January 8, 2010
Homecoming in Daylight
Altar, stations from Elberfeld church have a new home
Father John Silva is joined by parishioners Charles Wagner and Grace Wagner Robertson near the newly restored altar at St. John Church in Daylight. The altar, which now serves as the tabernacle stand, was originally used in the church at St. John, Elberfeld. When the church was razed in 1986, the nine-foot wood and plaster altar was stored in a chicken coop. It was recently restored, and the parish purchased the tabernacle from a Catholic church which had been closed. The top wooden cabinet is a replica, designed using a photograph from the old Elberfeld church. (Message photo by Mary Ann Hughes) Click for a larger version.
By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)
Grace Wagner Robertson’s voice catches a bit when she talks about the church where she was baptized, where she received her First Holy Communion, and where she was married.
It was St. John Church in Elberfeld which was 90 years old when it was razed in 1986.
In 1985, the parish buildings and land were sold to the Amax Coal Co. by the Diocese of Evansville for $1.25 million. The decision to sell the property came after months of negotiations with the coal company which had been purchasing land in the area for 10 years.
As parishioners sold their houses and land, the parish had declined in size. Diocesan officials feared for the safety of the aging buildings as the coal mine blasting edged closer and closer to the property.
Nearly 500 people attended the last parish Mass there which was held that October. Many were the grandsons and granddaughters of the parishioners who built the brick church with its 130-foot spire for $9,000 in 1894.
That was a sad time for Grace who was a fifth generation member of the parish.
In 1987, a new church — also named St. John’s — was built at nearby Daylight in the northeast section of Vanderburgh County. It was very contemporary in its design. To Grace, it resembled a stadium.
The stained glass windows from the Elberfeld church were used in the new church, but she missed the Stations of the Cross and the altar which had been part of faith celebrations in her family for generations.
It’s been nearly 25 years since the Elberfeld church was demolished, and Grace’s eyes are sparkling again.
That’s because the Stations of the Cross and the altar from the old church have all been restored and placed in the new church at Daylight.
Before the church building was torn down, the altar and the stations were all placed in storage on parishioners’ farms. The nine-foot altar, which was made of wood and plaster and had a three-dimensional painting of the Last Supper, was stored in a chicken coop.
The brass candlesticks were tucked away in a closet and forgotten, and the stations of the cross were placed in a barn in Elberfeld.
When Father John Silva arrived in Daylight, parishioners showed him these treasures. He realized “they had to be restored. They were not in horrible shape.”
He was just in time. He was told that if the stations had been left untouched for three more years “they couldn’t have restored them.”
When he was shown the old altar he knew “it could look good in our church. When I saw it, I saw the potential.”
Grace’s brother Charles Wagner took on the responsibility of raising money for the restoration project; nothing came from the parish budget. It took him less than 10 days to raise enough money to restore all 14 stations — at $2,300 per station.
“It wasn’t hard to get the job done,” he said. “It was the easiest fund raiser I was ever on.”
Both Grace and Charles agree that the razing of the church caused great pain to many parishioners. Now with the placement of the old items in the new church, there is healing.
Grace says, “It’s fantastic. I totally love it. You open the door and look in, and it’s awe-inspiring.”
She said that the younger people in the parish tell her “this looks like a Catholic church now. Now they come in and make the Sign of the Cross. They are a lot more reverent.”
Charles agreed, noting that the parishioners are “so thrilled you can’t believe it.”
He said, “It looks like a church again. You feel like praying.”
She added, “It feels like a church. I’m home.”