"In the fall of 1895, Anthony Tress, my husband, came to Florida from Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, for his health, and, at that time, a Jesuit priest of Tampa came to Kissimmee about once a year and would say Mass at the Tropical Hotel. The children and I came in 1898 and the holy sacrifice of the Mass was offered up in a defunct bank building about three times a year. Mr. E. J. Dunne and family lived in the same building and the priest, Father La Blanc, stayed with them while in Kissimmee, as they were the only Catholics there besides Mr. Tress. The Dunne family left in the spring of 1899, and the priests would stay at our house and would say Mass in our sitting room.

"Father La Blanc came to Kissimmee until he had a nervous breakdown, and was forced to give up the mission work. After that, the different priests would come from Tampa, but I can't recall their names - only one, Father Navou, who promised that he would get me the necessary things for saying Mass when the priest would come, as I was planning to have a chapel in my house.

"In the spring of 1901, my brother, Father Hugo Paff, of the Sacred Heart Church of Wilmington, Delaware, paid me an unexpected but much welcomed visit, and he was surprised that I didn't have the necessary things for saying Mass. I told him that Father Navou has promised that he would try to get them for me through the Extension Society, and my brother said that I might have to wait so long for them, and that he would see what he could do in his parish. In the fall of that year, a mission outfit from Father Hugo came. There were two reversible vestments, white and red, purple and black; two sets of altar linens; a brass crucifix; two brass candlesticks; a silver chalice lined with gold; a Mass book and stand; a set of cruets; and a bell.

"A few months later, to my surprise, a box came with the Stations of the Cross from Mr. Bernard Clockler of Pittsburgh, who was a friend of Mr. Tress' father. Mr. Clockler had given these stations to his own parish years ago and later had replaced them with better ones. The first ones were given to the sisters for their chapel in that parish. In 1901, Mr. Clockler bought life-size stations for his own church and gave the second ones to the sisters, and they wanted to know what they would do with the ones they had, and he told them that he had a place for them in Florida. So that was the starting of my chapel. My father-in-law, Mr. Sebastian Tress, made three pews and kneelers; Mr. Charles Schmidt, my husband's step-brother, made the altar; Mr. A. Tress built the plain tabernacle. When finished, it was all very nice and neat. It was blessed by Father Navou and was named St. Anne's Chapel.

"About that time, a large family by the name of Garrity moved to Kissimmee from what is now called "Old St. Cloud." It was at this time that the Sunday School was first organized. There were only the two families there so we would go to each other's home on alternate Sundays for Sunday School and prayer. After they moved away, I had Sunday School and prayer in my chapel till the church was built.

"In the winter of 1902, Father Eugene Dokovitch of Newark, New Jersey, who was a dear friend of Father Hugo Paff, spent six weeks with us on account of his health. There was Mass in the chapel every day and as it was during Christmas season, we had Midnight Mass in the chapel, and then one at seven o'clock and one at eight.

"It was so far from Tampa, Father M. Fox of Orlando was put in charge of this mission in 1902 or 1903. He would say mass here about four times a year on weekdays till about 1908 or 1909; then he started coming once a month on Sundays. In about 1910, a great many Catholics came to Kissimmee, so my chapel was too small, and Frances Tress and the First Communion Class of 1928 would fix a temporary altar in the theater Saturday nights after the picture show was over.

"I superintended all the church work and Sunday School, until Father W. B. Golden took charge and still do the cleaning of the church, washing of the linens of the Main Altar, the priests' linens and the altar-boys' suits. Sometimes some of the ladies would volunteer to help and other times I would have to do it all myself.

"It was either in 1910 or 1911 that Florida was boosted so highly and our congregation was large, and at this time, Father Fox thought that it would be well to select lots for a church. While here on his regular mission trip, Father Fox told me that there was a fine half-block in northwest Kissimmee, and if he could buy it, he would be happy there. I asked him how much it cost, and he said, 'Sixteen-hundred dollars,' and I told him that we didn't have sixteen cents to start with. He then said that if we would try to raise money towards building a church, he would see if he could get money to buy the lots. Everyone worked hard and made pretty good. The lots were bought in the summer of 1911.

Laying the foundation of 1st
Holy Redeemer Catholic Church
Fr Fox presiding, 1912

"Father Fox's health failed, and as his mother was still living, he took a trip to Ireland, so the building of the church was postponed until 1912. On his way to Ireland, Father Fox got acquainted with two wealthy men, and in talking about church matters, mentioned his poor missions, and especially Kissimmee; one of the men didn't consider it at all; and the other said that it was customary for him to give a thousand dollars, if the people were real anxious, and would work hard. Father Fox said that the people of Kissimmee have worked and are working hard, so he got the check for a thousand dollars. Father Fox deprived himself of many comforts to help this church along.

"There were about twelve families here when the church was first built: Benter, Canova, Dietz, Kelly, Muller, Kulp, Regero, Rotundo, Santiago and Tress."

The first bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine was a young Frenchman, Reverend Augustin Verot, who was appointed to that post in 1870. This great crusader secured public funds for the Catholic schools of Savannah; established the first Catholic newspaper in Florida; built a chapel to preserve, for posterity, the sacred grounds of Nombre de Dios, where the first parish Mass was celebrated in the United States on September 8, 1565. Bishop Verot uncovered the early religious records of St. Augustine in Cuba and returned them to the town of St. Augustine. He spoke out publicly against slavery; brought in French nuns to educate black children and spoke out against the spiritual condition of prisoners in the infamous Andersonville, Georgia prison.

After his death, Bishop Verot was followed by Bishop John Moore, an Irishman from County Westmeath. Active during the Civil War, Bishop Moore served the Florida Diocese until 1901, enjoying some growth of Catholic families in the area; bringing Jesuits into the Tampa section and Benedictine's to Pasco County. It was under Bishop Moore that Kissimmee was first serviced through missionary priests.

Bishop Kenny followed Bishop Moore, a dedicated man who was known for his care of orphans. A native American, Bishop Moore approved the building of the first Holy Redeemer. Next came Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley, one of the most notable clergymen in the American Catholic Church. After five years as Bishop of St. Augustine, he was appointed Regent Ad Interim at the Apostolic Nunciature in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, where he was the Holy Father's representative at the mocktrial during which Cardinal Stepinac was accused of treason by the Tito government. He was elevated to Archbishop in 1950. During his episcopate in 1958, the Diocese of Miami was created. This was the second Diocese in the state of Florida since the founding of the Diocese of St. Augustine.

Although not established as a separate Diocese until June 18, 1968, the Diocese of Orlando dates back to St. James Parish in Orlando, which was formed by Bishop John Moore in 1881. He purchased a tract of land in the center of Orlando for $1,050. Reverend Michael Fox was placed in charge of St. James in 1892, and spent forty years to visiting five counties in the area, to include Kissimmee. It is said that he traveled by train, mule, horse, bicycle or automobile--any available mode of transportation for his missionary work. Kissimmee's Catholic population did not begin to arrive until 1895, although the town was a trading post as early as 1880. The City of Kissimmee was first incorporated in 1883.

Of this dedicated man, there is a charming story that he drove an Essex, but very badly . . . often ending up in a ditch. Frequently on these rides, he was accompanied by altar boys landing the ditches with him who would complain. Fr. Golden explained that it was his prerogative to drive in ditches, if he wished to do so!

It was men like this who have shaped and molded our destiny.

In 1972, Father Nolan arrived in Kissimmee, almost simultaneously with the adjacent Disney World enterprise. Father Nolan was born in Mullingar, Ireland a town similar to Kissimmee, famous for its cattle and horses. Irish-educated, Father Nolan prior to this post, spent eight years as a priest in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle; two years at Mary Magdalen in Maitland and one year at the Church of the Ascension in Eau Gailie. Father Nolan admitted, "None of these prepared me for what was in store at Kissimmee!"

Faced with a mere $300 in the bank and a few debts, a high-attendance at Mass; an even greater number of Disney World Catholic visitors every month, Father Nolan's astute vision of the future recognized that the little Church to which he had come was totally inadequate for its new and predicted needs. He communicated our need for a larger church to the Bishop of Orlando and to the parishioners, who sought diligently to raise the needed money. His budget of $301,000 received support from both quarters. In fact, the budget was increased to $351,000 by the Chancery; but the original estimate was most accurate. The church cost $301,362 to build.

"At last we had made it. We were in our new church and it was a great day for Holy Redeemer! We were used to things going wrong at the last minute, so it all seemed quite in the ordinary run of things." He goes on to say, "The final chapter of the building program was the Solemn Dedication of the church by His Excellency Bishop Borders of Orlando and His Excellency Bishop McCormack of Meath, Ireland. And what a great day that was even if the organ refused to play! Maybe God was telling us something--not to get too proud!"

To give newcomers and visiting tourists the feeling that Holy Redeemer was truly a Florida Church, Roberts and Associates carefully selected materials reflecting the nature and flavor of the local area. Natural wood, stone, glass which encouraged the sunlight to enter, each contributing to a bejeweled effect at the Sanctuary.

"Let us meet at the Temple of God." Nehemiah 6:10

In the 1970's, the emphasis in the Church shifted to smaller, more personal parishes. Also, where cathedrals often took decades to build, the modern church must be conceived, planned and erected within the space of a few years. Another important consideration is the cost factor. It would be financially impossible to duplicate the edifices of the past with present day construction cost. In addition, since Vatican II, the liturgical forms observed in church functions require a different concept and design in church planning.

An important feature of the cathedral was its beautiful, mosaic stained glass windows. These windows did much to inspire an atmosphere of reverence. Today it is possible to duplicate these marvels of medieval workmanship at a cost that is manageable for Holy Redeemer. The effect that these windows produce is awe - inspiring. Exact copies could never be reproduced in the traditional manner and still be within the budget. However, through the use of faceted stained glass, the dream of a new church transformed by these windows is indeed a possibility.

The Conrad Pickel Studios, Inc. was commissioned to submit a proposal and a design of stained glass windows for the new Holy Redeemer Church. What they have accomplished is breathtaking.

Select from the following links for more about Holy Redeemer's stained glass and/or an album of Holy Redeemer's parish family:

• Legend of the Holy Redeemer sanctuary stained glass
• PRAY Our Stained Glass Windows
• Parishioner Photo Album