St. Patrick’s Catholic Church will celebrate its 168 years of history in Scranton, Kan., with the opening of a 106-year-old time capsule that was placed when the congregation’s second church was built in 1917. St. Patrick’s is inviting the public to the opening of the time capsule, which had been sealed in the cornerstone of the church at 302 S. Boyle St., Scranton. The public is invited to the time capsule opening, which will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at Scranton Attendance Center, 104 S. Burlingame Ave., Scranton.
Opening of the 106-year-old time capsule will also be part of the celebration of the fifth anniversary of the dedication of the new and current church building at 400 E. Bracken St.
Beginning in 1855, Mass was held in various homes in Scranton, the courthouse in Burlingame, and homes in Carbondale, before a small wooden church was built in Scranton in 1877. This church was torn down and replaced with a larger brick building in 1917. When the brick church was built, parishioners place a sealed copper box that contained the history of Scranton and St. Patrick’s Church, daily newspapers from Scranton and other areas, and various other items and hallmarks, beneath the cornerstone.
In 2018, due to the former church’s foundational problems, a new church was built. When the old church building was torn down, the time capsule was removed and placed in storage.
The time capsule opening ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, but doors will be open 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Scranton Attendance Center for browsing and reminiscing on St Patrick’s Catholic Church’s 168 years of history in the Scranton area. The sharing of memories, generational stories, and photos will be appreciated.
For more information, contact St. Patrick’s Catholic Church at 785-793-2735, or 400 E. Bracken St., Scranton, KS 66537.