On May 6, 1834, Pope Gregory XVI established the See of Vincennes with the Right Reverend Simon Guillaume Gabriel Brute de Remur as the first bishop, whose jurisdiction encompassed the territories of Indiana and Illinois. One year later Saint Michael Parish was founded. According to best authorities, a few Catholic families built a log church about three miles southwest of Bradford on what is now known as State Road 135.
Paul Beigler (now spelled Buechler) and his wife Catherine, conveyed to the Right Reverend Maurice de Saint Palais, Roman Catholic Bishop of Vincennes, a tract of land and John Gettelfinger and his wife Margaret, conveyed land as well. The two tracts joined, and jointly made up a plot approximately one acre square. This was the site of the log church and the first Saint Michael cemetery. Two cedars were planted, one on each side of the entrance of the church. One on the north side of the church still stands to mark the location of the church. The log church stood for many years as a relic and landmark. Father Joseph Ferneding celebrated the first Mass in the original church.
In 1854, the Catholics families had increased to such extent that a new frame church in the town of Bradford was built. Fredreick and Angeline Ems conveyed to Rt. Rev. Maurice de Palais, Bishop of Vincennes, for the sole use and benefit of the Roman Catholic congregation of Bradford, a one acre lot with boundaries on the west by what was then known as Catholic Street, now known as Farmers Lane.
The new frame church, thirty feet in length, was built near the center of the acre lot and dedicated on September 29, 1855 by the Rev. Joseph Wentz of New Albany. Father J. H. Kintrup was the first pastor of Saint Michael’s church and served from1869 to1871, when Father Gabriel from St. John Church in Starlight attended to St. Michael.
Father F. X. Seegmuller, the second resident pastor, took charge on June 12, 1879, and started at once to get everything in readiness to erect a new church. The Corydon Democrat printed on February 3, 1870: “Bradford Letter: The Catholics are making arrangements to burn a large brick kiln, in preparatory to building a magnificent brick church in our town, and as they have the will and the means, it will go on with all the energy required.” In 1881, he built a new frame church 40 ft. by 75 ft. An item in the Corydon Republican dated November 3, 1881 stated: “The new Catholic Church at Bradford was dedicated last Sunday. The attendance was quite large.” The old abandoned church burned mysteriously in about 1883. Rev. Andrew Schaaf, the third resident priest and a native of Harrison County, took charge on July 19,1889. From that time on, with the exception of a short time in 1972 and again in 1983-84, Saint Michael has enjoyed the services of a resident pastor.
Saint Michael’s School was opened on Easter Monday, 1891, with Miss Josie Henriott of Frenchtown in charge, and was in operation through the spring. In September 1891, after a home had been provided, two Sisters, Sister Dominica Mosser and Sister Julitta Schnieders came from Ferdinand to take over the school, which was in their continuous charge until it closed in 1971. St. Michael’s was the twentieth school accepted by the Ferdinand Benedictine Sisters.
On August 3. 1895, the Rev. Joseph Senefeld took charge of St. Michael’s church as the fourth resident priest. He zealously watched over the flock until the spring of 1898 when the Rev. Charles Cluever took charge. At the turn of the century, ninety two families were named on the annual report for the year 1900.
In 1906, Rev. Stephen J. Donohue took charge and served the needs of the congregation until he died suddenly in 1908. For several months priests from Mt. Saint Francis took care of the parish until the Rev. Mark, O. S. F. was assigned in the fall of 1908. He stayed until the Rev. Austin, O.S.F. was assigned early in 1909. Later that year Father M.G. Halpin was assigned to Saint Michael’s and served until 1913 when he was succeeded by Rev. Herman Gadlage.
In the fall of 1914, Rev. John B. Gorman was named pastor of Saint Michael. This faithful Irish priest zealously labored for nearly twenty-five years at Saint Michael before his death in February of 1939.
On December 28, 1922, Saint Michael’s Church was destroyed by fire. The fire destroyed the four resonant bells, but left the large one almost intact. Liturgical services were conducted in Saint Michael School while a new church of brick was built in the same location as the one that burned. The Corydon Democrat stated on Thursday, June 28, 1923; “Some 900 to 1000 people gathered at Bradford last Sunday afternoon to witness the laying of the cornerstone for the new Saint Michael’s Church, a most impressive ceremony, and one that will last in the memory of those in attendance for many years to come.
On November 29, 1923, the Corydon Democrat read: “The first service in the new Catholic Church at Bradford was conducted by Father Gorman last Sunday. The new structure is one of the best church edifices in the county. The tolling of bells at the hours of six in the morning, twelve noon, and six in the evening is heard daily for miles around and is much appreciated by the citizens.”
By the early 1930’s the attendance at Saint Michael’s School was considered too large for a single teacher, so a second class was begun in a vestibule added to the front of the original structure. This stop-gap measure soon proved to be inadequate and in 1935, a new larger frame school with two classrooms was constructed on the property across Catholic Street from the old school. This was later remolded into four classrooms and an addition was added to accommodate indoor restrooms. A full basement under the school served as a parish hall for social functions within the parish and community.
After Father Gorman’s death in 1939, priests from Mt. St. Francis again took care of the needs of the parish until Rev. John Rodutsky was assigned as pastor in June of 1939. He remained at Saint Michael’s until July, 1946 when he entered the Trappist Monastery at Gerhsemane, Kentucky.
The Rev. Carl Wilberding succeeded Father Rodutsky and remained at Bradford until Rev. Bernard Thompson was assigned in July, 1947. Father Thompson labored zealously until his untimely death in an automobile accident in April, 1960.
The Rev. Bernard Gerdon was assigned to Saint Michael’s in May, 1960 and stayed until July, 1962. The needs of Saint Michael’s were then taken care of by the Rev. Paul Sweeney from July to October of 1962. He was succeeded by Rev. Richard A. Mode who labored at Saint Michael’s from January 1963 until May 1964.
At that time Rev. David Senefeld took charge of Saint Michael’s. Father Senefeld is a great nephew of the Rev. Joseph Senefeld, the fourth resident pastor at Bradford. During his pastorship, he undertook the construction of a modern brick rectory which was completed on August 1, 1966. The old rectory was sold and relocated to the east across Franklin Street, now known as South Bradford Road. The old one room school that had been used for storage after the new school was built in 1935, was also removed.
Due to the consolidation of schools in Harrison County and all across the State of Indiana, St. Michael lost its public funding for the parish school. In 1971, after eighty one years, Saint Michael’s School closed.
Father Senefeld remained as pastor until July 1971, when Msgr. James Jansen was assigned to Bradford. After Msgr. Jansen retired as an active pastoral priest in October 1972, the Rev. Donald Evrard of Frenchtown served as administrator from December 1972 until June 1973.
On July 5, 1973, the Rev. Albert Diezeman, a native of Navileton, was appointed pastor of Saint Michael. Under his leadership, money was raised and a new parish hall was built in 1974 to serve as a religious education center and as a community hall for Saint Michael parish. The old school was removed, the grounds were graded and landscaped, and the parking area was expanded and black-topped.
Father Diezeman and the parish council recognized in 1982 that something should be done in preparation for Celebrating the Sesquicentennial of Saint Michael’s beginning. No sooner had a decision been made to build a new church when Father Diezemen became seriously ill and was unable to continue the duties as pastor of Saint Michael.
In August 1983, Father Fredrick Dension, pastor of St. Bernard’s, Frenchtown, was appointed administrator and served in that capacity until July 5,1984 when Rev. William Pappanao was appointed pastor. After Father Pappano arrived and with his guidance, the plans were completed and approved. In the spring of 1985, ground was broken and the new church began to take shape. It was dedicated on December 15, 1985 by Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara, Archbishop of Indianapolis.
Fr. Pappano died in an automobile accident on Easter Sunday, April 19, 1987. He was succeeded by Fr. Bernard Koopman. Shortly after Fr. Koopman arrived at St. Michael plans were discussed for a memorial to be constructed in memory of Fr. Pappano. Over the months the parish realized that they wanted to remember all the priests and parishioner’s family and friends who are experiencing eternal life with God. By remembering Christ, our new life, we remember the firm faith and sure hor for new life for everyone. It was agreed that a statue of the Rise Christ would be placed on a walk that would be added in front of the rectory that would connect the church building to the parish cemetery. Parishioner Bob Weston worked with someone who had a daughter, Karen Terhune, who was a sculptor. A stone was purchased from Bob Drehobl who owned a stone mill in Bedford, Indiana. Jim Naville was in charge of the landscaping and Chris Pruitt constructed the walk in which the statue would be placed. The project was completed at a cost of $13,810.00 which was donated by parishioners. The statue was blessed and dedicated by Fr. Bernard Koopman on October 6, 1991. It is a Risen Christ statue that stands six foot tall, is made of Bedford limestone, and weighs about 2,500 pounds. The base of the statue reads: “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:16 In loving memory of all who rest here; and in loving memory of all the priests who have served here.” In December 1993, Darlene Cole was commissioned by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis as the first lay Pastoral Associate of St. Michael.
In the fall of 1995 plans were made to construct a bell tower that would hold the bell from the old church building. Plans were made and the bell tower was constructed by parishioners Carl Hartlage, Jerome Smith, and Charlie Fessel. It was dedicated in memory of Edward and Marie Gettelfinger, whose family donated funds for the tower. It was rung on Easter Sunday 1996. The bell still rings the Angelus daily and before Masses on weekdays and weekends.
Fr. Koopman died suddenly on February 26, 1997. Retired Archabbot Bonaventure Knaebel, OSB from St. Meinrad Archabbey was appointed Administrator of St. Michael. In August of 2001, St. Michael Little Angels Pre-School opened under the direction of Beth Gettelfinger with 51 students. A task force was established by Rt. Rev. Bonaventure Knaebel, OSB, Administrator of St. Michael Parish in 2001 to study the feasibility of adding space to ease overcrowding in our Faith Formation program and add additional space for parish functions. On June 1 , 2003, we celebrated with Fr. Bonaventure his 60 th Jubilee of his priesthood. Archabbot Lambert Reilly, OSB of St. Meinrad was our guest and celebrant at the Mass. A parish luncheon was held in Fr. Bonaventure’s honor. On June 8, 2003, a reception following the Sunday Mass was held in Kathleen Kruer’s honor. Kathleen had played the organ at St. Michael church for over 50 years.
Rt. Rev. Bonaventure Kanabel, OSB continued as administrator until Fr. John Fink was named pastor in 2003. Fr. John was installed as pastor at St. Michael on Saturday, November 1, 2003 at the evening Mass, the vigil of the Feast of All Souls, by Archbishop Daniel Buechlein. Under Fr. John’s leadership he established a building committee that would make plans to build a Parish Life Center and renovate the current parish hall into a Formation building that will house all of the Faith Formation Classes, Adult Education, and St. Michael’s Little Angels Daily Pre-School. In 2005 Fr. Fink purchased a new Baptismal Font for the church as well had curtains made for the Sanctuary of the church to cover the columns behind the altar. Shadow boxes and lighting were added to the Stations of the Cross at this time to make them more visible in the church.
On April 19, 2005, St. Michael's Church Bells rang out in celebration of the election of Pope Benedict XVI (the former Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger) as the 265th Roman Pontiff.
On November 2, 2008, the Feast of All Souls, ground was broken by the parish for the new Parish Life Center and new Formation Center. Cross Roads Contracting of Louisville, Kentucky was hired and Michelle, Timperman, and Ritz of New Albany, Indiana was the Architect of the project. The newly renovated Faith Formation Center and Parish Center were completed in late 2009. The Faith Formation Center houses a Faith Formation Office, space for the Little Angels Pre-School, and fourteen classrooms for Faith Formation classes for children, teens, and adults. The Parish Center houses a gym / parish hall, kitchen, and storage on the lower level and parish offices and gathering space on the upper level. The buildings were blessed and dedicated on April 18, 2010, by Rt. Rev. Bonaventure Knaebel the Administrator of St. Michael Church who had started the process of discussing plans for the building project.
In 2007 a Quilt of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was purchased to be hung in the new Parish Life Center. The quilted wall hanging was created by a local artist, Penny Sisto of Floyds Knobs, Indiana. It was a gift to the parish from some of the families in the parish who pray as a family for the parish, their families, and for the dignity of all human life. It was initially purchased in 2007 by the first twenty families of the Pilgrim Queen of the Family Prayer Group. It was their hope through this wall hanging to introduce our parish to the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She is the patroness of the Americas and the patroness of the unborn. We can both pray with Mary for our country, for our brothers and sisters in neighboring countries, for the Hispanic peoples who have a strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, and for an end to abortion and respect for all human life. After the Parish Center was finished it was decided that a more suitable place for the hanging would be in the church itself. Paul O’Connor and Doug Harkness arranged for it to be hung and it was blessed and dedicated on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12, 2010. Bl. Pope John Paul II called Our Lady of Guadalupe the “Star of the New Evangelization.” May she continue to lead people to her Son, Jesus as she did with the Aztec people so long ago.
On September 30, 2012, Fr. John announced that new lighting would be installed in the church. An anonymous donor gave the $25,000.00 necessary to install the drop lighting in the church. The lighting was installed by and completed in November 2012.
On October 11, 2012, St. Michael's Church Bells rang out at Noon local time to celebrate the opening of the Year of Faith, called by Pope Benedict the XVI that will run from October 11, 2012 - November 24, 2013, the Feast of Christ the King.
On Tuesday, March 13, 2013, around 2:10 p.m. local time, St. Michael's Church Bells rang out in celebration of the election of Pope Francis (the former Jorge Cardinal Bergoglio) as the 266th Roman Pontiff, the first Jesuit Pope and the first Pope from Latin America.
In May of 2013 work begins on landscaping at St. Michael Church that includes new, stronger trees in front of the church, landscaping in front of the parish offices, ground work to help water flow away from the Parish Center, and new trees to line the edge of the parish cemetery. Also, a new paved drive with "turn around" is cut into the parish cemetery.
On July 3, 2013, Fr. John Fink began his retirement. He announced that he would live in Corydon and offer assistance to area priests. The people of St. Michael are truly grateful for the guidance and pastoral care that Fr. John gave in his ten years as pastor of St. Michael Church.
At noon on July 3, 2013, Fr. Joseph Villa became pastor of St. Michael Church in Bradford. He comes to us from the Terre Haute area where he was born on July 28, 1959. Fr. Villa was ordained by Archbishop Daniel Buechlein on June 7, 1997. He becomes the 19th pastor of St. Michael Church. He remained pastor until he was appointed pastor at American Martyrs in Scottsburg and St. Patrick parish in Salem in 2016 by Archbishop Joseph Tobin.
At noon on July 1, 2016, Fr. Aaron Pfaff became the pastor of St. Michael Church in Bradford. He is originally from Jasper, Indiana. He was ordained to the priesthhood on June 1, 1996 for the Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire. He was incardinatd into the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in 2013. He becomes the 20th pastor of St. Michael Parish. The people of St. Michael are grateful that Fr. Aaron has answered the call to come and serve the needs of our parish.
Under the direction of Fr. Aaron St. Michael has undertaken several refurbishing project to enhance the liturgy and prayer of the parishioners of St. Michael Church. The crucifix in the church was cleaned and gold leaf was added as it was moved to the center of our sanctuary and hung over the Altar. The older tabernacle from our previous church was refurbished and is now used as the principal tabernacle. The rose window from the previous chruch as well at the St. Michael half moon window were added to the narthex of the church. A new roof was added to the church building in 2019. A new set of the Stations of the Cross was purchased and refurbished for our church in 2021. Our old set was donated to Holy Angels Parish in Indianapolis.
St. Michael Catholic Church in Bradford continues to be a vibrant parish in the Year of Our Lord 2023 and consists of 400 families that worship God in prayer and sacrament.
Compiled by Charles Fessel with recent additions by Deacon John Jacobi