They kept everything.

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My Grandparents kept everything, and it all ended up in my lap. This collection of stuff ranged from the cool (WWII V-Mail from my Uncle Frank) to the "you've got to be kidding me" (receipts from a trip taken in the 50s). I've weeded out a lot of the nonsense and kept the more interesting (at least what was interesting to me). In turn I decided to create this site to not only post some items, but also as a research exercise. Most items are from Chicago and Detroit, but of course family trips expanded their reach of hoarding. I hope you enjoy this very random collection. Frank Kownacki

theme by Robin Wragg

 
The Catholic Church has been in the news lately because of some internal fighting between politically left and right factions. So I figured now would be a good time to show a piece of history from a time when it appears the church was much more united. That would have been in 1954, which was a Marian Year that had been ushered in by Pope Pius XII. A Marian Year, as set by the Vatican, is a year of extra devotion and celebration towards the Virgin Mary. The Pope had ordered this Marian Year as a form of celebrating the centennial of the Immaculate Conception being proclaimed as part of the official dogma of the Catholic Church. Before 1854 the Immaculate Conception had been in essence only part of the story and not an official tenet of the Church. So Pope Pius IX basically took a survey of more than 200 Bishops to see what their views were on the matter. Apparently it was favorable and thus the Pope set the Immaculate Conception as part of the foundation of the Catholic Church. So, in honor of that centennial the current Pope had proclaimed 1954 as the first ever Marian Year. This included setting up special alters, working in various manners of charity and social justice, and in this particular instance holding one extremely large mass. That was the reason behind holding this mass at Soldier Field, which according to newspaper accounts, was attended by over 260,000, two of which were my Grandparents (and most likely both sets of Grandparents). 

The Catholic Church has been in the news lately because of some internal fighting between politically left and right factions. So I figured now would be a good time to show a piece of history from a time when it appears the church was much more united. That would have been in 1954, which was a Marian Year that had been ushered in by Pope Pius XII.

A Marian Year, as set by the Vatican, is a year of extra devotion and celebration towards the Virgin Mary. The Pope had ordered this Marian Year as a form of celebrating the centennial of the Immaculate Conception being proclaimed as part of the official dogma of the Catholic Church. Before 1854 the Immaculate Conception had been in essence only part of the story and not an official tenet of the Church. So Pope Pius IX basically took a survey of more than 200 Bishops to see what their views were on the matter. Apparently it was favorable and thus the Pope set the Immaculate Conception as part of the foundation of the Catholic Church. So, in honor of that centennial the current Pope had proclaimed 1954 as the first ever Marian Year. This included setting up special alters, working in various manners of charity and social justice, and in this particular instance holding one extremely large mass. That was the reason behind holding this mass at Soldier Field, which according to newspaper accounts, was attended by over 260,000, two of which were my Grandparents (and most likely both sets of Grandparents). 

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