The first parish meeting of about 125 members was held on the evening of July 2, 1947, and the first officers chosen for the new parish were:

• Most Rev. J. P. Treacy, Bishop of LaCrosse Diocese - President
• Rt. Rev. Msgr. C. W. Gille - Vicar General
• Rev. Walter J. Dillenburg - Vice President and Pastor
• Fred A. Rhyner - Secretary
• Elmer J. Martin - Treasurer.

At the second annual parish meeting, held on May 3, 1948, it was unanimously approved that Our Lady of Peace proceed with building plans. There was much joy on May 18^th of that year when Pastor Father Dillenburg blessed the ground and turned the first shovelful of earth. Construction of the new temporary church and school progressed rapidly, and the cornerstone was laid on August 1, 1948.

The first ceremony performed in the new church was the Nuptial Mass of Carol Wiltgen and Robert Beck on Saturday morning, February 19, 1949. The first Sunday Mass was celebrated the following day. Never again were its members to climb the creaky stairs in the old Knights of Columbus Hall to sit on benches in the cold of winter and heat of summer to participate in Sunday Mass and other services.

On June 12, 1949, just eight years after his ordination to the priesthood, Father Dillenburg and his parishioners had their new church blessed and dedicated by the Most Reverend John P. Treacy, D. D., Bishop of the Diocese of LaCrosse. An unexpected highlight of the dedication was the presence of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, whose address was interspersed with his usual keen wit and spiritual depth.

Growth of that original $10,000 investment of 1946 was not destined to stop once the temporary church was completed. On Sunday afternoon, April 22, 1951, the pastor turned the first spadeful of earth which marked the beginning of the construction of the new parish rectory. On this same afternoon, Father Hugh J. Deeny turned the first shovelful of earth in the groundbreaking ceremonies for Columbus High School.

Columbus High School was built at an approximate cost of $1,070,000 and is the only Catholic high school in the area. After so many years of being crowded at St. John’s, the high school students were finally to have the advantages of eighteen large, light, airy, well planned classrooms. A spacious library, a soundproof suite for music courses, a large splendidly equipped gymnasium, a chapel, a cafeteria, complete science laboratories, and home-making department were included. This new high school greatly increased the efficiency and broadened the scope of the city’s entire Catholic education program.

The rectory was completed in December of 1951, and on January 6, 1952, an open house was held for the public. On January 7th, Father Dillenburg moved into his first real home since arriving in Marshfield. Since September of 1949, he had been living in the school building, and before that he had resided in the home of Mrs. Emil Umhoefer.

The pastor now had a home. But the next project to face Our Lady of Peace, as well as the other parishes in the city, was a new convent. The sisters of Columbus High School had been residing at the St. John Convent, and those of Our Lady of Peace were living in the school building. OLP parish provided one-third of the $106,000 cost of this structure in addition to joining with the two other city parishes to finance the remaining amount. A community campaign was launched to raise funds for the joint convent housing the Columbus and OLP nuns and to reduce the Columbus High School debt. The groundbreaking ceremony for the sisters’ convent was held April 23, 1954 and the building was completed in time for the Sisters to celebrate Christmas in their new home.

In 1954 all construction was completed, and the parish enjoyed the fruits of its labors and the opportunity to rest. In January of 1959, the parishioners showed their "appreciation and affection to a wonderful pastor for his untiring efforts and hard work" by presenting Father Dillenburg with the keys to a new Ford Galaxie.

Less than one year later, on January 5, 1960, Our Lady of Peace Church was badly burned. This was the result of an accidental fire started in the Christmas crèche which spread through the sanctuary and nave sections of the church. The interior of the church was extensively damaged, and many of the pews were charred by burning tile and insulation falling from the ceiling. Smoke and water damage was considerable, and many windows were broken by the intense heat. But there was a bright side to the disaster, however. The Blessed Sacrament was removed from the Tabernacle before it could be harmed, there was no loss of life, and damage estimated at $36,000 was fully covered by insurance.

It was impossible to use the church while it was being restored, therefore Sunday Mass was held at Columbus High School auditorium. The restoration work progressed rapidly, and on February 28, 1960, Mass was again held at the completely redecorated Our Lady of Peace Church.

The year 1963 is one to remember in the annals of the parish. This year saw the final payment on the debt of the temporary church as well as the final payment of the parish’s share of the Columbus High School debt.

At the parish meeting on January 26, 1964, the mortgage was formally burned. On the momentous day of the burning of the mortgage, a vote was taken on building a new church and was passed by an overwhelming majority.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the new church was held May 2, 1965 with the pastor, Father Dillenburg, once again lifting the first shovelful of earth while members of the parish as well as local priests watched.

Throughout the fall and winter of 1965-1966, most of the parish watched in amazement at the remarkable progress in the construction of God’s edifice. When spring arrived, bringing with it the installation of the altar, the lights, the carpeting, the bells, the windows, the Baptismal font, and the pews, the parishioners were encompassed by a great impatience to worship in the new church.

It was fitting that on Mother’s Day, May 8, 1966, Father Dillenburg laid the cornerstone of the church dedicated to our Heavenly Mother - Our Lady of Peace. The three pastors, Father Dillenburg, Monsignor Schuh, and Father Timmerman, each blessed a bell which ring in unison from the bell tower. Approximately 300 parishioners and others witnessed the laying of the cornerstone and the blessing of the bells in a 3:30 P.M. ceremony. Because of a cold, raw wind, the ceremony began indoors in the new house of worship.

After the singing of a hymn, Praise to the Lord, the pastor, the Rev. Walter J. Dillenburg, told of the historical significance of cornerstones, recalling that in earlier times the cornerstone supported the entire building and was therefore considered the most important part of the structure. If the building was a church, a cross was placed in the cornerstone. In this new church, a cross hangs behind the main altar, and the blessing of that cross was also part of Sunday’s ceremony.

Because of the historical significance of the cornerstone, the following items were placed within it: an edition of the Marshfield News Herald from the previous week, the latest copy of the Times Review, a picture of Pope Paul VI, three annual reports of the parish, four parish bulletins, a copy of the Milwaukee Journal, two Columbus yearbooks, a dedication book of the convent, coins in the five usual denominations, pictures of Sunday’s ceremony, and photographs of Father Dillenburg and Father William J. Matzek, Assistant Pastor.

Father Dillenburg then explained the ceremony of the blessing of the bells and described the three bells. They were cast by Eijsbouts Bell Foundry of Asten, Holland, while the electric mechanism, clock and installation were purchased from Schulmerich Carillons, Inc.

Unlike modern bells in which only the hammers move, these bells swing. The largest, weighing 1,870 pounds, is dedicated to Our Lady of Peace Parish. It is 44 inches in diameter and has an F-sharp tone. The second bell, dedicated to St. John’s Parish, weighs 880 pounds, is 35 inches in diameter and has an A-sharp tone. The third weighs 530 pounds, is 29 inches in diameter with a C-sharp tone and is dedicated to Sacred Heart Parish. Each bell is inscribed with the name of the parish to which it is dedicated. The bells hang in a 12-foot cage erected on the tower of the church and are visible as they summon the parishioners to worship. A 14-foot cross surmounts the tower.

The congregation moved outside in a semi-procession for the actual bell ceremony. Other priests participating in this ceremony were the Rev. John Agnew, Rev. William Matzek, and Rev. T.J. Etten. As Father Dillenburg blessed the largest bell, the Rt. Rev. Msgr. A.N. Schuh, Pastor of St. John’s, blessed the second bell, and the Very Rev. L.H. Timmerman, Pastor of Sacred Heart, blessed the third. The congregation joined in the responses and hymns.
   

This concept also has many practical advantages. In view of the participatory nature of the new liturgy, it is desirable to have the people gathered around and near the altar of sacrifice. There is a seating capacity of 450 in the main nave of the church and 200 in each of the transepts, giving OLP an 850-person capacity. The cross design allows most of the people in the church to be within fifty feet of the altar. All can easily see and hear the priest and the priest can very easily see his entire congregation.

The cross of Christ gains importance by its placement. This cross is attached to the reredos, which is twenty-six feet wide and thirty-two feet high. The original black cross has since been replaced by a crucifix. A skylight, eighteen feet in diameter, serves to illuminate and accentuate the focal point in the church, which is the altar of sacrifice. It also serves as a canopy for the altar.

The light fixtures were specially designed for this church. A special feature here is that each light fixture has an eight-inch speaker built into it which will provide a sound system covering the whole church.

Behind the reredos are the cry room, the workroom, the server’s sacristy, and the priest’s sacristy. Directly above these rooms is a large storeroom, which also houses the organ’s pipes. The console of the organ is in the right transept near the altar.

The church is built on a level grade with no steps leading into the building. There are five entrances. The main one to the north has a canopy that permits vehicles to drive under it. The remaining four entrances are at the corners of each transept. These also have canopies over them for protection from the weather. In the main (north) narthex is an elevator (added in 1995) on one side, and on the opposite side, a bride’s room.

The main nave of the church is narrower at the entrance (thirty-four feet) and wider near the altar (sixty feet). The entire church is carpeted with acrolan carpet - hence reducing maintenance 53% increasing acoustical value 30%, and increasing warmth 20%. The wooden arches are free standing and rise to the height of 35 feet at the entrance and to 42 feet above the altar. Hence the roof of the church rises gradually from north to south.

The church has a full basement which contains a dining room large enough to seat 700 people, a kitchen (50’ x 50’) and a meeting room (50’ x 50’). In addition there are the boiler room and other facilities.

Every church has its strong features and no doubt some weak features. Many like to believe that Our Lady of Peace Church has met the challenge of the time. It has devotional appeal, very sound construction, and great versatility. It is a product of its own times, and for this reason we are unable to put an architectural nomenclature on it. Is it Romanesque, Gothic or Contemporary? Perhaps future generations will be able to call it by its correct architectural style. For this generation, it is a cruciform church resembling somewhat the form of an anchor, which is a symbol of hope. It is the hope and trust in God and the faith in Christ and His Cross that has brought this building into reality. May it always serve as a beacon for future generations.
   

An addition to the Catholic school system in Marshfield was Holy Family Middle School, providing seventh and eighth grade classes. Housed in the Columbus High School facility, this school began in the 1996-1997 school year.

As a member of OLP, there are many opportunities to become involved. These include serving as altar servers, lectors, Ministers of the Eucharist, Hospitality Ministers, Sacristans, and on the Sacred Worship Committee, OLP Parish Council, Finance Committee, Building and Grounds Committee, OLP Education Committee, representatives to Columbus High School and Holy Family Middle School, OLP Home and School Association, Parish Council of Catholic Women, Holy Name Society, choir, folk choir, scripture classes, divorced and separated group, mother’s group and Youth Ministry.

Our Lady of Peace Parish of Marshfield, Wisconsin has much to be proud of in its church. It is the fulfillment of more than fifty years of sacrifice and cooperation for its parishioners. But most importantly, it is the realization of their dedicated spiritual dreams.

Copyright © 2002-2004, Our Lady of Peace Catholic Parish.  All rights reserved.