By the time of the parish’s Golden Jubilee in 1952, we had 550 families, with 450 children in our two schools, instructed by the Reverend Assistants, the CDP Sisters, and a few lay teachers. The diocese had given part of the parish’s original territory to Saint Catherine, which had been established in 1930 from pieces of Saint Thomas, Saint Francis de Sales, Saint Anthony, Sacred Heart, and Saint Bernard.
The year 1952 was also Monsignor Hillenmeyer’s Golden Jubilee of ordination to the priesthood. He had received papal elevations to Monsignor, Domestic Prelate in 1936, and to Protonotary Apostolic in 1949; he became Vicar General of the diocese in 1949; and he served the diocese in many capacities during his four decades at Saint Thomas and even after his retirement.
When Monsignor Herbert F. Hillenmeyer, Protonotary Apostolic, Vicar General, retired on September 1, 1968, he had served as pastor of Saint Thomas parish for 43 and a half years. During his tenure the parish experienced tremendous growth, both spiritual and material, to which Monsignor’s advocacy of Catholic schooling contributed greatly. His records indicate that over $3 million were donated by parishioners while he was at Saint Thomas. Five of our six buildings were erected at his instigation – five and a half, if we count his expansion of the 1920 church-school. All stand as visible reminders of his dedication to the people he served and loved.
At a cost of about $500,000, the high school building had been opened in 1956 for 137 parish teenagers. Despite their exodus, the 12-classroom school on East Villa remained incredibly crowded, holding 709 youngsters by 1959. To address this problem, the former convent was razed in 1960, making room for a new primary grade building, which cost $250,000. Enrollments peaked in 1964, when 1,056 students packed the parish campus: 759 in the lower grades and 297 in the high school. But the baby boom was over, and enrollments steadily declined thereafter.
In 1966, a new convent was completed and a new rectory begun, at a total cost of $300,000. These two buildings on East Villa were designed to accommodate the Sisters and Associate Pastors who had traditionally taught in the schools. Yet half the faculty was now lay, and America’s decline in religious vocations had begun.
Free Catholic education, the American ideal, assumed an unending supply of teaching clerics and nuns. Lacking a tithing tradition, many parishes began to consider tuition to offset rising salaries and school costs. What rate would not excessively burden large and low-income families? What proportion should be borne by the parish as a whole? And would this change be accepted or disputed, when two generations had taken for granted that parochial schooling should be free?
Changes, especially those affecting the pocketbook, can be difficult to implement, requiring diplomacy and cooperation. The advent of parish councils and parish boards of education was in tune with the times, coinciding with the desire of most pastors for increased lay consultation, with lay predominance among parochial school faculties, and with the need for lay volunteers in countless areas of parish life.
Amid the sense of upheaval that followed Vatican II, a number of parish couples joined weekly prayer and discussion groups under the banner of the Christian Family Movement, finding in CFM support for their “domestic churches” as well as encouragement to serve others beyond their families. Many CFM members were leaders of parish organizations and volunteered in community outreach programs. Their CFM friendships and attitude of service still survive today.
On October 1, 1968, Monsignor Thomas B. Finn, Vicar General, was appointed to Saint Thomas, where an entire generation had grown up knowing only Monsignor Hillenmeyer as pastor. To take the measure of the parish, Monsignor Finn launched a year-long assessment, aided by a committee of 13 men and women. Their analysis of parish needs led to a capital funds campaign with two objectives: to retire the existing debt ($60,000, according to Monsignor Hillenmeyer’s notes), and to perform facility renovations and repairs. The $200,000 campaign was conducted with professional assistance and quickly succeeded, so the work was soon underway.
After a quarter century of constant use, the church needed much attention. First, its entire interior was cleaned. The limestone, which cannot tolerate sandblasting, steam, or liquid cleansers, was rubbed with various grades of pumice stone. Much of the interior needed tuck-pointing. The ornate ceiling was washed and treated. The sanctuary dome, cleansed and retouched with gold leaf, unfortunately lost some of the original finely painted decoration visible in old photographs. The carved wood statues of Mary and Joseph regained their original beauty, new lighting fixtures were installed, and a portable wooden altar hastily set up to meet Vatican II guidelines was replaced by a permanent altar of the same marble as the high altar. Renovations and repairs extended to the school building, and the final touch was landscaping with trees and shrubs, to complete the beautiful setting for the parish buildings.
In 1972, Monsignor Finn arranged for the formation of adult and boys’ choirs. Many parishioners auditioned, and soon the High Mass drew a crowd every Sunday. With-in five years the adult choir had 65 voices and a wide repertoire, old and new. The Schola choir of 35 young voices became a rewarding experience of camaraderie, service, and leadership for the boys.
In late spring of 1968, prior to Monsignor Finn’s arrival, Bishop Richard H. Ackerman had urged all parochial schools to close their first grades, to alleviate overcrowding. Unfortunately, the ensuing exodus into the public school system was never fully reversed. Early in 1972 this restriction was lifted, but the need to provide organized religious instruction for public school children was clear. The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine program for elementary through high school students was introduced in 1968. A parish priest directed the lay faculty of parishioners, who taught weekly. CCD enrollments grew steadily, and under the direction of Father John Kroger, 324 were registered in 1977.
Monsignor Hillenmeyer died at age 96 on February 24, 1975, mourned by thousands for his wisdom, leadership, and devotion to Catholic education. His vision and energy had helped to make our diocesan college, Thomas More College, a reality.
Sadly, the high school he had founded in 1945 for Saint Thomas was in crisis at the time of his death. Some families had decided they could not afford to pay tuition; others were satisfied with the public school and CCD; and the relentless demographic decline was shrinking the pool of students everywhere. By fall 1975, 16 faculty members were serving only 187 high school students, an expensive 1:12 ratio. Given a forecast of fewer than 100 students within three years, Monsignor Finn and the board of education made the controversial and deeply regretted decision to close Saint Thomas high school after 31 years.
One happy outcome was that in 1977 the grade school students could move into the renovated high school building, taking advantage of modern classrooms and science labs, a large cafeteria, a library, and a gym, all under one roof. The CCD program in turn benefited, gaining permanent classrooms and office space in the former grade school.
In June of 1977, Monsignor Finn established a consultative parish council, first assigning a large exploratory committee to lay the groundwork. The format chosen was an elected council of 12 lay members; the parish priests and a representative of the religious women of the parish were members ex officio. By church law, a parish council is advisory to the pastor, not a decision-making body, but effective parish councils broaden lay participation and representation in all areas of parish life. Similarly, the board of education exists to advise the pastor about parochial school, CCD and adult education concerns. Monsignor Finn had broadened the board’s mandate to cover all aspects of Catholic education, not just the parish schools.
Vatican II (1963-1965) had underlined the importance of an active laity to the Church and to the secular world. Yet generous lay participation has been a hallmark of Saint Thomas parish from its inception. Individually and through a host of organizations, parishioners have reached out to Northern Kentucky, the diocese at large, and beyond. Newport’s Brighton Center, Catholic Social Services (which Monsignor Finn led for almost 20 years), the Christian Appalachian Project, and many local charities have enjoyed steady support.
At the time of the parish’s Diamond Jubilee in 1977, active groups included the just-formed parish council, the board of education, the adult choir and boys’ Schola, the school’s Mothers Club and Boosters, the Rosary Society for care of the altars, St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic Youth Organization for teens, and a Mission Club. Helping at Mass were servers, ushers, lectors, and lay distributors. Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops thrived, and each summer loyal aides braved sweltering heat for the perennially popular Vacation Bible School.
Aware that “when much has been given, much will be expected” (Luke 12:48), the laity of Saint Thomas have long accepted the mandates of Vatican II and the great traditions of this parish, in an attitude of willing service.
