JONESBORO — Blessed Sacrament Church in Jonesboro was dedicated 80 years ago on Oct. 17, 1933.
With a relatively young church building, at least one of its earliest members is still reminiscing, collecting and writing stories.
On Saturday, Oct. 12, the parish celebrated its anniversary during its 5:30 p.m. Mass followed by a potluck dinner.
Local historian Sister Henrietta Hockle, OSB, of Holy Angels Convent, was 6 years old when the church opened. She shared the history of the church before an attentive audience.
Sister Henrietta quipped about how long she was going to speak about the church at a potluck supper after Mass.
“I narrowed it down to eight minutes,” she said with a wink.
Known for her books on the Jonesboro parish and Holy Angels Convent, Sister Henrietta explained Mass was first held in the original church, then known as St. Roman and then was moved to the Holy Angels Chapel when the church burned down in 1896 from lightning.
Plans were in the works for a new building, however. Everything came into fruition in 1925 when Father William Joseph Kordsmeier was appointed pastor. Father Kordsmeier, along with the help of the parishioners, raised nearly $30,000. Estimates were sent out and after careful review leaders selected one totaling $51,023. Work started in 1932 with completion a year later. The church was renamed at the request of Bishop John B. Morris who indicated at the time that no other church in Arkansas was called Blessed Sacrament.
Sister Henrietta was among the fortunate individuals who got to see the building when it was done.
“I was in the first grade and Father let us walk through the church to look at it before it was consecrated. As a child I was so fascinated by the altar that we got to walk up the steps. The little lamb that’s sitting on top of the Bible,” she said. “I went up there and rubbed my little hand on the little lamb. I was 6 years old. I remember that impressed me so much. That altar had that little lamb on it. I thought that was so special.”
Another fond memory she recollected was when the Benedictine sisters of Holy Angels asked the students to collect nickels and pennies to buy candlesticks for Father Kordsmeier.
“We saved our pennies and nickels and brought them to school and, of course, the sisters were able to buy two candlesticks. They were brass, but as a child I thought they were gold,” she said adding they may still be at the church.
For parish council president Carol Ward, the anniversary celebration plays an important part in her life. Ward said her grandparents, Theodore and Flora Rose, were involved in the fundraising to build the church.
“I’m fourth generation and we’re just so pleased we can still worship in this beautiful church and have it still standing after 80 years and to be in good shape is a wonderful blessing,” Ward said.
The parish also marked the 130th anniversary of the first Mass held in the city and the 100th anniversary of Council 1702 of the Knights of Columbus.
Jesse Gunther, an active member of the Knights of Columbus, expressed the organizations’ appreciation with the church.
“We’ve been here for 100 years this year,” he said having survived major obstacles such as the Great Depression and two World Wars. “We stuck together as a paternal family, an extension of our own. We appreciate the great support of our parish.”
