Sisters Celebrate 175th Anniversary
of St. Mary, Portage
by Mary Ann Carroll, OP
From left: Srs. Marie Janet Meis, Ellen Shannon, Mary
Joan Gibson, and Marilyn Schlosser.
From left: Srs. Virginia Ripp, Mary Therese Dolan,
Margaret O’Brien, Emily Herrington, and Virginia Kinsella
Our History
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Portage, WI, holds the distinction of being the oldest church in the Diocese of Madison. Father Samuel Mazzuchelli, OP, arrived there in 1833 to minister among the Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) Indians. Among the worshippers at Mass was Pierre Paquette. He became a faithful friend and an interpreter. He began the erection of a log chapel, the first church in the wilderness. Fr. Samuel “portaged” from the wilderness to the settlements along the Mississippi. When Fr. Samuel left Portage in 1835, its settlement by white people had begun. Pierre Paquette’s log church was burned in 1840. Services were occasionally held in private homes until 1851 when a small frame church was erected near the former site. In 1866 this frame church became the Sisters’ first school. The parish secured possession of the Baptist church on West Cook Street and dedicated it under the title, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception. In 1883 the Sisters built a convent which cost $3000, $400 of which was donated by the parish. (Sources: Five Decades by Mary Paschala O’Connor, OP; and parish web site, www.stmaryotic.com.)
Our Celebration
On Monday, May 12, many of us traveled from Madison, Milwaukee, and the Mound to Portage to celebrate the 175th anniversary of St. Mary Parish. This was a special celebration for Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters who had ministered at St. Mary.
We enjoyed a delicious lunch in the cafeteria. Afterwards, we were invited to join the entire student body gathered in the gym to pray the living rosary. We then toured classrooms and visited with teachers and students. How delightful to recognize students because of their remarkable resemblance to their parents whom we had taught! We shared memories with former students who are now teachers at St. Mary.
From 2 to 3:30 p.m. parishioners were invited to a social. What a heartwarming experience! Old friends came to visit and update us on family happenings. Wallets came out showing pictures of sons, daughters, and grandchildren. Tears were shed as a loving wife told of the recent death of her spouse. Renewing old friendships and receiving so many welcome smiles and warmth nourished our hearts. As I reflect on this treasured day, I am reminded of the following quote from Father Samuel.
“How delightful the prospect, to behold people all of one heart and one soul, loving one another, supporting one another, sharing readily the joys and sorrows of every neighbor and walking hand in hand to heaven” (Sermon 30 On Fraternal Charity, Mackinac Island, Nov. 25, 1832).