Some of the more than 500 people who celebrated the 150th anniversary Mass on Sept. 29 at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Radom (David Wilhelm photo).
The 150th anniversary at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Radom stirred up memories and stories for one of the parish’s oldest members, 91-year-old Joe Kula.
In 1933, Kula was born in the house he has lived in his entire life, except for the three years he served in the Navy. It’s on a five-generation, 270-acre farm in Ashley, where they raise beef cattle and grow corn, wheat, hay and soybeans.
“My grandfather bought the property more than 100 years ago,” Kula said.
Kula’s father farmed it. Kula followed. And now his son, Stephen, owns it and works it with the help of his son, Jacob, a high school sophomore.
Kula has been a parishioner of St. Michael his entire life and attended the grade school from 1939-47, when the School Sisters of Notre Dame taught there.
At that time, the school had a house for boarding students during the week. He remembers when the boarding house was destroyed by fire in 1941.
“Fortunately, everyone got out safely,” he said. “The boarding students stayed in one of the four classrooms after the fire.”
He added: “The fire happened in the winter, and we had to still go to school the next day. We sure had fun ‘skating’ on all the ice.”
Kula remembered Fr. Stephen Joseph Kraus, the assistant pastor.
“He was a wonderful priest,” he said. “He would play baseball with us at the noon hour. He would be the umpire, and we didn’t argue about his calls. Unfortunately, Fr. Kraus died in a rectory fire (at St. Mary Magdalene, Todd’s Mill). His death hurt many hearts.”
Kula recalled stories about Sister Jacynpha, the principal, and Sister Leonita, who lived with the boarders.
“I remember to this day Sister Jacynpha telling us to fold our hands facing upward after communion,” Kula said. “She would tell us to do this to pray to God and not the devil,” he said.
Kula’s stories about walking to and from school are not the typical “we walked uphill both ways,” that you often hear told by elderly people. Instead, his story is about walking the Illinois Central double-railroad tracks 2 1/2 miles to get to school and then to return home.
“It was dangerous walking the railroad tracks,” Kula said. “The older kids helped the younger kids, reminding them to not look at the trains when they went by. If you did, you would get cinders in your eyes from the steam engines.
“It was definitely a different time back then.”
The first time Kula rode the train was with five friends, who also joined the Navy, from Ashley to St. Louis to take the Navy physical, and then on to San Diego.
“Being a farmer prepared me for boot camp,” Kula said. “If there was a job to do, it had to be done. I could get up early, and the weather didn’t bother me.”
Kula said he prayed fervently while he in was in the Navy. He was very much interested in returning to the farm, rather than remain in the service.
“I may have stayed in the Navy 20 years, but the pull of the farm was there,” Kula said. “I prayed every night while in the service. God answered my prayers. He moves us to where he wants us to be.”
Kula said if he hadn’t left the Navy when he did, he wouldn’t have married his wife, Edith. They met in 1945 at the bingo stand at the parish picnic at Holy Childhood of Jesus in Mascoutah. They were married for 61 years before her death six years ago.
“Edie was really the answer to my prayers,” Kula said. “I thank God for her every morning and every night.”
They had seven children and now have 15 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Kula enjoyed attending the 150th anniversary celebration of St. Michael on Sept. 29. He sang in the choir with his son, Stephen, and grandson, Jacob.
“The church was the fullest I have seen it in about 20 years,” he said. “I shared many conversations during the luncheon.”
The estimated attendance at the Mass was 500.
The anniversary celebration began with a polka Mass, which is a Roman Catholic Mass that uses polka tunes or waltzes instead of traditional hymns. Polka Masses are usually held by congregations that consider the polka to be an important part of their ethnic heritage.
Diocese of Belleville Bishop Michael McGovern concelebrated the Mass with Fr. Oliver Nwachukwu, the parish administrator. A luncheon followed.
“I’m very pleased and proud to be here with you,” Bishop McGovern told the parishioners, thanking them for their “150 years of faith, hope and love.”
“You have much to be proud of,” he continued. “There have been many twists and turns over the years, but the people persevered. There has been lots of hard work over the years.”
Bishop McGovern marveled at the sturdy construction of the church, which was built without pillars on the inside.
“This is one of the most beautiful churches in our diocese,” Bishop McGovern said. “I’m impressed every time I come here.”
Photos and artifacts about the history of the church were on display in the basement of the church after the Mass.
The Sept. 29 celebration also marked the 100th anniversary of the current church building, which was dedicated Sept. 29, 1924.
Photos from the event are posted on the church’s Facebook page, “St. Michael the Archangel Church of Radom, IL.”