-
History of Patron St. Rose of Lima
-
*Before 1883, Mass was celebrated occasionally in the home of Mrs. Martin Brace in Bagdad when a traveling priest came through or one from Pensacola could come to Santa Rosa County.
*1883 St. Ann's Church, a mission church, was built in Bagdad from contributions made by Mr. William Ollinger, Mrs. Martin Brace and Mrs. John Casey. Mass was celebrated by priests from St. Michael's in Pensacola and St. Mary's in Fort Walton Beach.***(see note below)
*1948 Rev. James Gilligan, Assistant Pastor at St. Mary's in Fort Walton Beach, was charged with responsibility for Crestview and Bagdad.
*1950 Gas and electricity are installed in the church.
*1955 Archbishop Toolen (then Bishop) purchased land on Park Ave. in Milton for future church, from E. N. James and J. D. Hembree, church members.
*1957 October 20 - Ground breaking for new church. New church was helped by a $5000 grant from the Extension Society and $2000 from the Diocese of Mobile. The total cost of the church was $23,000, exclusive of furnishings.
*1958 First Mass was celebrated in the new church. Church still a mission church out of Crestview.
*1960 Father Gilligan made Pastor. House across the street, 5391 Saratoga Street, purchased for office and rectory. Father was still serving the Crestview area.
*1962 Kindergarten started. Ground is broken for the new educational building.
*1964 Father Gilligan has only St. Rose parish as his responsibility.
*1968 300 students enrolled in CCD. Parish celebrates 10th anniversary.
*1970 June - Fr. Lorrigan replaces Fr. Gilligan as pastor.
*1976 Ladies Club reorganized and resurrected.
*1978 Knights of Columbus chapter formed.
*1981-82 Beginning of Annual Fall Festival
*1982 January - Father Todd Hevia becomes administrator.
*1982 New rectory/office building completed.
*1984 "Hometown boy" Michael Reed is ordained.
*1987 Deacons Tom Kennell and Dave Davey ordained permanent deacons.
*1988 Church is bursting at seams even after renovation; new church committee formed.
*1990 Plans approved for new church.
*1992 Mass of Dedication in new church.
*1998 Father Thom Crandall replaces Father Todd Hevia as Pastor.
*2002 January - Father Tom Collins appointed temporary administrator. New rectory purchased for priests; former rectory is made into all offices for parish.
June - Father Steven J. O'Connor appointed Pastor of parish.
*2003 Father Kurian Manikuttiyil joins Father O'Connor as Parochial Vicar.
*2004 September - Deacon Chris Christopher joins us.
November - Father Dennis J. O'Brien comes to St. Rose as Pastor.
*2006 Father Peter Hung Nguyen, SOLT becomes new Parochial Vicar.
September - Father Peter goes on temporary assignment. Father Mathew Chandrankunnel comes to St. Rose in residence.
October - Pastoral Plan for next 3-5 years presented to parish.
*2007 July - Father Mathew Chandrankunnel goes to temporary assignment prior to his retirement in March 2008. Father Bernard Jakubco, MCS becomes new Parochial Vicar.
*2008 July - Father Bernard Jakubco, MCS becomes Pastor of Immaculate Conception in Perry, Florida. Father Nicholas Schumm becomes new Parochial Vicar.
*2009 June - Deacon Jeff Massey ordained a permanent deacon.
*2010 Old rectory House across the street, 5391 Saratoga Street, was sold. October - Ground breaking for new classrooms at opening of Fall Festival
*2011 June - Father Nicholas Schumm leaves St. Rose becomes Pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Quincy, Florida. Father Dennis J. O'Brien leaves to serve in Ecuador with Saint James Society.
July - Reverend Monsignor Stephen C. Bosso comes to St. Rose as Pastor. Father Richard Schamber comes to St. Rose as Parochial Vicar.
*2013 July - Reverend Monsignor Stephen C. Bosso leaves St. Rose to serve at St. Vincent de Paul Regioal Seminar in Boynton Beach, Florida. Reverend Monsignor Michael V. Reed, JCL comes to St. Rose as Pastor.
September – Seminarian Michael Hartley joined St. Rose for his Pastoral year from St. Vincent de Paul.
*2016 June-Father Richard Schamber leaves St. Rose to become Pastor of St Francis and Holy Cross Parishes. Father Hank Lech joins St. Rose of Lima as Parochial Vicar.
*2018 July-The Rose logo was added in tile to the Vestibule floor. Also, the Parish Hall underwent minor renovations with new interior paint, replacing cracked tiles, new blinds, and acoustic panels.
September- Seminarian Ray Herard joined us for his Pastoral year with the Seminary.
*2020 July 1- Fr. Henry “Hank” Lech, Jr. is appointed Administrator of the Nativity of Our Lord in Pensacola. Fr. Emmanuel Christian Plancher arrives at St. Rose as Parochial Vicar. Deacon Phil Czajkowski joins St. Rose as a permanent deacon.
***(Note: Between 1930 and 1932 French-speaking persons from across America and Canada came to north Santa Rosa County in search of good agricultural land. The community of Belandville, just south of Munson, in 1932 had 500 residents.
A French Franciscan priest, Rev. August Beyne ministered to them. In 1932, a church was built with Extension Society Funds. By 1937, the small community failed despite having raised fine crops. The people left; the houses were moved. The church was dismantled and reassembled at the Catholic Boys' Home summer camp on Mobile Bay. Old maps identify the area as "Santa Maria," which is what Father Beyne called it. ) -