Renovations

Shortly after Fr. Reilly’s arrival, the large statues of the Sacred Heart and St. Joseph were taken from the basement and placed on the side altars and the smaller statues were removed.  The Sacred Heart Statue was placed in the rectory and the St. Joseph statue was placed in the convent.

 

On Pentecost Sunday, 1999, the two angels holding lanterns were restored to their former positions at the sides of the Main Altar.  The angels were found in the attic of the sacristy.  They were repaired and painted by Craig Reynolds, an artist-parishioner.

 

One major need of the parish was a rest room in the back of the church, especially for the elderly.  A section of the space behind the statue of the Infant of Prague, formerly the baptistery, was closed off for this purpose.  The work was completed by parishioners Charles Cahill and Jerry Recktenwald.

 

Expenses were paid by a special monthly collection, dubbed by Fr. Reilly as the ‘Flush Fund’ collection.  It was established in July 1997 to pay for capital improvements and maintenance projects.

 

Major improvements to parish buildings included:

·         Wheelchair ramp into Lehmann Hall.

·         Men’s and women’s restrooms on the first floor of Lehmann Hall.

·         Addition of a restroom on the left-side of the sacristy.

·         Painting of exterior wood trim on the church.

·         New telephone system for rectory and church.

·         Electrical and plumbing updating in the rectory.

·         Fire alarm system for the church, Lehmann Hall and convent in 2001.  The cost was covered by a memorial donation in memory of Mr. & Mrs. C. J. O’Brien and Mr. & Mrs. Leo A. Heim.

·         Restoration and cleaning of the terrazzo floor in the upper sanctuary by Jerry Recktenwald and Bob Quire in 2002.

·         Replacement of security doors on the rectory in 2002.

·         Automatic door on the side entrance of the church April 14, 2002.  The cost was covered by a memorial donation in memory of Helen Murta.

·         Tuck-pointing on the rectory in 2003.

 

On May 15, 2005 an Open House was hosted at the Convent following a number of improvements to permit parishioners to see the results of the ‘Flush Fund’.  The expense of tuck-pointing Lehmann Hall and the plastering, painting and cleaning of the convent was $15,399.

 

To involve parishioners, a Clean-up, Paint-up, Plant-it & Fix-it Day was hosted May 13, 2006:

 

Join your fellow parishioners to plant shrubs and flowers in front of the rectory and school.  Our goal is to paint the railings, the lower portion of the school walls, the front and back doors of Lehmann Hall, the fence surrounding the air-conditioning units, the shed attached to the rectory garage, and the parking posts and barriers.  Plans include removing the vines from the fence at the back of the property as well as general clean-up of the grounds.  We can use everyone young or old to accomplish everything on our list.  Please sign up on the sheets in the vestibule of the church.  Lunch will be provided.  Bring your paintbrushes, rollers, paint trays, rakes, ladders, shovels, pruning tools, and brooms.  Brightside Louisville will provide trash bags and pick them up at the curb that evening.  Together we can make a significant difference!

 

Memorials

Several memorial plaques are located in the vestibule of the church and a stone bench outside the church.  They remember several families who faithfully served the parish:

 

 

Persian Gulf War

After Iraq invaded Kuwait in August of 1990, the U.S. began a buildup of troops in the region called Operation Desert Shield.  When Saddam Hussein failed to withdraw, a war of liberation began called Operation Desert Storm.  Our Lady’s parishioners came forth in prayer to support those serving in the Armed Forces as described by Joann Recktenwald:

 

We asked anyone in the parish who knew any servicemen or women serving in Desert Storm to let us know.  We took the names and put them on tags with red, white and blue ribbons.  They were hung on the podium in the sanctuary, and prayed for them at every Mass.  I believe there were two boys from the parish, and the rest were relatives or friends.  One of the first ones to return was one of our own.  We asked him to come to church and Fr. Reilly introduced him.  He thanked everyone for their prayers and removed his tag from the podium.  Soon after, the second boy from our parish returned and he too, thanked the parish for all the prayers and removed his tag.  One by one, all the tags were removed as all the boys returned home safely.

 

Parish Debt Forgiven

During the Great Jubilee Year of 2000, Pope John Paul II emphasized the themes of reconciliation, peace and justice.  In response, the Archdiocese of Louisville created a debt–forgiveness program to relieve up to $2.5 million in parish debt owed to the archdiocese.  Our Lady’s was selected as one of the parishes to participate and a financial burden of $87,278 was lifted.

 

 

Iraq War

After Iraq failed to comply with UN resolution 1441 that called for disarmament, the United States declared war and invaded Iraq on March 20, 2003.  Operation Iraqi Freedom was aimed at removing Saddam Hussein and his government from power.

 

Fr. Reilly began praying the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be with parishioners before each Mass for those serving in the Armed Forces.  The names of those called into active duty were added to a board that was placed on the side altar.  They included:

 

Jennifer M. Snyder	Matthew Staples
William Van Bree	James A. Higgins
Joseph Moore	Doug McKinley
Michael Moore	Kathy Van Bree
Patrick Grigsby	Timothy Nash
Mst. Sgt. Kessinger	Matthew Gadson
Nathan Mullenniex	Rob Wimsett
Matt Miller	Rodney Estes, Jr.
Jean–Paul Rich	Chris Rountree
Ricky Guffy

 

911 Memorial Service

September 11, 2001 will forever be recalled with both sadness and pride.  Just as America faced tremendous loss, the country witnessed the unity and self–sacrifice of its people.  On that day, the doors of Our Lady were opened all day.

 

To provide a way to honor the dead and reflect on the events of that day, Our Lady’s hosted a memorial service on September 11, 2004.  The service, created by Dennis Nash and Charles Wetzelberger IV, included an electronic slide-show of photographs accompanied by music and commentary.  It began with the sequence of events of that fateful morning, led to views of rescue operations and finally to images of people from around the world who joined the United States in mourning.

 

Music included Alan Jackson’s ‘Where Were You?,’ Mary Carpenter’s ‘Grand Central Station’, ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Cannon in D’.  The commentary, read by Richard Watkins, noted the spiritual implications of the tragedy:

 

On 911 we watched brave individuals rush to save people they did not know in New York City and in Washington D.C.  The events of 911 had a profound effect on the people who lived through them.  We do not yet fully comprehend the impact of that day’s events, but we do know that the world has changed.  We can never replace the lives that were lost, but we can be assured that they did not die in vain.  In the end, the message of 911 is a message of hope.  When things are at their worst, we are at our best.

 

The service concluded with the singing of ‘God Bless America.’  As people exited church, bagpipe instrumental music was played, reminiscent of the bagpipes that accompanying funeral services of fallen firemen in the days after 911.  This service became an annual tradition for several years.

 

Pipe Organ

The pipe organ in the loft was installed in 1919 by Henry Pilcher’s Sons and served as the primary liturgical instrument through the mid-1960s.  Following Vatican II reforms in 1964, the church acquired an electronic organ that was located on the floor of the church.

 

Prior to the 150^th anniversary, the parish council under Fr. John Eckert considered restoring the Pilcher pipe organ.  Richard Watkins, a member of the Portland Historical Society, devoted time to this effort:

·         11/18/85

Mr. Watkins said the Portland Historical Society would like to have our organ refurbished.  They contacted the Historical Society in Frankfort for a grant.

·         08/18/86

Mr. Watkins stated that restoration could be funded partly by the Historical Society and by another foundation, possibly the Brown, Speed or Bingham Foundations.  The estimate provided by Miller Pipe Organ is $31,000.

·         4/18/88

Mr. Watkins said the church could seek a grant from Humana, Bingham Foundation or Ashland Inc. Foundation.

 

In February 2003, keyboardist Charles Wetzelberger IV petitioned the council to revive the project and complete restoration before the 175^th anniversary.  In 2005 he formed a committee to investigate options.  As a novice member of the American Guild of Organists, he championed the idea of the organ as the primary instrument to accompany worship.

 

Two estimates were obtained from Weber Organs and Miller Pipe Organ ranging from $40,000 for a basic restoration to $98,000 with additional ranks of pipes.  The committee also considered an 1893 organ located at Bellarmine University with a relocation estimate of $37,000.

 

Plans to restore the instrument were never realized.  In 2006, the Archdiocese unveiled its restructuring plans.  Because of the parish’s uncertain future and limited resources, it was deemed infeasible.  Several other factors made restoration a less appealing option:

·   It was in poor condition having deteriorated since the late 1960s. Cool air from the bell tower dried and cracked the wood cabinet.

·   It used tubular-pneumatic action which consists of lead tubing to connect each key to the pipes. Organ builders consider this unreliable and would require upgrading to modern engineering standards.

·   It had a limited tonal range, having been designed at a time when there was less congregational singing.

 

In October 2005 a new choir space was created and furnished with chairs.  In June 2007, Mr. Wetzelberger acquired a 54-rank digital organ built by Johannus, a manufacturer in the Netherlands which was installed by Riverstad Organ Consultants (translated ‘river town’ in Dutch).  Its sounds are sampled from real acoustic pipe organs.  The console is located in the choir area and  speakers mounted within the Pilcher organ chamber.

 

Community Catholic School Closes

The Archdiocese had been sharing the cost of operating Community Catholic School with the Portland parishes.  The decision was made to close it in May 2003, ending 32 years of educational tradition.  Like that of Our Lady’s school in 1971, its enrollment declined below 200 students.  The school was a significant financial burden since at that time only Our Lady and St. Cecilia parishes supported it.

 

20-year reunion of first graduating class – August 1, 1992

Last visitation to school – May 25, 2003

 

Sunday Bingo Ends

In 2004 it was determined that bingo was no longer of financial benefit to the parish.  There were several weeks during 2003 and 2005 where bingo failed to cover expenses.  To the disappointment of many, the parish council voted to permanently close bingo that year.  Fr. Burke announced the decision in the December 2004 parish newsletter:

 

After a 33-year run, we regret to announce that the Sunday afternoon bingo at Our Lady closed November 28^th.  The competition from lotteries and nearby casinos was more than we could meet.  Despite the sadness that comes from ending an activity that became a fixture in our parish life, we are very grateful for all those who sacrificed many Sunday afternoons to help provide needed income for Our Lady church.  Our bingo may have ended, but the life of this parish continues.  As we strive to meet challenges of the future, we continue to depend on your prayers and support.

 

Thirty-three years of bingo is a long time, considering that for many years, the same people gave up their Sunday afternoons for the welfare of Our Lady’s.  In particular is the service of Mike Recktenwald and Vernon Hattemer, who served as callers from the beginning until the mid-1990s.  At that time, Raymond Myers and Donna Wright took over the duty.  Among those who volunteered:

 

·         Card sellers: Sis Becker, Pearl Unclebach, Genevieve Cahill and her daughter Paula, Jane Harrington, Charlotte McCrory, Mary Helen Recktenwald, Mag Welscher, Sarah Stith and her daughter.

·         Popcorn/candy: Edith LaPaille and Viola Becker.

·         Money Room: William Fichteman (later priest), Eugene Murta, William Ross, Larry Shaughnessy, Henry Fichteman, Bob Keefe, Bob Rich, Joe Cahill, Leon Amos, Bobby Hickey and Bill Rich.

·         Pay-off: John Vonderhaar, Ezra Drury and Bud Unclebach.

·         Bankers: C. J. and Bill O’Brien, Mary and Bud Weber, Bill and Ann Weber, Mary Frances Schuchard, Cecilia Cassady, Richard Watkins and Lorene Stemm.

·         Kitchen Crew: Gil and Margaret Thompson, Jesse and Rozella Leet, Bernie and Mary Coons, Ray and Mona Yates, Luke and Terese Craven, Clyde and Irene Cowles, Ernie and Mary Miles, Kevin Klotz.

·         Youth workers: Kim, Tina and Trina Embry, Joanie Campbell, Joanie Weber, Diane Downs, Michael, Lisa and Kristi Recktenwald, Nancy Williams, Debbie Fortwengler, Denise May.

·         Chairpersons: Leslie Harrington, Carolyn Renck, Kelly Watson, Julia Murphy, Ann Weber, Cecilia Cassady, Bob Quire, Karen and Terry Fihe.

 

Congratulations, Salutations and Farewells

·         In May 2003, Sr. Mary Naomi Buniff, RSM, announced her departure from Our Lady’s.

·         On March 11, 2007 Deacon William Klump announced his departure as he accepted an assignment at another parish.  On March 25^th the parish hosted a reception for Deacon Klump and his family, honoring his 10½ years of service.

·         As announced in the May 6, 2007 bulletin:

o    Mary Coons purchased the house just right of Lehmann Hall from Our Lady’s that she rented for many years.

o    Parishioner Renee Yates and her family took up residence in the former convent which was repurposed as an apartment after Sr. Teresa Kelemen left in 2006.

·         On June 17, 2007 Pope Benedict XVI appointed the Most Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. as the next Archbishop of Louisville.  Archbishop Kurtz was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Allentown, PA and had been the Bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville since 1999.  He was installed August 15, 2007 on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin at Louisville Gardens.

·         On July 25, 2008 Fr. Robert Reilly moved to Sacred Heart Village, having resided at the rectory for nearly 20 years.  He presided over his last Mass at Our Lady on July 18, 2008.

·         On September 7, 2008 it was announced that Dennis and Teresa Nash were admitted to the Archdiocese of Louisville Diaconate Formation Program.  The four-year program resulted in the ordination of Mr. Nash to the Permanent Diaconate in August 2012.

 

 

An Ecumenical Response

On Friday, January 16, 2009 a fire destroyed the historic Portland Avenue Presbyterian Church, not many blocks from Our Lady’s.  Fr. Burke was at the fire that night and welcomed the pastor to temporarily use the church for worship.  The following are letters written to Fr. Burke and parishioners:

 

The Presbytery of Mid-Kentucky cannot thank you enough for opening your heart to the congregation of Portland Avenue Presbyterian Church.  The fire that destroyed the historic building was devastating, but then you came and offered the sanctuary of the Church of Our Lady!  What a gracious gift of space for Portland Avenue Presbyterian Church to continue their worship.  I was at the fire when you walked up and told Rev. Willa Fae Williams that Our Lady would be available the Presbyterians.  The congregation worshipped at Our Lady on Sunday, January 18 and has been there ever since.

 

Rev. Betty Meadows

General Presbyter

Mid-Kentucky Presbytery

 

April 12, 2009

 

It is with our utmost sincerity that the Portland Ave Presbyterian Church extends our heartiest Thank You to Fr. John Burke, the transitional team and the people of the Our Lady’s Parish!  We have been so grateful for all of the gifts of hospitality, support, encouragement and every single prayer that has been lifted on our behalf.  You have made us feel welcome and invited us to “make ourselves at home” as we use the Our Lady’s school for storage and the Church of Our Lady for our worship space.

 

God has been so good to put us in the company of such wonderful people as we recover from the fire, rescue the things we can and rebuild Portland Avenue Presbyterian Church.  We have received grace upon grace from all of you and we are filled with gratitude.  We thank God for Fr. Burke, the transitional team and each and every one of the people of Our Lady!

 

May God Bless you as greatly as you have blessed us.

The Pastors and Congregation of PAPC

               

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