Osgood parish celebrates 150 years as a family of faith

Olivia, left, and Katie Miller, front row, Wyatt McCain, second row, and Renee Tunny, all members of St. John the Baptist Parish in Osgood, bring up offertory gifts during a Sept. 10 Mass at the Batesville Deanery faith community’s church to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its founding. (Submitted photo)

By Sean Gallagher

Over the past year, the members of St. John the Baptist Parish in Osgood have celebrated the 150th anniversary of the founding of their Batesville Deanery faith community in a variety of ways—social events, the dedication of a Marian shrine and a procession honoring the parish’s patron saint.

But it was a surprise visitor to the parish’s anniversary Mass on Sept. 10 that may have been the highlight of all the events.

About 20 minutes before the start of the liturgy, Archbishop Charles C. Thompson arrived as its surprise principal celebrant. Last minute changes to his schedule allowed him to attend.

It meant a lot to Franciscan Sister Shirley Gerth, St. John’s parish life coordinator.

“I’ve always believed in the God of surprises,” she said. “And this was one of the most pleasant surprises I’ve experienced. It was unexpected, but I welcomed him with open arms.”

Sister Shirley knew that Archbishop Thompson’s participation in the anniversary Mass was also meaningful for everyone who attended.

“He really made the celebration very, very special,” she said. “He did a wonderful job. His homily was excellent. He greeted all the people afterward, and was the last one in line for his food.”

Andy Miller, a young adult member of the parish, was a lector at the Mass.

He and his family sat in the same area of the church during the liturgy in which several previous generations of Millers have worshipped, right next to a stained‑glass window that Miller’s great‑great grandfather donated to the parish.

“It’s amazing how many people have been there and raised their families there,” said Miller, 26. “It continues on and on. One hundred and fifty years is really amazing.”

Miller works as a farmer with other members of his family near the parish that was settled by an ancestor that emigrated from Germany.

Now he and his wife are raising two young children who are the sixth generation of Millers who are members of St. John.

“It’s big shoes to fill with that many generations all thinking it’s important enough to stay and go every Sunday,” he said. “I just hope I’m doing the right thing for my kids to make them see how important it’s been to our family. Hopefully, it will be a way to make it important for them.”

Miller hopes to set an example for his children by being involved in the parish. When he was growing up, he said he frequently went there with his father and grandfather to do any work that needed to be done. Now he helps in hospitality ministry, is a lector at Mass and serves on the parish’s cemetery committee.

Jill Jansing, 45, has also been involved in St. John Parish for much of her life. She credits the strength of her faith today to the catechesis she received there growing up.

I didn’t go to a Catholic school,” she said. “That was why the parish was all the more important. That’s where I got all of my formation. It was really everything. It meant a lot. We had a good foundation that was given to us here.”

Jansing assists with liturgies in the parish, has served on its pastoral council and assisted with its youth ministry activities held with nearby St. Maurice Parish in Napoleon.

“It’s a matter of giving back, thinking back to all of the people that set an example for me as I was growing up,” she said. They passed the torch to people like myself. And so it’s important for me to do it for future generations.”

Over the years, Jansing has appreciated the small size of her faith community and how it serves the families of the small town of Osgood and the surrounding rural area.

“We’re a common, country type of folk,” said Jansing. “Everybody seems to know everybody. We really feel like we’re family. That’s easier to do when you’re a smaller church.”

Ruth Wenning, 90, has been part of the family of faith at St. John since around 1950.

“When we first moved here, there were 300 families in the parish and we knew them all,” said Wenning. “We went to church every Sunday. We’d have our big chicken dinner and festival during the summertime.”

Ruth’s daughter Rosalie Calhoun is also a member of St. John, and has seen how the families of the parish reach out to help each other in times of need.

“It’s comforting,” said Calhoun, 70. “After all these years, you’re still doing the same things for families that have been there since almost the start of the parish.”

Sister Shirley said the faith of the people she ministers to at St. John has strengthened her own.

“Whenever I’m in the presence of a person whose faith is strong, it certainly deepens my own faith in God,” she said. “Witnessing people who have a strong faith is a great inspiration to me.” †