From the Archives

While the contributions of the persecuted Carmelite Fathers who arrived in Oklahoma from Mexico have been well documented in this series, the story of the first parish given to their care, Hartshorne, is of great importance to the entire Church in Oklahoma. The Carmelites in this small, but bustling mining community and “twin city” with a Rock Island Railroad division point, Haileyville, would become the voice of the diocese with their publications “The Catholic Home” and “The Little Flower.”

Holy Rosary Catholic Church was a mission of McAlester and staffed by the Benedictines of Sacred Heart Abbey. It is believed that Father Isidore Robot celebrated Mass there as early as 1890. By 1895, the first church, a wooden-frame structure, was dedicated. A resident pastor arrived in the person of Father John Schaaf in 1898. He was responsible for a new rectory, school, convent and the novel concept of providing six, low-rent homes for poor families.

Father John Davlin was the successor of Father Schaaf in 1908, and continued in that office until the Carmelites took possession of the parish in 1916. This relationship between the church in Hartshorne and the Carmelite order would exist until 1973, when the Diocese of Tulsa became responsible for serving the community.

Until their departure, much would be accomplished in this hardworking, blue-collar town. Tragedy struck in 1917, as the church burned to the ground, as well as the residence of the Fathers. Led by the indomitable Father Bernard Brotons, a building drive began to replace the structures that included solicitations from around the country to raise funds. Proving extraordinarily successful, the new church and convent was dedicated on June 13, 1918.

The visionary Father Bernard was not finished. After the “Little Flower” magazine was published in 1920 in Kansas City, he sought to build a printing house in Hartshorne and brought the highly profitable magazine to Oklahoma. Seeing the need for a diocesan publication, the “Catholic Home” was also a product of the Hartshorne press. This publication, purchased by the diocese in 1924, became the “Southwest Courier.”

As the workload expanded, the decision was made to move operations to Oklahoma City. This did not dim the importance of Hartshorne to the order. In fact, a preparatory seminary for the education of future priests was established in 1935 and continued until 1942.

The seminary grounds were immaculately maintained and featured a lake and baseball field where the seminarians played various local teams. After World War II and the departure of the seminarians, this beautiful park fell on tough times. In the 1980s, the parish undertook a restoration project to bring it back to its former glory providing a restful place for the people of Hartshorne with a grotto and statue of the Blessed Mother at the center.

The second church was destroyed by fire in 1948. The present structure was dedicated in 1949, and remodeled in 1995. The faith and spirit of the parish inspired seven women to enter religious life, including the three Ranallo sisters who at one time were superiors of their respective communities.

With more than 500 members in 1908, that number is today substantially less with the number of households estimated at 35. Regardless of the difficulties that rural Catholicism faces, the stature of Holy Rosary in the history of the Church in Oklahoma is to be admired and commended.