Sister reflects on St. Joseph Parish “glory days” with BVMs

Ed.: The BVM Congregation is celebrating its 100th anniversary of service in Montana. This is the third in a series of articles to be published throughout the year in recognition of this celebration.
These recollections were written by Sister Mary Lidwina, BVM, who graduated from St. Joseph’s in Butte in 1934 and from Girls’ Central in 1938. Sister Mary Lidwina taught at St. Joseph’s, 1943-1947, and at St. Ann’s, 1953-1955.

Challenge your memory and see if you can remember from your youth when the parish was 80 percent Irish with the remaining 20 percent consisting of the Austrian, Croatian, Slovenian and Bohemian families who lived on “The Boulevard” on South Montana Street with the Jovick, Mudro, Segulia, O’Bill and Kriskovich families. All these groups made up the culturally diverse traditions and lifestyles of the parish.
Do you remember the priest who gathered them all together as a vibrant God-centered family? It was the young, energetic Irish Father Michael J. McCormack. He was their loving shepherd for more than 30 years. He visited every home, knew every member – even the hidden skeletons in their closets. He never revealed even one of them! His parish family and school were the center of his life. Father McCormack and the BVM community formed an awesome working relationship.
Father’s dream was to build a parish bound together with deep spiritual ties of prayer and sacrifice. That the children’s spiritual development held top priority is evidenced by the parish records which show that 14 boys were ordained as diocesan priests, eight were ordained for religious orders and five became Christian Brothers. Twelve girls entered the BVM Congregation and eight joined other religious orders.
Long before Hillary Clinton, St. Joseph School’s educational goal was “that no child be left behind.” The BVM teachers encouraged high academic achievement for all students. The Montana Standard and the Butte Daily Post lauded the St. Joseph students for their outstanding success in winning many awards in various academic competitions. They excelled in oratorical and essay writing contests. They were frequent winners of the Daniel O’Connell contests sponsored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
Butte is a city very well-known for its outstanding enthusiastic support for all athletic events. The sports programs for both boys and girls are unrivaled in the state. St. Joseph’s achievement was truly awesome.
Do you remember how graduates would come back to find their pictures among the multitude of championship ones lining the corridor walls? Much of their athletic success was due to the enthusiastic support of Father McCormack and the BVMS, who rarely missed any games.
Do you remember the banquets served in the convent dining room to reward the champions? Do you remember the Butte football dynasty started by Bill and Dan McCarthy at Portland University? Do you remember the top-ranked dances of the Irish Jig and the miniature Charlie Chaplins who were taught and choreographed by Sister Mary Thoma, BVM? Those were the days! Has your memory been jogged?
There are 13 BVMs living who taught at St. Joseph’s. You can contact them at 1100 Carmel Drive in Dubuque, IA 52003.
They are: Sisters Mary Agnes Corneille Shea, Julia Patrice Cadigan, Joan Frances Crowley, Lidwina Swakoski, St. Philomena Roselli, Mary Ellen Dolan, Incarnata Gephart, Dona Corr, Rose André Koehler, Gayle Brabec, Elizabeth Olsen and Roselani Ornellas.
Please save this date: Saturday, Aug. 25, for the Centennial Mass at 4:30 p.m. at St. Ann’s Church. See you there!

Published in The Montana Catholic, Vol. 23, No. 7, July 20, 2007.