Catholic Church
A short history of the Catholic community of Taylor County
Taylor County, Florida is located on the bend of the Gulf of Mexico between the panhandle and the peninsula of the state of Florida. It is an area of virgin pines, wetlands, real Florida palms – not the imported type of South Florida. Perry is the county seat and 60% of the county population of 20,000 lives within a 3 mile radius of the city. The Catholic population numbers about 300 baptized souls and a few live as far out in the county as 40 miles from the church. This is the “Real Florida” with its great distances and scarce population.
The Catholic community of Taylor County has been in existence since early in this century, founded by the Cajuns who worked in the cedar and cypress industry of the area. They had come from Burton, Louisiana with Burton-Swartz Cypress Company in 1914. This was the largest cypress company in the world. Some of the families were Swartz’, Burtons and Albert Rose (perhaps that was the reason the Church was called St. Albert), McPhails, Schexnaildre, Hawkins, Pailles, Landrys and Louques. The Foleys came from Jacksonville and they owned Brooks Scanlon Co. With this company came the O’Gradys, Swearingens, Hines and McKennas. They struggled to practice their faith in an overwhelmingly Baptist world. They built their own church, nights after working all day in the swamps and woods, having been locked out of the “union church,” when they were able to get a priest. The church was made of cedar and cypress and stood on a piece of land – all donated by their employer, Burton-Swartz, when they were fearful that the employees would all return to Louisiana, “where they could practice their faith.”
The first records we have from Master Dolorosa Church (Blessed Sacrament) Tallahassee, Florida FIRST COMMUNION, Fr. Bresnahan, Pastor stated explicitly: “1917 – confirmed in Perry; St. Albert’s Church by Bishop Hurley, February 18, 1917 – Fr. Bresnahan Pastor”, the names of 8 children: 3 boys and 5 girls. (p. 82)
The next record we have is from 1924, Mat 18: 11 children made their FIRST COMMUNION; 4 boys and 7 girls between the ages 8 and 13 and there is the annotation: “The children were specially instructed. The full ceremony of the church was carried on. The Rector (Rev. M. C. Clasby) administered First Communion after which the children renewed their baptismal vows (p. 84)”
Others were confirmed from Perry in Tallahassee on 24 May 1925 by the “Right Rev. Barry at 10:30 a.m. – two boys and one adult (p. 87)" The same day, six girls all from Perry were confirmed by Bishop Barry in Tallahassee. (p. 88)
The next record, (p. 90), indicates that the title of the Church in Tallahassee has been changed to Blessed Sacrament and states (pp. 90-91) 6 boys and 1 girl from Perry, were given First Communion, the sponsor for the boys being Charles F. Paille, Perry, Florida and for the girl, Lilia C. Winthrop, Tallahassee, Florida (p. 92). At this time C. L. Eslander was Pastor in Tallahassee.
Later in 1927, there is indication of First Communion “in St. Albert’s Mission, Perry, Florida, February 28, 1927, 6 “first communicants (male) between ages 8 and 11 and one girl made her “First Solemn Communion on this date age 12 years. C. L. Eslander, Pastor” (p. 93).
During the interim the records of Perry, Florida were kept at Lake City, Florida i.e. 1928 through 1954, with the exception of April 14, 1940, Eileen Bridges Lamb was confirmed at the Catholic Church, Perry, Florida by Bishop Barry, (p. 100).
During these early years Mr. Clayton Hawkins, a non-Catholic, often carried the priest from Tallahassee and saw to it that the Catholics had mass and the sacraments.
The church was finished in 1918 and they were served now and then by itinerant priests, who travelled the area. But the Catholic community met every Sunday, said their prayers, learned their catechism and celebrated the events of their lives in the little church, hidden away at the end of West Main Street near the saw mill.
In 1928, the church was completely destroyed by a tornado and was rebuilt. Again in 1935, a hurricane picked the church up and turned it 180 degrees on its foundation. This necessitated dismantling and rebuilding it with help from Burton-Swartz and Brooks Scanlon, both of which had Catholics in their families.
Through the years, the lay people of Perry, Taylor County, kept the faith alive, sought out priests when they could get them and prayed for the day when they would have a resident pastor. Vatican Council II was a long way in the future, when its doctrine of “lay participation and involvement” was not a theory but a reality in the Catholic Community of Taylor County.
Slowly, the priest came to Perry Church with more regularity, but not every Sunday. In the late 50’s and early 60’s they began to have the priest almost weekly and then weekly. Father Malone flew his own plane from Lake City to serve the faithful weekly during the late 50’s. In 1958, the men of the parish built a parish hall behind the church, supplied labor and materials. This hall was used until 1989, and it was sold to “Woods and Waters” in 1990. During the late 50’s and most of the 60’s, the parish was served by Fathers Danaher, Hanrehan, Ruiz, Edwards, Diez, O’Flaherty and Haut. The Oblates of Mary Immaculate began to serve the people of Taylor County as well as Jefferson and Madison Counties in 1968, living in Madison.
Father Gerry Flater and Fran Hassett were the first Oblates in residence. In 1970, Fr. Flater bought the Blanton property across from the church which was used for CCD, socials and a place for the priest to live a few days each week. From 1968 until 1980, 6 Oblates served Perry in a permanent capacity. In 1977, the Perry parish became part of the new diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee.
Finally in 1980, Father Charles Beausoleil, O.M.I., moved to Perry, living in the house across from the church. Father Beausoleil bought a piece of property with a spacious house on U.S. 19 south from Mrs. Louise Butler, the widow of Judge Bryon. Butler, “The Butler Place” in 1981. Father Arthur King, O.M.I., developed the parish and education for two years.
Father Edwin Hayes, O.M.I., a former missionary in Brazil, came to Perry in 1982 and the parish began to expand and develop. Slowly the Catholic community of Perry became accepted in the civic community. During the six years of Fr. Hayes’ pastorate the parish began to grow.
In 1984, it was contemplated to close the parish due to the lack of revenue and debts. But, Fr. Hayes, in his quiet way, reinvigorated the lay-involvement in the parish by a stewardship program, which involved everyone with donation of time, talent and treasure.
On the 1st of August 1988, Fr. William R. Martin, O.M.I., was called to the parish. Fr. Martin had spent 25 years of his priesthood as a professor, dean and Superior of Oblate College, Washington, D.C. He had been a professor at Ottawa University Canada, St. Mary’s University, Baltimore, Maryland as well as having taught at Cedara Theological School in Natal, South Africa. He was a canol-lawyer, ecclesiastical judge, retreat master and known preacher and was at that point in his life, Campus Minister at Rosarian Academy, West Palm Beach. He had never been a full-time pastor! To succeed Fr. Hayes was a big challenge.
Immediately, he followed through on Fr. Hayes’ desires. In consort with the parish council, he called a meeting of the entire parish. Seventy percent of the nearly 100 families participated. It was decided to begin a Building Fund campaign to accomplish three goals: to bring the Catholic Church out into the main-stream of the town on South Byron Butler Parkway; to build a new parish center with a classroom wing and to move the old church, which is not only beautiful but dear to the hearts of both parishioners and friendly neighbors of the town.
The early months of 1989 were taken up with varied activities, such as clearing space and felling trees for the new building and future site of the church. Money was raised and the Most Reverend J. Keith Symons, D.D. came for the ground-breaking at the “Butler Place” on April 8, after confirming a number of children and adults. Mrs. Butler was on hand for the “ground breaking” and dug the shovel in with radiance on her face. Her desire that the estate be used for “religious purposes” was becoming fact.
The new facility was almost entirely finished by the 16th of September, when the Bishop came again for the Blessing and Dedication on the Vigil of Catechetical Sunday. The new parish-center hall was filled with parishioners, friends, well-wishers, pastors of other denominations as well as Catholic clergy and religious. It was a glorious day of fulfillment for the Catholic community.
At this juncture, Mrs. Patti Pillow, a born, baptized life-time parishioner came forward to offer to buy the former site and small hall and was willing to allow the church to be used until it could be moved. Now it was financially feasible to move the church. P. K. Hunt of Cross City was engaged.
Due to the disruption of the life of the town that would be caused if the church were to be moved directly south for the two and one half miles, it was decided to take the church by a circuitous route of seven and one half miles, by county roads outside the town and come north to the Butler site. The week of January 14th was busy with under-pining the church and getting it ready for its nine hour ride. On Thursday, January 18th, the short/long ride began at 8:00 a.m. It was a day the town will not forget.
Since then, the property has been beautified, the parish center is in constant use and the parish of the Immaculate Conception, on its 75th Anniversary speaks of the faith, determination and pride of its parishioners as it turns its face to its centenary.
The Catholic Church has a web site where you can find more information.