[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 59 (Wednesday, April 28, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ST. FRANCIS ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 28, 1999

  Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Saint 
Francis of Assisi Church, in my hometown of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, on 
the occasion of its 125th Anniversary Celebration. I am pleased and 
proud to bring the history of this fine parish to the attention of my 
colleagues.
  The church's origins go back to the early settlers along the 
Susquehanna River near what is now Nanticoke. The City was named for 
the Nanticoke Indians, who had emigrated from the Chesapeake Bay area 
in the 1770's. By 1825, Nanticoke was a coal mining town and most of 
the settlers were of English, Irish, and Welsh descent. As mining 
operations expanded, the need for labor increased and the area saw a 
wave of immigrants from Ireland and Central Europe. The need for a 
place of worship for these miners became apparent.
  In September of 1874, Bishop O'Hara laid the Cornerstone of St. 
Francis Church with several hundred faithful in attendance. The 
parishioners built a wooden structure which served their needs until a 
larger more elaborate building was finished in 1879.
  A succession of dedicated Pastors expanded the church and its 
services over the years. By 1888, a school and a convent had been 
added. By early 1900, the church had a choir under the leadership of 
Father James Martin. Father Moylan succeeded him and was an outstanding 
community leader, organizing temperance societies, the Boy's Cadets, 
the men's association, and the Holy Name Society. He remodeled the 
church during his tenure, adding its beautiful stained glass windows.
  Mr. Speaker, this proud church withstood the storm of the Depression 
and two world wars. Its parishioners married there, baptized their 
children, and buried their loved ones there. This Church, St. Francis 
of Assisi, has been an integral thread in the fabric of life in 
Nanticoke for 125 years. It has been a place of spiritual comfort to 
the community it faithfully serves. I am extremely proud to 
congratulate St. Francis on this milestone in its proud history. I send 
my sincere best wishes as this historic parish celebrates 125 years of 
service to the faithful and prepares to enter a new century and new 
millenium.

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