It was a perfect day, Saturday, Sept. 9, as parishioners, former parishioners and alumni came together for SDS’s 50th anniversary liturgical celebration and reception. It was a grand event, the culmination of a year’s worth of events honoring our parish’s half century of existence.

Archbishop Raymond Burke was the main celebrant at the Mass and church rededication. Father Jack was very happy to be told by Archbishop Burke that he had a "good feel" for the parish, its energy and friendliness - a sincere compliment directed to all our parish family.

So many people worked so many hours planning the yearlong series of events celebrating St. Dominic Savio’s half century of serving the community. As Father Jack put it, "Well done all!"

To document this important milestone in the life of our parish, this issue of Savio Scene will be filled with pictures and reminiscences both recent and from times past. The soon-to-be distributed parish Pictorial Directory assembled by Kathy Shaver and her committee will continue this theme with photos past and present.

A special thank-you goes to Donna Peters, Jean Whelehon, Marian Tomiser, Susan Stumpf, Robert Hornsey and Wayne Noland, members of the 50th Anniversary Committee who worked so long to make our year-long celebration a Grand Celebration. God Bless!

The finale to St. Dominic Savio ’s 50th anniversary came on Saturday, Sept. 9, with a grand liturgical ceremony. Archbishop Raymond Burke was the main celebrant.

The parish address was 7018 Foxcroft Drive, Affton 23 (before zip codes), Rev. J. J. Chiodini was pastor (before monsignor), and the telephone number was a Flanders exchange. The Bulletin heading included the suggestion: "Take me home; I’ll remember if you forget!" My how things change in half a century!

Excerpt from First Bulletin

• Before the church was built, Sunday Mass was at St. Louis Preparatory Seminary Chapel. Daily Mass wa s in the rectory basement (7018 Foxcroft Drive). Communion was distributed before the daily Mass.
• Confessions were heard every Saturday for almost four hours from 4-6 p.m. and 7:30-9 p.m.!
• The School Sisters of Notre Dame were the first teachers in our parochial school. They resided at St. Gabriel’s Parish Convent until St. Dominic Savio’s convent was built.
• Part of the parish property was a riding stable.
• Parish baptisms were held at 1:30 p.m. every Sunday in the rectory chapel.
• Parish envelopes were used for the first time on Sept.
• Out of about 600 sets of envelopes issued, 238 were used for a total collection of $409.05. A weekly second collection for Building Fund, taken on the first Sunday of the month, amounted to $533.
• The following statement of indebtedness to the Archdiocese of St. Louis was issued Sept. 20: Parish property on Mackenzie Road: $39,800, or $274,500 in 2005 dollars Rectory: $16,144.05 ($111,400 in 2005 dollars) Legal Fees: $77.50 Loan made to parish at outset to get started: $3,500 Sum total: $59,521.55 ($412,000 in 2005 dollars) Deposited with the Archdiocese against the debt: $ 521.55 Present indebtedness: $59,000 ($410,000 in 2005) Plus 3% interest per annum (Approximately $1,800)
• Separate men’s and women’s groups were formed. Bill Bussen was nominated as Vice President of the first Men’s Club at St. Dominic Savio in September. The men’s group later became the Holy Name Society and the women ’s group the Ladies Guild.These groups met at the Heege School on the corner of Heege and Mackenzie. More recently this has been quite an eyesore to many but there were great things happening there in its heyday.
• The first parish Get-Acquainted Party was held on Nov. 2 at Seven Holy Founders. Reports indicate it was great fun and yielded the parish $375 profit.

• The Feb. 3 bulletin invites ladies interested in quilting to meet at the home of Mrs. Ferd Meyer.
• The St. Louis Review was offered to parishioners at a cost of $2.00 per year paid by the parish.
• The first Parish Bazaar- Ravioli-Beef Dinner was held on May 4 at St. Ambrose. The parish netted about $5,000 from this first major parish activity.
• Groundbreaking for the parish occurred on Sunday, March 24. Contractors for the church, 12-room school and hall beneath the church were announced for a total of $295,908 ($2 million in 2005 dollars), which did not include furnishings or paved parking facilities.
• In May, ladies of the parish were asked to save the metal band that came off the can when opened from Old Judge coffee. One thousand of these bands were to be exchanged for a 50-cup coffee urn to be used in the cafeteria. By October, 562 bands had been collected. Wow, we had a lot of coffee drinkers !
• School registration began in June for school opening in September. As of July 14, 323 children were registered and SDS school officially opened the first week in October with 368 children enrolled. By Oct. 20, there were 381 students (180 girls and 201 boys).
• The school faculty was: Sister M. Ivan, principal and eighth grade; Sr. Miriam Joyce, sixth-seventh grade and music (piano); Miss Ann Pitts, fifth-sixth grade; Mrs. Judith Bergin, fourth grade; Mrs. Elizabeth Lindsay, third grade; Miss Mary Drake, second grade; Sr. Thomas Ann, first and second grade; Miss Janice Ahearn, first grade.
• Bus service was offered for 50 cents a week and 198 youngsters were registered for this service. Milk was sold at lunch for a whopping two cents!
• The roots of our RCIA/Journey in Faith outreach can be traced to the Religious Information Program inviting non-Catholics or lapsed Catholics to a series of instructions on Catholic beliefs and practices held every Wednesday from Oct. 16-Dec. 4.
• In October, permission was given to purchase one of the new subdivision display homes near the church and school as a rectory, with occupancy in 1958.
• By the November, enough metal bands had been collected for the first coffee urn for the cafeteria and we were well on the way to the second urn.

• The cafeteria opened Jan. 13. Meals cost $1.25/week.
• By Jan. 5, 1958, total indebtedness rose to $317,330 ($2.1 million in 2005 dollars).
• Feb. 16 marked the opening of the church! Open house for the new church and school was held on March 2. Visitors numbered 2,000-2,500.
• The rectory moved to 7741 Mayberry Dr. March 14.
• Weekday Masses were offered at 7 and 11:30 a.m. Saturday Masses were at 8 a.m. and 5:15 p.m.
• A first "Thank You" Buffet Dinner Party was held April 7 for all adults who helped SDS - our first Volunteer Appreciation Dinner!
• April 19, 1958, was the first wedding at St. Dominic Savio. JoAnn Mueller married Arthur Jeannet.
• April 26 marked the arrival of our first part-time assistant, Rev. Thomas Mullen, a DuBourg High teacher.
• School enrollment for the second year had grown to 496 with three nuns and eight lay teachers.
• Beginning September 7, daily Masses were offered at 6 and 7 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on school days.

• Stations of the Cross were installed on Feb. 8 as memorial gifts from parishioners.
• The St. Vincent de Paul Society was organized in February. The organization helped the poor using receipts from sale of the Sunday Visitor newspaper and donations to the poor box at St. Anthony ’s statue.
• The Boy Scouts’ paper drive was held in March.
• Sister Clarita replaced Sister Mary Ivan as principal of SDS school in August.

• In January, permission was granted from the Archdiocese to add four more classrooms, even though our debt was $346,000, or $2.2 million in 2005 dollars. Parishioners were asked to increase their weekly envelope donation and their donations to the building fund. The new classrooms were opened on Nov. 14.
• The first Calendar of Events (Major Parish Activities) was published.
• Another nun was added to the faculty in September, bringing the total to five nuns and 10 lay teachers.
• Newly ordained Rev. Bernard Sandheinrich was assigned to SDS to replace Rev. Thomas Mullen.
• A Cancer Dressing Unit was formed in the parish in October. This was the precursor to the Peregrine Society, which makes bandages and dressings for cancer patients.
• The parish sponsored a Mass program for the parish on Dec. 4. Three sets of instructions, with question and answer period, dealt with the structure of the Mass, participation in the Mass and the liturgical/ church year. Instructions were given by men and women in the parish trained for this program. A Mass demonstration and benediction followed.

For the period 1956-1960, bulletins were basically a means of communication from pastor to parishioners on items of importance as the parish was being deve loped. Every bulletin contained information on meeting notices, Mass intentions, major parish activities, etc.

Heavy emphasis was placed on the financial health of the parish. A list of weekly offerings was given (how many people gave and average contribution). The pastor used this to encourage giving via weekly offering and building fund. Each week gave an accounting of major expenses, new loans and current indebtedness.

These early days saw many opportunities for parishioners to bond - dinner dances several times a year, an annual parish family picnic, as well as other gatherings. Fundraisers like card parties, bazaars, ravioli dinners, etc. helped contribute to the operating expenses of the parish in its early days, much like today.

I only had bulletins through the end of 1960. A convent for the nuns still had not been approved, so the Huhn Center came after 1960.

A fun-loving group of "youngsters" joined in on Saturday night, Aug. 19 to slow dance, stroll, bunny hop and, of course, twist at SDS’s ’50s dance. A conga line led by none other than full-of-energy Donna Peters danced around the party at one point. The twist was a test of one’s flexibilities and, of course, there was a hula hoop contest. All of this was part of the celebrations in recognition of SDS’s 50th anniversary. Some photos on these two pages highlight the big night.

We have had so many opportunities to celebrate the parish’s golden anniversary with "50s" events, such as the drive-in movie night at our very own "theatre," the 1950s dance held right here in our very own "ballroom," and most importantly, the beautiful anniversary Mass held on Sept. 9. Yes, we have been "praising God for 50 years," and how blessed we have been.

Another way that our parish has praised God during the last half-century is through music.

SDS Band Record

Our school opened in September 1957 with 368 students. I'm sure it was a busy place, not unlike our school today.

When my children were attending St. Dominic, they had music lessons available. We had Sister M. Doralice on staff to head up the music program as moderator and instructor, and Fred Palmer Jr. of Palmer Music. who directed a fine band with Mr. George Wamser heading up the brass.

In 1970, a 33-1/3 rpm record album - remember, these were the days before compact discs - was produced and sold by the band. Many of you may still have your copy!

The album was truly a great accomplishment. Even now, listening to it brings a smile to my face. The band always led the school picnic parade. If I'm counting correctly (on the back of the album there are pictures of band members), there were approximately 80 students in the band when the record was made.

My favorite number that they played was called "Si Trocadero." At one point in the song, the children had to vocalize "UUH." I never did see them perform the song, but I bet that they had a lot of fun doing it.

Now that I have rediscovered the album, I plan to listen to it one more time, and then pass it on to my son, who was a member of the band in the years after this album was produced. Another LP was produced in 1978 that featured not only our SDS band but a number of other local school bands.

We thought it was a fine idea to share this memory from the past with you, particularly in this our anniversary year. Hope you enjoyed reminiscing as much as I have. As our musical past at St. Dominic Savio parish shows, there are so many ways to praise God!

Fifty years ago three priests from our Archdiocese were sent to LaPaz, Bolivia, to begin missionary work there. That was the beginning of the St. Louis involvement in the Latin America Apostolate.

To celebrate this 50th Anniversary, Archbishop Burke led a missionary pilgrimage to Bolivia from Aug. 16-24. I was fortunate to make that journey along with fellow SDS parishioners Cathy and Bill Hardebeck and approximately 35 others. We were hosted by our St. Louis priests serving at Maria Reina parish in LaPaz, including Msgr. David Ratermann, who was one of the founders, and our own former pastor, Fr. Jim Michler. It was an incredible experience.

SDS Parishioners in Bolivia

We attended several religious celebrations commemorating the anniversary. The first was Mass the evening of our arrival at one of the chapels in Maria Reina parish. The church was quite small and very basic but with its own beauty. One surprise was that the kneelers there and everywhere else we worshiped were bare wood - no padding!

Archbishop Burke

On Saturday evening there was a Mass and a celebration at St. James in Calamarca, which is in the Altiplano (high plain) above LaPaz. They do not have a resident priest so each of our St. Louis priests take turns spending one week a month there saying Mass and administering the sacraments.

Most of the people are of indigenous Aymara heritage. The church itself is absolutely beautiful with gold leaf and priceless artwork from the Spanish period in the 17th century. The people how ever are for the most part very poor and their faith is a great source of hope and consolation. Despite their humble conditions they were warm and welcoming everywhere we went.

On Sunday we attended Mass at Christo Rey parish, where Archbishop Burke concelebrated with Bolivian bishops and our priests. Mass was preceded by a procession through the streets and followed by a colorful fiesta with dancers in beautiful costumes.

Archbishop Burke

That evening, there was another Mass; this time at Maria Reina where our priests are serving. Again it was proceeded by a procession. On other days we attended a holy hour led by the archbishop followed by more music and colorful ethnic dancing. All of the priests were dancing - even the archbishop’s secretary! Many of us were pulled up into the dancing as well.

We also visited an orphanage where abandoned babies and girls from families who are unwilling or unable to care for them live. We also traveled to the ancient Aymara ruins at Tiawanaku and there was some time set aside for shopping as well.

After four days most of the group traveled to Riberalta in the rain forest to visit Bp. Morgan Casey, a St. Louis native who is now bishop in the Vicariate of the Pando in Bolivia. The rest of us traveled to Copacabana, a city on Lake Titicaca. It involved a bus ride of several hours and we had to avoid a protest blockade on the main road, which meant that the bus driver had to drive on roads that were little more than dirt paths to get around and back on the main road a gain. This is not an unusual experience in Bolivia where protests about one thing or another are common.

We also had to ferry across the lake on a somewhat small motorboat while our bus was taken across on a flatbed boat, which was quite an experience in itself.

Once we reached our destination, it was very beautiful at Lake Titicaca. We visited the church of the Virgin of Copacabana. After one day at the lake, we returned to LaPaz where we visited the home for men struggling to overcome alcoholism. This refuge was founded by the late Fr. Dan Stretch of St. Louis; his sister was one of our group. The men spoke movingly about how this home literally saved their lives.

Sandie Whited and Bolivians

Finally, Fr. Jim took us on a jeep tour of Maria Reina parish. It was quite sobering to see the conditions in which so many of the parishioners live. Their houses, which literally cling to the side of the mountain, consist of brick or mud brick, often with corrugated tin roofs. Many homes are unfinished. People build until they run out of money and then live in the finished part until they have enough money to continue.

This was obviously not a typical week for the priests or parishioners. Due to our presence their "work" that week consisted mainly of making our trip as pleasant and rewarding as possible - which it was. Most of the time they are doing what priests everywhere do: Celebrate the Eucharist, baptize, preside at weddings, have funerals and serve the needs of their parishioners.

Due to the general poverty of the area how ever, they also deal with situations not encountered as often here in the States. There is hunger, illness, alcoholism, etc. The parish runs a health clinic, which helps to address some of these issues, and the parish provides financial help to those in need.

Our donations to the Archdiocesan Mission Office - Latin America Apostolate make all this possible. There is an annual collection in August for this, but needless to say they gladly accept donations anytime. Donations can be designated for the work of a specific priest as well. One can also sponsor an orphan through the Pan y Amor (bread and love) program.

Our priests work hard and are doing much good. It is obvious that they love the people very much. It is also obvious that the people love them in return and are grateful for the priests’ presence in their lives.

This school has had a fantastic start with many changes taking place, most notably new principal Kathy Wiseman. While the role of principal is a new one, Kathy Wiseman has at the school for the last eight years as the school’s learning consultant.

And that’s not all: Kathy grew up at St. Dominic Savio, graduated from the school and her two children are also SDS alums. "I have come to this position as principal holding SDS very deep in my heart," she said. "It is my home and my family. I think of our students as if they were my own children."

She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience. She has a bachelor’s degree in education from Fontbonne University and a master’s degree in education from Maryville University. She has worked as teacher and learning consultant for the last 20 years.

"I am very excited that Kathy has taken on this new role," says Fr. Jack. "She is committed to continuing to provide the students with a solid spiritual foundation and formation in Jesus Christ while also providing the best possible learning opportunities for them."

Some of the many changes taking place under her administration are the addition of computers in each of the classrooms and the addition of SMARTBoard technology in the computer lab, science lab, math lab and in the third grade homeroom. "One of my goals is to keep the children up to date with the latest technology and provide the tools they need to be life-long learners in today’s world," she said.

The very important message we have from our parish patron, St. Dominic Savio, is "I can't do big things but I want everything I do to be for the glory of God." He would be proud that his parish, our parish, has so many opportunities available to do just that. One of these opportunities is the SDS St. Vincent De Paul Society, organized at our parish in 1959.

Vincent De Paul, a French priest, founded the first Conference of Charity for the assistance to the poor in the early 1600s. He began giving missions, and after each of the missions a Conference of Charity was founded in different areas for the relief of the poor. In 1617, he established a group of lay women that evo l ved into the Ladies of Charity, which offered care, concern and relief to the poor. In 1633, Vincent also co-founded the Daughters of Charity with Louise de Marillac to help the Ladies of Charity in their service of the sick and the poor, doing the harder work to which the ladies of Paris were not accustomed or suited. Vincent died in Paris in 1660 at the age of 79. He was declared a saint in 1934.

His tradition has continued here at St. Dominic Savio parish with the St. Vincent De Paul Society, Nick Moramarco, president, and the Women of St. Vincent De Paul, Mary Jane Stewart, president. On a larger scale, there are 875,000 Saint Vincent de Paul members around the world!

The SDS Women of the St. Vincent De Paul at St. Dominic Savio Parish gathered for their first meeting on May 22, 1985. Twelve ladies joined together monthly to work on projects to be given to the parish shut-ins at Christmas.

Today, the group continues to meet monthly on the first Tuesday of each month. They make articles to benefit of the needy. Most recently, they have been baking a variety of items that were sold at this year’s Boutique and Bake Sale in October. The proceeds were turned over to the St. Vincent De Paul Society, who in turn uses those funds to help the poor. The women also make toys and dolls for Sister Carol (formerly of St. Dominic Savio Parish) who ministers to the needy.

This is not a large group! There is always room for more women to become involved. It is a good way to meet new people and also a good way to keep the spirit of St. Dominic Savio alive and well. Give it some thought! If you cannot make meetings during the day, possibly you could lend a hand "behind the scenes." Hopefully Mary Jane Stewart will hear from many ladies who would like to join the group.

Parishioners learned all about ways to participate in St. Dominic’s Festival of Ministries during Stewardship Awareness Weekend Sept. 16-17. Displays from all ministries were exhibited, including the quilters and the SDS Athletic Association.

The Quilters

The Athletic Association