St. Anthony concludes year-long centennial celebration

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
June 16, 2005

CARROLL - The final day of the centennial celebration of St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll was held on June 13, the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua and the date of the dedication of the hospital in 1905. St. Anthony's was officially 100 years old on June 13.

The morning began with a Mass in the nursing home chapel with Msgr. Roger Augustine, administrator for the Diocese of Sioux City, as the main celebrant. Father Jim McCormick, pastor at Holy Spirit Parish in Carroll, and Fathers Sunny Dominic and Siby Punnoose, both parochial vicars at Holy Spirit Parish, were concelebrants of the Mass.

"It is the day that we celebrate the memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, who was a priest of the church as well as a doctor of the church because of his writings as well as his teachings," said Msgr. Augustine, during the homily. "For 100 years, I believe that this institution, St. Anthony's, has in a certain way done what St. Anthony himself did as he lived on this earth. He was one who would say, 'actions will always speak louder than words,' let your words teach, but let your actions speak."

He continued that people teach in the manner and way they live. People at St. Anthony hospital and nursing home reach out a hand to people to bring them healing, he noted.

"We thought it was fitting to end our year-long celebration with the Mass," said Peg Scheidt, director of pastoral care at St. Anthony Hospital and Nursing Home.

The gifts were presented by members of the John A. Dieter family. The gifts brought up were a portrait of St. Anthony, a baby blanket, a prayer book and rosary, the time capsule and the bread and wine. Sister Celesta Day, FSPA, read a description of each of the gifts and why they were being presented.

Before the closing song, two reflections were given by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. The first was presented by Sister Muriel Stork, FSPA, who was CEO of St. Anthony's from 1950 to 1958. The second was given by Sister Marlene Weisenbeck, current president of the La Crosse Franciscans.

"On a day like today, I would like to say that anniversaries are good for us because they help us remember who we are, where we came from and what it is that put us together," said Sister Marlene. "I am thinking about the time capsule that was brought in today. I thought, this is a collection of things that tells who we are today."

After the Mass, those attending went into the hospital to where the time capsule would be placed. Gary Riedmann, CEO of St. Anthony Regional Hospital and Nursing Home, along with another board member placed the time capsule in the wall while Msgr. Augustine blessed it.

"What we hope to do is to include a memory of the Franciscan Sisters, of St. Anthony, really of all of our current employees, our community, our board members and our staff," said Riedmann. "I hope as we continue to do our job and our goal of service at St. Anthony. This one way of making us all a little bit more a part of the caring and doing. Thanks to each of you for being part of St. Anthony's."

From the time capsule site, the attendees walked to the site of the St. Anthony statue where Msgr. Augustine blessed the statue. The statue was donated to the hospital in 1905 by John A. Dieter, whose family was present for the Mass and blessing. Two members of the Dieter family currently work for the hospital.

"Today we praise you for the gifts of the spirit bestowed on St. Anthony, in whose honor we dedicate this image," said Msgr. Augustine. "May we follow in the footsteps of the Lord, keeping before us the example of St. Anthony and grow to a maturity measured not by nature but by the fullness of Christ."

"Over the last year, we have gone to great lengths to try to identify some of our history," said Riedmann. He thanked the Dieter family and all those who were involved in the day before gathering everyone for a picture with the St. Anthony statue.

Following the blessing of the statue, all those present were invited to stay for lunch on the hospital grounds.

"It has been a very exciting year-long event here at St. Anthony's," said Gary Riedmann, CEO of St. Anthony Regional Hospital and Nursing Home. "It has been an opportunity for us to go back, look at our history and our tradition and see the importance of the original focus from Father Kuemper and the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration."

Riedmann explained that throughout the year the hospital has looked at the different individuals that have made St. Anthony's a caring, quality healthcare organization.

"Throughout that time it has been very humbling to see the quality of people that have been so important in our history and made it so special today," said Riedmann. "We have had a good year. It has been an opportunity for the community to have a lot of information about our history and tradition. We feel that it has re-enforced our service and commitment to our mission of caring."