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William "Coach" Waldron |
History of The Church of the Resurrection of Our Lord On January 13, 1911, the Rev. Augustine L. Ganster was appointed by the Most Revered P.J. Ryan, Archbishop of Philadelphia, to organize a new parish in the neighborhood of Thurlow Station, now called Highland Avenue on the Pennsylvania Railroad in Chester, PA. Several sites were examined for this purpose and by the last of January, 1911 the Bent property at Ninth Street and Highland Avenue was purchased. Located on the grounds was a three-story farm house. This dwelling has since been enlarged, stuccoed and used as a Rectory.
On March 23, 1911 the property was turned over to the new owner and the work of setting up a temporary Chapel was begun. This Chapel was located on the first floor of the Rectory. A frame addition was erected and this addition with part of the first floor of the Rectory was used as a Chapel until the end of November, 1911. Mass was said in the Chapel for the first time on Passion Sunday, April 2, 1911 by Father Ganster. On Easter Sunday, April 16, 1911 the name of the new parish was fittingly announced as the Resurrection of Our Lord. Ballinger and Perrot, Architects, were engaged to prepare plans for our school building - the basement of which was to be erected at this time. The contracts for this work were signed on July 7, 1911 and ground broken on July 11, 1911. The last Mass in the Chapel was read on November 19, 1911. On Sunday, November 26, 1911 the first Mass was held in the new basement. The corner stone of the new building was blessed and laid by the Most Revered E. F. Prendergast, Archbishop of Philadelphia, at 4 p.m. the same day. The parish of the Resurrection at that time included all the territory between Ward Street, Chester and the Delaware State line. A few years later, the number of Catholics in the Marcus Hook district showed an increase and it became necessary to provide better and more convenient church facilities for them. For this reason the Red Men's Hall in Marcus Hook, was rented for Sunday mornings and Mass was said there the first time by the Rector on Sunday, April 19, 1914. Later on, ground was bought in Linwood Heights and the present school building erected, which was used for church purposes until May 1915. - when the Marcus Hook district was severed from the Mother Parish of the Resurrection and the parish of the Holy Saviour erected. Early in the year 1917, it was decided to complete the Resurrection school building. Contracts were let and work begun on May 3, 1917. Living quarters for the Sisters of St. Francis, who were to conduct the school, were obtained on September 7, 1917 - when Father Ganster purchased the Houston property at 719 Highland Avenue. This house continued to be used as a Convent until July, 1944 - when Father Brady purchased the McCaffery property adjacent to the Rectory. On August 8, 1918 the six Sisters of St. Francis, who were to take charge of the school, arrived at the Convent. On September 9, 1918 the opening of our parochial school took place. The enrollment on the first day was 96 boys and 92 girls. On November 24, 1918 the new school building was dedicated by the Most Revered Dennis J. Dougherty, Archbishop of Philadelphia.
The first class to receive First Holy Communion received the Sacrament May 4, 1919. The class consisted of 48 boys and 40 girls. The Sacrament of Confirmation was administered for the first time in the parish on May 1, 1912 by the Right Reverend John J. McCort, D.D. At that time 154 children and 12 adults were confirmed. Our last Confirmation class consisted of 248 children and 8 adults. In 1920, the Clayton property at Ninth and Wilson Streets was purchased and was given over to the Missionary Sisters of the sacred Heart on March 16, 1935 to establish an institution for visiting nurses. On April 24, 1921 a three-day celebration was held in honor of the tenth anniversary of the parish. On Wednesday, November 25, 1936 a week long celebration was held in honor of the twenty-fifth anniversary. On both occasions a Solemn High Mass of Thanksgiving was sung by the Rector and the next morning a Requiem Mass was read for the deceased members of the parish. Time and the continuous work which Father Ganster did so ably began to wear upon his health. His condition grew gradually worse and on Thursday, June 16, 1938 - the Feast of Corpus Christi - at 5:10 pm he died. (May he rest in peace) On June 20th, Father Ganster was buried on the Rectory grounds and a year later the parishioners had a shrine erected at the head of the grave. It was appropriately inscribed as follows:
Erected by a grateful people to the memory of Rev. Augustine L. Ganster Founder and First Pastor 1911 - 1938 Of the Resurrection Parish |
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