The "Immaculate" Connection Part III

In the 1930’s, the advancement of the construction of the planned National Basilica of The Immaculate Conception had come to a complete stop. In the middle of the depression era, funds were terribly short for all projects such as this. The work that had already been done was in peril of being demolished and the project abandoned. Bishop Noll took it upon himself, with the co-sponsorship of Archbishop Patrick O'Boyle of Washington, to lead a fund-raising campaign to finish the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., through a campaign in Our Sunday Visitor.






He was also credited with numerous other great achievements, of such great import that if anyone else were to have accomplished any single one of them in their careers, they would be lauded with the highest laurels. For this man, however, it was just a testament to how prolific a thinker and visionary he was.

As a sign of Vatican esteem, Bishop Noll was given the honorary title of archbishop in 1953, even though his see was not an archdiocese.

In 1955, Archbishop Noll suffered a stroke that left him unable to communicate with anyone except his niece, Cecilia Fink, who had been his devoted secretary and had assisted him in his numerous writing projects. His last year of disability was difficult not only for him but for his devoted niece Cecilia. From time to time during his last year, they were able to get back to Rome City for a little R&R and the sisters would always welcome them with comforting care and a good meal of fresh-caught fish from Sylvan Lake. It is quite probable that Sr. Mildred Ephrem Neuzil, who worked in the dining room as a server, would actually have served many of these same fresh dinners to the Archbishop and his niece during their visits.

Archbishop Noll died on July 31, 1956. Our Lady of America appeared to Sr. Mildred Neuzil just 57 days later in Our Lady Mother of Mercy Chapel on Sept 26, 1956. Our Lady appeared again to Sr. Neuzil on October 13 of that same year and showed Sr. Neuzil a model of the completed National Basilica of The Immaculate Conception…a building which would not be completed for 3 more years in 1959.




The Immaculate Conception...Patroness of Our Beloved Land