Search
-
St. Boniface Parish Spencer County, IndianaWelcome pilgrims and guests to Historic Saint Boniface Catholic Church in Spencer County, Indiana.The parish church is open daily from dawn to dusk. Click Parish News and Weekly Bulletin to view the latest parish news and weekly bulletin.In the mid-1800s, Croatian missionary priest Father Joseph Kundek dreamed of building a Catholic church every 10 miles across southern Indiana — the distance a horse and rider could travel in one day. Searching between Ferdinand and Troy, Indiana, for a new parish site, he purchased eight lots for one dollar from Milton and Jane Jackson on September 26, 1846.The land sat in Fulda, Indiana, named after a German city. Father Kundek placed the new parish under the patronage of Saint Boniface, Germany's patron saint and the first archbishop of Mainz, known as the "Apostle of the Germans." Saint Boniface was an eighth-century missionary who brought Christianity to the Frankish Empire. He and 52 other missionaries were martyred in 755, and their remains rest at Fulda Cathedral in Germany, still a popular pilgrimage site.St. Boniface Parish was established in 1845. Two years later, on June 5, the feast of Saint Boniface, Father Kundek celebrated the first Mass at Casper Hurm's home in Fulda.A log structure served as the first church until construction began on the historic second building in 1861. The Civil War halted construction, which resumed in 1865. The church was completed that year and dedicated in 1866. The current altars and paintings were installed in 1877. A 535-pipe organ was added in 1898.On May 23, 1916, Bishop Joseph Chartrand of the Diocese of Indianapolis consecrated the building. In 1980, the church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, becoming one of the first three Catholic churches in Indiana to receive this honor. It earned recognition for its architectural and engineering significance and remains the only church in Spencer County on the register.This sacred space reflects the love, sacrifice and devotion of generations of parishioners who have called Fulda home.We invite you to take a tour of Historic Saint Boniface Catholic Church listed on the National Register of Historic Places and Saint Boniface Parish Cemetery.For more information or to arrange a group tour, please call us at 812-357-5533 or leave a message.