Print this book

Commemorative Pages
Dedication
Foreword
Genesis
Inhabitants
Church
Parish
Patronat
School
Events
World War
Closing Words
Heroes of WWI
Footnotes
Bell from United States
Places Mentioned
People Mentioned
Author Credits
Translator Credits
Print the Book
Original Jubilee Book

Once, the departure from the homeland certainly might have been hard for the forefathers of our community but they were capable people who brought with them to the new homeland not only tough peasant industry but also piety and firm trust in God. In the old homeland, it was religious faith which did not let them lose heart in the midst of the many bloody battles and because of that they wanted to have the dear God also in their midst here where not fewer hard struggles awaited them. Of course in the year 1786/87, they still had no house of God in their colony even though a spiritual advisor was offered to them in the person of the Franciscan monk Fortunatus Friederich.  There was at the time neither a rectory nor a church; the spiritual advisor resided in a farm house, while at first the church devotions were held in an old granary. Then when this collapsed, the service was held in different private houses, for the last time in house number 76 on the school street.

Thirty-two years, our ancestors lived without a church without, however, giving up the firm intention to erect a worthy place of residence for the Omnipotent in their midst. Their wish at last was fulfilled. In the year 1819, the cornerstone of the church, which is presently still standing, was laid by Count Ignatius Gyulai, Ban of Croatia, the former holder and proprietor of the Neupanath estate. The construction began, the house of God was brought under roof and the other works were taken on solely by the lord of the manor.  So then, the church stood there bare and empty for 6 years!

The pastor at that time, Georg Quesar von Persanova, knight of the golden military cross, who died her of dropsy in the year 1825 on the 29^th of January, bequeathed his entire fortune of 1011 Guilders Vienna currency[45] by will for the completion of the church which had been brought under roof. His successor, Joachim Valentin Fliegszeder, had to look no less with a melancholy heart at the bare walls of the church building, the use of which unfortunately still could not be taken. On top of that, the faithful also had to stand in rain and snow under God’s open sky and thus hear Holy Mass which still was read in farm house 76. Then when during the service on a work day, a Jew passing by shouted, “Have you nothing to trade,” just as the priest had said the Preface, then the pastor could no longer conceal his displeasure. After the service, he gave an animated address to those present and asked them to undertake serious steps in order for the completion of the church building to become please in the first rank and if this was futile, permission to ask for the interior and exterior final preparation of the house of God from the manor. The latter actually was also granted by the manor. Two Guilders[46] (which today is equal in value with 200 Lei) were contributed by every house; added with the testamentary fortune of the deceased pastor of 1011 Guilders, this sum was enough to finish the church and hand it over to its sacred function. On the 27^th of November of the year 1825, on the first Advent Sunday, was the great day of rejoicing, at which the newly-built church received the church consecration. The district dean, Johann Nyéky, pastor from Pescka,[47] carried out the consecration ceremonies with the assistance of the Minorite[48] Fathers from Arad and several pastors, while Fr. Dominik Grau, Minorite Father from Arad, gave the festival sermon.  It must be noted that in the parish history written by Pastor Joachim V. Fliegszeder, just as in the Visitatio Canonica, the consecration year is indicated as 1826. That this remark was made by mistake follows from the 2 following reasons: 1.) According to a notation of the baptismal book from the year 1825, Magdalena Klemens was baptized on the 28^th of November.  With the notation, the following Latin note is found in the last column: “Prima vice in nova ecclesia,” that is in the German translation, “Zum erstenmale in der neuen Kirche.”[49] 2.) On a small door of the parament[50] cabinet in the sacristy, one can read the following remark—written with lead pencil: “Die Kirche selbst ist am ersten Sonntage im Advent (27. November) 1828 eingeweiht worden, als Franz Fritz Richter war.”[51] Now since in the year 1825 the first Advent Sunday actually fell on the 27^th of November and the church really was consecrated on the same day, the first baptism in the new church can correctly be carried out on the 28^th of November 1825.

After bitter, almost futile efforts over 38 years, the ancestors finally succeeded in creating a house of God for the community. Only he who witnessed service held in private buildings or even in guest room can rightly understand how big the joy of the pastor at that time and of the whole community had to be when they could enter their consecrated house of God, the church finished by their own energies....

If the readiness of the faithful in those days to make sacrifices had not shown itself, the building would have stood there—who knows how long—empty and bare. But our fathers thus struggled, battled and sacrificed for the Catholic faith and left behind this house of God as a symbol of a self-sacrificing faith to us. This beautiful, this noble fact is a circumstance from which we can see what devotion to the church, what profound religion and fear of God, animated the hearts of the ancestors in our community.

And to the praise of the descendants let it be said that they with active vigilance and holy zeal kept and protected the precious blessing of the faith and that the devotion to the church—built by the ancestors—still has not become extinct. The thorough renovation, the exterior and interior embellishment, of the house of God after 100 years, which cost nearly 100,000 Lei[52] in the year 1925, speaks for that.

This renovation is shining proof how much love, how much enthusiasm, was once more built into this house of God after a hundred years. On church consecration day of the year 1925, the house of God was resplendent in the new festival raiment, to the legitimate joy and pride of the pastor and of all the community members. Rightly, the marble plaque fastened over the entrance door proclaims to posterity the fact: “Erneuert zur Herrlichkeit Gottes aus gültigen Spenden als Jubiläumsgeschenk 1825-1925,”[53] from then on.

Now the church stands there sound and can proclaim to the fifth generation the enthusiasm of those men who took the well-being of the church and of the faithful to heart. It stands there as a memorial to the strength of faith and of the readiness to make sacrifices of all the faithful.

The house of God itself is constructed on a foundation of rocks and fired-brick and provided with a steeple, to which one can climb from the choir. The church has a height of 12 meters[54] to the ridge of the roof; the steeple is another 16 meters[55] high from there. The length of the church is 30 meters,[56] the width 11 meters.[57] Up to the year 1925, it was re-roofed twice with shingles, first in the year 1862 and then in the year 1892, always at the expense of the Patronat master.  After 33 years, a thorough renovation on the roof of the church had to be carried out once again, in the course of which the whole roof was provided with a surface of artificial slate plates, the steeple was raised about 2 meters at the same time.  This work was obliged to be carried out and hastened all the more since Mr. Georg Konrad, the first priest who called Neupanat his birthplace, wanted to hold his Primiz[58] at the church consecration festival of the year 1925. The costs of this large-scale restoration amounted to 150,800 Lei[59] and were covered from the Patronat fund. In the year 1930, the already-damaged slate roof of the steeple was replaced by galvanized sheet iron, at the same time the cross of the steeple visible in the distance was re-gilded and a lightning rod put up on the steeple. At the same time, in accordance with the desire of the father of the church, all doors on the church were set to open outwards, the church and sacristy socle furnished with cement mortar and finished with cement mortar spray. All this cost approximately 112,000 Lei[60] at the cost of the church fund.

The Parish Church of Panatulnou (Neupanat)

The church shows a Romanesque style. The main entrance to the church is on the south side. The sanctuary is arch vaulted. The main altar is of high value according to the opinion of an expert and is at present decorated with a picture of St. Ignatius Loyola, which was provided by the Mayer’s art printing works from Münich in the year 1906.

The first picture which hung on the main altar the Patronat master Count Ignatius Gyulai himself sent here from Vienna and was painted by a Hungarian deaf-mute who studied in Rome after the image of the Patronat master. On the 18^th of September of the year 1841, the Right Reverend Vicar General Ignatius Fabry from Timişoara sent a newly-painted picture of St. Ignatius Loyola which was solemnly consecrated on the following Sunday and put up on the main altar, while the old was removed—as not appropriate—and given back to the high manor. The picture from 1841, which can only be put in use again after expert cleaning, was replaced by the present one in the year 1906.

From the beginning, there were only 3 bells in the steeple; all three were cast in Temesvar, specifically the large at 343 Pfund[61] in the year 1808, the middle at 213 Pfund[62] in the year 1816 and the small at 64 Pfund[63] likewise in the year 1816. When in the year 1898, a fourth was also procured from Arad the faithful could not enjoy their sounds for long.  In the year 1917 at the time of the World War on the 8^th of January, 3 bells were requisitioned by the military for war purposes.  On the day referred to: 1. The large bell (590 Pfund)[64] in the weight of 338 kilograms with the inscription, “Gegossen von E Egartner in Temesvar 1869”;[65] 2. The second (343 Pfund) in the weight of 194 kilograms with the inscription, “Goß mich Jakob Jungbauer in Temesvar anno 1808”[66] and 3. The small (64 Pfund) in the weight of 31 kilograms with the inscription, “Hönig F. Arad 1899” were dismounted and quite simply thrown down from the steeple. Only one bell was left behind 213 Pfund), the “Wendelin” bell which weighs 119 kilograms with the inscription, “Goß mich Joseph Egardner zu Temesvar 1816.”[67]

Therefore, for 6 years only this single bell rang until in the year 1923 a pious citizen of the community, Johann Reif with his wife Magdalena Hoday, had a new bell made in the weight of 193 kilograms for 30,800 Lei,[68] which was solemnly dedicated in honor of “St. John” and hoisted into the steeple on the church consecration day of the year 1923. It bears the inscription, “Gestiftet von Johann Reif und Gemahlin Magdalena Hoday—Gegossen von Anton Novotny’s Sohn durch Gußmeister Neduhal in Temesvar 1923.”[69] At the same time, the bell donated by school children weighing 43 kilograms[70] for 6,720 Lei[71] was dedicated in honor of “St. Joseph” and mounted. It bears the inscription, “Gestiftet von 40 Schulkindern und einigen edlen Spenden. Gegossen von Anton Novotny’s Sohn durch Gußmeister Neduhal in Temesvar 1923.”[72]

The two new bells along with the old “Wendelin” bell were mounted onto the newly-constructed iron bell-loft. This has a weight of 1012 kilograms[73] and was likewise made by Novotny for 22,264 Lei,[74] which sum was sacrificed by the American tribe brothers.

The brothers abiding in America (in Chicago and Portland) were also informed about the solemn dedication of the 2 new bells and, encouraged by the beautiful example they also jointly decided to have the last big bell made for the homeland church. In fact, they collected 59,500 Lei[75] for that purpose and sent that sum hither for the acquisition of a big bell which was supposed to be dedicated in honor of “St. Anthony.” This really was cast in Gyorok[76] in the weight of 350 kilograms[77] and was solemnly dedicated and hoisted into the steeple at the church consecration festival (31^st July) 1924. It bears the following inscription: “Verkünde Glaube, Hoffnung und Liebe—verkünde den Menschen den ewigen Frieden. Gestiftet von den Neupanaters aus Chicago und Portland. Gegossen von Biszak Josef, Gyorok 1924.”[78] At the time of the solemn dedication, everyone greeted with joy this work of true love of the homeland, through which our tribe brothers in the wide world have shown that to them our holy Catholic religion is a precious blessing which they inherited from their ancestors and want to cherish in the future. When they left the native place, there in the new world they certainly missed most bitterly the sound of the native bells, of those bells which so often called them to the house of God, which broadcast the last salutation to their father, to their mother over the grave. And the thought that these bells have also fallen victim to the horrible World War certainly gave them no rest when they were not able to give the big bell back to their native church.

The steeple clock was donated to the church in the year 1866 by Baron Sigismund Bohus representative at that time and was installed by a master locksmith from Pankota[79] for 400 Guilders.[80] In the course of time and by virtue of intervention of many unauthorized workmen who did not understand the subject it was entirely ruined so that it stopped working for some years and could not be made to work. Then in the year 1926, it was repaired by the watchmaker Stefan Weber from Neuarad[81] and is working again since then.

An organ was already installed in this church in the year 1835. The present one is a gift from the former pastor and papal chamberlain Johann Mußkàlay who had it made in the organ factory of Mr. Leopold Wegenstein at Timişoara for 2000 Kronen.[82] In the year 1903 on the 25^th of January, it was solemnly dedicated. It was appropriately built for the requirements of this church and is very well suited for the Catholic service. The organ was built as a pneumatic pipe system with 8 registers, one keyboard and one pedal. In it, there are 92 wooden pipes and 246 zinc pipes. In the year 1918 on the 27^th of April, 27 of the principal pipes of the organ in the weight of 16 kilograms[83] were requisitioned for war purposes; however, the same were acquired again in the year 1922 and put in again by the organ builder Leopold Wegenstein at the time when the entire organ was cleaned and retuned on the 6^th-10^th of February. Because of the tremendously heavy snowfall which continued 2 to 3 days, the 3 workers were able to be transported back to Arad only with arduous effort. Four horses were harnessed to a sled, the men provided with shovels and after heavy labor succeeded in breaking a path to Arad. After almost 4 hours of laborious effort, they arrived there.

Concerning the income of the church, up to the year 1918 it consisted like this only of offerings which flowed in the offertory bag and of the donations which were sacrificed on the part of good souls. In the year 1918, the present pastor of the parish succeeded in winning the so-called “Curia” field for the church, which consisted of 47 land-register yokes[84] and was awarded to the church from the property of the former Patronat master Count Edelsheim Gyulai Leopold. By virtue of the Land Expropriation Law, however, on the 7^th of February 1923, 27 yokes and 1329 square fathoms[85] were expropriated and only 19 yokes[86] along with the house standing on it were left in possession of the church. The total rent of this field amounts to approximately 20,000 Lei[87] and belongs to the proper income of the church. Protecting this fund was not easy. But the pastor of the community spared neither effort nor sacrifice to accomplish all that, for which the entire community today is allowed with complete right to be proud. The created church fund—there would hardly be a second like it in another community—aims at nothing other than the construction of a new house of God which corresponds to the number and the religious zeal of the faithful; this is and also then remains the life dream of the present pastor. The model for the house of God to be constructed, the convent church in Timişoara-Josefstadt,[88] always hovers before his eyes. With this goal in his eye, he works untiringly and economizes in order to expedite the creation of the planned parish church.

Previous Page | Next Page