Father Hildebrand Eickhoff

Profile Photo is from 1945.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=86667930

Published On:Thursday, November 10, 2011 in "The Tribune" a newspaper from the Bahamas -

OUR Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church in the Farm and Bain Town communities commemorates its 85th anniversary with a thanksgiving mass celebrated by Archbishop Patrick Pinder on Sunday at 9:30 am. The parish plans to honour twelve committed parishioners for their unselfish service to the community during a luncheon that will follow the service. The Bain Town church was formed in 1926 by seed Catholics drawn from other parishes in New Providence, with Father Hilderbrand Eickhoff, OSB, as the congregation's first priest. For many years, Our Lady's was the largest church in the diocese. Ordinations to the priesthood took place there, including the consecration of Bishop Paul Leonard Hagarty, OSB, as Bishop of Nassau in 1950. Our Lady's was often referred to as "The Cathedral in the South." In January 1927, Our Lady's School was started by the Sisters of Charity of Mt St Vincent on the Hudson, New York, with an enrolment of 56 students. Today, there are about 400 students who continue to generate success stories in academics, sports and culture. In 1993, in view of its expanding outreach ministries, Our Lady's New Parish Centre was opened. Reaching far beyond Our Lady's boundaries, the diocese established the Marian Clinic in the building that later housed the Hardecker Clinic for Children on Deveaux Street. The first sacrament of marriage was celebrated in the new church building on February 28, 1932 when Ossie Peter Humes and Helen Veronica McEwen were joined in matrimony. Fr Marcian Peters, OSB, known as the "sporting priest," introduced basketball and cricket to the East Street community and each year the diocese celebrated the Feast of Christ the King with a procession led by the 5th Bahamas Boy Scouts followed by the Catholic Band with Leonard Archer leading. Leaving from St Francis Xavier Cathedral, the procession ended at Our Lady's for a solemn high mass.