(This document was originally published in the 75th Anniversary Book of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in 1975.)
Monsignor Stimac
Monsignor Charles Anthony Stimac was born Nov. 3, 1900, to Frances and Joseph Stimac in the village of Gasparci, Gorski Kotar, Croatia, Yugoslavia.
He came to the U.S. in 1911 and, as he often remarked to friends, when he sighted the Statue of Liberty as dawn broke over New York harbor, he was so jubilant and excited that he threw his hat overboard.
He lived with his parents and sisters in the patch and attended St. John the Baptist School. He attracted the attention of Bishop John J. Ward who, in 1913 sent him too St. Benedict’s preparatory school. Graduating in 1917, he then entered St. Benedict’s College where he earned the distinction as a shortstop on the varsity baseball team. He served as captain of St. Benedict’s baseball and basketball teams. He entered Kenrick Seminary, Webster Groves, Mo., in 1919 for studies, in philosophy and theology. Upon graduation in 1926, he was ordained to the priesthood on May 311, 1926, in his home parish, and was the first parishioner to attain the priesthood. After ordination, he was assigned as assistant to Monsignor Davian M. Krmpotic and taught classes in English and Coached athletic teams. He was an avid golfer, shooting in the low and middle 70s. This interest in gold was curtailed in 1955 when Monsignor suffered a heart attached.
During World War Iii, he organized women of the parish to write letter to the men from St. John’s serving in the armed forces to keep them informed of the news from home. He also worked on war bond drives during this time. More than 500 members of the parish served in the armed forces.
Monsignor Stimac’s eloquent rhetoric put him in demand as a speaker at many functions.
He assumed pastorate of St. John’s upon the death of Monsignor Krmpotic in 1931, and was elevated by Pope Pius XII in December 1954 to the rank of domestic prelate with the title of Right Reverend Monsignor.
On May 27, 1956, St. Benedict’s College presented him, a member of the class of 1922 with an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.
During his priesthood, he was archdiocesan consultor, member of the board of advisory for archdiocesan school, member of the archdiocesan matrimonial court; president of the region’s canon law society; archdiocesan director of cemeteries, spiritual director of the Catholic Laymen’s Association and chaplain for the Carmelite Sisters. On August 21, 1966, the Scoutmaster of our Boy Scout Troop 19 presented him an honorary membership in the troop as a testimonial for services contributed to further develop the scout camp and scout troop.
Through the years, Monsignor Charles assembled an extensive library and gained recognition as one of the best information ecclesiastical scholars of our region.
Monsignor Stimac served his parish well until his retirement in 1964 due to ill health, when he became Pastor Emeritus.
He passed away on Monday, Nov. 25, 1968, at St. Margaret’s Hospital.
Monsignor Horvat
Monsignor John William Horvat, son of George and Rose Horvat, was born on September, 192 in Kansas City, Kansas, and was christened at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. In the fall of 1918, he was entered in St. John’s Parochial School.
At the age of nine, he began serving as an altar boy. After completing his elementary at St. John’s with the Class of 1926, he enrolled at Ward High School, which was then Catholic High School located at 1236 Sandusky, presently one of the Donnelly College buildings. After finished a classical course of study as an honor student in 1930, he registered and was accepted as a student at Rockhurst, a Jesuit College in Kansas City, MOP, where in addition to his college curriculum, he was a zealous promoter for the Apostleship of Prayer. After four years of study, in June 1934, he received his Bachelor of Art Degree from Rockhurst, and a Gold Medal, which was awarded annually to the student achieving the highest scholastic standing for four years of college work. In 1934, Monsignor began his theological course of study at Kenrick Seminary in Webster Groves, MO.
On Saturday, June 11, 1938, Monsignor was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by his Excellency, the Most Reverend Paul C. Schulte, D.D., then of the Leavenworth Diocese. He celebrated his First Solemn High Mass on Sunday, June 12, 1938, at 10 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. His first appointment was as Assistant Pastor of St. John’s.
In 1945, he became the first director of Catholic Charities for the Arch dioceses, remaining in residence at St. John’s.
In 1951, he was appointed Assistant Chancellor of the Diocese and in 1952, he became Chancellor of the Diocese. He also served as Archdiocesan Director of Hospitals, and in 1952, was appointed Director of the Catholic Nurses Association in the Archdiocese.
Monsignor served as Master of ceremonies for Archbishop Edward J. Hunkeler from 1952 until the Archbishop’s retirement in the late 60s. Monsignor is al Archdiocesan Consultor, and has been for more than 10 years.
In 1955, Monsignor was given the title and rank of Papal Chamberlain, an honorary distinction conferred by the Holy Father on priests as a recognition of merit, and on January 24, 1960, he became a Domestic Prelate, which title he holds presently.
In 1959, with the Excellency, the Most Reverend Archbishop Edward J. Hunkeler, Monsignor travelled to Rome, where he had a private audience with his Holiness Pope John the XXIII.
In 1963, Monsignor, celebrated the Silver Jubilee of his Ordination. In August of 1964, he was appointed Pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish.
While attending high school and college, Monsignor worked after school hours at the Westside Armature Works, which was located at Fourth and Armstrong, for many years, to help meet some of his incidental expenses. Also, while attending school, Monsignor was action in religious and social activities at St. John’s He served as Secretary for St. John’s Catholic Club for a number of years, and a member of the Board of Trustees until he entered Kenrick Seminary. While a student, he was also a member of the Third Order of St. Francis, the Holy Name Society, the St. Joseph and St. Mary Catholic Charity Society and the St. Martin Lodge of the Croatian Catholic Union.
Monsignor also served as Director of the Propagation of the Faith for the Archdiocese for a number of year and is presently serving on the Catholic Cemeteries Board. In the past few years, Monsignor had to curtail many of the activities for reasons for Health.
Monsignor enjoys “Television” football and baseball and loves music, especially church music hymns, old folk tunes and the old Croatian folk songs. The harmonica and accordion are his favorite musical instruments, but he enjoys organ music and tamburitza.
As a boy, he enjoyed a game of handball and always read Horatio Alger stories and western cowboy books. He loves to read books, magazines and newspapers, especially current events. In his youth, he was always sitting with a book in his hands.
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