Days gone by

75 years ago — November 1948 

Father Stanley Dolsina of the Diocese of Ljubljana, Slovenia, was appointed to serve at Holy Family parish in Eveleth. Father Dolsina was the second refugee priest to come to the Diocese of Duluth. Also, two new Ely parishioners were among the first displaced persons to arrive in the Diocese of Duluth. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bezjak were aboard the General Black, the first ship bringing displaced people to America. The diocese mourned the death of Father Wilfred Partika, O.S.B., a priest for the Diocese of Duluth. Father Partika served as pastor of St. Clement Church from 1926-1937. 

Our Lady of the Rosary parish began a building fund in an attempt to raise $600,000 for the construction of a new church, which would become the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary. At the time, Masses for the parishioners were being held in the Holy Rosary School gymnasium and chapel. 

The Rt. Rev. Bernard Kaelin of Rome, Abbot Primate of the Benedictine order, visited the Sisters of St. Benedict at the College of St. Scholastica. Abbot Bernard commended the liturgical spirit of the sisters. Also, the cause of Kateri Tekakwitha was advanced. 

50 years ago — November 1973 

St. Michael’s School in Duluth celebrated its 50th anniversary. The school was served by the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Ill. Dominican Sisters also taught at Holy Rosary school, which also celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1973. A new family planning method (Billings) was outlined in a presentation at St. Mary’s Hospital. A survey indicated that the diocese was growing in mission awareness with at least eight parishes in the diocese “adopting” individual mission parishes or persons at various places around the world. 

25 years ago — November 1998 

The diocese began a campaign, With Grateful Hearts, to help fund priest retirement. The campaign was initiated to acknowledge and pay tribute to the sacrifices made by the priests in our diocese. The initial goal was to raise a minimum of $3 million to fund the Priests’ Pension Fund. 

10 years ago — November 2013 

More than 230 people from across the Diocese of Duluth attended the 2013 annual Diocesan Assembly, held at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Cloquet. The speakers at the event were Sister Kateri Mitchell, SSA; Msgr. Ronald T. Browne, and Father Michael Schmitz.