Building on Faith
Saint Paul’s Journey
Part Four:
Tough Times of Change:
By the 1950s, St. Paul’s sons and daughters had returned from WWII to welcoming arms to pursue the hard-fought and precious freedoms they had protected. Some were fighting still in Korea.
Back home at about this time, a new convent was built next to the church. This structure housed the many Benedictine Sisters that guided the youth of the still growing parish. The long, two-story, red-brick building was completed in 1955 and later became the Rectory and finally the present Parish Office.
Rocky times in the US Catholic Church and tensions in our own community colored the journey of St. Paul’s faithful during the 1950’s and 1960’s. One period of history whose telling is most unpleasant is the period between the second “War to end all wars” and the Vietnam Conflict.
St. Paul’s emergent Hispanic community was in a time where they were a quiet minority, socially segregated, and living the life of laborers in the outlying farm camps. Though they insisted their children speak English to become successful, the Anglo and Latino communities formed a collective yet disconnected body of believers.
Antonio “Tony” Rodriguez, proprietor of the locally renowned El Charro restaurant, recalls that he “…fought hard against discrimination and to take down the ‘No Jews,’ ‘No Mexicans,’ ‘No Negroes,’ ‘No Indians,’ ‘No Japanese,’ signs in Nampa.” He sought the counsel of Archbishop Shriner in Portland. How might he and other Treasure Valley Latino citizens confront the discrimination facing the increasingly diverse population? Their goal was to remove the hate signs from store windows. “I went to the fraternal organizations. At the time, I was a member of the Eagles, the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Knights of Columbus.
“We followed with letters to the state senate and house of representatives. [A legislative] bill passed in 1962 and the signs came down.”
After that Tony Rodriguez spear-headed the celebrations of traditional Mexican holidays throughout Idaho. “Every December 12th, we have a big celebration beginning at 5 a.m. for La Virgen de Guadalupe at St. Paul’s Church. We decorate the church with flowers and sing “Las Mananitas” to la Virgen. Sometimes, we take the mariachi to sing at church. This is a very special day that makes everybody happy.”
The mid- to late-1960’s and early 70’s also saw the introduction of the post Vatican II changes in the liturgy.
Both the Spanish and English speaking communities watched in silent amazement of Vatican II. Latin had, for centuries, been the universal language of the Mass. With the Mass now in the vernacular it became necessary for the Marists to serve St. Paul’s with priests able to celebrate in both languages. Both populations watched, often in bewilderment, with other Catholics throughout the US as the youth of the Church began to hear and understand the liturgy at a younger age than any other previous generation.
Among the notable adaptations brought by the Second Vatican Council were: the removal of the communion rail, a thigh high barrier that kept the layman in the pews; the Lector, formerly a member of clergy, gradually became a lay Reader from the congregation; he left the company of the altar boys—only boys in those days—and took a seat in the pews with his family. In Nampa as in many communities around the country, insurance companies and fire departments forced the choir from the choir loft. Soon the liturgy called less for an unseen angel choir and more for a visible choir of the congregation. Fran Pierson remembers that it took until the early 1970’s to finally leave the loft for good.
When priests all over the US and in the universal church turned their backs to the altar and the tabernacle, their fronts to the worshipers, with arms raised they faced and embraced the faithful, who were now full participants in the mass.
The Church’s old white altar a majestic presence of ornate, white carpentry that filled the arched recess of the dais (see photo), was moved to the mission church at Oreana, Idaho when it left Nampa. Fran Pierson remembers the picture of The Last Supper from the front of the altar going to the Catholic Church in Marsing. In spite of it all, the community of St. Paul’s weathered the storms of growth and change. Sometimes together, sometimes apart, but always for the same reason: to build a better Body of Christ.
? Michelle Tanberg
& Rusty Boicourt