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SS. Peter and Paul School
GREEN BAY. WISCONSIN
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1JedicateJ -- priL
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DEDICATION
This New School Dedication Souvenir is
dedicated in a spirit of love and reverence
to the g1·eater hon01· and glory of Al
m,ighty God, to our Blessed Mother Lady
of Fatima, and to oiir chosen Patrons, SS.
Peter and Paul, the Apostles, in grateful
remembrance of the heroic labor of the
Founders of this Pcirish, its Zealous Pas
tors, and devoted Sisters, in deep appre
ciation of the faithful co-operation of the
ever loyal people of the Parish and its
numerous benefactors and its many good
friends, both living and dead. May the
Good Lord bless and reward them.
His Holiness, Pope Pius XII
His Excellency,
The Most Reverend Stanislaus V. Bona, D.D.
Bishop of Green Bay
The Most Reverend John B. Greninger, D.D.
An::r.:il.iaru Bislror> of Green Bai1
PAR ISH HISTORY
In the spring of 1875 permission was granted by the Very Re\', Edward
Oaems. then administrator of the Green Bay Diocese, to a committee consisting
of John Goebel. Jos. Schroeder and Valentine Klcsges to huild a church in the
eastern suburbs of Green Bay. for the accomJ11odation of the many Belgian and
German families living in thnt pnrt of the city. Fo111· lots were inunediately sc
cu1·ed from Mr. Lindsley and ground wns broken for the foundation of a 40 x 80
foot brick veneered church. The corner-stone of this building was laid by the
Very Rev. Daems on Sunday aftcrnnon May 8, 1875. The ltev. Father 'J'akken,
nt that time pastor of St. John's, in the city, preached the sermon. The work o[
l111ilcling and finishing the church wns then continued with great energy and about
one hundred and fifty families. all o( them sacrificing both money and time that
the work might be quickly ancl properly completed.
The building. when finh•hccl. with the exce111ion of the steeple. cost about
$5.500. The new church was duly dedicated by the Rev. Father De Louw, then
pastor of St. Willebrord's, on Sunday, April 9, 1876. Father Daems was the first
one to offer up the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the new church, and after him
it was read, at inten·als. by the Reverend Fathers of the Bishop's house. i\lany
times an effort was made to obtain a rei:ular pastor or at least to make the con
~regation a station or mission. Uut even this could not be effected so that the
chtll'ch was more or less left to itself and those who had built it had to get along
the hcst they could under existing circumstances.
During the year 1876 Mass was said in the new church less thnn a dozen
times and so. towards the end of December, the building was closed for good.
One thing in particular which brought about this latter condition o[ affnirs was
n 111b11nderslanding between the authorities of the church and members of the
congregation. Tltis condition lalttcd for a period of sixteen years, during all of
which time the church remained in disuse and the peOJlle were without a 1niest.
In the meantime. a debt of Sl.200. which had borne very heavily upon the shoul
ders of those members of the congregation, who had become responsible for its
payment. was liquidated by the Bishop, who at the same time become personally
possessor of the church building. When Bishop Messmer was appoi.nted to the
Sec, n fresh effo1·t wns mnde with a view or reopening the church. He was waited
upon by a committee which thorough!~· explained the situation. i:.ml having per
sonally become satisfied ns lo the necessity for such a chnngc. he finally consented.
J\11 Saints' Day, 1'o,·emher I, 1892. tJ1e church was reopened to a congre
i:ation u( full~- one hundred and fifty families. Then the new parish was formed,
its limits drawn and the spiritual needs of the people attended to by the Rev.
L. A. Ricklin until July 15, .1893. when the Re\', M. T. Anderegg was appointed
the first resident pastor.
Soon after his anivnl in Green llay ii was rlecided to build a parish house,
which was completed before the end of the year. 'Ihe congregation grew steadily
liu·gcr and the church wns now too smnll [or the pro11cr accommodntion of all.
In the yenr 1894 an addition of 38 x 5!i feet was huill. This a11111ly accommodated
the congregation which then numhcre1l two hundred and sixty families.
In 1901 the foundntion was laid for a parochial school. The lrnilding wns
co11111letcd witbin a year. It ncco111111odated IJ0U1 pupils and teachers, for it was in
the school that the good Dominican Sisters had their living quarters. This cost
the parish $9.603.55.
In 1910 it became imperative to make more room for the faithhal worship-
11ers. A new church, which still stands today. was erected at a cost of $36,000.00.
In J!l21 the number of pupils attending school bad increased to such an extent
thnt the whole school building was needed and room had to be found to house
tho Sisters. For this purpOSl1 a house nnd lot, adjncent to the school on llarvey
:-.treet. was bought for $3,700.00. /\n ndditionnl $3,0aO.OO was spent to remodel it.
This became the first residence fo1· our devoted Sisters. It was sold to L. Van
denberg for SJ,200.00 in J\11l'il 1!}50 lo make room for the present new school.
In 1925 a six room addition was nddcd to the school at the cost of $36,299.03.
Over 700 children were enrolled.
At the same time the new priest house was built to give living 11uarters for
two nssistant priests. This was accomplished at a cost or $26,718.30.
And sliJI tJ1e parish kept i:rowing. To relieve the crowded situation the new
pnrish oC St. Philip was or~nnizecl. New limits were assigned to our parish, and
nllhough the congregation lost some 180 Cnmilics, when registration of 1n1pils took
place that faJI, school attcndmace wns .reduced hy only 30 pu1>ils.
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In l!J.10 improvements nnd allcmtions were made in our school at a cost of
S8,553.i8.
All of thc;-c thini:s were accomplished during the pastorate o( Msgr.
Anderegg. Trulr a very glorious record.
The Right Rc\'erend Mnrtin T. Anderegg. pa~1<11· of SS. Peter and Paul"s,
Dean of Green Ba~· Dc:incry, Domestic Prelate of the lloly Sec, died July 22, 19·12,
almost a jubilarian. August 20, the Hev. A. L. Buytael'I succeeded him ancl the
good people of SS. Peter and Paul gave him 11 great welcome and thcit' whole
hearted cooperntion.
OuriJ1g lhc declining years of Msgr. Andcrei.:g the 1rnrish buildings were
greatly neglected. Henovations and repairs were 11ut orr to later day:>. The
financing likewise slackened, leaving a parish debt of $13,025.CO when the aged
pastor died. Father Buytnert immediately set to work and lic1uidatcd the debt
during his first ~·car. Xow his ambition was concentrated on repairing and de
corating the church and rector~-. then improving the grounds and replacing the
old shed with a new three siall garage. By 194-1 all this w:is accomplished and
paid for. At the :rnnunl meeting of the 1mrish he explninerl his accomplishmen~
and arranged the 1mri~h hudget so as lo begin a huihling fund for the ("t1turc
new school and convent nnd Gym. The 1>ndsh dues were raised from $12.00 to
$2<1.00 for families; from $I 11.00 lo $18.00 for single 11eo11le 1111cl broken families.
'I'he rrnl'ish voted fifty cents n Sunday fol" the avenlJ!O person towards the build
ing fund. This fund grew steadily anrl amounted lo an investment in U. S.-bonds nt
the time of F:ithcr Buylnert's death, a sum of $10!1,li:il!.20. The ice was now
hrnkcn and plans under way for a new SS. Peter 11nd Paul school 1:,~·111 rmd
co1went. There is no question but t11at strain and wenr, the hard work and
anxieties attributed much to the untimel~· death of Father Buytaert on July 30,
1948. Surely thL~ zealous hard working pastor will Ion~ be remembered by t11e
good people of SS. Peter nnd P:iul. On Sept. i, 19-18 the Re,·. Peter J. Skell
succeeded him and the good peo11le of SS. Pctcl' anct Paul gave him grand wel
come and pledged their wholc-heal"led cooperation.
OUR FIRST PASTOR
Right Rev. Msgr. Martin '1.'. Anderegg
Father Anderegg, the fi1·st 1·esidcnt pastor, was born in Louvain, Belgium.
February 19, 1862. At the age of 12 we find him in Ilolland for he made his first
communion al Nymegen, April 24, 1873. Latc1· he migrated to America and after
completion of ltis theoloi;-ical studies al St. Francis' Seminary he was ordained
to the priesthood June 24, H!!l:~ hy Bisho1> Zardelti. On June 29 he celchratcd his
first Mass at St Boniface, De Pere, Wisconsin.
His first and only appointment to SS. Peter and Paul came July 15, 189:!.
Here he labored most successfully until his death July 22, 1942. Fnthe1· Andereitg
had won the hea1-t of all 11is people through his aCfahility and his sincerity. He
saw the congregation grnw from a mere 150 to well over 1,000 families. All the
buildings in the parish we1·e erected by him. SS. Peter and Pauls parish is Fa
ther Auderegg's mom1ment. In 19:!4 he was made Dean of the Green Bay Deanery
and in 1940 he was made Monsignor. He died July 22, 1942.
R. I. P.
