Church memories

Church memories
 
Dear Editor,
First wedding in Catholic Church was my Aunt Mary and Uncle Chris Lerche.
I was baptized, received my first communion,
confirmation and married in the church. I remember Mrs. Coffee going to her house, which was next door to what is Newcastle Ambulance now, and her collie dog, Patsy, of course. I also remember the Kinneys
and Coyles.
In the summers a visiting priest would come and hold evening services. One was Father Mouthy, he had a deep, booming voice. Bernard and Minnie Howell lived in the house Jim Hayman lives in now. It had a screened in porch and he sat there each evening and listened to the sermon. Told us how he enjoyed them. Of course the mosquitoes came to the service too. On Sunday morn we had flies, bees, and wasps attend. The heating system was a stove in the basement with a grill in the floor. Cars didn’t have heaters and canvas curtain. My father had a rock on the stone and would put it in the car for our feet. We had a tanned buffalo robe to cover up with, our feet on the rock but we always went to front of church during Mass as it was warmer.
Now to my wedding. Oct 31,1941, 6 a.m. Dan was working at Clay Spur, north of Osage. He was at the church on time but I was late. He thought for sure I had stood it up. Well, Father Mullin didn’t start a fire in the church for daily Mass. He had them use the dining room of the rectory because only about six people attended Daily after the marriage. We went to the cabin out by the bypass. My father was so cold he first stood on the heat vent. Well, after breakfast I went to my job at First State Bank. That’s how I spent my wedding day.
— Fern Porter