St. Thomas the Apostle
Mass Schedule
Mon. - Sat. 8 AM
Saturday 5 PM
Sunday 8 & 11 AM
Holyday Masses
Day Before 5:30 PM
Holyday 8 AM
Confessions
Sat. 3:30 - 4:30 PM
Adoration Chapel
Mon. - Fri.
9 AM - 11 PM
Blessing of expectant mothers and families after Mass on the 1st Sunday of each month.
Irondequoit Catholic Community
Celebrating 100 years
Irondequoit Catholic Community Web Site
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 | THE BEGINNINGS OF ST. GEORGE'S CHAPEL -- SUMMERVILLE, 1907 By Mrs. Wm. Gropp, Organizer |
After two years of waiting, with many engagements with Bishop (Bernard J.) McQuaid during the two years, and lots of pleading, I finally received consent to build a chapel, providing we got a lot on which to place it. William Gropp received a lot from Charles Salmon for religious purposes. After receiving the lot it was necessary to have other workers to solicit funds for building the chapel. Of course we had to have a name. Bishop McQuaid asked me to name the chapel. As all names of our immediate family could not be used on account of churches using these names in the diocese, and having a St. George also (a very small, almost unknown church), with the Bishop's consent I named it St. George-on-the-Lake. George Vogt, at whose office we met in the Granite Building, was appointed President, assisted by Anne Rendsland as Secretary: and Treasurer Mrs. August Zimmerman. (Other members were Theodore Zegewitz, Benzoni, Joseph Burns, William Connor.)
I solicited among my friends and acquaintances both at Summerville and in the city, who responded generously, collecting about $800.00. Had the first card party and sale at St. Joseph's Hall, at which we made $300.00. A cooked-food sale at the Lyceum in Summerville for two days at which we made $(?). Several card parties at my home on Weld Street. Many other parties were held to raise funds.
Frank Prey donated his services as architect. W.F. Maas was the builder. The work was begun on St. George's Day (April 23, 1907), the first shovel of dirt being turned over by me, the day being cold, gray, windy. The original cost was to be $4,500.00 Quicksand was struck soon after starting to build, which cost $180.00 more.
There were no electric cars, making it necessary to come down on the R.W and O. (Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad--the "Hojack" Line). The church was not sealed inside, the light coming through. After several meetings of the Committee, during which there was pronounced dissension, it was decided to seal the chapel. The contractor asked $175.00 additional, of which he took off $50.00 for our friendship.
Called on the Bishop, who was not at home. Assistant Bishop Thomas R. Hickey said he would ask the Bishop about having it sealed. At 10 p.m. that night had a phone call from Hickey saying to go ahead. Next morning another trip on the R.W and O. to tell the contractor to go ahead. Went to the Bishop about priest to say Mass. He told me the honorarium would be $5.00 and breakfast. (I) thought the men on committee could do better, so they called on the Bishop. He told them it would be $10.00 and breakfast. I went back and reminded him of his price of $5.00, over which he laughed and asked if I had ever kissed the Blarney Stone. He assented to the $10.00 price.
Then came the furnishings for which I had to beg also, which accounts for my begging ability.
Asked the Bishop if he would read the first Mass and he consented. Shortly after he went away and I had to transact business with Hickey. Asked Hickey if he knew where we could get an altar. He said, at Rev. John H. O'Brien, Rector of St. Augustine's Parish, who was building a larger church. Went out to see Rev. O'Brien, who agreed to donate the altar. Made arrangements to have altar painted white, it being an oak altar; painting to be done at St. Augustine's, it being nearly time for our opening, and to have it painted down here might have delayed the opening. Went back to see Bishop McQuaid about reading the Mass. He said you will have to have an altar; I cannot say Mass on a plank. I said I have an altar. He said where did you get it? I told him. He asked who told me about it. I said Hickey. He said thunderingly, "I am still the Bishop," and then the vision of my altar went flying out the window. He said I could not have it. I asked him if I could get a new altar, providing I could get the cash. He consented. Then I asked him if he would read the first Mass on the new altar at St. George's-on-the-Lake. Again he consented.
Then, the benches. It was at the time Dr. Francis Sinclair, pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Church, was building the Star of the Sea Chapel at Grand View Beach. Somebody mentioned that Dr. Sinclair had benches in the choir he was not using, so went to see him. He said no, my dear girl, I am looking for benches myself for my new chapel. He mentioned about Rev. John G. Van Ness at Holy Rosary having benches. I hurried to Main St., took a car to Rev. Van Ness and bought the benches and confessional for $125.00. The organ was donated by the H. Mackie Music Store. The beautiful statue of St. George on the altar was donated by the Knights of St. George of St. Michael's Church, through the intercession of William Gropp. The chalice was donated by Mrs. Fred Hafner. The ciborium was donated by Mrs. Wm. O. Gropp. The statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Anthony donated by Mrs. Andrew Wollensak. The Missal and candlesticks were donated (in a way) by St. Joseph's Church, being borrowed by me. Rev. Jacob Staub said to forget to return them and it would not be a sin. The altar bell and sanctuary lamp were donated by Canon Rev. Alphonse Notebaert, through Mrs. August Zimmerman. The vestments were donated by Vicar General Dennis W. Curran and Rev. Mathias Hargather, Rev. Hargather also donating candlesticks. Rev. Frederick Rauber of St. Boniface donated some altar linens; the other altar cloths being made by Mrs. Katherine Elbs, who was 70 years old at that time, and Mrs. Joseph A. Ochs. St. Joseph statue, angels, St. Rita, St. Anne, altar crosses, Mrs. Zimmerman, Halstrich.
Rev. William Kessel (C.SS.R.), Rector, St. Joe's, celebrated the first Mass on Sundays; Dr. Edmund J. Wirth of St. Bernard's Seminary, after first Sunday. Bishop said, buy and take care of chapel as you would your own home, handing me the key. He said never to give it to anybody. The End.
(Note: St. George's Chapel, St. Paul Blvd., was the cradle of St. Thomas the Apostle Church. We reprint this account, discovered and printed in the Bulletin in 1986, in honor of the parish's 60th birthday. Fr. RFMcN.) (Note: Reprinted St. Thomas Bulletin May 18, 1997)
