Ellis County Ministerial Alliance
SCHOENCHEN — St. Anthony Catholic Church, 204 Church St. in Schoenchen, will celebrate an “Ancestors Mass,” at 9 a.m. Sunday, May 24. The event is part of the 150th anniversary of Volga Germans settling in Ellis County.
Bishop Gerald Vincke of the Salina Diocese will officiate, said the church’s pastor, Father Job Varghese.
The Mass will be followed by a day of special events, Varghese said. These will include a cemetery visit to celebrate ancestors, a German meal, a dance with polka music, kids’ games and yard games, and a beer garden. The community is invited to attend, Varghese said.
According to the church’s website, “The village south of Hays was founded in 1877 by German Catholic emigrants from Russia. Residents traveled to Hays, 11 miles north, to attend Mass until they could build their own church, starting in 1879. The stone structure’s foundation was damaged by heavy rains a year later, and the building was abandoned. A frame church was completed in 1881.
“Plans for a new stone church began in 1900, and the church was dedicated in 1911. To quarry the native limestone blocks was a difficult task since the only tools they had were hand drills, wedges, and sledgehammers. All adult men pledged to help one day a week towards the construction of the church. In addition to the volunteer labor, every parishioner over 12 years of age was assessed $40 towards the construction.”