History of the Parish
The long journey to become the parish of St. Anthony we are today began with the vision and benevolence of a German immigrant, Anthony Reis and his wife Magdalena who made their fortune in the tannery business beginning in 1857. He found both fortune and a place in history as the inspiration for an early Catholic church in Evansville, Indiana.
In 1872, Mr. Reis built the current St. Anthony rectory as a mansion for his family. The Reis home was located on the block bounded by First Avenue, Columbia Street, Second Avenue and Delaware Street. In 1884, Mr. Reis died and his widow donated this parcel of land to the Indianapolis Diocese the next year with the stipulation that the land be used as the site of a Catholic church, to be named in memory of her husband.
Three years later, Bishop Francis S. Chatard received a petition from 150, mostly poor, German families from Holy Trinity Church requesting the organization of a new parish. St. Antonius Kirche, or St. Anthony Church, became the sixth Catholic parish in Evansville.
In 1888, The Rev. Joseph Schuck, a 23 year old native of Germany, became the first pastor and began plans for a school that would house a provisional church on the second floor. Within weeks, Father Schuck was forced to step down as pastor because of poor health and was replaced by the Rev. Kaspar Seiler.
While the church-school was being built, Mrs. Reis provided Father Seiler a temporary room in her home and offered the use of her attic for church services. On June 13, 1888, the Feast of St. Anthony, the new parish celebrated its first Mass and continued to hold services in the attic for the next four months. On November 4, 1888, Mass was held for the first time in the new parish building.
The parish grew so rapidly that preparations soon began for the construction of a larger church, separate from the school. Brother Adrian, O.S.F., a renowned architect from St. Louis was chosen to design the church.
On Pentecost Monday, May 25, 1896, the church was ready for its formal consecration. The ceremony began at 7 a.m. and was attended by more than 25 priests from Southern Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. Members of Evansville’s Catholic parishes assembled at Holy Trinity and paraded to St. Anthony to attend the Pontifical High Mass. The 290 families in the new parish pledged $17,000 for the new church and regular contributions, donations from other parishes and pew rent (a payment for the right to sit in the same pew each Sunday) would help offset the remainder of the costs.
In 1888, the Sisters of St. Francis of Oldenburg, Indiana were called to conduct school. The Franciscans would represent the only religious order teaching at St. Anthony until 1975. In 1927, enrollment at the school had grown to approximately 400 pupils and a new school and parish building was built and dedicated in June of 1932. Due to declining enrollment, St. Anthony School ended its 99 year history by consolidating with St. Joseph School as Ascension Elementary School. One year later, Ascension Elementary School was closed.
Today, St. Anthony is comprised of 652 families who have restored the church to its former splendor. The parishioners continue their mission to serve the poor of Evansville. Ministries at St. Anthony include the soup kitchen, R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults), Catholics Returning Home, SPRED (special religious education for the mentally handicapped), Evangelization, Christ Renews His Parish retreats, Congregations Acting for Justice and Empowerment and many others. The former school is home to Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Evansville Area Community of Churches, Kid’s Café, (after school care for neighborhood children), a clothing bank for foster children, and the church cafeteria and meeting rooms.
Our mission statement:
We are called to be a faith-filled family who acts justly, loves tenderly, forgives freely, and walks humbly with our God.
For a quick tour of the church, click here