"Catholic Day" in Pierz and St Cloud

I'm sure you remember a post from December, 2012, about the massive confirmation celebration in Pierz in the fall of 1910.  We were aware of it because a postcard Larry found of St Joseph's church had an arch and banner in front and horses (and a parade with brass bands and a dozen neighborhood priests in attendance). 

We found a write-up in the paper, but no real explanation at the time...not until these two articles!  Evidently it was based mainly around St Joseph societies and other societies organized in Catholic parishes.  I think it'd been celebrated well before Spring, 1899. Read on ☺

"CATHOLIC DAY CELEBRATION

 The German Roman Catholic Benevolent Society of Minnesota will meet at St Cloud Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.  Sunday will be what is known as "Catholic Day" and the various St Joseph societies in this region will be represented.  Members from Pierz, Buckman and Little Falls will attend. A special train which starts from Perham will go down Sunday leaving Little Falls at 8:55 AM.  The city band will accompany the local members to St Cloud and will take part in the parade.
Father Altendorf will celebrate mass at the church of the Sacred Heart Sunday morning at 7:30 and after mass the members of the local societies will assemble at the parochial school to march to the depot.
St Cloud is making great preparations to entertain the visitors and all who go will certainly not only be well entertained but will receive impressions of lasting value."

 "Bishop Trobec will visit Pierz and arrive here June 20th at one o'clock PM.  About 100 persons on horseback, the different societies and the two brass bands will meet him.  Three triumphal arches will be erected in the village.
On Wednesday June 21 in the forenoon there will be a high mass and after mass confirmation will take place.  At 3 o'clock PM the St Joseph society will keep Catholic Day, and the program will be as follows:
Music, Brass Band, "Champion."
President's Address.
Welcome speech by Father Stephan.
Church choir, Song.
Address by John Gueneman, St Paul.
Mannerchor Song.
Music by String Band.
Address by Christ Billstein.
Church choir Song.
Music by String Band.
Mannerchor.                                                                                                         Address by Prof. G. Stelzl, St Cloud.
                                                   Te Deum, with music".

The Fourth of July, 1904 was "...one continuous round of pleasure"

There's more time for posting than I thought today, since the kids are stuck in traffic leaving the cities.  Em called and said they were moving about 20 mph, along with thousands of others, going north on I-94...

That title quote comes from a letter published in the Little Falls Herald on June 24, 1904 (top left) encouraging area farmers to attend the festivities in town and even enter their teams in the parade.  That particular year, the festivities featured Chippewa dancers from the Mille Lacs Reservation.  People were urged to bring their kids to watch, as the tribe was about to be removed to White Earth.  

Seven years later, the Pierz Journal promised "a Program the Like of Which Has Never Before Been Attempted in This Village"...Woohoo!  The description of the festivities, beginning with a cannon blast at dawn, sounds fascinating.  Don't you wonder what the Goddess of Liberty on that first float looked like?

76 years ago today....

....Laura Hesch and Rodney Stoneberg were married!