Although we are celebrating the inauguration of a "new" parish in Freeland, this is a new parish with a long and venerable history. It's a story of immigrant peoples, leaving the comforts of their homes in search of the American vision and dream.
The history of all of our churches of Freeland is directly related to a wave of immigration in the nineteenth century. Massive anthracite coal deposits in this region of Pennsylvania gave way to a population explosion during the mid - to - late eighteen hundreds.
In 1849 the town of Eckley, PA was incorporated and soon grew to be a sizeable coal town, with a large (and, at first, predominantly Irish) immigrant population working in the mines. The first Catholic Mass was celebrated by Saint John Neumann on October 25, 1856 in the Eckley hotel. At that time, as Bishop of Philadelphia, he set in motion the erection of a Catholic Church in Eckley.
Immaculate Conception Church was erected in 1860. The Church itself was dedicated on October 25, 1860, by Bishop Wood of Philadelphia. Its first pastor was Rev. Patrick J. Noonan. In September of 1869, the newly ordained Rev. Michael J. Fallihee was sent to Eckley as Assistant. Within a few months however, Fr. Noonan died, and Fr. Fallihee became the pastor.
Increasingly, immigrants moved three miles north-west to present day Freeland; so much so that by 1871 a second Church (St. Ann's) was constructed at Woodside, Freeland - (later moved to Centre Street).
Though at first, Immaculate Conception in Eckley was the territorial parish, and the Freeland Church a mission, by 1874 Fr. Fallihee moved his residence to Freeland. Eventually the Church in Freeland (St. Ann's Church) became the territorial parish and Immaculate Conception became a mission Church of Saint Ann.
Concurrently, waves of Polish, Slovak and Italian immigrants moved into the area. Though canonically they belonged either to the Church of the Immaculate Conception or to St. Ann's, Fr. Fallihee recognized the legitimate desires of these various national groups to have pastoral care in their own language. Accordingly, he interceded for, and encouraged the founding of personal parishes to meet these various "ethnic" needs. Consequently, aside from the territorial Parish of St. Ann. three other "personal" (or ethnic) parishes were erected in the town of Freeland, to meet the needs of immigrants from Eckley / Freeland. These parishes were: (1) St. Casimir's Polish Church (1886), (2) St. John Nepomucene, Slovak, 1891, (3) St. Anthony, Italian (1903).
At the outset, Polish speaking immigrants worshiped at St. Ann's Church, Woodside, or at Immaculate Conception Church, Eckley. As their population continued to grow however, a strain was put on accommodating the community. Furthermore, the pastor recognized his personal inability to meet their legitimate linguistic needs. Consequently, Father Fallihee began to assist the Polish immigrants in setting the ground for a personal parish. In 1885, as residential pastor, he approached the Eckley Coxe family to donate a parcel of land for a new Polish Church to be built.
Records show that "people of all nationalities pitched in to assist in digging the foundation for the new Church". The corner stone was laid on March 4, 1886 and fifty polish and Lithuanian families became the founding members of St. Casimir Polish Roman Catholic Church. At first the new parish was served by a visiting priest from Mahonoy City. Rev. T. Abronaitis would come once a week for Mass and Confessions. Shortly thereafter, a resident priest was assigned. Rev. A. Warnagaris became the first canonical Pastor of St. Casimir's Parish. The Church was finally dedicated on September 21, 1890 by Bishop O'Hara and an interesting historical note indicates that, for the occasion, earlier Masses were held at St. Ann's so as to free the clergy to attend the dedication. Parishioners of St. Ann's and Immaculate Conception attended in large numbers.
Over the next years the Lithuanian segment of the parish continued to grow, and tensions arose between Polish and Lithuanian members, regarding linguistic needs. In 1925, using St. Anthony's Church for special meeting, the Lithuanians decided to remove themselves from St. Casimir's Parish, and went on to establish St. Peter Et Paul Lithuanian Roman Catholic Church in Hazleton, PA.
In 1935 the Pastor, Rev. Peter Zardecki, undertook a major renovation of the Church – virtually rebuilding the edifice. The renovations, which took more than a year to accomplish, renewed the Church in perfect "Art-Deco" style. During the time of the renovations, the Congregation of St. Casimir Parish worshiped at St. Ann Church. The building was rededicated by Bishop Thomas O'Reilly.
On October 12, 1986 the parish celebrated its centenary with a Solemn Pontifical Mass, celebrated by Bishop James C. Timlin.
In 1889, with Fr. Fallihee's encouragement, 72 Slovak families united to begin the process of forming the present St. John Nepomucene Church. Having obtained land, and able to secure collateral for a loan, they received permission from Bishop O'Hara to commence construction of their first Church. It was dedicated on September 10, 1980 and in 1891 Rev. Josef Libar Jaskovik became the first pastor. By 1916 the Slovak population had grown considerably. Fr. Joseph Korman was appointed Pastor and began construction of the present edifice, which was dedicated by Bishop Michael Hoban in 1917.
Italian immigrants arrived in the Freeland area concurrently to other immigrant nationalities. Since the numbers of Italians were considerably smaller than those of Slovaks or Poles, however, they were at first assigned membership in St. Ann's or St. Casimir's parishes. Since these parishes were continuing to experience their "own growth" however, and given the sense of rejection that the Italian immigrants felt they experienced, they sought to have a parish of their own. With Fr. Fallihee's assistance, they approached Bishop Michael J. Hoban in late 1899, asking for permission to establish an Italian Language parish in Freeland. Permission was given. The Italian community purchased a former Protestant Church, which they converted into a house of Catholic worship. The Church was dedicated in honor of Saint Anthony in 1901 and Rev. Peter Longo was appointed the first pastor. In 1905 Rev. Francis Bitetti arrived from Padua, Italy, and served as Pastor of St. Anthony's until his death in 1959.
During the "coal years" Freeland experienced a population boom and four parishes were sustainable in the town. By the early 1990's the population demographic of the town of Freeland began to decline. "Negative growth" was beginning to become apparent. In June 1993, due to a declining parish base and financial constraints, Bishop James C. Timlin appointed one pastor, Rev. Jake Doris to minister to the four parishes. Though the four parishes maintained their legal individuality, all parish activities, including Liturgical celebrations, religious education / sacramental preparation, and supportive Societies within the community were consolidated. The four parishes began to function as one community of faith and became popularly known as "The Roman Catholic Community of Freeland".
At that time the four parishes, functioning as one community of faith, articulated a "Parish Mission Statement", under the guidance of Rev. Jake Doris. That "Mission Statement" read, in part: "We, members of the Roman Catholic Community of Freeland will have as our mission the unification of our four beloved parishes."
On August 29, 2002, Fr. John Melnick was appointed Pastor of the four Parishes making up the Roman Catholic Community of Freeland.
Since 1993 the parishioners of the four parishes, calling themselves "The Roman Catholic Community of Freeland", worked tirelessly to bring about this unification. Having unified the Sacramental and pastoral dimension to the community, attention then turned specifically to the buildings, which included a former convent, a parish Center and four Church buildings. Given our declining numbers and economic restraints, heating and maintenance of nine buildings had become impossible for the community. Further, given the population of the parish and the town, four worship buildings had become a redundancy which could no longer be afforded.
Continuing a process of Parochial restructuring, on December 01, 2007 the parish contracted the "Formen Group" – an architectural / structural consultancy firm from Harrisburg. They were asked to initiate a detailed study of all the physical buildings and to give us an impartial and realistic assessment of our buildings. On February 22, 2007, at a full meeting of the pastoral and finance councils, attended also by Rev. Jeffrey Walsh, the Episcopal Vicar of Most Reverend Joseph F. Martino, Mr. Thomas McCune of the Formen group delivered a detailed study of the viability of our buildings and what it would cost to restore and / or sustain them.
Having received the information, the combined councils unanimously agreed that St. Ann's Church would be the most viable and sustainable solution for a future Catholic Parish Church in Freeland. The assembly agreed on making these recommendations to the Diocese, and there was a general consensus that we should ask our Bishop to "rename" the territorial parish to the name of the "mother Church" "OUR LADY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION". This would honor St. John Neumann who celebrated the first Mass here, as well as those first immigrant families who made their home in this area. It would also provide a sense of connection with our common past. Finally, the Mother of God is the Mother of all these "communities" which have made up our community of faith. She has it within her power and disposition to continue the work of unification among us.
Copyright © 2008 Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish, Freeland PA. All rights reserved.