Jesus Christ instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist so that he might stay with us and be the Food of our soul; that he might stay with us and be our Companion. --St. John Vianney
TIMELINE of CHURCH HISTORY
Following is a partial list of key events in the history of the church. It is presented as a study jumping-off point and is in no way conclusive. It is suggested that the student use the date and string of words to search major search engines.c. 30: Jesus Christ's crucifixion and resurrection; Founding of the church at Pentecost
37: Stoning of Stephen
c. 49/50: Jerusalem Council
64: Persecution under Nero; Peter and Paul martyred
70: Jewish revolt and the destruction of the temple
135: Bar Kochba's revolt and the fall of Jerualem
313: Edict of Milan
325: Council of Nicaea
381: Theodosius I makes Christianity the state religion; Council of Constantinople
382: Jerome begins Old Testament translation into Latin, the Vulgate Bible
397: Synod of Carthage agrees on New Testament canon
410: Visigoths sack Rome
413-426: Augustine writes City of God
430: Hippo falls to Vandals
431: Council of Ephesus
432: Patrick begins conversion of Ireland
440-461: Leo I (appeals to Petrine Theory)
451: Council of Chalcedon
452: Attila the Hun turned away from Rome by leo I
496: Conversion of Clovis, King of the Franks
527: Dionysius Exiguus introduces the chronological notation "A.D."
528: Justinian begins codification of Roman law
529: Benedict of Nursia founds monastery of Monte Cassino
596: Gregory I sends Augustine to Kent (england) to convert Angles
622: Mohammed established as religious and political leader in Medina
664: Synod of Whitby
732: Charles Martel defeats Muslims at the Battle of Tours
754: Donation of Pepin creates future Papal States
756: Donation of Pepin creates future Papal States
782: Alcuin of Yourk leads Charlemagne's palace school
800 Charlemagne crowned "Emperor of the Romans"
840: Charlemagne's Empire is divided between his three grandsons
840s: Height of Viking invations
909/910: Monastery of Cluny founded
962: Otto I crowned first Holy roman Emperor (Holy Roman Empire will last until 1806)
1054: Great Schism of West (Roman Catholic) and East (Greek Orthodox)
1095: Pope Urban II proclaims Crusades at Council of Clermont
1198-1216: Pope Innocent III, the height of papal power
1204: Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople
1215: Fourth Lateran Council
1273: Thomas Aquinas writes Summa Theologica
1309-1377: Babylonian Captivity, Avignon papacy
1321: Dante Alighieri completes Divine Comedy
1337-1453: Hundred years' War between England and France
1347-1351: Black Death ravages Europe
1378-1417: Great Schism of the Western Church
1384: Death of John Wycliffe
1414-1418: Council of Constance
1415: Martyrdom of Jan Hus
1453: Fall of Constantinople to Turks
1498: Martyrdom of Savonarola
1517: Luther's Ninety-five Theses
1519: Leipzig debate
1521: Luther before the Diet of Worms
1523: Reformation in Zurich
1524-1526: Peasants' revolt in Germany
1525: First Anabaptist congregation
1527: Schleitheim Confession (Anabaptist)
1529: Lutheran princes protest at Diet of Speyer; Marburg Colloquy; Beginning of Reformation Parliament in England
1530: Augsburg Confession
1531: Death of Zwigli
1534: Ignatius Loyola founds the Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
1536: Publication of Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion
1538: Reformation established in Geneva
1540: Society of Jesus (Jesuits) recognized
1542-1552: Francis Xavier, missionary to Asia
1545-1563: Council of Trent
1546: Death of Martin Luther
1547-1553: Edward VI, King of England
1553-1558: Mary, Queen of England
1555: Peace of Augsburg recognizes cuius regio eius religio principle
1556: Martyrdom of Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley, and Hugh Latimer; Death of Ignatius Loyola
1562-1589: Religious wars in France
1563: Thirty-Nine Articles
1564: Death of John Calvin
1572: Death of John Knox
1589: Edict of Nantes
1601: Matteo Ricci arrives in Peking (Beijing)
1614: Christianity is declared illegal in Japan
1618-1648: Thirty Years' War
1640-1645: Puritan Revolution in England
1648: Peace of Westphalia
1543: Nicolaus Copernicus' On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres (Heliocentric Theory)
1648: Peace of Westphalia
1687: Isaac Newton's Principia (Mechanistic Universe)
1688: Glorious Revolution in England
1689: John Locke's Essay Concerning Understanding (Environmentalism)
1690: John Locke's Two Treatises of Government (Social Contract Theory)
1722: Hernhut founded
1732: First Moravian missionaries sent out
1736: William Tennent, Sr., founds "Log Cabin College"
1738: John Wesley and George Whitefield preach revival in Bristol
1740-1745: War of Austrian Succession
1741: Jonathan Edwards preaches "Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God"
1748: David Hume's An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (Skepticism)
1751: Denis Diderot begins publication of the Encyclopedia
1756-1763: Seven Years War
1772-1816: Francis Asbury and Methodist revival in america
1776: American Declaration of Independence
1789: French Revolution begins
1790: Civil Constitution of the Clergy
1793: William Carey leaves for missionary work in India; Baptist Missionary Society founded; Eli Whitney's cotton gin is invented
1794: Worship of the Supreme Being is introduced in France
1799: The Second Great Awakening begins in America
1801: Concordat of 180; Cane Ridge Kentucky Camp Meeting
1807: slavery is abolished in British West Indies
1812: Adoniram Judson leaves for missionary work in Burma
1814-1815: The Defeat of Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna
1816: African Methodist Episcopal Church founded
1825: American Unitarian Association is founded
1835: Charles G. Finney publishes Lectures on Revivalism
1848: Revolutions of 1848 in Europe
1850: Charles H. Spurgeon opens the Metropolitan Tabernacle
1856: Dwight L. Moody moves to Chicago
1807: slavery is abolished in British West Indies
1812: Adoniram Judson leaves for missionary work in Burma
1816: African Methodist Episcopal Church founded
1823: British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society founded
1826: American Temperance Society founded
1831: Nat Turner's insurrection in Virginia
1833: Parliament abolishes slavery in the British Empire; Parliament passes Factory Act of 1833
1842: Parliament passes Mines Act of 1842
1845-1861: American churches split over slavery issue
1851-1852: Harriet Beecher Stowe publishes Uncle Tom's Cabin
1851-1866: Charles G. Finney serves as president of Oberlin College
1858: Treaty of Tientsin opens up China to missionaries
1859: Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species (biological evolution)
1861-1865: The American Civil War
1864: Pius IX issues Syllabus of Errors
1869-1870: Vatican (1) Council
1872-1878: Kulturkampf in Germany
1890: Leo IIII issues Rerum Novarum
1859: Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species (biological evolution)
1861-1865: American Civil War
1865: Hudson Taylor founds China Inland Mission
1871: Charles Darwin's The Descent of Man
1875: Parliament passes Climbing Boys Act
1876: Mary Slessor leaves for missionary work in West Africa
1895: Amy Carmichael leaves for missionary work in India
1896: Chars M. Sheldon publishes In His Steps
1909: Scofield Reference Bible is published
1910-1915: The Fundamentals published
1914-1918: World War I
1917: The Russian Revolution
1919: Eighteenth Amendment establishes prohibition in America
1923: J. Gresham Machen's Christianity and Liberalism is published
1924: John-Reed Act is passed by Congress, limiting immigration
1925: Scopes Trial in Dayton, Tennessee
1933: Hitler comes to power, signing Reichkonkordat with the Catholic Church
1934: The Confessing Church is organized and issues Barmen Declaration
1937: Pius XI issues Divini Redemptoris and Mitbrenneder Sorge
1939-1945: World War II
1949: Billy Graham's Los Angeles Crusade
1950: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association founded
1951: Campus Crusade for Christ International founded
1955: Francis A. and Edith Schaeffer found L'Abri Fellowship
1961: Berlin Wall erected
1962-1965: Vatican II Council
1974: Lausanne Congress on world evangelism; Vietnam War ends
1978: John-Paul II elected
1989: Lausanne II congress in Manila; Fall of the Berlin Wall
1991: End of the Soviet Union
ECUMENICAL CHURCH COUNCILS
Council of Nicaea (325): Called by Emperor Constantine
(Declared the divinity of God the Son to be of one substance and one nature with that of God the Father. Original version of the Nicene Creed.)Council of Constantinople (381): Called by Theodosius I
(Affirmed deity of Holy Spirit. Nicene Creed altered to affirm that Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son.)Council of Ephesus (431): Called by Theodosius II
(Condemned Nestorian teaching of two natures in Jesus Christ, and by implication affirmed Jesus Christ as God-man.)Council of Chalcedon (451): Called by Marcian
(Affirmed Jesus Christ as "truly God and truly man" having "two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation.")Council of Constantinople (553): Called by Justinian
(Affirmed the conclusions of the Council of Ephesus (431) and Chalcedon (451)Council of Constantinople (680-681): Called by Constantine IV
(Proclaimed unity of divine and human wills in Jesus Christ, with human will subject to divine will.)Council of Nicaea (787): Called by Constantine V's widow
(Legitimized veneration of images, emphasizing honor is due only to what they represent, not to the images themselves.)Council of Trent (1545-1563): Called by Pope Paul III
(Reaffirmed medieval church doctrine, while rejecting the teaching of the Protestant Reformation. The Vulgate is declared the official translation of the church; the number of sacraments is set at seven; the Bible and church r\tradition are affirmed as authoritative; and transubstantiation is affirmed.)First Vatican Council (1869-1870): Called by Pope Pius IX
(Doctrine of papal infallibility (when the pope speaks ex cathedra on matters of faith and morals) is promulgated.Second Vatican Council (1962-1965): Called by Pope John XXIII
(An update of the church, requiring Mass to be delivered in vernacular language with participation of the laity, encouraging Bible translation and reading, encouraging dialogue with other faiths (Protestants), and affirming freedom of religion. Also, the council ended the publication of the Index of Prohibited Books, affirmed the veneration of the Virgin Mary, and affirmed that the Roman Catholic church is the only means of salvation.)Local Church History
1749: Probably year of the first Mass on West Virginia soil (then State of Virginia), offered by Rev. Joseph J. de Bonnecamps, member of an expedition sent by the Governor of Canada under the explorer, Celeron de Blainville. The expedition camped at Wheeling on August 13 and at Point Pleasant on August 18.
1821: The first Catholic church in the Diocese is erected at the corner of Eleventh and Chapline Streets in Wheeling. It is built on a lot donated by Noah Zane and named in honor of St. James.
1828: St. James parish, Wheeling, becomes first parish with a resident priest, Rev. Francis Rolof. The first baptismal entry is dated November 9, 1828.
1846: Bishop Richard Vincent Whelan of Richmond assumes charge of St. James parish, Wheeling. The first Catholic school of the Diocese is established, the "German" school, staffed by lay teachers. It later became St. Alphonsus parish school.
1848: Visitation Sisters come to Wheeling and open the Wheeling Female Academy, later known as Mount de Chantal Academy. St. Patrick parish, Weston, established with Rev. Austin Grogan, first pastor.
1853: Three Sisters of St. Joseph and three Novices, under the direction of Mother Mary Agnes Spencer, arrive in Wheeling from St. Louis to take charge of Wheeling Hospital. (Congregation of Sisters of St. Joseph of Wheeling was officially established May 4, 1860, by Bishop Whelan.) St. Francis Xavier parish, Parkersburg, established with Rev. R. P. O'Neill, first resident pastor. Name of church was originally St. Mary. Rev. J. H. Walters takes up residence in Sweet Springs.
1856: An orphanage for girls was established at Wheeling Hospital. It was moved to Elm Grove in 1894. St. Alphonsus, first parish in Diocese for Germans, established in Wheeling, with Rev. Stephen Huber, first pastor. Parish assigned to Capuchins 1883. St. Augustine parish, Grafton, established with Rev. James Cunningham and Rev. Henry Malone, first resident priests.
1859: St. John the Evangelist Chapel, Sweet Springs, the oldest standing church in the diocese, is completed.
1863: State of West Virginia formed June 20. Diocese of Wheeling, West Virginia, included seventeen and one-half counties in southwest Virginia. Eight counties in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia were continued as part of the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia. (See 1974 for realignment of Diocese of Wheeling to be the same as the State of West Virginia and name changed to Diocese of Wheeling- Charleston.)
1872: Mount Calvary Cemetery opened by Bishop Whelan on National Road, four miles from center of Wheeling. St. Joseph Parish, Huntington (Guyandotte), established with Rev. Thomas Quirk, first resident pastor.
1873: Third Diocesan Synod. The Statutes of the First and Second Synods were not issued in printed form. Immaculate Conception parish, Wheeling, established, with Rev. A. Schleiker, first resident pastor. St. Peter parish, Fairmont, established, with Rev. William Lambert, first resident pastor; mission since 1856. St. Joseph parish, Proctor, established, with Rev. Theodore Varmann, first resident pastor; mission since 1852.
1874: Bishop Whelan dies July 7 at the age of 65, and the Very Rev. Henry F. Parke is appointed Administrator. St. Patrick parish, Hinton, established with Rev. David Walsh, first resident pastor.
1879: Bishop Kain built Gothic Chapel in Mt. Calvary Cemetery as memorial to Bishop Whelan, where Bishop Whelan, Bishop Donahue, Bishop McDonnell, Archbishop Swint, and Bishop Hodges are entombed. Immaculate Conception Mission (formerly St. John of the Cross), Williamsburg, established.
1882: Fourth Diocesan Synod. Infirm Priests Fund established, pursuant to action taken at Fourth Diocesan Synod. St. Colman Mission, Irish Mountain, established.
1887 St. John's Home for Boys opens in Wheeling. It was moved to Elm Grove in 1894. St. Alphonsus Orphanage ("Waisenverein") is organized. It was approved by Bishop Kain and incorporated by the State in 1890.
1888 Fifth Diocesan Synod. Immaculate Conception parish, Montgomery, established, with Rev. George Toner, first pastor.
1893 Bishop Kain is appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of St. Louis with right of succession on July 6. He became Archbishop of St. Louis on May 21, 1895, and died on October 13, 1903. St. Thomas parish, Thomas, established, with Rev. Thomas Collins, first pastor. St. Patrick Mission, Bancroft, established.
1894 Rev. Patrick James Donahue, Rector of Assumption Cathedral in Baltimore, is appointed third Bishop of Wheeling on January 22, and is consecrated in Baltimore on April 8.
1895 The first official Diocesan periodical, The Church Calendar, is established, with Rev. Oscar Moye as editor. The Catholic Messenger, edited by Rev. Thomas Quirk, appeared in the 1870s, but was limited in distribution to the Parkersburg locality. St. Vincent de Paul parish, Wheeling, established, with Rev. L. P. Paquin, first pastor. Sacred Heart parish, Bluefield, established, with Rev. Emil Olivier, first pastor. Sacred Heart Mission (formerly St. Kernan), Springdale, established.
1909 St. Edward College is established in Huntington, in the building formerly used by St. Joseph Orphanage. St. Catherine parish, Dante, VA, established, with Rev. Gregory Sturm, OSB, first pastor. St. Joseph parish (Italian), Fairmont, established, with Rev. A. Michielli, first pastor. St. Francis de Sales parish, Beckley, established, with Rev. J. P. T. Holzmer, first pastor.
1913 St. Francis Hospital in Charleston and Sacred Heart Hospital in Richwood are opened. The Carmelite Monastery in Wheeling is established. St. John Mission, St. Mary's, WV, established. (Station since 1883.)
1918 Dominican Sisters came to St. Brendan's School, Elkins.
1923 Seventh Diocesan Synod. The Catholic Observer West Virginia Edition, a weekly, with Rev. Frederick Schwertz as editor, supersedes The Church Calendar, a monthly. St. John parish, Mullens, established, with Rev. John B. O'Reilly, first pastor. St. Agnes parish, Charleston, established, with Rev. William J. Lee, first pastor. St. Margaret Mary parish, Parkersburg, established, with Rev. Patrick J. Browne, first pastor. St. Peter parish, Welch, established, with Rev. John J. Hanley, first pastor. St. Joan of Arc parish, Wheeling, established, with Rev. Jeremiah O'Connell, first pastor. St. Ann parish, Shinnston, established, with Rev. Patrick J. Mullally, first pastor. Little Flower, Galloway, established as mission of St. Augustine Parish, Grafton
1924 Msgr. James F. Newcomb is appointed first Diocesan Superintendent of Schools. St. Mary's Hospital is opened in Huntington, in the building formerly occupied by St. Edward College. St. James parish (formerly St. Margaret Mary), Clarksburg, established, with Rev. Joseph L. Quillen, first pastor. Holy Family parish, Power, established, with Rev. Matthias O'Reilly, first pastor. St. Anthony Chapel, Wheeling, established. All Saints Mission, Barrackville, established.
1926 The new St. Joseph Cathedral is dedicated on April 21. Dominican Sisters came to St. James School, McMechen. Assumption Mission (formerly All Saints), Rivesville, established.
1930 Catholic Charities established with part time director.
1934 Sacred Heart parish, Huntington, established, with Rev. Wilbur M. Burke, first pastor. The West Virginia Register is established as the official Diocesan Weekly, with the first issue appearing on February 11, with Msgr. Frederick J. Schwertz, MA, as its first editor. St. John Mission, McComas, established.
1936 St. Peter Claver parish, Huntington, established, with Rev. Leo Landoll, CPPS, first pastor.
1943 Infirm Priests' Association succeeds IPF; established on a broader basis of sick and retirement benefits for all members, not only the indigent. Seven Dolors Mission, Paden City, established (listed as "Paden City Mission" since 1921. See 1974 for change to Mater Dolorosa").
1954 Bishop Swint is elevated to the rank of Archbishop ad personam on March 12, on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of his priesthood. St. Therese parish, St. Paul, VA, established, with Rev. Robert Berson, first pastor. St. Mary Mission, Coeburn, VA, established. Our Lady of Grace Mission, Springfield, established, formerly listed under Romney.
1955 Wheeling College, staffed by the Jesuit Fathers, opens its doors to its first Freshman class. The Very Rev. Lawrence P. McHugh is President, and there are ninety students. Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish (formerly St. Bridget), Stonewood, established, with Rev. John Allison, first pastor. Blessed Martin School, Wheeling, closed.
1961 Bishop McDonnell dies on February 25. Bishop Joseph H. Hodges, Auxiliary Bishop of Richmond, is appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Wheeling with right of succession May 24. St. Barbara's Nursing Home, a memorial to victims of the Monongah mine disaster and first non- profit nursing facility in the State of West Virginia, was opened. St. Mary parish, Holden, established, with Rev. Paul Hickey, first pastor. St. Edmund Mission, Man, established.
1963 Rev. Bernard Schmitt appointed first Diocesan Director of Vocations. Intercom organized to promote Vocations to the Sisterhood. Very Rev. Benjamin F. Farrell appointed first Vicar for Religious. First Directory of Diocese of Wheeling is published. First lay editor for the West Virginia Register, Robert Ramsey, succeeds Rev. Msgr. Frederick J. Schwertz. Diocesan Liturgical Commission appointed. Very Rev. Daniel M. Kirwin appointed first Rector of St. Joseph Preparatory Seminary, which formally opens.
1970 Diocesan Newspaper, The West Virginia Register, changes title to The Catholic Spirit and adopts new format. First lay persons in Diocese of Wheeling appointed as extraordinary ministers for the administration of Holy Communion. The WV Supreme Court directed county boards of education to provide transportation for parochial school students. First Financial Report (1969) of the Diocese of Wheeling published. Catholic Charities opens Fairmont branch.
1973 Publication of complete text of official norms for Due Process for the Diocese of Wheeling. Most Rev. James Edward Michaels, DD,D. Miss., SSC, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese and Vicar General. Catholic Charities officially opens Catholic Community Services Center in Weirton. Diocesan Office of Lay Retreats established. Harrison County Catholic School System established. St. Thomas parish, Gassaway, established, with Rev. Kenneth Reed, SVD, as first pastor. (Mission since 1908). Exterior and interior of St. Joseph's Cathedral renovated.
1974 Boundaries of Diocese changed, effective August 13, 1974. Former Virginia section of diocese incorporated into the Diocese of Richmond, VA. The eastern panhandle of WV, formerly part of the Richmond, VA, diocese, was incorporated into the Diocese of Wheeling. The five new diocesan parishes are: St. Vincent de Paul parish, Berkeley Springs; St. James parish, Charles Town; Assumption parish, Keyser; St. Joseph parish, Martinsburg; St. Anthony parish, Ridgeley. Name of Diocese of Wheeling changed to Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston with Sacred Heart Church, Charleston, WV, designated Co-Cathedral, October 4, 1974. Ground broken at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Wheeling, for first Community Chapel Mausoleum in Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. It will contain space for 1,624 crypts. Office of Coordinator for Health Affairs for the Diocese established. Hancock Senior Citizens Center opened in New Cumberland. St. Joseph parish, Pennsboro, established, with Rev. Cyprian Mercieca, TOR, first pastor (formerly mission of Sacred Heart, Salem). St. John parish, St. Marys, established, with Rev. Paul J. Schwarten, first pastor (formerly mission of Holy Rosary, Sistersville). Dedication of new church at Paden City. (Mater Dolorosa Mission of New Martinsville). Continuing Adult Religious Education Office is established under Office of Religious Education, with Sr. Anne Francis Bartus, SSJ, as first directress.
1975 Observance of 125th Anniversary of establishment of Diocese, with special commemorative service at St. Joseph Cathedral, Wheeling, and Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral, Charleston, and in each Deanery. Bishops of Appalachia promulgate Pastoral Letter, "This Land Is Home To Me." Approval of Guidelines for Roman Catholic/Episcopal marriages by Bishop Hodges and Bishop Campbell of Diocese of West Virginia, May 18. Carmelite Nuns leave Diocese to merge with Carmel of the Sacred Heart and of the Holy Face at Elysburg, PA. They came to Wheeling in 1913. St. Boniface parish, Leading Creek, and St. John parish, Benwood, observed parish centennials. Wheeling Hospital dedicated at Medical Park, Wheeling, on June 1. Emergency evacuation due to flash flood, August 31. New Hospital reopened November 30. Former building on Main Street in Wheeling converted to Extensive Care facility. Two official pilgrimages to Rome for Holy Year under chairmanship of Bishop Michaels. St. Stanislaus and Our Lady of Pompeii parishes, Monongah, merged and renamed Holy Spirit parish. Rev. Robert Wanstreet succeeded by Sr. Mary Jude Jochum, SSJ, as Superintendent of Diocesan Schools. Diocesan Department of Social Ministries established, with Marist Brother Ronald Mulholland, as first director. Diocesan Office for Pastoral Ministry of Religious established, with Sr. John Eudes Duffy, OLCR, as first director. Over ninety South Vietnamese refugees resettled in diocese. Louis J. Wuchner Home for Youth established at Huttonsville Catholic Center. St. Elizabeth Mission, Philippi, established as parish with Rev. Damian Drass, TOR, administrator. St. Mary Mission, Petersburg, established as a parish encompassing counties of Grant, Hardy and Pendleton, with Rev. Richard B. Hite, MSsA, first pastor. Permanent Diaconate Formation Program initiated in diocese with twelve candidates. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Franklin, Mission of St. Mary's, Petersburg, established, with Rev. Richard B. Hite as first administrator. Dedication of new church building at Terra Alta mission; name of mission changed from Help of Christians to St. Edward the Confessor.
1977 Bishop Hodges issues Mission Statement, "Strengthened by Hope." First joint meeting of Roman Catholic and Episcopal clergy of West Virginia, co- sponsored by the Bishop Robert P. Atkinson of the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia and Bishop Hodges, held at Jacksons Mill. Pocahontas County Parish of St. John Neumann established at Marlinton and mission of St. Mark at Bartow, with Rev. Roy Lombard as first pastor. Charleston Catholic High School celebrates 50th anniversary. Catholic Rural Life Center dedicated at Huttonsville with Rev. Paul Hickey as first director. Mission of the Risen Lord church building dedicated at Clay (Clay County). New 60-bed unit added to Good Shepherd Nursing Home, Wheeling. St. James Parish, Charles Town, expands seating capacity from 132 to 300. Renovated church is dedicated. Sacred Heart Parish, Chester, celebrates 75th anniversary. St. Francis of Assisi Parish, St. Albans, celebrates 50th anniversary. St. Andrew Parish, Union (Monroe County), established, with Rev. James McGee, OMI, as first pastor. Sisters of the Cenacle come to the diocese to establish Cenacle Retreat House, Charleston. Sutton Catholic Center (Braxton County) established, with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Bishop Hodges celebrates the 25th anniversary of his episcopal ordination. St. Elizabeth Seton Parish established and building dedicated at Westover (Monongalia County). Mission of Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace established near Grantsville (Calhoun County). Our Lady of the Hills Parish established at Elkview (Kanawha County), with Rev. Emil Fischer, OFM Cap., as first pastor. Mission of St. Elizabeth (of Hungary) established in Elizabeth (Wirt County).
1978 Chapel Mausoleum dedicated at St. Paul's Cemetery, Weirton. Groundbreaking held for the renovation- expansion of St. Francis Hospital, Charleston. First floor of former school renovated for St. Thomas Parish Center at Thomas. Sisters of St. Joseph of Wheeling celebrate 125th anniversary. Blessed Sacrament church and parish facilities dedicated at South Charleston. First annual Diocesan Music Festival held at Wheeling. Office of Spirituality and Worship established, with Rev. Eugene Ostrowski as first director. St. Joseph Central High School, Huntington, celebrates 50th anniversary. Sacred Heart Rectory and Parish Hall dedicated at Salem. Diocese purchases Corcoran's Church Goods, Wheeling, as basis for Diocesan purchasing agency. Established as Cathedral Bookstore and Church Goods Co. Sacred Heart Church, Powhatan, renovated and re-dedicated. Christ Our Hope Mission church building dedicated at Harrisville (Ritchie County). St. Joseph Parish, St. Joseph Settlement (Proctor), celebrates 125th anniversary. Carmelite Brothers of the Holy Eucharist take up residence at the St. Thomas More Center (formerly St. Vincent's Home), Wheeling. Brigittine Monks establish Monastery of Our Most Holy Savior at St. Albans. St. John's Home for Children, Wheeling, renovated and three new buildings added for group living. Siena House, Bethany College Catholic Center, dedicated. All Souls' Chapel, Priest Field (Jefferson County), renovated and rededicated. Priest Field Pastoral Center (Wizard Clip) dedicated at Middleway. Genoa Christian Center established in Wayne County, with Sr. Alice Bouchard, OSU, as director. Resurrection Mission established at Belington (Barbour County), with Sr. Teresa Reddington, SSJ, as director. Novitiate for Missionaries of the Holy Apostles established at Moorefield (Hardy County) with chapel under the patronage of St. John the Apostle. Sisters of St. Anne come to Diocese to staff Religious Education Center for deaneries in southern area of the diocese. Diocese establishes Special Religious Education Department, in the Office of Religious Education, with Sr. Mary Clark, OP, first director. Mission of St. Anne, Webster Springs (Webster County), designated as parish, with Rev. Edwin Daschbach, SVD, as first pastor. Joint Commission of Roman Catholics and Episcopalians established by Bishop Hodges and Rt. Rev. Robert P. Atkinson, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia. Cultural and Prayer Center, "Mountain of Peace in Christ," opened, Basin, WV.
1979 Wheeling College celebrates 25th anniversary. Eight members of the First Permanent Deacon Class ordained in St. Joseph Cathedral. Guidelines for Planning Roman Catholic and United Methodist Marriages approved by Bishop Hodges and West Virginia Conference of United Churches, April 12. St. Mary of the Greenbrier Catholic Center, Alderson (Greenbrier County), as mission of St. Patrick Parish, Hinton, established and dedicated. Catholic Center building at St. Ann Parish, Shinnston, dedicated. First meeting of the Anglican/Roman Catholic Commission of West Virginia held at Cenacle Retreat House, Charleston. New SS. Peter and Paul Church dedicated at Oak Hill (formerly Scarbro). First Diocesan Workshop on Evangelization held. New Holy Trinity Church dedicated at Nitro. New St. John Church dedicated at St. Mary's. Logan Deanery established, consisting of parishes in Boone, Lincoln, Logan and Mingo Counties. Bishop Hodges appointed chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Committee for the Campaign for Human Development (CHD). Nazareth Farm dedicated at Center Point (Doddridge County). Dedication of St. John Neumann church building at Marlinton. Dedication of Resurrection Mission Building at Belington. Church building for St. Louis (of France) dedicated at Lewisburg (Greenbrier County).
1981 St. Peter's Parish, Harper's Ferry, celebrates 150th anniversary of Church. Holy Rosary Parish, Clarksburg, celebrates 75th anniversary. St. Francis Hospital, Charleston, adds $130 million west wing. St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Weirton, parish house dedicated. Marshall Newman Center, Huntington, dedicated. Capuchin Franciscan Fathers end 80-year pastorate of Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral, Charleston. Blessed Trinity Parish, Wheeling, celebrates 50th anniversary. Our Lady of Grace Church, Romney, dedicated. St. Peter Claver Church, Huntington, dedicated. Church of the Ascension, Hurricane, dedicated. St. Martin's Church, Cameron, celebrates 110th anniversary. New church building at Ravenswood dedicated and named St. Matthews (previously Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish). Newman Hall, Morgantown, renovated after 55 years of serving Catholic community at West Virginia University. Church of the Annunciation, Fort Ashby, dedicated. Our Lady of Lebanon Parish (Maronite Rite), Wheeling, celebrates 75th anniversary. St. Thomas Parish, Gassaway, celebrates 75th anniversary of Church. Three new deaneries created: Elkins, Logan, Keyser. St. Joseph, Mason, and St. Alphonsus, Wheeling, celebrate 125th anniversary. Paul VI Pastoral Center dedicated. Catholic Diocese officially accepted into West Virginia Council of Churches. Second West Virginia Presbyterian/Roman Catholic Dialogue. Epiphany Church Complex at Moorefield dedicated. Mater Dolorosa, Paden City, established as Parish (formerly mission of New Martinsville, 1921-1978, and Sistersville 1978-1981). Catholic Communications Center, Wheeling, dedicated.
1984 Bishop Hodges rededicates Diocese to the protection of Mary, the Mother of the Church. St. Mary's Hospital, Huntington, celebrates 60 years of health care and dedicates the Phase II Addition.
1988 Bishop Joseph H. Hodges is named to Wheeling Hall of Fame. Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral, Charleston, officially dedicated as a cathedral. Bishop Bernard W. Schmitt, a Wheeling native, is ordained Auxiliary Bishop of the diocese and Titular Bishop of Walla Walla (Wash.) May 31.
1989 Bernard W. Schmitt elected administrator February 17, 1989, by diocesan consultors. The Most Reverend Bernard W. Schmitt installed as Seventh Diocesan Bishop May 17, 1989. St. Joseph's Hospital, Buckhannon and St. Mary's Hospital, Huntington incorporated into Pallottine Health Services Inc.
1990: The Bishop John King Mussio Award (presented for outstanding service to the Church) presented to Monsignor Lawrence Luciana (1963 Franciscan University of Steubenville Alumni).
1990 The late Bishop Joseph H. Hodges is inducted into the Wheeling Hall of Fame for his contributions in the fields of religion/education.
1993 Diocesan Reorganization: In March 1993 Bishop Bernard W. Schmitt announces a process for developing a plan to revitalize parish and mission life in the diocese. Sixteen people (7 priests, 5 lay people, 3 women religious, and 1 deacon) are appointed by Bishop Schmitt to an Analysis Committee for the diocesan pastoral planning process. The committee is to review the recommendations already prepared by parishes, missions, and deaneries regarding their future and make specific recommendations to the bishop as to how best to promote the vitality and vibrancy of parishes and missions in the state. In September the Analysis Committee recommends a reorganization of the Catholic Church in West Virginia and new policies strengthening leadership, accountability, liturgy, and parish life. If implemented, the proposals would directly affect approximately one-third of the parishes and missions in the state. Several congregations would be closed; some would be consolidated under one pastor. Others would be maintained as chapels and no longer offer regular Sunday worship. The recommendations are a draft proposal, and West Virginia Catholics are asked to respond to the proposals by October 22. In November Bishop Schmitt announces the proposed changes he will consider regarding the diocesan reorganization. He will make his final decision in February 1994.
1994 Bishop Bernard W. Schmitt issues "A Pastoral Reflection on the Eucharist." A restructuring of the diocese's central administration is begun. A pastoral letter on health and wellness is jointly issued by the Bishops of the Lutheran, United Methodist, Roman Catholic and Episcopal Churches of West Virginia. Bishop Maximos of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Pittsburgh joins Bishop Bernard W. Schmitt in signing a statement regarding marriage between members of the two faiths.
Diocesan Reorganization: During weekend liturgies March 5-6, Bishop Schmitt issues formal decrees concerning the reorganization and revitalization plan for the diocese. The following changes are effective in 1994: St. Ursula Mission in Pursglove becomes a mission of St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Westover on February 15. St. Mary Mission in Camden- on-Gauley closes March 15. The following churches close, effective June 21: St. Anthony Mission in Mt. Hope; Sacred Heart Mission in Springdale; St. John the Evangelist Mission in Sweet Springs; Jesus Our Savior Mission in Ansted; Christ in the Hills Parish in Hamlin; St. Joseph Mission in Pennsboro; St. Clare Mission in St. Clara; St. Bridget Mission in Roanoke; and St. Bernard Mission in Loveberry. St. Michael Mission in Burnsville is closed and is designated as an outreach center. The following churches become missions attached to parishes, effective June 21: St. Andrew Parish in Union closes as a parish and becomes a mission of St. Catherine of Siena in Ronceverte; St. Peter Mission in Peterstown becomes a mission of Sacred Heart Parish in Princeton; and St. Patrick Mission in Bancroft becomes a mission of Our Lady of the Hills in Elkview.
1995 Diocesan Reorganization: The reorganization and revitalization plan for the diocese continues with the following changes effective June 20: St. Joseph the Worker, Whitesville becomes a mission of St. Francis de Sales Parish, Beckley but remains part of the Logan Deanery; St. Barbara, Chapmanville becomes a mission of St. Mary Queen of Heaven, Madison; Holy Family Parish, Beech Bottom, becomes a mission of St. John the Evangelist, Wellsburg; St. James, McMechen and St. John, Benwood are served by one pastor who resides in Benwood; St. Peter, Farmington and St. Patrick, Mannington are served by one pastor who resides in Mannington. St. Theresa Mission, Windsor Heights closes June 29. The following churches close June 20: St. Mary Mission, Carolina; St. Charles Mission, Paw Paw; St. Peter, Harpers Ferry, with the church building preserved because of its historical significance with occasional liturgical celebrations planned; St. Mary and St. Ladislaus, Wheeling, are closed and incorporated into the "new" St. Alphonsus Parish, with the celebration of one weekend Mass planned at St. Ladislaus while pastorally necessary. Wheeling parishes St. Joan of Arc, Sacred Heart and Blessed Trinity are closed and incorporated into the "new" St. Joseph Cathedral. However, weekend Mass will continue to be held at the three churches over the next year while the Cathedral is closed for extensive renovation.
We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed. --Brother Lawrence
St. Joseph Catholic Church
1304 Sixth Avenue
Huntington, West Virginia 25701
304-525-5202
Rev. Msgr. Lawrence Luciana, Pastor
Rev. Fr. Julian Marneni, Associate Pastor
