A Brief History of St. Charles/Immaculate Conception Parish
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At the start of the twentieth century, the Blacklick Valley was considered missionary territory by the Roman Catholic Church. The nearest Catholic Churches to the valley were St. Patrick in Camerons Bottom and Holy Name in Ebensburg, both of whom sent priests here in the earliest days for Mass.
The first priest assigned to Vintondale was Rev. Patrick O'Connor, a priest of the Pittsburgh diocese, who served here for only a few months in the winter of 1900. The parishes of Nanty Glo and Twin Rocks were not yet founded. When the diocese of Altoona was founded in 1901, with Bishop Eugene Garvey as Ordinary, a priest of the Philadelphia Archdiocese was sent to assist in the establishment of the missions in this valley. Father Thomas Hurton was assigned to live at Holy Name and minister to the people of this valley. The cornerstone of Immaculate Conception was laid in 1902. Father Horton served the people not only of Vintondale, but also of Twin Rocks and Nanty Glo.
Father Michael O'Connor moved his residence from Vintondale to Nanty Glo in 1908, establishing St. Mary's as the principal parish and Immaculate Conception as a mission. When St. Charles was established as a parish in 1917, Immaculate Conception became its mission. Father William McCook was assigned as first pastor of St. Charles, and attended to the mission of Immaculate Conception, and to a small mission in Wehrum.
The people of Twin Rocks worshiped first in what is the basement of the church, built in 1910 by Father O'Connor. The rectory for St. Charles was built by Father McCook's successor, Father Joseph Howard. It was during the pastorate of Father James Hebron that the Church was built at a cost of $15,000. The cornerstone was laid by Bishop McCort on October 24, 1924. Father Hebron was moved then in 1927 to Johnstown, where he was to be the founding pastor of Visitation Church.
Father Charles Gallagher was named pastor in 1927, and served
faithfully until 1943, when he was named pastor of Holy Name in
Ebensburg. An avid baseball player, Father Gallagher founded a
team called the St. Charles Athletics.
Father John T. Callan was appointed pastor of our parish in 1943,
and served until his death in 1969. Interestingly, Father Callan
was transferred in 1948 to Holy Child in Windber, and was replaced
by Father John Daley. This lasted for only a few months, however,
when Father Callan requested to return to Twin Rocks. He and Father
Daley simply changed places!
Father William Peters was appointed pastor of St. Charles/ Immaculate Conception upon the death of Father Callan, and had the challenging task of leading this parish through the changes of the Second Vatican Council, a challenge which he accepted willingly and at which he greatly succeeded. When named Director of the Family Life Center in Ebensburg in 1975, Father Peters was replaced by his assistant, Father Philip Bender, who ably continued the parish renewal begun by his predecessor. Father Bender was assigned then to St. Joseph's in Renovo in the Spring of 1988, at which time Father Michael Becker was appointed by Bishop Joseph Adamec as pastor. Father Leonard Inman joined our parish family as an active retired priest in August of 1989.
Parish Directory, 1990
In 1993 the Rev. Matthew Misurda was named pastor.
In 1999 the Rev. James H. Conrad, STL, was named pastor.
The funeral of an Italian woman and babe took place here [Ebensburg]
on Tuesday morning, the interment being made in the new Catholic
cemetery. The deaths occurred at Twin Rocks. (Cambria Freeman,
Ebensburg, PA, April 6, 1900)
Former Twin Rocks residents have reported that services were
first held (prior to 1910) in a building located just off Station
Road on Peach Street. The foundation of this old structure is
still visible.
St. Charles Church was built by Chal R. Dilling, a building contractor
from Nanty Glo. Some of Mr. Dilling's other projects included
the tile houses on Pergim Hill (Christoff Street), St. Mary's
School, the C&I railroad Station (1921), and the 10 brick
homes at Eleanor (1923).
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Eugene Ardini Mr. & Mrs. Blair Stiffler Ricciardella Family Stanley Butz, Sr. and Jr. Mrs. Elizabeth Berish Family Mr. & Mrs. Frank V. Kline Mr. & Mrs. James Lanzendorfer Julius Vizi Family Edward Rager Family James H. and Mary Rager Mrs. Mary Bukovics & Stephen Robert and Dorothy Beck Mr. And Mrs. Michael Dugan Mr. And Mrs Michael Cocho and Betty Jane & Ruth Marie Orlena Baker In Memory of Deceased Members of the Diamond Family Lanzendorfer Family B.V.M. Sodality Edith and Paul Parish Marines Family |
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Kosh Family John Matachosky Violet & Frances C. Paul Stossell Family Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Tontala, Sr. |
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Trinity - John Black & John Sedlock St. John Baptist - Mary, Caroline & John, Jr. Swalligan Confirmation - Thomas Columbus, George Tatarko & Joseph Kachik Families Baptism - Father Tom (Callan) St. Matthew - Father John (Callan) St. Mark - Father Vincent di Paul St. Luke - Mary A. Callan St. John - W. A. Callan |
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past and present, thank God publicly for having called to His holy priesthood three of their sons. These vocations given at the very moment of conception and accepted some years later, were "prayed for" and "sacrificed for " by many people, especially the parents of these priests. All were aided through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, mother of the high priest, Jesus Christ. |
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FATHER LINFORD F. GREINADER - MAY 8, 1943 FATHER CHARLES D. RAGER - MAY 20, 1967 |
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| James & Jude Adams | Ruth Kruper | Elizabeth Rabel |
| Rev. Charles M. Amershek | Joseph & Edith Kubat | Verona Rager |
| Joseph & Theresa Ardini | Ray & Bertha Kunst | Alex & Mary Reba |
| Margaret Babincsak | Dora Kupchella | Robert & Shirley Reese |
| Joseph & Sue Bankovich | John & Patricia Kupchella | William & Josephine Reeves |
| Rev. Philip M. Bender | Philip Kupchella | Emelio & Anastasia Rubbo |
| Veronica Berish | Dawn & Elaine Lanzendorfer | Jake & Ann Rummel |
| Mario & Mary Bianucci | Edna Lanzendorfer | Tyson & Dorothy Rummel |
| John & Mary Bubenko | Eugene & Jean Lanzendorfer | Frank & Carolyn Sabonya |
| John & Michele Bubenko | Francis Lanzendorfer | Richard & Tina Sabonya |
| Joseph & Frances Bubenko | George & Elizabeth Lanzendorfer | Catherine Scansaroli |
| William & Jean Bucci | James & Sophie Lanzendorfer | Joseph & Kathleen Scansaroli |
| Michael Bukovics | Mark & Rae Ann Lanzendorfer | Francis & Kathleen Schilling |
| Marie Butz | Paul Lanzendorfer | Elizabeth Seecs |
| John & Margaret Cherensky | Robert & Agnes Lanzendorfer | Eugene Shuhayda |
| Mary Ciszek | Thomas & Mary Ann Lanzendorfer | Richard & Herminia Silbaugh |
| Herman & Nancy Clauto | Lanzendorfer Trucking Co., Inc | Charles & Julia Skebeck |
| Michael & Anna Cocho | Wilfred & Julia Lanzendorfer | George & Mary Skubik |
| Anna Columbus | Thomas & Anna Law | Karen Smith |
| Thomas & Janet Crookshank | John & Carol Letizia | Walter & Barbara Smith |
| Mary Susan Cubeta | Dean Long | John & Kathryn Smolensky |
| Elizabeth Danti | Frank & Emma Malek | John Stossel |
| John & Linda De Armin | Pauline Malek | Joseph Stossel |
| George Diamond | John & Frances Malloy | Mary Stossel |
| Mary Dyson | Michael & Theresa Manculich | Michael Stossel |
| Stanley & Joan Fisher | Ardella C. Marhefka | John & Debra Stupsky |
| Leon & Margaret Frantz | Bernard & Carol Marines | Mary Stupsky |
| Thomas & Mary Margaret Fulton | Joseph & Catherine Marines | Michael & Julia Surkovich |
| Catherine Gambino | Michael Marines | Bernard & Ann Svidergol |
| George & Mary Gaydos | Robert J. Marines | Caroline M. Swalligan |
| Estay & Mary Ann Greene | Vincent & Mary Marines | Mary M. Swalligan |
| Anthony & Christine Gresko | Anges Matachosky | Stephen & Barbara Szymusiak |
| Michael Grosik | Andrew Matachosky | Gustav Tanish |
| Alex & Margaret Hancherick | Edward & Patricia Mayancsik | George & Irene Tatarko |
| Charles & Margaret Hoffman | Mary Mayancsik | Michael Tatarko |
| Walter & Patricia Hoffman | Margret McDonald | Teresa Tatarko |
| Arthur & Eleanora Hohman | Jerome & Marian McGlynn | Timothy Tatarko |
| Catherine Holmes | Marvin & Patricia Mearnic | Anna Tontala |
| Emil & Delores Isaacson | George & Antoinette Mesoras | Albert Topor |
| I. Emil & June Isaacson | Thomas & Theresa Mesoras | John & Mary Ann Topor |
| Joseph & Margaret Kachik | Stephen Mesoras | Mark & Rhonda Topor |
| Edward & Kay Kale | Harry & June Miller | Mary Ann Topor |
| Walter & Sophie Kania | John & Darlene Miller | Andrew Torok |
| Joseph & Sharon Kanich | Martin & Janet Miller | Paul Toth |
| John & Mary Kasecky | Richard & Norma Miller | John Tutko |
| Anna Kensek | Roger Miller | Barbara J. Vizi |
| John Kensek | Gustav & Cynthia Molinich | John & Mary Warholic |
| Ronald & Bobetta Kikta | Mary Molinich | Elaine Warzel |
| Evelyn Kish | Stefan & Cynthia Molinich | Theodore & Anna Warzel |
| Lewis & Christine Kish | James & Lois Mullen | George Weber |
| Stephen & Mary Kish | Joseph & Louise Obrets | Kirk & Mary Jean Weixel |
| Michael & Christine Knapic | Dennis Ostinowsky | Paul & Bernadette Whinnie |
| Helen Komerosky | Eugene Ostinowsky | Stuart & Kathleen Whinnie |
| Henry Kopka | James & Janet Ostinowsky | Thomas & Josephine Wixner |
| Elizabeth Kosh | Michael & Mary Ostinowsky | Walter & Kathryn Wojtowicz |
| Helen Kotelnicki | Francis & Mary Beth Parana | Donald & Dina Woodling |
| Charles & Pia Kovach | Michael Parrish | Frank & Louise Woznak |
| James & Helen Kovach | Walter & Catherine Parrish | John Woznak |
| Frederick & Elizabeth Kreashko | William R. Parrish | Michael & Sara Yanche |
| Tebo & Helen Kriston | Michael Pisarcik | Stanley & Althea Zeglin |
| Frank & Rose Krupa | Sophie Pisarcik | Sandra Zipper |
| Joseph & Irene Krupa | Thomas & Carol Polites | |
| Michael & Pauline Krupa | John & Margaret Popp | |
| Michael Krupa III | Anthony & Margaret Previte | |
| John A. Kruper | Louise Puruczky | |
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