THE HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH S CHURCH HOPKINS, MN By Chuck Romportl May 22, 2010 for the Hopkins Historical Society PRIOR TO 1921 THE 1920s 1921 Archbishop Dowling decrees that St. Margaret s and St. Mary s Churches be merged into a new parish: St. Joseph s. There are 250 families on the roster. Fr. Charles E. Hovorka (a brother to Fr. Joseph Hovorka from St. Margaret s in Minnetonka) is called from Montevideo to begin his pastorate (which lasts 34 years!). Services are held in the St. Mary s Church until the new church is built. The Knights of Columbus organize at St. Joseph s. There are two small Catholic Churches in the Hopkins area. 1922 A school, a pastor s home and a convent are built. A temporary church is housed in the school building, and services begin there. Cost for the three buildings is between $112,000 and $120,000. The altar from St. Margaret s is brought over and used in the new church. Pius XI is elected Pope. St. Margaret s Church on Bren Road near Shady Oak Road in Minnetonka, serving the Bohemian settlers, was built in 1880. Fr. Joseph Hovorka was the pastor of St. Margaret s from 1904 to 1921. St. Mary s Church, at 51-6 th Ave. So. in Hopkins, was built in 1895. Fr. Benjamin Audus was pastor of St. Mary s from 1913 to 1921. Austin Dowling is the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. Paul since 1919. The Pope at that time was Benedict XV, since 1914. 1923 The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondolet arrive to form the teaching staff. St. Joseph s School opens with six grades the first year, adding grades 7 & 8 in the two succeeding years. Sr. Agnes Aloysius Thompson is principal. The other sisters are Sister Cosmos Shea, Sister Mary Magdeline Swoboda, Sister Marie Celeste Delage, Sister Theresa Louise McGuire and Sister Carlos Eue, who taught music. There were 125 students enrolled that year in grades 1 6.
1925 Fr. Charles Portele is named assistant at St. Joseph s. 1928 The name of the Village of West Minneapolis is changed to Hopkins. 1929 Sr. Claudia Keane is named principal of St. Joseph s School. THE 1930s 1934 The first Raspberry Festival is organized in Hopkins. School enrollment is now at 250 (double what it was when it opened!). Organizations in the Church are The Holy Name Society, Altar Society, Dramatic Society, Cecilian Choristers, Young Ladies Sodality, Catholic Boy Scouts, Catholic Workmen, and Knights of Columbus. 1935 Sr. Agnes Claire Rickard is named principal of the school. The Knights of Columbus begin an annual production of Minstrel Shows to raise the spirits of everyone feeling the effects of the Great Depression. 1936 Fr. Stanley Skluzacek is named assistant 1931 John Gregory Murray is named Archbishop of St. Paul. Because of the Great Depression, Minneapolis Moline Power Implement Company closes for four years, leaving many Hopkins residents out of work. This nearly results in the closing of St. Joseph s School. 1932 Fr. Hovorka announces that the school will close unless $6,500.00 can be raised immediately. A valiant effort by those parishioners with jobs springs into action. A banquet, with Archbishop Murray as honored guest, kicks off the solicitation program. The campaign raises $1000 over the goal necessary to keep the school open. Sr. Bernard Dunphy is named principal of the school. Fr. Joseph P. Vacek is named assistant pastor at St. Joseph s for four years. 1939 Pius XII is elected Pope. The Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary is organized for women at St. Joseph s. THE 1940s 1940 Sr. Francis Carmel Treacy becomes principal of the school. The idea of building the new Church is considered, as Fr. Hovorka encourages the purchase of War Bonds in the name of St. Joseph s Church. 1943 Fr. Stanley Srnec and Fr. T. Redden take short terms as assistant pastors before Fr. Francis Hayes is named assistant. 1944 Fr. Hovorka sends a letter to the parish, asking for an increase in giving to raise money for the new church, with the target date for building as 1949 or 1950. 1946 Of the 810 families now registered at St. Joseph s, 120 families are transferred to the new parish of Immaculate Heart of Mary in Minnetonka.
Sr. Emile McDonald becomes principal of St. Joseph s School. The Women s Club organizes at St. Joseph s. The Knights of Columbus celebrate their Silver Anniversary with a banquet at the Junior High Auditorium. 1949 Hopkins becomes a city by adopting a city charter. Fr. Joseph Kiley, Fr. Harry Majerus, Fr. Bernard Flynn and Fr. Harry Towey take short terms as assistant pastors at St. Joseph s. Nine sisters are teaching eight grades at St. Joseph s School, with an enrollment of 340. (That makes 42 students in a class!) students enrolled in St. Joseph s School and only 9 classrooms, that makes 50 students per room. The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (C.C.D.) begins a long tradition of organizing discussion clubs. 26 discussion clubs were formed between 1955 and 1964. There s a rumor that one club is still meeting (in 2001)! 1949 Confirmation Photo (3 classes at once) THE 1950S 1950 Membership at St. Joseph s again reaches 810 families, of which105 families are transferred to the new parish of St. John s in Interlachen Park in Hopkins. Fr. M. Zawalnicki takes a short term as assistant 1951 Fr. Francis Hayden takes a short term as assistant pastor until Fr. John Brown is named assistant. 1954 Our beautiful new church of St. Joseph is completed in late spring. The Stations of the Cross from the temporary church are installed in the new church. A dedication ceremony with Archbishop Murray is celebrated on June 20. But Fr. Hovorka offers Masses for the parishioners in the new Church as early May 16. He rushed things a little, so that that year s First Communion could be celebrated there. Some dinners, maybe even that year s Fall Festival, were served in the Social Hall s dirt floor, until the floor was laid. The total bill for the new church was $500,000. 1952 Sr. Clarinda Kieffer becomes principal of St. Joseph s school. 1953 Ground is finally broken for the new St. Joseph s Church building on April 26. Fr. Hovorka bargains with the City of Hopkins to move 13 th Avenue South over 1 lot to give more room for the church. The Knights of Columbus lodge room (a room in the School building) is converted into a classroom. The K.C.s purchase another building in town. The baby boom is obvious. With 450
1955 - Fr. Charles Hovorka dies, and Fr. Joseph P. Vacek becomes the second pastor of St. Joseph, a position he holds for 20 years. Four classrooms are added to the school, at a cost of $153,000. 1956 William O. Brady is named Archbishop of St. Paul. Fr. Alvin Simon is named assistant pastor at St. Joseph s. Rummage Sales are started at St. Joseph s. A huge debt-reduction campaign is kicked off. 1959 First Communion 1961 Leo Binz is named Archbishop of St. Paul. Sr. Karen Wadsworth becomes principal of the school. 1962 The old rectory was demolished and the new rectory was built. Vatican Council II begins in Rome, and continues until 1965. Fr. Patrick Dooley is named assistant 1958 The colored windows were added to the Church, paid for through donations. The convent was enlarged to house the 13 sisters then living there (built to house 8!). John XXIII begins his 5 year term as pope. Sr. Norbertine Farrell becomes principal of St. Joseph s School. 1963 Paul VI is elected Pope. 1964 St. Joseph s Parish Council is established. Fr. Gordon Hoffman is named assistant pastor. He is very popular with youth, sponsoring summer canoe trips to the Boundary Waters. 1966 Pope Paul VI confers the title of Monsignor on Fr. Vacek. Fr. Richard Jeub is named assistant Sr. Margaret Mary Belanger becomes principal of St. Joseph s School. 1967 Leo Byrne is named Coadjutor Archbishop of St. Paul. Fr. Eugene Burke is named assistant 1968 Fr. Edward Chmielewski is named associate 1959 St. Joseph s Parish Library is established by Margaret Kienzle. Four more classrooms are added to the school, at a cost of $160,000. School enrollment peaks at 700, with 100 on the waiting list! Even with the addition of 8 new classrooms, class sizes are between 41 and 43. THE 1960s 1960 The Nocturnal Adoration Society is established (the first in Minnesota). 1969 St. Joseph s School consolidates with St. John s and Immaculate Heart of Mary schools, and is called Hopkins Consolidated Parochial Schools. Fr. Joseph Pinkosh is named associate pastor at St. Joseph s. St. Joseph s hires its first Religious Education Director, Patrick Roche. THE 1970s 1970 Rev. Mr. Thomas McKenna serves as deacon-intern. 1971 Fr. Leonard Nelson is named associate
1972 Fr. John Parkos is named associate pastor. 1974 Fr. Martin Beckman is named associate pastor. 1975 Fr. John T. Bauer is named the third pastor of St. Joseph s, a three year term. John R. Roach is named Archbishop of St. Paul. 1978 John Paul I is elected Pope. John Paul II, our current Pope, is elected. Fr. Richard F. Skluzacek is named the fourth pastor of St. Joseph s, a 12 year term. 1979 St. Joseph s hires its first Youth Minister, Bob Barnes, through the Archdiocesan ManAlive Program. THE 1980s 1980 Fr. John Sowada is named associate pastor. The name of Hopkins Consolidated Parochial School is changed to John Ireland School. 1982 St. Joseph s hires its first full-time Music and Liturgy Director, Mike Mullen, and its first Pastoral Minister, Marge Taylor. 1990 St. Joseph s hires its first Parish Administrator, Thomas Cramer. Fr. John M. Long is named the fifth pastor of St. Joseph s. 1991 St. Joseph s begins participation in the Interfaith Hospitality Network (later called Families Moving Forward), a ministry to the homeless. 1992 Fr. Stan Mader is named parochial vicar. 1994 Fr. John Snell is named parochial vicar. 1995 Harry Flynn is named Archbishop of St. Paul. 1996 Mark Underdahl, a parishioner, is ordained to the priesthood, and celebrates his first Mass at St. Joseph s. An elevator is added to St. Joseph s Church. We become a one-priest parish. Deacon Francis Tangney chooses St. Joseph s for his assignment. 1997 St. Joseph s celebrates its 75 th Anniversary. 1999 St. Joseph s hires its first Stewardship and Development Director, Mary Cordell. 1983 St. Joseph s begins participation in the Loaves and Fishes program. 1984 Fr. Steve Ulrich is named parochial vicar. 1986 St. Joseph s begins participation in the RENEW Program, a very successful program of small group faith sharing. 1987 Monsignor Joseph Vacek dies, and is the first priest buried in St. Margaret s Cemetery. 1988 Fr. Michael Monogue is named parochial vicar. 1989 St. Joseph s Daycare opens in the vacant convent building. Cindy Bauer is the first Daycare Director. THE 1990s