HANOVER—St. John the Evangelist parishioners joined Bishop David Malloy, pastor Father Joachim Tyrtania, native son Congregation of Holy Cross Father Stephen Wilbricht, and retired Father Howard Barch and Canon Stanislaw Kos to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Hanover parish.
As he began the Mass, Bishop Malloy noted “three privileges” of the day beginning with being invited to come, noting he “loves coming to the smaller historical” churches. He added that the anniversary was a “great opportunity” to reflect on the parish and the greater Church, and that the day’s third privilege, the Feast of Corpus Christi, was “so at the heart” of parish and Church history.
The anniversary marks 100 years of the parish’s first pastor, but the first recorded Mass in the area happened in 1840, celebrated by missionary Dominican Father Samuel Mazzuchelli, Bishop Malloy said in his homily.
The bishop first focused on the feast day, saying, “The point is, Jesus said those words … those words have been entrusted to the Church, so that through the priests even now … it is Christ working through us …
“We are not separated from the body and blood of Christ that walked the hills and gave Himself … What’s great is that the Church has always held … that Christ … meant what He said (about his body and blood). It wasn’t simply a wonderful element of poetic elevation. He meant what He said.”
Reflecting on the “strength (and) consolation” of Eucharistic adoration and Jesus being present in the tabernacle, the bishop noted “your prayers are well placed before Him. … It’s all a part of that great pattern of our faith … of our life, of our love. …
“It is the faith that is being lived here, that is the chain (of believers) that you are part of.”
Bishop Malloy encouraged everyone to “pray for the parishioners who have gone before us, (including) those who have contributed to keep this place … where we come for the body and blood of Christ.”
To explain his reasons for liking “the rural and smaller parishes,” Bishop Malloy noted that “in bigger churches, it’s harder for people to know each other and (find) that chain of community with each other.” In parishes like St. John’s, “everybody typically knows everybody else.” Of their coming to pray together, he said, “that’s such a magnificent thought.”
He asked for raised hands of all who were baptized there, received first Communion there, were married and/or buried parents and grandparents there. “Those questions are really significant,” he said. “We need to really personalize the gift that our parish has given. And for all of the history … it’s been the locus, it’s been the place, it’s been the focus, where the whole of our faith … has been given to us.
“It is not always an easy thing, but it is a beautiful thing, it’s a deep thing,” he said of the “lived history, the faith history” of the parish.
“The chain continues … passing it on,” Bishop Malloy concluded. “It’s why we’re here: we’ve received a great gift. Why don’t we all promise we’ll gather again here in 100 years and do this again!”
His final thought came again at the luncheon that followed the Mass, where all chuckled as some again proposed coming together in similar fashion in another 100 years.
A Challenging 100-Year History
The first recorded Mass in the Hanover area was celebrated by Dominican Father Samuel Mazzuchelli outdoors along the Apple River on Aug. 16, 1840. The small settlement near there became a station for irregular visits by Galena pastors.
In 1887, Hanover Catholics built a church and were placed on mission status under St. Mary Parish in Elizabeth, which had a resident pastor — Father Joseph Ruetershoff. He had a church constructed in Hanover, and services were held there twice a month. It was named the Church of the Holy Face.
In October 1925, Bishop Peter J. Muldoon approved a petition for independent status for the parish. Catholics were then numerous enough to warrant that status. Father Thomas L. Walsh was appointed as the first resident pastor at Hanover the following spring (1926).
During his two-year term, the church was enlarged with a sacristy and basement, and the entire building was renovated. The new church was dedicated by Bishop Edward F. Hoban and renamed St. John the Evangelist.
Father Joseph T. Healey served from 1939-1943 and supervised major repairs to the church. World War II brought an influx of Catholics from the Savanna Ordnance Depot. The closure a year later of the town’s woolen mill brought economic hardship and migration. The Korean conflict later increased activity at the parish; there were about 150 families at St. John the Evangelist in 1952.
In 1954 Father John Kilduff began new repair projects. Again, the town’s economy became strained and by 1960, the parish was down to about 80 families. It again became a mission under St. Mary in Elizabeth.
In 1960, both parishes were operated under a dual-parish system, which lasted for 10 years. Then Hanover again was given independent status and given a resident pastor, Father Robert C. Williams who served from 1970-1973. The church was renovated and a stone entrance constructed. In 1992 all the parish buildings were renovated and redecorated under pastor Father Michael A. Librandi.
In March 2007, there were about 125 families registered at St. John the Evangelist.
Currently the Hanover parish shares its pastor, Father Joachim Tyrtania, with St. Mary Parish in Elizabeth, and there were approximately 55 families registered in 2024.
