Hungarian Americans of Cleveland
Cleveland Press Articles
St. Emeric's Displays Front-Yard "Cityerama"
Cleveland Press, FEB 20 1956
Riders on the West Side Rapid Transit catch a fleeting glance of a church sitting at the train leaves the W. 25th St. station and rushes across the bridge over the Flats.
Put it down as a church with a panoramic view of a city in the front yard. As one stands on the church steps, tall buildings of the downtown area are straight ahead; off to the south are stacks and smoke of factories and to the north there is a magnificent sweep of Lake Erie's shoreline.
It is St. Emeric's Catholic Church-a Hungarian parish-located at 1904 W. 22d St. and within full view of thousands of Clevelanders who are passengers on the blue and silver cars of the CTS.
Curiously, there is a historical link with the Terminal Tower development which years ago envisioned rapid transit trains crossing the Cuyahoga Valley in the vicinity of W. 25th St.
Back in 1870 St. Mary's of the Annunciation was established at Moore Ave. and Hurd (St. (now W. 22d St.) for French Catholics who lived in scattered parts of old Ohio City.
The French parish dedicated a beautiful new building in 1898. The stained glass windows and marvelous White altar were imported form France. At that time it was regarded as one of the most attractive churches in the Cleveland diocese.
In 1916 the French church was purchased by St. Emeric's, a Hungarian parish, after fire destroyed their structure at Bridge Ave. and W. 24th St. By 1924 the Van Sweringens acquired the property to make way for tracks leading to the terminal.
So in 1925 St. Emeric's built the present edifice on W. 22d St., where yesterday I saw the glittering white altar that adorned the French church and exquisite stained glass windows, once the pride of the diocese. I even observed the great bell that formerly hung in the tower of old annunciation Church, for it was moved to the new location.
All this I learned from the genial and friendly pastor of St. Emeric's, Rev. Fr. John B. Mundweil, who was born in Hungary and has served the West Side parish since 1943. He participated in World War I and came to the United States in 1921.
I went to St. Emeric's at the invitation of Santa Maria Guild of Bishop O'Reilly General Assembly, Fourth Degree, Knights of Columbus. The women were wives of members of Bishop O'Reilly General Assembly. The request to attend was sent by Mrs. F. C. Werner of 4301 West Blvd., who asked me to stay for breakfast after 8:30 mass.
Friends, it was the first time I ever ate a roast beef breakfast. Yep, that's what we had---with all the trimmings-and a delicious Hungarian dessert.
It so happened the Women's Guild of St. Emeric's Church served a roast beef dinner yesterday under direction of Mrs. Elizabeth Buganski. So it was a grand meal, just the same, and I fasted for the rest of the day.
Santa Maria Guild sponsors a Lenten communion and breakfast once a year in a different parish. Members come from various churches. They were accompanied by husbands and children, which made it a "family day."
