Coins and documents found in St. Casimir's copper box

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
July 26, 2006

For more than 80 years, a small copper box protected items that were placed in the cornerstone of St. Casimir Church in the year 1915.

That box was removed from the cornerstone of St. Casimir Church in Sioux City on June 24 as Leon Skuodas, a worker from Klinger Construction, prepped to remove the building's onion dome. Coincidentally, that came on the nine-year anniversary of the church's last Mass, which was held on June 24, 1998.

"I told the guys to take the brick off around the cornerstone in case someone wanted to take it out and store it somewhere. I was tapping around with a hammer and heard a hallow sound and then I started taking the mortar off it," described Skuodas.

He delivered the box to Father Dan Guenther, pastor at Immaculate Conception in Sioux City. After St. Casimir Church closed in 1998, many parishioners joined Immaculate Conception.

The box was later taken to Central Catholic Offices in Sioux City and was opened, using a saw, on July 11. In addition to a few diocesan employees, present for the opening were Father Guenther, Skuodas, Dave Lopez, who is chancellor of the diocese, and the diocesan archivist Dan Burns.

And just what was in the box?

Among its contents were three coins: a 1914 wheat penny, a 1914 dime, and a 1915 silver quarter. The box also included a declaration of establishment and a list of what appears to be parishioners and benefactors - individuals and businesses.

"It is kind of exciting to see what was in it," noted Father Guenther.

The priest mentioned that at his former parish in Emmetsburg, before the old St. Thomas Church was torn down they, too, had removed and opened a box embedded in the cornerstone.

"But there were things such as holy medals from the day and a St. Thomas medal," said Father Guenther. "I had been guessing that there would have been more Lithuanian-type artifacts in the box - a medal of St. Casimir or something like that."

Lopez said he had no idea what to expect but anticipated coins or medals by the way the box sounded when he shook it.

"I've never done anything like this before," he said. "I think the list of parishioners is a particularly interesting document."

Being on hand for the opening of the box was of particular interest to Burns, who has a love of history and historical preservation in his work as an archivist.

"I've never witnessed the opening of a time capsule and it was a pretty cool moment," said Burns. "You do get a bit of a connection with the past. It was a moving experience."

He pointed out that the documents unfortunately were fairly faded.

"I determined on one document that there are 341 listed names - parishioners and benefactors," said Burns, who noted that the listing included the names of a few businesses.

Perusing the statement of the erection of the parish, Lopez said the visible date on the document was Nov. 21, 1915. It listed things such as the pope, the president of the United States, governor of Iowa, bishop of the diocese, some of the city pastors (perhaps those present for the dedication) and mayor of city - capturing a history of the time.

Burns said that the three coins, which he described being in excellent, freshly minted condition, were given to Father Guenther so that the parish may opt to display them.

The documents, noted Burns, will remain in the archives at the chancery at least for the time being as they are better equipped to handle them for preservation purposes.

Should people wish to see the documents, Burns noted that he could make them available.

St. Casimir's was razed on July 17 by the Ed McNamara Company of Jefferson, S.D.

Msgr. R. Mark Duchaine, vicar general of the Diocese of Sioux City, said the demolition of St. Casimir Church was a sad occasion for everyone associated with that parish and, indeed, for the entire diocesan family of Sioux City.

"It was a venerable and beloved church, the site of many sacred, solemn and happy occasions. Although the building is no more, the firm faith that so animated its parishioners survives, and the other parishes to which those who once attended St. Casimir's now belong, are all the better because of it," he said. "This, I think, is the finest tribute that can be rendered to any parish family and one that provides living proof of what a parish such as St. Casimir's was all about: preserving the faith, teaching the faith, and passing on the faith."