St. Anthony Catholic Church
on the West Side Charleston, WV and the life of the Capuchin Franciscan Friars in the Greater Kanawha Valley are interconnected. Over the years, the parishioners of St. Anthony Church and the people of the West Side of Charleston have helped shaped the lives of the friars and the Capuchin Province of St. Augustine. At the same time, the friars,, who are a part of an international community of Catholic religious men, have influenced the lives of the parishioners and community with Franciscan values:Early History
Early Church records show that in 1649, by the request of English nobility, Capuchin Friars were given the responsibility of doing the work of the Church in what was, at that time, known as Virginia. Two French Capuchin friars worked in Virginia from 1650 to 1689. The next historical note in regards to the Capuchins being in the region is their arrival in West Virginia in 1901 when the friars were asked to provide pastoral
leadership at Sacred Heart Church, east of the Elk River in Charleston.In June 1905, a diocesan priest, Fr. Jaworek from New Cumberland, WV served a small. community of Polish Catholics who were working on the west side of Charleston at, the Kelly Ax Factory. By August 16, 1 905, property was purchased to build a church. In August 1906, Fr. Cyprian Gehrlnig; Capuchin, arrived to serve as pastor of the newly built St. Ladislaus Church. Under the leadership of Fr. Cyprian, the first worship space was built. It was blessed and dedicated on January 28, 1908. The Kelly Ax Factory not only purchased some of the property for the Church, but also provided a loan to the parish so that the worship space could be built. In 1920; the church was renamed St. Anthony Church and ceased being a "national" parish and became a "territorial" parish.
So that he could live in America, Fr. Cyprian, a German immigrant, learned English. He also learned Polish; which made it possible for him to minister to their Polish immigrants living in Charleston. It was during this time that Fr. Cyprian also began to reach out to Belgium immigrants living in South Charleston. After many years of hard work; Blessed Sacrament Parish was formed on : August 17; 1941. Similar efforts resulted in the development of Christ the King Parish in Dunbar by March 1, 1942.
Education and Catholic schools were very important to the Capuchin Friars who were immigrants from Bavaria in Germany. The friars restarted and then expanded the grade school and high school at Sacred Heart at the beginning of the century. The friars continued that work until their eventual departure from Sacred Heart in 1980. At St. Anthony Church, through the initiative of Fr Gregory Loebach, OFM Cap., the friars started St. Anthony School October of 1922. In order to keep the building project under budget, Fr. Gregory used second-hand bricks for the inside walls. The used brick came from the old State Capitol building which had been destroyed recently by fire.
In the Marian Year of 1954, the corner stone for the present St. Anthony Church was laid on October 17, by the Most Reverend Thomas J. McDonnell, D.D., Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Wheeling.
Today
St. Anthony Church is now the home of St. Anthony Friary. The Friary has been the main residence of the friars in Southern West Virginia and the diocese since the friars returned the administration of Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral in Charleston to diocesan clergy. The friars and parishioners nourish the lives of each other and together they serve the larger Catholic Church.
Sunday worship is at the center of Parish life. Finances limit the brick and mortar changes the parish is able to make. However, a more loving, more caring, and welcoming community which models itself on the Gospels and Franciscans is hard to find. One can neither hide in St. Anthony Church on a Sunday nor ignore the presence of God. St. Anthony Sunday worship also shapes two predominant missions of the parish: education and caring. St. Anthony School, with its great diversity among the students and faculty, strives for the common good and is a great symbol of the parish's concern for secular and religious education. The St. Anthony Cupboard/Caring Fund, well known throughout the region, is a shining example of the parish's commitment to service.
The friars' life of prayer, community living, and service is their gift to the Diocese of Wheeling. The friars share the fruits of their prayers by ministering at and providing spiritual leadership to St. Anthony Church, St. Anthony School, St. John Church (Belle, WV), Good Shepherd (Coalburg, WV), Capuchin-Franciscan Volunteer Corp., Sacred Heart (Point Pleasant, WV), St. Joseph (Mason, WV), Secular Franciscans, Columbia St. Francis Hospital and the Secular Franciscans (St. Francis of Assisi Fraternity).
Whenever possible, the friars lead Sunday liturgies when neighboring pastors are away. Community living emphasizes taking time for one another and sharing all aspects of one's own life. The friars serve the Church and society at large because all people are important, including one's own life. The friars serve the Church and society at large because all people are important, including those who are marginalized. The Capuchin Sharing Fund (not to be confused with the St. Anthony Caring Fund) has distributed seeds throughout the state for summer gardens which help produce food for the poor. The friars have also supported: Great Oaks Farms, The Center for Economics, and the Religious Coalition for Community Renewal. St. Anthony Parish is also actively involved in the West Side Neighborhood Association and participates in interfaith projects.
The history of St. Anthony Church and St. Anthony Friary is one of gift-giving. Just as Mr. Kelly provided jobs and the opportunity for a faith community to begin and flourish, so the Capuchin friars give their Fransicanism today to the local faith community in order to care for all people, especially the poor and marginalized.
In recent years, the people of St. Anthony continue to strive to leave the Gospels. -- reaching out to the community, sharing our faith and resources, caring for neighbors, teaching Christian values and by calling others to join us in a Franciscan way of life in a spirit of evangelization.