History of St. Anne's Parish-Bellbview 1937-1987 'Part 5"
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When Father James Smith became chaplain he finished the outside of the Church and remodeled it inside and out. His friends in the North donated the beautiful marble altar and the communion rail, a bronze tabernacle several new statues, and the windows. He planted several loads of shrubbery, given by a Mr. Ledkins, and built a tile fence. He had an electric water pump installed, also. Not only was Father Smith the chaplain of St. Anne?s, he was also chaplain to the Haven of Our Lady of Peace, then located at Paradise Beach, Florida, and in charge of St. Joseph?s Mission in Lillian, Alabama where he did many things similar to what he was doing at St. Anne?s in Bellview. Father Smith had come South because of ill health: as a St. Joseph?s article concerning that period of time says, ?For a sick man Father Smith had a lot of energy.?
Bishop Toolen decided that the parish which Father Smith desired to build would best be located in the more central area of Myrtle Grove: thus Little Flower Parish came into existence.
His illness worsened, Father Smith was forced to return to Boston. St. Anne?s was served for a while by Fathers Joseph, Clement, and Chester, Resurrectionist priests.
The Trinitarian Sisters carried on their good work at St. Anne?s for many years, until such time as they began teaching at the Little Flower School. Some of the other sisters who played a large part in the history of St. Anne?s were Sisters Bonifay, Mary Ita, Francis Therese, Mary James, and Margeurite. Each of them has our undying gratitude.
Miss Eva Johnson, who had been carefully trained by the sisters, was able to take over the role of sacristan when they left, and she continued in this position for many years. Information written by Eva back in 1967 provided the basis for much of this account of the early days. May God truly bless you, Eva!
Father Hinton Liscomb, famed for his convert work in the area, became pastor of Little Flower, with St. Anne?s and St. Joseph?s as missions. Until he was provided with an assistant, Father Kenneth Klepac, Father Lipscomb had the tremendous task of caring for three churches and running a school, alone. The three churches worked together, holding dinners and lawn parties to meet the many expenses.
Father Edward O?Connell assumed the Little Flower pastorate in 1960, relieving Father McGuinnes, who had served as interim pastor following Father Lipscomb?s transfer to Mobile earlier in the year. He and his assistant, Father Richard Altenbaugh, continued to come out to St. Anne?s and say Mass on Sunday mornings until January of 1964, when St. Anne?s was made a parish, with a pastor all its own. Much gratitude is due to the priests from Little Flower and to all their predecessors who served so faithfully over the years, allowing the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to be observed in the Bellview Community.
