Historic church eager to share its story in upcoming book

Several miles west of Medford, a small wooden church stands as a monument to one of the oldest congregations in Steele County.

For 160 years, the congregation of Corpus Christi Catholic Church gathered for Mass every Sunday. Today, the historic church only opens its doors for special occasions, but its pristine white siding and well-kept lawn speak to the ongoing love that former congregants still harbor for the place of worship.

Corpus Christi is the subject of an upcoming book co-authored by Ronald Eustice and Carla Brady. The book, “Corpus Christi Church: 160 Years of Faith, Family and Friends,” traces the story of the congregation from the early days of Steele County to the present day.

Eustice, a Waseca native and Owatonna High School graduate, has written 30 books in the last 12 years, many of them on Minnesota history. He dove into the history of Corpus Christi while Brady, a longtime member of the church, assembled recollections from families who once worshipped there. They are in the final process of compiling these accounts, and expect to release the book by Christmas.

For Brady, the sheer volume of material they gathered was initially daunting, but the stories that emerged are worth preserving.

“That’s probably the most exciting part because people are telling us what it meant to them,” she said. “Every time you find a little nugget, it’s just exciting.”

She joined Corpus Christi in 1977, when she married her husband, whose family attended for generations. Their children were the fifth generation of Bradys to attend the church. They were members of the church until 2016, when the Diocese of Winona designated Corpus Christi as an oratory, a place of prayer distinct from a parish church. The building now only hosts Mass on special occasions, allowing past members to reunite to worship and reminiscence together.

The authors leaned heavily on these past members in researching the book.

Sisters Susan Redman and Roseanne Barbknecht grew up attending Corpus Christi, where their father was the caretaker. For 25 years, he mowed the lawn, removed snow and dug graves. The whole family was frequently called upon to assist.

“Dad being the custodian and caretaker, he locked up the church. We were always the last ones to leave,” said Barbknecht.

“And the first ones here,” added Redman.

Their family’s story is one of many featured in the book.

Growing up in a family of 16, they filled multiple pews at Mass. Redman said church was the center of their social lives. They often stayed there for hours, socializing with other children and playing tag.

Redman’s husband Don remarked on how inviting the church was to him. He grew up Protestant and joined Corpus Christi as an adult, finding himself instantly welcomed into the fold. He grew up in the area, and even attended country school with Eustice.

Dan Morgan, another former congregant who contributed bits of family history, hopes the book will serve as an epitaph to the community that existed at Corpus Christi, even after the building is no more.

“It’ll be cool to have it carry on, pass on to future generations what was here. Someday, this’ll be gone,” said Morgan.

When the book is complete, the authors plan to first make it available at a special Mass. Copies will later be available on Amazon.

Watching former congregants poring over a draft of the book, pointing out family photos and sharing old memories, Brady saw all her hard work paying off.

Years after the story of Corpus Christi officially came to an end, the community that called it home endures.

“That’s what all churches are trying to get, and we had it all along. We also understood that whenever we did anything, everybody had to help because it took the whole church to make things happen,” said Brady.