FRIDAY POTPOURRI: 1957 - THE ADVENT OF RED PIPING

St. Sebastian Parish was not just successful.  “Success” as such could come from having many people who provide the funds to keep the parish operating.  But Father Zwisler was not satisfied with this.  Everything that the parish did had to be done well.  Liturgies first and foremost had careful attention paid to them.  Everything from the running of the school to the buildings and grounds to the running of parish activities were intensely tended to with both efficiency and the idea that they had to be done beautifully.  This intensity insisted upon by the pastor is probably the very thing that made him successful and popular with his people but also difficult for so many priests to live and minister here.

Father’s achievements, however, did not go unnoticed by the bishop.  For his outstanding and successful work in establishing a parish and school, for creating a model for parish buildings and grounds, and for his love and devotion to the Church and to the faith, he was made a Papal Prelate by Pope Pius XII.  From this time forward, Father Zwisler would be known as Monsignor Zwisler.

The term “monsignor” is an honorific form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church who are recognized as performing some great service for the Church.  Besides use of the title, being named a monsignor means that one may wear red piping on one’s cassock and is technically afforded certain courtesies such as having a privileged place in diocesan processions.  The Diocese of Cleveland no longer gives this title to her priests and more recently, Pope Francis has largely suppressed the practice.

Accounts say that Monsignor Zwisler accepted the title graciously saying that the honor was really bestowed upon the people of St. Sebastian rather than himself.  

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: PARISH HISTORY: 1943 WAS THERE EVER "ENOUGH" PRIESTS?

This year hailed the beginning of Scouting at St. Sebastian, a relationship that has been intact to the present day.  40 boys joined the Boy Scouts (Troop 96) and a healthy 70 girls made up the Girl Scouts.  An additional 45 boys were signed up for the Cub Scouts and 35 girls joined the Brownies.

Due to the war, the parish was also down to two priests again.  One of the priests left the parish with the bishop’s permission to become a chaplain in the war raging overseas.  Apparently, the previous April of 1942, Bishop McFadden made a promise to Fr. Zwisler that one of the newly ordained priests would be assigned to St. Sebastian to take his place.  Father was taking no chances.  He wrote to the Bishop to make sure that he remembered his promise.

In a letter dated January 6th, 1943, Father took no pains to hide the fact that he was upset a new priest had not already been assigned to him.  During the war years, ordinations were taking place twice a year instead of the customary once at the end of the school year.  This was done to move men more quickly through the system.  Being that an ordination was right around the corner, a newly ordained should be assigned to St. Sebastian.  “This is as it should be,” wrote Father, “In fact, in anticipation of giving of one of my assistants for the Service, I should have been assigned one of the newly ordained last year.

“The amount of work I have engaged in this parish would warrant three assistants.  Working twenty four hours of the day I could not do the work adequately with only one assistant.  Two assistants are indispensable.”

Father pulled no punches in his letter.  “There are glaring inequalities in the Diocese, which we know are not a fault of yours.  The Cathedral and St. Thomas’ have a superabundance of priests and choose and dismiss whom they please.  The priests of the Diocese all know the reason why.

“Here, in our own neighborhood, St. Peter’s (Akron) with only about a hundred and fifty families, has as much help as St. Sebastian, an organized and complete city parish.”  The letter goes on to explain the difficulty of obtaining Sunday Mass help and then mentions, “Besides, this parish is always the first in the Diocese in it’s support of the Diocese and Diocesan institutions.  This should merit consideration.

“. . . Having waited nearly a year thus far, I want to wait the remaining weeks, with the assurance that St. Sebastian will obtain one of the efficient and zealous young priests about to be ordained.

“With most fervent wishes and a prayer for your health and happiness during the New Year, I remain, Respectfully Yours, Hilary Zwisler.  Pastor.  Feast of the Epiphany.

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: PARISH HISTORY: THE MAN, THE LEGEND, THE MONSIGNOR

There is no doubt that Fr. Zwisler loved the parish and its people.  And it is important to point out that Fr. Zwisler, though a determined man, was well loved by most in the parish.  There are plenty of stories about his generosity and kindness.  While in the seminary, writing a report for the History of the Diocese class, Fr. Christopher Trenta, who grew up in the parish, wrote, “Children were of special concern for Fr. Zwisler and he made determined efforts to care for them.  He insisted on Catholic education for each child of the parish and worked to make this possible for as many families as he could . . . He wanted children to attend daily Mass, especially during Lent, and be exposed to Catholic hymns and devotional prayers” and always included the children in the devotional life of the parish.  

“He also had a knack for creative pastoral care.  He had several personal touches in his pastoral care for children on special days.  For Christmas he would give little Cracker-Jack boxes and hold an annual Lenten essay contest, announcing the topic on Ash Wednesday which would send all the students scrambling to check books out of the library.  He would distribute a blessed Easter egg to each child at the Monday morning Mass of Easter Week and would give them the rest of the day off for school.  On the feast of St. Hilary, he would hand out a small chocolate candy and on the Feast of St. Sebastian, each child would receive a peppermint arrow to honor the martyr.

There is also the story of an unusual gift that Father gave a child in the school.  The parish once owned two Pattarino desk statues of St. Sebastian.  One still exists in the rectory.  The other was given away by Father to a girl in the school who won a spelling bee.  Upon bringing it home, her father, convinced that there was no way Fr. Zwisler would just give away such a valuable statue, demanded that she return the statue and apologize.  Fortunately Father Zwisler cleared the matter up quickly.

There are also stories of Father Zwisler visiting parishioners who had not been to Mass in awhile and of becoming great friends with the tepid Catholics, regularly enjoying their company and coaxing them back to the practice of the faith.  Often told are reports of his compassion for those who found themselves in hard times during the depression.  One example was his paying for two girls to attend summer camp.  Their mother was widowed during the depression and could ill afford to send them.

Fr. Wendelken, son of the parish, telling of how Fr. Zwisler cared for those in need, was able to witness to this by personal experience.  His father had gone to the hospital for a simple tonsillectomy and unexpectedly died in surgery.  Fr. Zwisler presided at the funeral and later sent his mother a bound leather booklet with a typed copy of his funeral sermon and a page of dedication addressed to each of her four boys describing their father.  He wanted them to know how valued their father was when they were older.  “And this was common,” Fr. Wendelken said. 

But his head strong ways that proved so beneficial in founding and building a parish from scratch could also, in other areas, cause problems.  Again, from Fr. Trenta’s report, “Probably owing much to his early formation in Rome and his years of military chaplain service, Fr. Zwisler was known to be a stickler for ritual, order and cleanliness.  He insisted on good behavior by all, children and adults alike.  He would wait during homilies until crying or noisy children stopped or were taken out of the nave by parents.” 

Although Father Zwisler and Fr. Murphy got along famously, such was not the case for other parochial vicars.  The parish was singularly pointed out in the History of the Diocese class at our diocesan seminary taught by The Rev. Thomas Tifft, then historian for the diocese.  Legends abound about the parish that was known by many, and not jokingly, as a penal colony for priests.  His expectations were high, his micromanaging intense, and his manner gruff.  At night the refrigerator would be padlocked shut to prevent hungry curates from snacking.  There was a strict curfew after which the doors to the rectory would be dead bolted and the late priest forced to find other accommodations for the night.

One legend tells of the parochial vicars discoving that Father Zwisler was out past the prescribed curfew time.  They dead bolted the doors and pretended to be asleep when he came home and began pounding to be let in.

There was certainly a lot of work to do at the quickly growing parish but it appears that none of the succeeding parochial vicars could meet Father’s expectations the way Fr. Murphy had.  This was a cause of constant tension among the priests.  There were a number of investigations into this friction from the diocese spurred by letters from Father Zwisler and by the vicars.  The letters outlined accusations and disappointments from both sides.

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: PARISH HISTORY: 1938 - 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

This year would also mark the 25th anniversary of Father Zwisler’s ordination.  In May, hundreds would turn out to offer their congratulations to the dynamic and driven priest.  A scrapbook presented to Father, leather bound with beautifully illuminated pages, contained extensive newspaper clipping of the event, hundreds of signatures of congratulations and even some telegrams.  One Western Union telegram proclaimed:

CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES FOR MANY SUCCESSFUL YEARS TO COME. WILL SEE YOU SUNDAY IN CINCINNATI AT ANTHONYS= GEORGE A. PARKER.

After a listing of his many accomplishments and a description of the celebrations to come, one newspaper wrote, “St. Sebastian’s parish property . . . is a showplace among diocesan buildings.  Father Zwisler on June 6th will celebrate the 10th year of the launching of the parish.   Plans are now under way to erect a rectory on the parish grounds.  Priests of the parish now make their home at 100 Elmdale Avenue.”

A letter from the Knights of Columbus says in part:

“The Knights of Columbus joins with your many friends in congratulating you on the twenty-fifth anniversary of your ordination to the priesthood.  Your extensive education, both in this country and abroad, your fine character and your devotion to God, equipped you well to be selected as a leader in the Church.

“We were pleased when you consented to act as the Chaplain of our Council.  Your words of helpful advice to us have always been attentively received, and we appreciated the sacrifice of your time for our benefit.

“May your future years in the service of God and humanity be as fruitful as those for which we now celebrate your jubilee.  Sincerely yours, C. C. Lippa, Grand Knight.”

There was much to celebrate during what must have been an otherwise difficult year for Fr. Zwisler.  In a post script of a letter written to Auxiliary Bishop McFadden dated July 15th, 1938, Father wrote, “My aged mother is dying of cancer.  The doctors do not give her a month.  An occasional prayer for a speedy delivery from her suffering will be much appreciated.  H. A. Z.”

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: PARISH HISTORY: 1930s: THE LOCAL MOTIVE

In the summer of 1936, a mysterious letter was sent out to 300 representative parishioners asking them to come to a meeting in the school assembly room (now the library and computer room). The letter gave no reason for the meetings but stated that it would be explained once they were there.

The meeting was described in a parish newspaper called, “The Local Motive” and featured a charging steam engine on its masthead charging toward the reader.  The people gathered before a speakers table at which sat Father Zwisler and “his able assistant” Fr. Murphy.  The whole audience was “agog with curiosity” waiting for Father to say what the mysterious meeting was about.

The talk began with a review of the remarkable first eight years of the parish, the construction of the beautiful, all-purpose building and the creation of beautiful grounds making St. Sebastian, “the greatest parish in the diocese.”

“‘I did not bring you here just to tell you these things because you already know them yourselves,’ the eloquent speaker stated, ‘but to submit for your consideration two very pressing needs with which we are at present confronted.’”  On top of the list was a need for a rectory.  The current house afforded little privacy for those who were visiting “on sensitive matters,” and was too small.  “The sleeping accommodations are so limited that an extra priest, helping out over weekends, must be lodged in the restroom of the school.”  It was also at good distance from the church, “however, the priests are not complaining.”  He also hoped to have a larger house in order to make it possible for another parochial vicar to be assigned to the parish whose services were sorely needed for the growing community.

Shortly after this time the priests had to move from the house on Roslyn.  The owners of the house wanted to sell the it so a different one was rented at 100 Elmdale.  It was time for the parish to have its own rectory. 

The estimated cost of the rectory would be $30,000.  A second $30,000 was also requested for debt reduction.  Parish debt still stood at a staggering $230,000.  A reduction of $30,000 would cut the yearly interest rate by $1,500.  

The Local Motive declared that the subscription campaign would begin Tuesday, September 8th, 1936 and that it would be “a dignified style of fund-raising sure to please.”  “Give it right away” the paper prompted, “Will you tackle this duty that comes your way with a resolute soul and cheerful - Or hide yourself from the light of day with a shrinking soul and fearful?”

A number of advertisers that bought space in the paper are still with us today: Hummel and Billows Funeral Homes, Grismer’s Catholic Store, and Reiter Dairy.  Other past business supporters are the things of memory such as Ahern’s Florist and Isaly’s Dairy products.

The second issue of the Local Motive reports that the 200 parishioners that Tuesday night had, within one hour, raised $9,710.  A “FLASH!!” appeared as an insert in the paper.  “Will O’Neil and Lon G. Tighe, staunch members of the congregation, unable to attend the meeting last Tuesday night, phoned their regrets to Father Zwisler the following day and authorized him to publish their names for respectively $1,500 and $300, a boost to the 1st week’s total.  Thanks a lot, Bill and Lon, and we hope to see you in the Assembly Room next Tuesday night when we sure will sing the ‘Three Cheers’ song in your honor.”

The help of important investors such as these provided the foundation for a successful campaign which the pastor desperately wanted to succeed.  The Local Motive reported, “Virtually every parish in the diocese and numerous non-Catholic interests of the city, have heard of the crusade’s launching and admiring the courage and common sense of our people, have their eyes focused on the campaign and eagerly await the results of our efforts.  The wonderful reputation established in the past eight years during which “failure” has been an odious word to every parishioner, is at stake in this enterprise and the exceptional pastor in charge of the congregation, with his own record of outstanding achievements, must be supported by every worthwhile member of the congregation.”

It should be noted that Father Zwisler himself is recorded as having given among the third highest level of donation at $500, an amount in today’s money that would still be appreciated as generous.

The third issue of The Local Motive had a “Roll of Honor” that included family names still associated and very much involved in the parish.  Those listed contributed around $250 apiece to bring the total of the first week of the crusade to $14,615.  

One particular gift received special attention in the paper.  It was a pledge for $25 with a $5 down payment made in cash.  The reporter wrote, “Mr. Salvatore Ferrise greeted the director with a smile as he handed over his pledge.  The roar of applause that followed the announcement was significant and greater in volume than that accorded many larger offerings.”  The reason for the cheering was two fold.  The first is that $1 in 1936 was worth about $17 in 2016 dollars.  That means his donation today would be about $425, not an insignificant sum.  But over and above that, it was noted that the Ferrise family had twelve children!  This was truly a sacrifice.

It was announced that at the next meeting, the pastor, “to whom honor is due,” would be so honored.  Donations to the campaign that night would be a tribute to Father’s great work in the parish.  The paper wrote, “Good friends are rare and precious blessings in this world, and once found are not lightly to be ignored.  They are God-given.  Like opportunities, they come seldom, and if not appreciated, disappear among the great things that might have been.

“Father Zwisler is a friend that St. Sebastian’s parish can reckon as genuine and sincere, indeed, beyond the price of pearls.  Knowing him for what he is as a man, and recognizing him as high priest of the Master, no one can help but realize it is a signal honor to share his friendship.”

And they did turn out.  A picture on the front page of the Local Motive showed a standing room only crowd.  The headline screamed, “PARISH SMASHES WAY TO $20,000 MARK AT PASTOR’S MEETING.”  One of the largest gifts came from the school children whose combined gift totaled $1,000. 

It was announced that the next meeting would honor The Rev. John Murphy, the parochial vicar.  On this night he was afforded an opportunity to talk.  He began by saying, “I am reminded of a puritanical Irishman in a crusade like this who objects to the pastor who received contributions without considering their source.  ‘Why Father,’ he said, ‘that $1,000 you just received came from a bootlegger.  It’s tainted money!’  ‘Well,’ the pastor sighed, ‘taint yours and taint mine so why worry?’”

He went on to say, “Father Zwisler is a man determined to make St. Sebastian the finest parish in the diocese, if not the entire state of Ohio.  Already we have the best building viewed from an ornamental and utilitarian standpoint that you can find anywhere.  This is not my opinion alone but that of the numerous critical visitors who come here, sometimes from great distances to inspect it. . . It is one of the finest ecclesial properties in the country. . . We owe (Father Zwisler) much and now, with his call to the parish, to continue this work by a substantial reduction of our debt and the erection of a necessary priest’s house  Everyone should converge to his support.”

The final Local Motive in the parish archives proclaims, “CURATE’S NIGHT SENDS CRUSADE SCORE AMOST TO $26,000.”  Seventy five parishioners added about $6,000 to the crusade in honor to the parochial vicar.  

The meetings themselves seemed to have something of a pep rally atmosphere with humorous stories, rally cries and cheering, and singing.  The reports often mention the pianist who would lead the crusade hymns.  “Promptly at 8 o’clock, Tommy McGovern took his place at the piano and rattled off the tuneful crusade melodies while the seven floor men passed out printed forms and song cards . . . The Notre Dame ditty [caught] the fancy of the audience by its measures  which swelled in a diapason that would have tickled the green-shirted warriors from South Bend.”

By all accounts, the meeting was a success having honored the curate with pledges that would total almost $102,000 in today’s money.  The next meeting, for which we do not have an account, would honor the sisters in the school as well as St. Therese Little Flower.  There was also a talk advertised on the life of the Little Flower with an exhibition of “two remarkable rose petals.”  “NON-CATHOLICS WELCOME.”

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: PARISH HISTORY: 1930s: A GRAVE EMERGENCY!

In a letter dated May 1st, 1933, Father Zwisler wrote to his parishioners:

“A grave emergency has arisen.  Your parish faces a serious crises, which you alone can, and, I have every confidence, will avert.  This Emergency occasions an Urgent Appeal . . . the success of the Appeal will save your parish with its efficient Church, School, and convent.”

The letter went on to describe what is later known as the Great Depression.  The parish built quickly and accumulated substantial debt during a very prosperous time in our nation.  It was thought that the fledgling community could easily handle the debt given enough time.  But before the new building was even occupied, the financial crash hit and its wake leaving four years of economic depression and high unemployment.  

The parish budget was slashed.  The pastor no longer took his pay.  About 60% of the parish was fortunate enough to be able to continue to support the parish, and money was carefully set aside to pay parish debt.  

The heaviest obligation was coming due on June 1st, $8,000, a tremendous amount of money in 1930’s dollars.  The parish had carefully saved the money and placed it in the bank.  But then the bank crashed and the money was lost.

“We must meet this obligation,” wrote the pastor.  “This cannot wait.  Parish Solvency and Credit are at stake.  You have maintained your Parish credit until now.  You cannot default.  Failure to meet this obligation (would be) disastrous.  You will not fail.  You will be generous in relieving a tense situation created by the Bank, not by you.”

The appeal was asking “each solvent adult” to give $10, the more fortunate being asked to make up for what the less fortunate were not able to give.  The money had to be raised in just three weeks time.  So he asked, “Please to bring, send or mail to the Rectory or place on Collection Plate on any of the next three Sundays.”

At the end of the letter he added, “With your very generous response, you may also make it possible for your Pastor to draw on some of his long past due allowance, and thus enable him to continue to maintain his Ford in the better interest of the parish.”

According to the St. Sebastian Silver Jubilee booklet, during this time “the pastor was driving a faithful 5 year old Model T Ford in those days to try and keep up with his many appointments.  One day he was heading for an important engagement when the “flivver” finally stopped running and he left it in its tracks.”

The campaign was not entirely successful in meeting all of the parish debts.

Every parish in the Diocese of Cleveland pays an assessment to the diocese.  This helps maintain offices and programs that serve the entire diocese.  As the dioceses offices do not generate their own funding, they rely on an assessment or tax, which is a portion of the Sunday collection, to fund them.  In September of 1934, Father Zwisler wrote to Bishop Schrembs asking for relief from having to pay the assessment due to economic hardship.

“This concerns our diocesan (assessment).  In spite of our heavy parish debt, we have never failed to meet all our diocesan obligations even during these depression years.  This includes not only the (assessment), but every diocesan campaign or collection as well.  With the help of God, we are doing so this year in spite of the fact that the parish is debt poor.  We cannot, however, meet the (assessment) until the end of this year.”

The letter goes on to explain the bank failure and the extra costs involved with meeting the extra debt incurred because of late payments.  He also explains other parish financial responsibilities:

$13,000 in salaries

$2,400 in taxes

$1,500 Diocesan tax

$600 rectory rental

$800 office expenses

$500 building repairs and renovations

$500 sacristy and sanctuary expenses

$150 telephone

$300 janitor and supplies

These amounts when added to the parish debt meant that $44,500.00 was needed to operate the parish for that year.  As a side note, it was estimated that it cost the parish about $8,000.00 a day to operate in the year 2010.

For his part, the bishop wrote back:

“I have your letter of September 20th, and I fully appreciate your financial difficulties.  Try, by all means to keep up the spirit and the morale of your people.  Surely the present depression cannot keep on forever.  Let us hope and pray for better days.

“With kindness and personal good wishes,

“Very cordially in Christ,

Bishop Schrembs, 

Bishop of Cleveland.

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: PARISH HISTORY: 1930 - SKATES AND GALOSHES

ELM HILL PARK  

This park directly across from the parish is often called Forest Lodge Park though the official name is Elm Hill Park.  Forest Lodge is the name of the building located in the park.  It was built in the 1930s by the WPA.  The upstairs was used to house the caretaker of the park and his family, the children of whom attended St. Sebastian Parish School.  The bottom floor with its two fireplaces was used for park activities, the best remembered being skating which took place when the large depression in the middle of the park was flooded in the wintertime.  Skates were rented from the hall and warm fires chased the chill out of the skaters.  

THE PARISH CONTINUES TO GROW

By all accounts the parish was off to a tremendous start.  In 1930 the Holy Name Society began.  This organization for men balanced that of the Sanctuary Society which was for the women of the parish.  Among other responsibilities, Father Zwisler entrusted the Society with providing youth activities for the parish.

Father had a powerful personality.  He was also a man of vision who not only built a parish from scratch but also planned for it’s future growth.  These two traits combined allowed him to form a strong, tight knit community with a well designed parish campus.  The St. Sebastian Parish campus, in this author’s opinion, remains one of the few in the diocese whose original intent, integrity and plan for growth successfully saw it through many years of expansion and growth.  

Father ran the parish with German efficiency and order.  Famous are the stories about children being sent home for not wearing the mandatory galoshes to school in season (October 1 through May 1).  Children were marched out of the building to the drums played by one of the students.  The wooden floors of the school were scoured by students with steel pads every Friday.  The “Skater’s Waltz” would play over the PA system while the children shuffled on their steel pads removing all of the scuff marks of the week.  There were also “Dandelion Picks.”  Classes were in competition to pull dandelions from the parish grounds, the winning class getting candy bars and the losers being consoled with lollipops.  All of this kept the parish running smoothly and maintained its facilities in tip top condition.

But a powerful personality can also have a downside.  When asking those who knew Father what sort of man he was, the conversation almost always begins with a quick intake of breath through clenched teeth followed by, “Well, he was a good man.”  Father was fiercely protective and loyal to his people and to the parish; and that protectiveness could, at times, cause difficulties.

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: 1928 INSTALLMENT IV: LUCK OF THE IRISH

A few days before the ground breaking of the new building the first parochial vicar was named for the parish.  On April 25^th the Rev. John Murphy was assigned to St. Sebastian. 

Fr. Murphy was a newly ordained priest awaiting his first assignment.  Two letters of appointment had been sent to him only later to be recalled.  Finally he received a phone call inviting him to a luncheon in Cleveland to honor “a Church dignitary” and there he would meet his first pastor.

It was then that he met Fr. Zwisler who had recently been named to found a new parish.  At first, he reports, they carried on with small talk until they became comfortable with each other.  Then Father Zwisler began to lay out his plans for this new parish.  “I became impressed with his earnestness, enthusiasm, and ability . . . I was convinced that here was a priest, who would go far and do big things and I was fortunate in being appointed to assist him.  ‘We have a big job ahead of us, Father Murphy,’ he said, ‘quite a large territory to develop.  But with the help of God, we will do it, no matter what sacrifices are demanded.’”  

In 1936, Fr. Zwisler spoke of his good fortune in securing such an able young priest.  He remarked how easily Fr. Murphy adapted himself to the great work that had they had spoken about in that first meeting.  “Few young priests have had the opportunities afforded Father Murphy because he was placed in a position to watch and assist the development of a parish from its very beginning.  He participated in the organization of the congregation and the building of everything we have.”  For his part the parochial vicar said, “There has always been plenty for me to do in St. Sebastian’s and I have tried to feel that I could do it.”  Father Murphy would remain with the parish until 1940.

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: 1928 - INSTALLMENT II: "BRIDGE" BUILDING

Four Mass times were scheduled for that first Sunday and 1,200 people were in attendance.  Precious Blood Priests from Cleveland and Canton assisted with Masses (and did so until 1940).  The very first collection was $475.37.  Monsignor wrote a personal thank you note to everyone who contributed.  The first parish baptism, Marie Catherine Boesart, was held that day at St. Vincent Parish at 2PM.  Office hours for the parish began at St. Thomas Hospital in the evenings from 7 to 9:00PM and an appointment could be made by dialing LIncoln 734.  During this same period, in exchange for his lodging, Father served as a chaplain for the hospital and a “moral medicine teacher” for the first class of nurses.

At the end of the first month of the parish, Monsignor wrote the following letter to the St. Sebastian parishioners:

“The first month of the new parish has passed into history.  With sundry difficulties which were not without anticipation the month revealed many encouraging facts.  From the very first, people, almost without exception, heeded the call of their Chief Shepherd, the Rt. Rev. Bishop, enrolled under the banner and the patronage of St. Sebastian.  The attendance at Mass has been excellent and the moral support accorded to your pastor has been praiseworthy.  For the first month of the trying period of the organization the financial support has also met with approval.  The total for the four Sundays of August was $2,003.74, approximately $500 per Sunday.  So far approximately 1200 adults are registered.”

At the Sunday Masses of September 5^th it was announced that on Wednesday there would be a meeting at the Rankin School auditorium for the women of the parish for the purpose of establishing the Sanctuary Society, an organization that exists to this day, which makes it the oldest organization in the parish.  100 women were in attendance at that meeting.  A committee was set up to plan some gatherings.  They met at Mrs. Jas. Flynn’s home on October 7^th to plan a First Card Party.  It was held at the Knights of Columbus Hall and was a combination bridge party and dance hosted by the Sanctuary Society ten months after its founding.  500 people were expected to attend.  A second card party was held by Mrs. Stowe.

The card game played was Bridge.  There have been continual Bridge Flights since those founding games making it the official card game of the parish.

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: 1928 INSTALLMENT I: LET'S START AT THE VERY BEGINNING. A VERY GOOD PLACE TO START

On July 27^th, 1928 the Catholic Universe Bulletin, the newspaper for the Diocese of Cleveland, ran a headline that read, “NEW PARISH FOR AKRON ANNOUNCED – NAMED TO ORGANIZE NEW PARISH REV. HILARY ZWISLER.”  The Reverend Hilary A. Zwisler, born on November 15, 1885, was a native of Akron having attended St. Bernard Parish School.  There he would be in class with a young Robert Kraus with whom he would have a life long friendship and who would also come to play a significant role in the history of St. Sebastian Parish.  

Eventually, studies for the priesthood led Hilary to St. Charles College in Ellicot City Maryland, then to the old St. Mary, Our Lady of the Lake Major Seminary on Cleveland’s Lakeshore Avenue for two years before being sent to the American College in Rome.  He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Cleveland at the Lateran Basilica in Rome by Cardinal Pompili, the vicar general of Rome, on May 17^th, 1913.  His first Mass was held the next day at the Tomb of Saint Peter.

Before becoming pastor of St. Sebastian Parish, Fr. Zwisler served as parochial vicar at St. Michael Parish in Cleveland (13 August 1913 to 15 August 1918), as army chaplain (until August 1919) then as parochial vicar at St. Mary Parish in Akron (6 October 1919 to 5 April 1922) and finally pastor of St. Barbara in West Brookfield, a municipality later annexed to Massillon (5 April 1922 to 6 July 1928).  While there he took on the building of a school which was staffed with teachers sisters from the order of the Holy Humility of Mary, the religious community that would later staff the new parish school in Akron.

On the 6^th of July 1928 with just fifteen years of priesthood under his belt, Fr. Zwisler became the founding pastor of St. Sebastian Parish.  Not until the priest shortages of the early twenty first century were such young men made pastors in this diocese, let alone founding pastors.

Father Zwisler arrived back in Akron on the 7^th of July and took up residence in the newly constructed St. Thomas Hospital named after Fr. Thomas F. Mahar who was pastor of St. Vincent Parish for 34 years.  His first order of business was determining exactly what his parish boundaries would be.  Fr. Zwilser met with the pastor of St. Vincent Parish, Fr. John J. Scullen, from whose territory the new parish was to be formed.  The dividing line between the two parishes would be Portage Path and Diagonal Road from Botzum to Wooster Avenue.  The Southern boundary would be Wooster Avenue, the Cuyahoga River to the north, and finally to to the west it would extend out toward Peninsula, Medina, and Wadsworth.  At the time the area known as Wallhaven was considered the very edge of the city and the roads from that point out to these towns were little more than dirt and the only civilization farms.

The priests sent a joint letter to Bishop Schrembs who approved of the new territory in a letter of 28 July.  The bishop placed the parish under the patronage of Saint Sebastian who was, “one of the outstanding martyrs of the early Church.  He is neither Celt, nor Teuten, not Latin, nor Slav, but a universal patron.”  A couple of days later on August 1^st, a letter was written to all those who now lived in the new parish boundaries advising them that they now belonged to St. Sebastian Parish and that the first Mass would be held on August 5^th in the gymnasium at Rankin School, where, as it turns out, Mass would continue to be celebrated for the next 16 months.