St. Peter Church in DeLand's first church
building was dedicated in 1884. (Photo
credit: West Volusia Historical Society)
All plans for this month's blog evaporated when I saw a Facebook post from the West Volusia Historical Society. Looking out at me from the webpage was the 1884 photo you see at the top of this page. The man pictured second from left is Bishop John Moore.
Only a week earlier, I'd started reading a book about the bishop: John Moore: Catholic Pastoral Leadership During Florida's First Boom, 1877-1901, by Fr. Michael J. McNally, a Catholic historian. Seeing the bishop's face staring back at me from my computer was a surprise. I jumped to learn more about this pioneer Catholic's appearance in a local history photo.
As the Facebook entry explains, Bishop Moore was in DeLand in April 1884 to dedicate the small Catholic community's first church, St. Peter Catholic Church. Catholics were a minority in DeLand in the 1880s. Four leading Catholic families formed the nucleus of a parish in 1883: the Kilkoffs, Drekas, Zieglers and Fishers. Masses were said in the Kilkoff home beginning in June 1883, while Catholics pooled resources to build and furnish a church.
Erecting a church of their own was a big deal for the Catholics. They provided materials including stained glass windows, physically helped construct the building and made the altar linens. They added a sanctuary lamp, statues of Joseph and Mary, candlesticks and flowers to the interior.
The day of dedication was a formal occasion celebrated with a High Mass, meaning at full ceremonial level and including music and incense.
The historical society's Facebook post notes something I've often uncovered in my local history research. Despite the church being in the Protestant-dominated South at a time of anti-Catholicism, the townsfolk in this case supported one another. The dedication was a communitywide event.
The choir for the special Mass included non-Catholics who filled out the small congregation's voices. A leading Methodist townswoman, Mrs. Hettie Austin, loaned a portable melodeon for the occasion. The picture depicts the choir standing outside the new church. I wish I knew the names of everyone in the picture. Is Fr. William Kenny one of the other men shown? He'd said the first Mass in the building the day before the dedication ceremony.
St. Peter Church's history archives tell how parishioners spoke of dedication day as a joyous occasion. They also spoke of the generous help given by non-Catholic friends.
One year later, in April 1885, the parish consisted of 13 families. Today, (2024) the parish has more than 1,500 families. The 1884 church building is long gone, but the spirit remains.
Many thanks to the historical society's Dreggors Collection for saving the image.
