Those who drive up the hill to St. Patrick church each weekend pass under the “St. Patrick Archway.”
There it stands, silently welcoming all who enter our grounds – as it has done for more than 35 years. The archway is part of St. Patrick history and is a legacy for many who helped build the church, both physically and spiritually, upon its move to Adamsville in the mid-1980s.
One family had a particularly significant role in the building of that arch. In this edition of Parishioner Spotlight, we highlight the Majerik family, one of the many important families who were part of the formation of St. Patrick after the consolidation of four neighboring parishes in the 1980s.
The Majerik story starts with Peter Paul Majerik Sr. who was born in 1892 in Czechoslovakia. He came to the United States in 1911 with his brother John. Peter settled in Wylam, worked as a coal miner and married Maria Spanick in 1914 at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Wylam. Together they had 10 children.
To try to list the family history here would take up more time and space than we are allowed. But here are a few things to know about the Majerik family’s legacy at St. Patrick.
The eldest of the 10 children, Peter (Pete Majerik), was a faithful volunteer at St. Catherine Church in Pratt City and had 10 children of his own. It was Pete Majerik, along with his sons, who designed and helped construct the arch. On February 8, 1987, the archway was dedicated and a plaque honoring Mr. Majerik was placed on the structure. Pete Majerik had passed away just a few months earlier, but his contribution and dedication to the project were memorialized with that plaque that remains on the archway to this day.
Other Majerik family members were leaders in the early days of the parish. The church secretary at the time of the move to Adamsville was Jean Majerik, married to Pete’s brother, George.
Pete’s son, John T. Majerik and his wife, Helen, were the first two chairpersons of Springfest when it was first conceived in the mid-1980s. John T. also served as the first elected Grand Knight of Knights of Columbus Council 10567, taking over for Charter Grand Knight Louis Muro in 1991.
Several of Pete’s other children have taken active roles in St. Patrick over the years including Margaret Majerik Moody and Annette Majerik Kitchen.
The Majerik legacy lives on at St. Patrick, though, perhaps the name itself is not as noticeable as it once was. Here are current parishioners who are part of the Majerik legacy:
Broad shot of archway as seen when driving up to the church grounds.
Patsy Byrd - Patsy is the youngest child of Pete and Elizabeth. She is involved in many activities included Faith Formation. Her husband, Don, just completed a two-year term as Grand Knight and they were honored as Family of the Year by the Knights of Columbus in 2021.
Monica Crocker - Monica is the daughter of Pete’s sister, Mary Majerik (married Charles Duchock). Monica is one of 10 in that family, which includes John Duchock from St. Stanislaus. Monica and her husband, Larry are past recipients of the Colombo Service Award presented by Knights of Columbus Council 10567. The award is named in memory of Lou Colombo, former Music Director at St. Patrick, to honor parishioners for their lifetime of service to the Church, Diocese and Community.
Margaret Pender - Margaret received the Colombo Service Award in 2021. Margaret is the daughter of John Majerik, the sixth of Peter and Maria’s ten children.
Pauline Brasfield - A former SPIRIT adult team leader and past Springfest chairperson, Pauline is the daughter of Helen Majerik Slovensky, the youngest daughter of Peter and Maria.
Donnie Schober and Doris Schober Moody - Donnie and Doris are also part of the Majerik legacy. Their mother, Annie, was a sister to Pete. Donnie and Doris are both long time volunteers in all aspects of church life. They both have been honored with the Colombo Service Award as well. Doris has served the parish in Music Ministry and has recently retired after a lifetime of service to St. Patrick. In the early days of the parish Doris, Donnie and their sister Bernadette all served the parish in music ministry.
Over the years, many others in this great family have made their mark on our parish, helping make it the wonderful place we all cherish today. The Majeriks, of course, are just one of the great family legacies that helped build the parish and continue to strengthen to this day.
Close-up of the plaque dedicating archway to Pete Majerik
So, as you gaze at the archway on your next visit, stop and take a closer look. Note the brick pillars on either side that support the arch at the top. Each brick, bonded to the others, supports the arch. In the same way, the families of St. Patrick came together in those days to build and support the new parish.
The arch itself, spanning from one side of the road to the other, is symbolic of the passage of time from the early days of the parish to now – a legacy passed from one generation to the next (and beyond).
Many families worked and sacrificed to build this new church community. Like the archway, their legacy of love and service still stands today in our parish.
