased, ( ) indicates a sister's name)

1928-1929 Srs. Humilian*, Hedwig*, Seraphica*
1929-1931 Srs. Petronella*, Benedicta*, Athanasia*
1931-1932 Srs. Petronella*, Benedicta*, Valeria*
1932-1933 Srs. Angela*, Benedicta*, Walburga*
1933-1934 Srs. Angela*, Benedicta*, Felicita*
1934-1935 Srs. Aurelia*, Benedicta*, Grace*, Balbina*
1935-1936 Srs. Louis*, Aurelia*, Benedicta*, Elizabeth*
1936-1937 Srs. Petronella*, Boniface, Aurelia*, Honorata*
1937-1938 Srs. Petronella*, Boniface, Honorata*
1938-1939 Srs. Raymond*, Boniface, Honorata*
1939-1940 Srs. Agnes*, Apolonia*, Bertranda
1940-1941 Srs. Agnes*, Carmelita*, Carina
1941-1942 Srs. Agnes*, Monica*, Annette
1942-1943 Srs. Louis*, Mildred*, Eulatia*
1943-1944 Srs. Louis*, Albina*, Ignatius
1944-1945 Srs. Ignatius, Johanna*, Pancratia
1945-1949 Srs. Ignatius, Basilla*, Huberta (Mary Helen)
1949-1950 Srs. Ignatius, Basilla*, Barbara*
1950-1953 Srs. Basilla*, Barbara* Philip
1953-1954 Srs. Aloysius*, Philip, Felicitas*
1954-1955 Srs. Alexia*, Bertha*, Josephine
1955-1956 Srs. Alexia*, Josephine
1956-1957 Srs. Alexia*, Josephine, Nothburga*
1957-1958 Srs. Alexia*, Josephine, Pelagia*
1958-1959 Srs. Alexia*, Josephine, Germaine*
1959-1960 Srs. Alexia*, Honorata*, Josephine,
1960-1961 Srs. Josephine, Alberta*
1961-1962 Srs. Josephine, Edwin
1962-1963 Srs. Josephine, DeSales
1963-1964 Srs. Josephine, Simplicia
1964-1965 Srs. Cornelia*, Doreen (Shirley Zych)
1965-1968 Srs. Imelda, Doreen

Sister Ignatius taught at St. Barbara for seven years. She left in 1950.
She is now living in St. Louis at the Mother House. The school closed in 1968.

Priests Who Have Served Our Parish




There were nine priests to serve the Parish during the years:
1898-1908 - Rev. Remigius Bereudt OFM
1908-1914 - Rev. Stanislaus Berent
1914-1929 - Rev. Leo Panicki
1929-1940 - Rev. Michael Klimas
1940-1942 - Rev. John Putas
1942-1955 - Rev. Stanislaus Ksycki 
1955-1984 - Rev. Joseph Wieczorek, FDP
1984      - Rev. Jerome Hibner, FDP
1987-1995 - Rev. Hyacinth Mazuchowski, FDP
1995 - present - Rev. Jerome Hibner, FDP



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