Lidderdale - Holy Family Parish

In the spring of 1914, Father Joseph Kuemper, pastor of SS Peter & Paul Parish of Carroll was approached in regard to building a combination church and school in Lidderdale. The original 42 members were from 8 families, mostly of German heritage. Local banker R. C. Dobrusky; J. F. Rohan, general store merchant and first postmaster; and the farm families of Theodore Schleisman, Adam Schleisman, Philip Schleisman, John Schleisman, Mrs. C. L. Boers and Mrs. Elizabeth Lux were the original families in the parish.

Father Kuemper looked favorably upon the idea and a two-story brick building named Holy Family was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, 1914. It was built at a cost of $10,000. The first floor was the church and the second story was a two-room school.

Holy Family was a mission of SS Peter & Paul until 1919 when it became a mission of Manning. Early pastors were Father Joseph Cordes (1914-1916), Father Joseph Roder (1916-1919), Father John Berger (1919-1921) and Father Joseph Wolf (1921-1923).

In 1923, the first resident pastor, Father Joseph Underberg (1923-1932), was assigned to Lidderdale. A private home, built by J. F. Rohan, was purchased for $4,500 and became the rector. In 1963, it was sold and moved to a nearby farm. Also in 1923, land for a cemetery was purchased.

Father Underberg opened a school in 1927. The Sisters of St. Francis of Clinton staffed the school whose original enrollment was 51 students, grades 1-8. Also a small convent was purchased.

Father Lawrence Schoeppner was pastor from 1932-1950. In 1952, Father Leander Friedman (1950-1954), broke ground for a new church which was dedicated June 16, 1953. The church was built for $48,000, with much of the labor done by parishioners. Succeeding pastors were Father George Benjamin (1954-1955), Father F. William Phillips (1955-1960) and Father Vincent Beacom (1960-1962).

In 1954, Holy Family joined the newly established Kuemper High School in Carroll, named after Father Kuemper. It was comprised of students from 13 member-parishes. Present enrollment from Holy Family is 10 students.

In 1962, Father John Egan was appointed pastor and under his leadership a new rectory was built adjoining the church at a cost of $35,000. New boundary lines for the parish were drawn in 1964 and the Glidden area was then included in Holy Family Parish. Father Alfred McCoy arrived in 1965 and in 1967 Holy Family School was closed. The school consolidated with Maple Rive and Mt. Carmel. All of the students attended the Mt. Carmel center. The sisters continued to live in the parish until 1974. Once the sisters left, the convent was razed.

In 1983, Breda joined the school system to form Christ the King School. The present enrollment from Holy Family is 25 students. More than 30 students from the parish attend other schools.

Msgr. Cleo Ivis served as pastor from 1967-1972, followed by Father Jerome Degan (1972-1975). Father Robert Gralapp served from 1975-1979.

In 1976, St. Elizabeth Seton in Glidden was established as a mission parish of Holy Family. Father Ronald Reicks was a pastor from January of 1979 through August of the same year.

Succeeding pastors were Father Eugene Ceperley (1979-1982), Father Anthony Pick (1982-1985) and Father James Bruch (1985-1991). Under Father Bruch's leadership, the sanctuary was renovated in 1986, Eucharistic ministers were initiated in 1986, the Renew program began in 1986 and a new parish hall was constructed in 1989. The original church with the school was razed in 1990.

Other pastors were: Father Richard Kielbasa (1991-1997) and Father Merlin Schrad (1997-2001). Father Peter Duc Hung Nguyen was appointed administrator in 2001 and Father Joseph Dillenger became the parish administrator on April 22, 2002.

Holy Family Parish presently has 95 households and is clustered with St. Elizabeth Seton in Glidden. Parish groups include parish council, finance committee, women's guild and men's club. Annual parish projects include craft shows, pork chop dinner, apple pie-making, Advent and Lenten Giving Trees.