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Holy Trinity, Timken celebrates 50 years serving the faithful |
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Holy Trinity Church in Timken was dedicated by Bishop John B. Franz on May 29, 1956, on his fifth anniversary as Bishop of Dodge City.
Father Emil J. Kapaun may one day soon be canonized due to his heroic actions during the Korean War. Above, Father Kapaun celebrates Mass in the field during his service as a military chaplain. He served in World War II and in the Korean War.
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The Catholic community in Timken Although the church was dedicated by Bishop John B. Franz on May 29, 1956, (on his fifth anniversary as Bishop of Dodge City), the Catholic roots of Timken run far deeper still than a half century. According to Tim Wenzl’s, "A Legacy of Faith; The History of the Diocese of Dodge City," the community was founded nearly 80 years prior to the dedication of the present church, when "people of Bohemian descent" settled the region. "The land and climate were much like their native Czechoslovakia and stone for building homes was readily available," Wenzl wrote. The first priest to serve Timken (although it wasn’t listed as a mission station until after 1911) was Father John Sklenar, who was fluent in German and Bohemian, and who began serving the region soon after his ordination in 1891. In 1911, Holy Trinity became an official mission of Olmitz, and was served by native Bohemian Father John Huna. In 1913, a strong wind moved the wooden church off its foundation, nearly separating the bell tower from the rest of the building. The mission was served by Father Joseph Stutz from 1923 until 1925, at which time Bishop August J. Schwertner appointed newly-ordained Father Aloysius Clupny the first resident pastor at Timken. Twenty years later, Father Clupny was awoken at 1 a.m. by neighbors shouting that the church was on fire. In a letter to his bishop, Father Clupny wrote: "When I got to the church, the fire was already raging …. I tried to save the Blessed Sacrament, and got as far as the sanctuary door. The smoke and heat were intense and the men would not let me go farther, but dragged me back. I think in just one hour it was all over except a few embers which smoldered all night." "After the fire," Wenzl wrote, "Sunday Masses were celebrated in the grade school auditorium and the American Legion Hall. Father Clupny celebrated weekday Masses in the rectory." A building committee was soon formed, and by the autumn of 1946, a "sturdy basement substructure was enclosed." In this basement church, the Catholics of Timken celebrated Mass and religious instruction classes for 10 years, always with the intention of eventually building a church structure atop the basement. That dream was realized on Dec. 11, 1955, when the cornerstone was set. On May 29, 1956, Bishop Franz dedicated the new church, and confirmed a class of 38. On Sept. 8, 1959, Father Clupny was elevated to Right Reverend Monsignor, and although retiring in 1975, remained as pastor until his death in 1978 at age 83. Although there has never been a Catholic school in Timken, vocations have flourished there, with four priests and six Sisters reared in the Timken parish community. Editor’s note: The information for this article and the article below came from Tim Wenzl’s, "A Legacy of Faith; The History of the Diocese of Dodge City." |
Timken parish may one day see former pastor canonized Holy Trinity Church, which recently celebrated the 50-year anniversary of its dedication, may one day soon be able to boast that it was pastored by a saint. For much of the early life of the Timken Catholic community – starting nearly 30 years before the present church was dedicated – Holy Trinity Parish was served by Father Aloysius B. Clupny. In fact, the priest – who in 1959 was elevated to Right Reverend Monsignor – served from 1925 until his death in 1978. Except, that is, for about a six-month period when he was re-assigned to Pilsen, Kan., and the Timken parish was served by Pilsen, Kan. native and former WWII military chaplain, Father Emil Kapaun. It would be a short-lived pastoral assignment for Father Kapaun, who only months later was asked by Bishop Carroll to re-enlist in the United States Army. Father Clupny returned to Timken, and Father Kapaun went to Korea. On Nov. 1, 1950, while serving deep in North Korea, Father Kapaun saved the lives of 50 wounded soldiers. According to Tim Wenzl’s, "A Legacy of Faith; The History of the Diocese of Dodge City," "Surrounded by Chinese, Father Kapaun gathered a dozen men capable of walking and took them out and surrendered. He told the Chinese that there were only wounded in the command post, and asked them to cease attacking." Later, he refused an order to attempt an escape, choosing instead to serve his men. "Father Kapaun continued to minister to the soldiers as a prisoner of war. He insisted on going on work details so he could visit the men in other prison camps. A week before his death, Father Kapaun was stricken with dysentery and came down with pneumonia. He died in the camp hospital." The Vatican announced in 1993 that Father Kapaun would be officially called a "Servant of God," and has begun the formal process that could lead to his canonization. Father Kapaun also served as temporary administrator at St. John the Baptist, Spearville, in August of 1946, following the sudden death of Father Francis Dombrowsky. Timken was the only parish in the Dodge City diocese in which he was appointed and served as pastor.
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