History of St. Aloysius Parish

St. Aloysius Parish had its beginnings at a meeting on November 26, 1891, held at the home of John B. Eichler to address the need for a church and school for Reserve Township Catholics.  Some of the people instrumental in the earliest meetings were John B. Eichler, Henry Eichler, Florence Niederst, Romanus Bernardi, John Soutag, Henry Scheibel, Florentz Wohleber, Michael Schmitt, Jacob Schmitt, Joseph Oesterle, Fred Oesterle, Jacob Brenckle, George Gehringer, John Kremmel, Adam Koenig, George Simon, Aloise Niederst, and August Buerkel.  At this first meeting a total of $2,350 in subscriptions was collected from future parishioners to begin the new parish.
 
By December, 1891, a total of $3,955 was collected from 53 families and a decision was made to build a church with a capacity for 400 people.  The ground was donated by Aloise Niederst and Michael Schmitt donated a substantial sum of money and the new church was named St. Aloysius by Bishop Richard Phelan. 
 
On July 10, 1892, the cornerstone for the new church was laid and on January 8, 1893, St. Aloysius Church was solemnly dedicated by the Most Reverend Richard Phelan.
 
By 1957, the parish had grown and the school was crowded.  A new building was needed and it was decided that the building would serve as both the church and the school.  That building was dedicated on October 4, 1958.
 

Born in the castle of Castiglione, March 9, 1568, St. Aloysius died June 21 1591. At eight, he was placed in the court of Francesco de'Medici in Florence, where he remained for two years, going then to Mantua.When he was twelve, he came under the spiritual guidance of St. Charles Borromeo, and from him received First Communion. In 1581, he went with his father to Spain, and he and his brother were made pages of James, the son of Philip II. While there he formed the resolution of becoming a Jesuit. He returned to Italy in 1584, and after much difficulty in securing his father's consent, renounced his heritage in favor of his brother, a proceeding which required the approval of the emperor, as Castiglione was a fief of the empire.
 
He presented himself to Father Claudius Acquaviva. Before the end of his novitiate, he passed a brilliant public act in philosophy, having made his philosophical and also his mathematical studies before his entrance. He made his vows November 25, 1587. Immediately after, he began his theological studies. Among his professors were Fathers Vasquez and Azor. In 1591, when in his fourth year of theology a famine and pestilence broke out in Italy. Though in delicate health, he devoted himself to the care of the sick, but on March 3 he fell ill and died June 21, 1591. He was beatified by Gregory XV in 1621 and canonized by Benedict XIII in 1726. His remains are in the church of St. Ignazio in Rome in a magnificent urn of lapis lazuli wreathed with festoons of silver.


For more information about St. Aloysius Gonzaga see:

  http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/Saint.aspx?id=1421