www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Photo Gallery St. Francis Xavier, Gettysburg Centennial: 1953

Hello all,

It's been a while since I've posted a photo, and while stumbling through one of our parish archives boxes last week, I found a photo taken on September 7, 1953.

It is during a Pontifical High Mass celebrated by our then-ordinary, Bishop George L. Leech. Bishop Leech was an historical figure himself, having led our diocese from 1935 until his retirement in 1971; he died in 1985.

In the far left of the photo, we see the ranks of religious sisters. The majority have a black veil which fits against the head: They are the Religious Sisters of Mercy who taught in and administered our parochial school for 90 years, from 1920 until the summer of 2010. They still live in our parish and are active yet enjoying semi-retirement.

The sisters with the black veils which have an undersupport are the Sister of St. Joseph. These sisters have had a strong presence in our area since the days of St. John Neumann; several "daughters" of our parish joined these sisters, as they operated a boarding school for girls in nearby McSherrystown.

If you look closely, one can see the "flying-nun" veils of Emmitsburg's Daughters of Charity, founded by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. These sisters taught in our school from 1899 until 1920. During the Battle in 1863, these sisters left their motherhouse in Emmitsburg to serve as battlefield nurses; with their distinctive veils, they earned the nickname "Angels of the Battlefield." For several months our present church, dedicated by St. John Neumann in 1853, was used as a makeshift hospital.

Now I come to a little trivia question for our resident historians: Look carefully at the section of priests assisting at Mass in choir, on the right hand side of the church. All but one, has a surplice. Would anyone venture a guess as to who he is or what his connection to the parish is? In paging through the 1953 Centennial book from our parish, I think I have it figured out.

Guess away!

It is very hard to make out. It looks like one is in alb and deacon stole?

Deacon Lance,

I also focused on that individual at first. Then I started to wonder if Father Jon is referring to the priests in the pews at the right - immediately behind what look to be KofC or other fraternal order members.

There is one priest, at the end of the end (far right) - looks to be fairly bald - who is not vested in a surplice. I blew the photo up quite a bit, but couldn't make out enough detail to reach any conclusion.

(I have a suspicion, but nothing on which to base it - purely a guess.)

Many years,

Neil

Neil is on to it! In the pews, the priests who are attending Mass are considered attending Mass "in choir," as there was not the concelebration we have today.

When I was reading our 1953 Centennial book, which was compiled for this event, this jumped out:

"Many migrant workers come to Adams County each summer. During the summers of 1952 and 1953 the Rev. Charles Sullivan, C.SS.R., has said Mass each Sunday for a large group of Puerto Rican workers in the vicinity of Bendersville. In 1950 about fifty Ukrainian refugees came to Adams and York Counties. The Rev. Basil Sushko, a refugee himself, was appointed by the Most Reverend Constantine Bohachevsky, S.T.D., Bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Diocese of the United States, to care for these people. Father Sushko, who resides in Baltimore, celebrates a Byzantine Rite Mass on the third Sunday of each month in St. Francis Xavier Church."

When I found this photo in the archives box, I immediately zeroed in to the priest who wasn't in a surplice - and if you look, it appears to be the back of an epitrachelion over a cassock. I believe we are looking at Fr. Sushko.

These 50 Ukrainian families. would explain why there are two or three "Ukrainian" graves in our cemetery. I don't know when the Divine Liturgy ceased being held at our parish. There is just one parishioner (that I know of) who was a D.P. from "Galicia" who is now in a nursing home; we buried another a year ago.

Our parish has a very large and vibrant Spanish community, now mostly made of Mexicans. Only a handful of those original Puerto Rican families are still in the area. Over the years we also had a Mass in Creole for Haitian farm workers.

When I think of this history of welcoming the stranger, my heart is warmed that we have at least attempted to live Christ's command to love our neighbor.

Bless, Father Jon,

I had the priest, but I'd have never made the identity or the 'why' of his presence. It's a great story and I find it particularly heart-warming that it was referenced in the Centennial history - let me explain.

In constructing the directory, I often view the websites of Latin parishes that host Eastern missions - and sometimes have for years. I could count on one hand, with fingers left, the number of these that ever make even a passing reference to the presence of their 'tenant'.

May the memory of all those involved - the migrant workers - Ukrainian, Puerto Rican, Haitian, and Mexican, the faithful and clergy of St Francis Xavier, and Father Basil, be eternal.

Thank you, Father Jon, for the interesting picture and history.

Many years,

Neil

Bless, Father Jon,

When I first looked at the photo, I didn't pick up on your use of 'in choir'. Only when I went back and reread did I spot that and was able to immediately narrow my focus (for all the good it did me ).

Even today, if a cleric is invited to attend a Pontifical Mass or Liturgy, the invitation or accompanying instructions should properly specify that he be vested in 'choir dress', if he is not to be among those who will concelebrate - and the vesture required for such remains unchanged.

Many years,

Neil