Our History

Source: 100th Year of Most Holy Trinity Parish

The early history of Most Holy Trinity Parish of Fowler dates back to the year 1857. Catholics in the Fowler area were served by Rev. George Godez, pastor at St. Mary's Westhphalia. Father Godez was the well-known missionary priest who visited the Catholics of Fowler on horseback at regular intervals of four months. No attempt was made by this worthy priest to congregate the scattered families into a parish, as his mission extended over forty square miles and his whole energy was consumed in tending to the spiritual needs of the people. In the beginning he visited the mission once each year at Easter time. Later as his mission territory increased, he made three visits per year. He was assisted by Rev. Theodore Trottenberg and Rev. Andrew S. Lietner in the year 1872 and 1873. As the Westphalia parish was growing in numbers and Father Godez was aging, he was obliged to give up his missionary tours, consequently the Catholics of Fowler were left without spiritual guidance.

Rev. Peter DeSmedt of Hubbardston, hearing of the forsaken condition of these Christians, agreed to come several times during the year to hear their confessions and to offer Mass. As a place of worship the house of Mr. Thomas Long, northwest of Fowler, (presently the Farley farm), was selected. Father DeSmedt attended the mission from 1874 until 1880.

Father DeSmedt being subsequently transferred, new anxiety was felt but was of short duration. Rev James Ronayne, the successor to Father DeSmedt, was equally, if not more, concerned about the spiritual wellfare of the Fowler Catholics.

PLANS FOR A CHURCH EMERGE

The descendants of the German pioneers numbered some two hundred families in Dallas township, and there were in addition, several Irish families who lived on the extreme limits of the Hubbardston parish. The village of Fowler was the most appropriate center for them, and it was moreover linked by railroad with the parish at St. Johns.

In the year 1878, three-hundred square feet of land was donated by John N. and Elizabeth Fowler with certain provisions stipulated in the deed. It was stated that a church of modern style and architecture; size 35 feet by 65 feet with spire and two coats of paint, be built within three years or the property was to revert back to the donor.

During Father Ronayne's administration, plans for building a church edifice materialized.

The Catholics responded to the call in large numbers and it was unanimously decided to build a church. The serious question was how to proceed in a canonical legal manner, as no church or parish is acknowledged by the authorities of the Catholic Church unless its erection is pursued according to canon law.

By way of explaination, it must be said that new parishes could be formed either by way of creation, when they were formed not from portions of parishes already in existence, but from people or territory not yet assigned to any parish. Most of the parishes in the United States were established in this way. New parishes could also be formed by way of dismemberment, when certain portions are taken away from one or several old parishes in order to form new ones.

The only competent authority to form a new parish by either of the above ways was the Bishop of the Diocese and, so neither the people nor the pastor in charge could act arbitrarily. Besides, a proper legal procedure was absolutely required according to the ancient laws of the Catholic Church.

Separation from Westphalia, which had long been considered, was finally approved in 1880, by Bishop Casper H. Borgess of Detroit.

A meeting was called through the instrumentality of Messers John Kissane and Peter Ulrich to be held at Mr. Charles Bengel's furniture store in Fowler. The purpose of the meeting was to consider the advisability of erecting a separate building of worship.

The following is quoted from the original minutes of that first meeting: [In the year 1879, on the 20th day of October, the first meeting was held for the purpose of building a Roman Catholic Church in Fowler. Seven men were appointed to find a good building lot for building the church on, including Joseph Bauer, Conrad Martin, and Dennis Sullivan. They found the place donated by Mr. and Mrs. John N. Fowler, (on the second block west on the north side of Kent Street) as the best site.]

Accordingly, it was decided after that memorable meeting, to send a committee to meet with Rev. Father Ronayne, and to ask his counsel and cooperation. This Father Ronayne most joyfully gave, and in 1881 during his administration, the specifications and plans were approved by the head of the Diocese, Most Rev. Bishop Caspar H. Borgess of Detroit.

The Beginning of a Church

The second meeting was held on the 16th day of December 1879, and they elected a building committee and treasurer. The committee consisting of John Kissane, William Henderson, Conrad Mmartin, and Charles Bengel commenced gathering subscriptions.

At a meeting held at the home of Peter Ulrich on August 3, 1880, the building committee was instructed to call on Michael Spitzley, (Great-grandfather of Fr. Denis Spitzley), and J. H. Fedewa, to obtain a deed of the building lot promised by Mr. and Mrs. John N. Fowler.

Mr. Ulrich was appointed overseer of the job of hauling building materials, with authority to notify all members of the share of labor allotted to each one of them. Conrad Werner was similarly appointed overseer on the south side of the railroad. Mr. Joseph Willems was appointed to inspect and take note of all material brought in by each person.

At the same time a letter was received that was sent to Fr. DeSmedt from Caspar H. Borgess, Bishop of Detroit, giving permission to organize the Fowler Mission, Clinton County, Michigan, and to build a church in Fowler provided that no debts were incurred.

The boundry line for the mission was determined by Fr. DeSmedt of the Hubbardston parish and by Fr. Herwig of the Westphalia parish.

Thereupon, the building committee agreed to collect money and to proceed with the building. The committee met on the 7th day of May 1881, and gave the job of laying the foundation wall to John Benner of Westphalia, Clinton County, Michigan for the sum of .00.

The committee met again on the 12th day of May, 1881, and hired Henry J. Goerge of Fowler, Michigan, to erect a church complete with plaster work and painting. The cost was to be ,000 and the building was to be finished by November 1, 1881. He was to receive .00 when the contract was signed, .00 when the roof was on, .00 when finished and .00 with 10% interest six months after the church was completed.

On November 9, 1881, a meeting was held to raise money to put pews in the church and it was decided that each family pay .00 pew rent toward this cause.

On December 3, 1881, the committee gave John Kissane, Peter Ulrich and Charley Bengel a receipt acknowledging the building of the church. Income for the church was $298.36 and expenses were $293.45 leaving a balance on hand January 1, 1882 of .91.

Now only such churches could be consecrated which were free of debt, built of substantial material, and in every way morally and financially independent of every secular influence. Consecrated churches could never be turned to profane use. Such a church becoming inadequate for sacred use must be torn down and its material must be either burned or again converted to its former service. To blessed churches, none of the above applies.

The Fowler church being built of wood or frame work, was blessed accordingly on December 27, 1881.

The building of the Catholic Church commenced in 1881, on the 6th day of June, the week before Trinity Sunday, and was finished on the 3rd day of December of that same year. The priests present for dedication services were: Revs. Botte of Ionia, Reichenback of Westphalia, Ronayne of Hubbardston, Wheeler of Owosso, and Holthaus of St. Johns.

Some difficulty arose with regard to the name to be given to the church. The Irish members of the new parish desired a patron saint of their own nationality, while the Germans contended for their national saint. Fr. Ronayne, the temporary pastor, ended the difficulty satisfactorily to both parties by dedicating the church to the Most Holy Trinity, its yearly titular feast being fixed accordingly for the feast of the Most Holy Trinity. The statues on the main altar today are of St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland and St. Boniface, Apostle of Germany, as a memorial to our Irish and German parishioners.