The Rosary Society seeks to foster devotion to the Rosary and to serve the interests of our Saint Mary Parish Community with spiritual and corporal works of mercy. Meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month (except in July and August.) One of the ministries of the Society is to prepare and serve meals following funerals within the parish. Members are asked to serve on a committee one month each year in support of activities scheduled for the month. An annual holiday bake sale and other fundraisers may be held to provide for specific needs within the Parish, especially kitchen supplies and maintenance. The Rosary Society offers membership to all women of the Parish and invites them to attend at any time.
Rosary Society History – St. Mary Parish Algoma
The Rosary Society was organized in Ahnapee, now Algoma, during February 1870. This was about ten years after the congregation’s organization in 1860. The object of the society was to furnish altar linens, vestments, candles and other articles needed in the church. Today the Society’s primary objectives are to foster devotion to the rosary and to serve the interests of St. Mary Parish Community. Original members of the society included Anna Luckenbach (President), Magdalen Reinhart, Sophie Pies, Margaret Fax, Margaret Knipfer, Katherine Melchior, Anna Bottkol, Anna Fax and Mary Meunier. At the society’s inception all business was transacted in the German language and no minutes were written. In 1895 the first minutes of meetings were written in both the German and English languages and since 1907 all business has been conducted in English.
When plans were made to build a new church, the Rosary Society wanted the church dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The St. Joseph’s Society wanted the church dedicated in honor of St. Joseph. The Rosary Society pledged a larger donation to the construction fund for the church so the new church was dedicated in honor of the Immaculate Conception.
At one time, the Society had on its roll the names of most married ladies of the congregation. In 1944 it was decided to accept unmarried women of 35 years or more as members of the Society. We now accept women of all ages, married or unmarried. Our members numbered 150 in the 1930’s and increased to over 400 by 1956. Currently the Society has 115 members.
Historically, the Rosary has been recited at the start of every business meeting. In the late 1800’s picture cards representing the 15 decades of the rosary were also distributed and exchanged every month. Each member was asked to pray the decade of the rosary represented on the card every day during the month.
As early as 1903 the Rosary Society sponsored an Easter Sale and dinner on Easter Monday. Bingo, a country store, handicraft booths, a candy stand and a country style dinner were great attractions. The dinner was usually roast beef and roast pork with all the trimmings. The Society was noted for exceptional homemade rye bread, kolatches and poppyseed buchtas. The complete meal was offered for 50 cents (35 cents in depression years). The net proceeds in 1930 were $360 – a handsome profit for the Society’s efforts!
A primary function of the Rosary Society has always been to host and serve dinners for special occasions within the church. Over the years the Society served many dinners for the parish sons ordained as priests who returned to celebrate their first masses, for priests’ Jubilee masses, for meals after funeral masses, for socials after confirmation masses as well as numerous other occasions. In the early years, members even made and froze the ice cream that was sold and served at socials.
During the WWII years, prayers for peace were said daily. A Christmas card and rosary were sent to each local boy in the service and the Society purchased a Chaplain’s Mass Kit for a military chaplain. The ladies solicited for and packed clothing that was sent to the War Relief countries. Such clothing drives continued into the 1980’s.
The Society performed many acts of charity over the years. During the Depression of 1929 they did mission work in the city. For many years a group met once or twice weekly to sew quilts out of old suits and overcoats, many of which were sent to the Indian Missions. They also sewed carpet rags every Wednesday afternoon during the winter months. In one year enough carpet rags were sewed to make 35 carpet strips and 10 silk pillows.
Each year, the Society assembled Christmas baskets and delivered them to the homebound and needy. Each month the Sick Call Committee visited hospitals and the homebound. The Sunshine Committee sent cards to the sick and lonely.
For many years the Society’s Sacristy Committee was responsible for maintaining the vestments, holy water fountains, altar cloths, flowers, etc. We sponsored seminarians through the Catholic Near East Welfare Association. Locally we supported Camp Tekawitha and sponsored students attending the summer camp.
The ladies’ skills were vast – in 1954 the Society entered a float in the Youth Club Christmas Parade!
Fundraising Activities
The hardworking ladies of the Society have a history of fundraising to support the parish. The Easter Sale/Dinner and Bingo parties were longtime favorites. Other events include church picnics, bazaars, auctions, bake sales and even a bean cutting contest held in 1908!
Members sponsored card parties in private homes for the benefit of the Rosary Society. The Kodan Ladies Card Parties in the Knights of Columbus rooms (upstairs in the Kohlbeck building) were always very successful. One such card party raised funds for installing a Catholic Bookshelf in the Algoma Public Library.
Funds raised have been used for furnishing and maintaining the parish kitchen, the rectory and the sisters’ home, remodeling the church, parish debt relief, and other projects too numerous to mention.
The Society’s activities today are funded primarily by the dinners, including dinners served after funerals, bake sales and sales of pairing knives and dish cloths. Denny’s Super Valu donates to the Society a percentage of the value of grocery store receipts that are deposited in boxes at the store or the church entrances. You help us raise funds when you place your receipts in one of the collection boxes. Members also pay dues and we accept donations.
We have two fundraisers coming in the near future. First, we will be having a pie sale for National Pi Day which is March 14th (3 – 14). National Pi Day commemorates a very special number (3.1415926…) as well as the birthday of Albert Einstein. So celebrate your inner math geek and celebrate the day by buying and eating pie! Order forms will be available soon.
Second, the Rosary Society will be celebrating this milestone by publishing the 150th Anniversary Cookbook. We encourage you to participate by submitting your favorite recipes and then by purchasing a book for yourself and all of your friends.
The Rosary Society of Today
We are a fun-loving group performing acts of service for our parish and community. The Society is an assembly of women, diverse in age and talents, enjoying Christian fellowship. Our meetings are held the first Thursday of each month September through June at 6 pm in the Rosary Room. We pray the rosary at the beginning of each meeting for the living and deceased members of our society. After our business meeting we have a social hosted by the committee of the month. We enjoy a couple of potluck dinners each year and have a great time at our Christmas party.
In addition to serving funeral dinners and holding bake sales, we host parish dinners, socials for parish special events, coordinate the May Crowning, assist with Knights of Columbus projects and “roll up our sleeves” to help wherever needed.
We encourage all ladies in our parish to join the Rosary Society. We understand that working women or those with young families are often not available to serve funeral dinners and may have limited availability. There are many ways to help the society and each member is allowed to contribute whatever she is able to. Mature women and those new to our community may appreciate the opportunity for getting to know more parish members and may enjoy the camaraderie of this group. If you would like to learn more about the Rosary Society you may call the Parish Office, attend a meeting or contact an officer or any member.
Our current officers are: President: Therese Wagner; Vice President: Roxy Dachelet; Secretary: Julie Lent; Treasurer: Blanche Blahnik.