[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 177 (Thursday, November 20, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING ST. MARY'S PARISH IN TRENTON, ILLINOIS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN SHIMKUS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 19, 2008

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor St. Mary's Parish 
in Trenton, Illinois. St. Mary's has represented Catholicism for 150 
years in the community of Trenton.
  During the 1820s and '30s the local Catholics of Trenton gathered at 
the railroad station once a year to take the train to St. Louis to 
fulfill their Easter duty. In 1858 Fr. Peter Peters began holding mass 
with a small group of Catholic families in Trenton. The first church 
was built in 1864. Yet, it was not until 1868 that St. Mary's Parish of 
Trenton had its first permanent pastor, Fr. Anthony Brefeld. Just two 
years after Fr. Brefeld took the position as pastor, St. Mary's built a 
small school where the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ came to teach. By 
1950 it was evident that a larger church was needed. In 1953 the new 
church was completed and by 1955, about 1,500 parishioners called St. 
Mary's home.
  To help celebrate the 150th anniversary, the St. Mary's family placed 
a ``time capsule'' into the ground at the parish. The capsule contains 
materials related to the parish celebration. The time capsule will be 
opened in 2058, 50 years from now.
  I join with my fellow Representatives to congratulate St. Mary's on 
150 years of faith and service.

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