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Most
Rev. James Oliver Van de Velde, Bishop of Chicago, visited Geneva with a view toward
locating a parish here. |
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1860
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Catholics
in Batavia built a church and for
the next 50 years, Geneva Catholics attended one of the two neighboring
missions (Batavia or St. Charles). |
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1908
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The
Rockford Diocese was established and Geneva received permission
to build a church. |
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1911
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July
5 - Rev. Peter James Muldoon, first Bishop of Rockford,
appointed Theodore B. McCormick as the first pastor of St. Peter
Church.
July 23 - First Mass in Geneva,
with 132 people present, offered in the Unitarian
Church building.
Later, an unused Swedish Methodist church was leased for one year.
August 13 - First Baptism, Mary Ann Elizabeth Crocket, daughter
of Charles and Anna Crocket.
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1912
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January
31 - First marriage: Ellen A Schutz and William Smith.
April - The Charles S. Field property located at Fifth and James
Streets was purchased for $2500. A brick church and rectory were
built by the John Wheeler Construction Company at a cost of $15,000.
September 1, (Labor Day) - First cornerstone was blessed and laid
on James Street
for the first St.
Peter Church building by Bishop Peter James Muldoon.
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1913
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May
30 - Solemn Dedication of the first church. |
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1915
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St.
Peter Church was given charge of the State Home for Girls near Geneva and a chapel was
built there. |
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1930
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August
31 - Fr. John Barrett, parishioner was ordained a Jesuit priest
and was sent to Panta, India.
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1944
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Parish
enrollment estimated at 197 households. |
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1947
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Parish
enrollment reached 231 households. |
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1958
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January
- Began to look into the possibility of building a new school, convent
and all-purpose hall with the school gymnasium being viewed as a
temporary church.
Construction of a school and temporary church at our present location
began.
Parish membership reached 350 households.
September - First class of St. Peter School was in session. The School opened its
doors to 83 pupils and 5 teachers. School was staffed by the Servants
of the Holy Heart of Mary through May, 1991. Because the new school
building was not complete, students and teachers met at the Little
Green Schoolhouse at South and Western Streets in Geneva.
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1959
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January
- Classes moved from The Little Green School House into the new
school building on Kaneville Road.
May 3 - School and temporary Church on Kaneville
Road were dedicated. A new convent
(currently the Parish
Center) was also constructed.
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1960
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A
new rectory was constructed on the Kaneville site.
June - Mass was celebrated at our new facilities in the school gym
(currently called the Multipurpose Room). |
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1962
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St.
Peter Thrift Shop opened in a classroom of the school by seven women
of the parish. |
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1980
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High
School Youth Ministry program was started. |
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1981
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July
- St. Peter Church, under the auspices of the Women's Club, became
the first organization in the Fox
Valley to be
associated with Market Day. |
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1982
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February
13 - Parishioner Stan Szara was ordained to the permanent Diaconate
by Bishop Arthur O'Neill.
April 15 - President Ronald Reagan visited St.
Peter School.
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1983
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St.
Peter Church opened its Community Food Pantry. |
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1985
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June
14 - Rev. James W. McLoughlin, Pastor of St. Peter Church, along
with four parishioners, John (Doug) and Genevieve Porter, Frank
Scibetta and Josephine Scibetta were taken hostage on TWA Flight
847 in Athens, Greece.
The parishioners were released shortly after the hijacking. Rev.
McLoughlin was in captivity in Beirut,
Lebanon until all hostages were
released on June 30, 1985. |
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1986
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The
former convent was converted into parish office space and meeting
rooms. |
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1987
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The
shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary and a sculpture of the child
Jesus in the garden were erected in front of the Parish Center
in thanksgiving for the safe return of all the hostages on June
30, 1985. The shrine was dedicated in November.
A planning committee was appointed to review
our growth rate and assess the long-term implications.
Parish membership increased to 1200 households.
September - The first Barn Sale was held
and continued annually through 1996. Over $1 Million was contributed
to the Building Fund.
November 22 - Dedication of new pipe organ
and recital.
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1989
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A
Building Committee was formed and "Building on Catholic Tradition
- Forging Bonds for the Future" was the theme for the new building
fund drive. |
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1990
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January
- Capital fund for new Kaneville Road permanent
church began.
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1991
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Parish
enrollment reaches 1500 households.
Fall - A freestanding two-classroom annex was built with the help
of parishioners.
Fall - The school had an enrollment of 250 children and a staff
of 20. The Religious Education program had an enrollment of 600
children and 60 volunteers. The
High School program had an enrollment of 70 students, taught by
8 volunteers. |
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1992
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March
8 - Bishop Arthur J. O'Neill presided at groundbreaking ceremonies
for the new church.
August 5 - Mary Wheeler, last of the original parishioners, died
and was buried from St. Peter Church.
October 4 - Laying of the cornerstone for Kaneville Church, presided by Bishop Arthur J.
O'Neill. |
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1993
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Women's
Club - Guild of the Holy Spirit, mission to host and minister at
infant baptisms was founded.
June 5 & 6 - At all the Masses, parishioners attended the Liturgy
of the Word in the former church (currently the Multipurpose Room)
and processed into the new church for the first Liturgy of the Eucharist.
October 17 - The Most Reverend Bishop Arthur J. O'Neill presided
at the dedication Mass of the new St. Peter Church. |
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1996
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Modular
classrooms were added to the north end of the property and a committee
was appointed to investigate the possibility of expanding our education
facilities.
September - Jr. High Youth Ministry program launched. |
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1997
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June
- Jr. High Summer Camp instituted.
September - Peer leadership program, Lead Team, launched within
the Jr. High Youth Ministry program.
November 11 - Rev. Joseph F. Jarmoluk was appointed Pastor.
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1998
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Parish
enrollment reached 2300 households. |
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1999
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Opening
of first Vacation Bible School. |
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2000
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May
- Parishioner, Fr. Brian Grady, son of Don and Sue Grady, is ordained
into the priesthood in the Diocese of Rockford.
November 26 - Fr. Joseph F. Jarmoluk became Monsignor Joseph F.
Jarmoluk.
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2001
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January
24 - All debt on the original Kaneville church building was paid
in full.
October 20 - Parishioner Mike Zibrun ordained to the permanent
Diaconate by the Most Reverend Bishop Thomas G. Doran.
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2002
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February
24 - Groundbreaking ceremony for school facilities expansion and
parish building remodeling kicked off by Bishop Doran.
May 24 - Parishioner, Fr. John Paul Walker, O.P., son of La Monte
and Anrita Walker, was ordained.
August - Sr. Anne Jaeger made her perpetual vows in the order of
Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary. |
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2003
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January
- St. Peter Thrift Shop closes after 40 years of dedicated service
and more that $750,000 donated to St. Peter
School.
May 24 - Parishioner, Fr. Paul Weberg, O.S.B,
son of Thomas and Rosarita Weberg, was ordained.
July 29 - Déjà Vu Resale & Consignment
Shop opened on Fourth
Street, continuing the tradition of
supporting the parish school.
August - Frederick Quinn Corporation (construction
company) turned over the building and grounds back to St. Peter
Church after completion of school facilities expansion and parish
remodeling.
St. Peter
School enrollment reached 500, more than double
the size of the pre-expansion
enrollment.
Religious Education
Program reached 1300 students and over 300 volunteers.
September 13 & 14 - Dedication of the
new facilities (9-14) by Bishop Thomas G. Doran and Open House
for the community.
October - Perpetual Adoration devotion started
in the new 24-hour Panis Angelicus Chapel.
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2004
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August
14 - Parishioner, Sr. Karen Bricher, wife of deceased Thomas Bricher,
mother of 8 adult children, made her perpetual vows in the religious
order of the Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary.
November - Parish registration reaches 2800 families.
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2005
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January
- Record-breaking special collection. St. Peter parishioners donated
$32,000 in one weekend for Catholic Relief to care for victims
of the historical December 26, 2004 earthquake and tsunami.
September - Record-breaking special collection. St. Peter parishioners
donated over $42,000 in one weekend for Catholic Charities to
care for victims of hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and surrounding
areas.
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