Many German Catholic immigrants left their homeland to escape the turmoil caused by Napoleon. The Cincinnati area attracted a lot of Germans in the 1820's 30's. Some of these people had been farmers in Germany, so they were seeking rural areas to begin a new life in their new country. At that time, Indiana farmland around here could be had for $350 for 80 acres. The new settlement of Springfield looked very promising to them, except that the nearest Catholic Church was a five mile walk to Oldenburg.
In 1834, Pope Gregory XVI established the Diocese of Vincennes, with Father Simon Brute as the first bishop. This occassionally brought traveling priests, sometimes called circuit riders, to the area to celebrate Mass and administer the sacraments. Bishop Maurice de St. Palais purchased five acres of land from John and Susannah Miller in 1853. This became the location of St. Anthony's Church. That same year the first train arrived in Springfield.
In 1854, several prominent families met to determine how best to build St. Anthony Church. Many of today's parishioners are descendants of those early families. In 1855, a log school house was built on church property. Some people beleived that a Catholic school was so important that is should be built even before the church building was finished. On October 29, 1856, Bishop de St. Palais blessed the first St. Anthony Church. In 1861, a new stone schoolhouse was built and a frame house was put up for the teaching sisters. In 1866, Father Roman Weinzaepfle became our first resident pastor. In 1868, the parish installed two new bells for the bell tower, the larger dedicated to Mary Immaculate and the smaller to St. Joseph. An organ was purchased in 1882. When the village was officially platted in 1858 the name was changed to Morris.
In 1963 Schad Hall, named after Father Albert Schad, was built. In 1964, Mass began to be said in English instead of Latin. In 1965, the teaching sisters got a new convent, but unfortunately St. Anthony's grade school later closed in 1977.
Father (later Monsignor) Bernard Schmitz came to St. Anthony's in 1970. Father was a very spiritual pastor who provided Holy Hours, Eucharistic adoration and many other opportunities for us to grow in our faith and our love of God. Father loved his German heritage and encouraged the writing of our parish history. Msgr. was innovative and very hard working. He believed in keeping the parish facilities in good repair.
After Msgr. Schmitz retired in 2006, Fr. Pascal Nduka took the helm and continued our good work until November, 2013. Fr. Pascal is from Nigeria and he helped us learn to be more globally aware.
Fr. Shaun Whittington served as pastor from 2013 to 2020. Father Whittington continued with the programs, organizations and activities for which St. Anthony is well known.
Fr. Stan Pondo is our current pastor. God has truly blessed St. Anthony Parish, especially in its people. We thank God for his continued blessings.
Source: Our Story of Faith, written by St. Anthony Parish, 1982.