St. Fidelis: A History of Memories
Celebrating 450 Years of St. Fidelis: 1577-2027
What's in a name?
This year, we begin the 450th year celebration of the birth of Marcos Rey, son of Juan Rey, a native of Spain. His mother was Genevieve Rosemberger. It’s well known that he was born in Sigmaringen [now in Germany] into a Flemish family, and that he received a solid Christian education before becoming a compassionate and charitable lawyer. Later, he became a Capuchin friar named Br. Fidelis. He died a martyr’s death during the Wars of Religion in 1622 at 45, but his martyrdom, on April 24th, would lead to his being named the Patron of the Vatican Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith [now called the “Evangelization of Peoples”].
A few centuries later in 1873, Pope Pius IX issued a decree authorizing the Capuchin Order to establish preparatory seminaries. It was a major move from the Vatican, but it was also the time when German Capuchins had begun moving out of Europe to propagate the Americas. And so what? Well . . .
In October of that same year, our Capuchin confreres Hyacinth Epp and two companions arrived from Bavaria and found a welcome in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, PA. Within months, the friars gathered a group of boys at St Augustine's and gave them fundamental lessons in English (for the young German immigrants) and in Latin. At St. Augustine’s Friary, the boys were only day students. It became obvious to them that the present arrangement was a poor substitute for the ideal set up by Pius IX. The friars realized that they had to find a different place for a seminary and a novitiate.
St. FIdelis Reunion 2025
Our Annual St. Fidelis Alumni Picnic & Reunion took place on Saturday, August 2nd. It was the great Franciscan feast of Our Lady of Angels, and it started out with a Mass for those who were able to make it our motherhouse chapel in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville district. The main celebrant for the Mass was our Provincial minister, Bob Marva, OFM Cap., and some alumni-friars were able to be there as well.
2025 Golf Outing: They're All Winners!
On Friday, August 1st, we had quite a crowd for the Annual Fr. Bill Wiethorn Memorial Golf Outing.
Of course, no one was a 'loser,' but we can report some winners:
Above left, Joe Phillips, Eric Wendling and Tom Ray were the trophy winners in 1st place . . .
(Robert Sheesley, also on the team, missed the photo!)
. . . and the Repko brothers led the winning team of SFS alumni players.
In the photo, right, are Dave and Kieran Repko with classmates Larry Greer and Greg Fischer.
You can view all of the photos for the occasion here.
Our 2024 St. Fidelis Golf & Alumni Fest
Our Capuchin Classic Golf Outing was held on Friday, August 2, 2024, at Birdsfoot Golf Club in Freeport, PA. Since its beginning in 1994, the Outing has been a great supporter of our Capuchin Development Center while also nurturing relationships that have endured throughout the decades.
Although the Outing has been around for 30 years, this is the 10th year that the proceeds from the event have benefitted the Fr. Bill Wiethorn Scholarship Fund which helps to support the education and formation of our friars at the various levels of their lives as Capuchins: our Postulants in Philadelphia, PA; our Novices in Santa Ynez, CA; and our friar students in Washington, DC.
In these last 10 years, because of the hard work of David Schaffner (left, SFS ’81), Gina Pizzonia, Andria DeVit, our office staffs, and the invaluable contributions of volunteers, participants and supporters, we’ve managed to raise $250,000! As Dave says: "None of which could’ve been raised without all of the people that have shown up and donated to the cause.”
The "German Nuns" - Food, Charity, Devotion & Gratitude
May 28, 1952
Sisters Offer Shining Example of Cheerful Service;
Cooking, Sewing, Laundering Are Part of Daily Routine
By Peter O’Donnell
With faces wreathed in smiles while doing the most unenviable chores, our eight efficient Franciscan Sisters are shining examples of true handmaids of the Lord. Although cooking and laundering for 200 students, priests, and brothers is no easy task, never is there a sad face among these cheerful servants of God.
At the request of the Conventual Franciscans in 1929, five Servants of the the Holy Infant Jesus left their mother house in Germany and sailed for America. Their first home was in Staten Island, New York. In 1934, reinforced by the arrival of more Sisters from Germany, the Order was able to comply with the request of Father Sigmund Cratz, then Capuchin Provincial, that it staff the seminary kitchen and laundry.
June Memories: Meissner (1966), Caringola (1969), Wits & Nehrus
We've got some memories from the Fidelian from June 1966 and June 1969:
Mr. Meissner and Mr. Caringola were highlighted
at the end of their second and first years of teaching,
and two other articles seemed too hard to resist sharing. Nehrus??
Mr. Meissner Makes Mark On School As Teacher & Coach
by Jim Jones
Two years ago Mr. Meissner came to St. Fidelis Seminary mainly as an Algebra and Geometry teacher for the sophomores and juniors. Today Mr. Meissner has become a prominent and well-liked member of the faculty.
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