St. Paul the Apostle gets a makeover
Centennial events plannedBy Jane Nordberg
CALUMET - St. Paul the Apostle Church in Calumet has weathered more than a few storms in its first 100 years, and parishioners are making sure its best face is put forward for the next century.
"We've done a great deal preparing for our centennial this year," said Ed Jenich, chair of the church's finance council. "A lot of money, effort, blood, sweat and tears has gone into this building getting ready."
According to the printed church history, St. Paul the Apostle, located at the corner of Eighth and Oak Streets in Calumet, was founded in 1889 by Slovenian immigrants who came to the Copper Country to work in the mines.
Formerly known as St. Joseph, the first structure, on the same site, was a wooden church that was razed in 1902 by a fire.
The present structure, with its impressive twin spires towering over the community, was built in 1908 of Jacobsville sandstone. Cost of construction was $100,000.
During the copper boom, Calumet had numerous Catholic churches serving a variety of ethnic backgrounds. St. Anthony's, a Polish parish, was closed in 1928 and its congregation absorbed into St. Joseph's.
By 1966, the population of Calumet had drastically declined. Four Catholic churches, St. Mary's (Italian), St. Anne's (French), St. John's (Croatian) and St. Joseph's closed. The former St. Joseph's Church opened the next day with a new name: St. Paul the Apostle, with an amalgamated parish. Today, two parishes serve the Catholic population of Calumet: St. Paul the Apostle and Sacred Heart Church.
The building's long history is of particular pride to its parishioners, who began a capital campaign to restore some of the remodeled elements from 1966 to their former glory.
More than $1 million was spent on various projects, from the installation of an elevator and new roof, to upgrades in the electrical system and replacement of carpeting.
Some of the more aesthetic elements in the church have also received a facelift from Affiliated Artists of Milwaukee, Wis.
"They were absolute gems," said finance council member Gene LaRochelle. "They were truly artists, in every sense of the word."
The artists worked throughout the summer to repaint the interior's more decorative elements, he said. That included repainting the 23 angels on the church's ceiling frescoes, creating faux marble columns to match existing real marble columns, and using gold leaf detailing on patterned stencils.
Jenich said the congregation is looking forward to seeing the rehabilitation when it is unveiled at the beginning of next month.
"Most people haven't seen what's been going on here, so we've kind of been keeping it under wraps until it's complete," he said.
The centennial schedule of events runs from Oct. 18 to 26, coinciding with the church's annual popular fall festival.
Oct. 18 is Fall Festival Bingo, followed by the festival proper on Oct. 19. Parishioner and Keweenaw National Historical Park Archivist Jeremiah Mason will give a talk on "The History of the Catholic Community in Calumet" at 7 p.m. Oct. 20. An organ recital and pie social is Oct. 23, with a dance at the church hall on Oct. 24. The Singing Slovenes will perform on Oct. 25. Centennial events wrap up Oct. 26 with a centennial mass and altar dedication at 11 a.m. with Bishop Alexander Sample in attendance, followed by a reception in the church hall.
Jenich said community at large was invited to celebrate the church's long history in the area.
"We want everybody to come out, whether they are parishioners or not," he said. "This church is a landmark for everyone to enjoy."
Jane Nordberg can be reached at jnordberg@mininggazette.com
