This is the Headline of a newspaper article I found but unfortunately the date is not to be found on the copy I have. I am including it as it was written in what I assume was the Catholic Chronical, the Diocesan Newspaper.
EDGERTON--Bishop Alter dedicated new St. Mary's Church here last week Thursday--claimant to title as one of the most beautiful of the smaller homes of God in the diocese.
Especially will St. Mary's Church stand as the labor of love of this community, fruition of a dream that espoused it 30 years ago.
To the pastor, the Rev. Joseph I. Williams, its history is woven out of the spirit that inspired the cathedral builders of the Middle Ages when their contributions were of the best of their private material resources and of their most painstaking artisanship.
The sweat and the skill of the neighboring area were were the investment of the people among whom St. Mary's Church will stand through their lives and of the lives they beget.
NON-CATHOLIC residents of Edgerton and vicinity joined the parishioners in building a temple of God made from the architecture of their hearts attuned to the mastership of William Richard Perry, Pittsburgh, who designed the cathedral church of the diocese.
There was a midnight Mass in the new church Christmas. More than 500 persons offered their particular thanks to the infant.
St. Mary's placed under the special patronage of the Immaculate Conception by Bishop Alter when he set the cornerstone on September 28, 1939, is English Norman Gothic in style.
Most of the labor and materials that went into St. Mary's came from the material and personal resources of Ohio and adjoining Indiana.
MUCH GRAVEL was donated for the concrete work. All oak in the roof and in the mouldings that adorn the timbered ceilings came from the farms of parishioners.
Many of the laborers collected only of their wages, donating the balance as their contribution. Some even made total donation of their wages.
"Characteristic of all the donors," said Father Williams, "was a spirit of joy with which they gave--whether money, materials, labor or prayer."
The fund gathering began 30 years ago. The plans were started during the pastorate of the Rev. Carl F. Reineck, now of Delphos.
decisions were reached in 1938. Ground was broken December 19, 1938, by B. Franklin Dietsch donor of equipment and labor for most of the excavation. Others quickly followed.
THE BASEMENT was completed July 22, 1939. The walls are of reinforced concrete 26 inches thick, even thicker in places. Into them went 2,200 barrels of Portland cement. The full basement has a nine foot clearance.
The cutting of the inscription on the cornerstone was the gift of the Fackler Monument Works of Montpelier, O.
Frank P. Settenright of Kendalville, Ind. who supervised construction of many churches under the late Leo Herman, former Edgerton contractor, was hired to superintend the construction at a fixed salary. Howard Freidenberger of Butler, Ind., was chief carpenter. Both remained with the work to the time of dedication.
The architect supplied a requisition for oak lumber. A committee of parishioners visited every farm to tally what would be given. Otis Miller, a councilman, bought a saw mill. At one time 200 logs were in his mill yard. Others gave their time for the work of sawing the logs. The trees had been cut and hauled by other committee workers who, being tenants, could not donate timber.
LARGEST TREE contributed was one measuring 12 feet 2 inches around the stump, standing 60 feet up to its first limb. It yielded about 2,000 board feet of lumber. Julius J. Studer was the donor.
On June 3, 1940, the superstructure work started.
The walls are of Plymouth granite with Indiana limestone trim. Into the walls went 280,000 brick making the walls 26 inches thick.
The cut stone was supplied by the Indian Hill Stone Co., with quarry and shop at Bloomington, Ind.
The columns in the nave are monoliths of 28-inch diameter. These and other heavy stone were hauled from railroad siding by Day Brothers as their contribution.
In 1941 the English slab tile roof, furnished by The Ludovici Tile Co. of New Lexington, O., was put on by local labor. Joseph Lige of Auburn, Ind., installed the steam heating system with copper connector-type radiators. The copper spire with its bronze cross was erected in 1941.
In 1944 oak mouldings completed the timbered ceilings. Panels between the rafters in the nave are of Temlock acoustic material. The same material was used in the sacristies.
THE CEILING of the choir, off the gospel side of the sanctuary, has solid oak panels.
The sanctuary ceiling with canopy over the main altar also is of solid oak paneling, but ornamented with richer design of moulding. All oak is finished in natural color.
The oak wainscott, interior doors, carved oak reredos for the altar, and self-closers for the exterior doors are yet to be added, after the war.
At last week's dedication, Bishop Alter consecrated the main altar, and Msgr. R. C. Goebel, Mansfield, a son of the parish, consecrated a side altar, dedicated to the coronation of Our Lady in heaven.
About 60 members of the clegy of the diocese and 80 nuns of several religious communities attended the dedication.
Father Reineck, former pastor,; the Rev. H. P. Chilcote, Fremont, and the Rev. Vincent Herman, Toledo, both sons of the parish assisted in the ceremonies. The choir of Our Lady of Carey Seminary, directed by the Rev. Cornelius Herinhaus, sang.
THROUGHOUT the ceremony the congregation was kept informed of the significance of the liturgy in the communication of the divine truths.
They heard the commentator say: "All God's creatures should worship Him, with all the faculties they possess. Pure spirits, such as angels, can worship God by the exercise of their twin faculties of intellect and will. Angels have no other means of worship. But man, made a little lower than the angels, has besides an intellect and will, the powers of human body. Not one of these powers or faculties of man should refuse its tribute of adoration and service to its Maker."
In these words, revealing the teaching of God's Church, parishioners received such a compensation for what they had wrought as could be transferred to him by no other means.
IN THE SAME VEIN:
"In the Holy Scripture, we read the beautiful Canticle of the three Children, wherein they call upon all creation to bless the Lord. It is a litany of blessings.
"All the works of the Lord are called upon to bless Him. The sun and moon and stars, the rain and dew, the ice and snow, the hills and mountains, the springs and deep waters, every blade of grass and all the fruits of the earth alike, all are called upon to bless the Lord.
"In different phrase but with common intent, the Psalmist invites all creation to acknowledgement, the praise and the service of God. Surely then, every faculty of man whether physical, mental or spiritual, should dedicate itself in public worship to the to the praise and adoration of its Maker. In so doing it exalts, purifies and sanctifies itself."
AMEN