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October 13, 1940, the Golden jubilee of St Francis was celebrated. The
most Rev. Edward Mooney, Archbishop of Detroit, presided at the Mass, sung by the Pastor,
Rev. Fr. Gannas. More than 1,000 parishioners and clergymen participated. In 1941 there
was expectation and celebration. In October of that year the Rosary Society of St. Francis
celebrated its Golden Jubilee.
The United States was at war and many of the young men of the parish were
enlisting in the service. As the men enlisted, those left behind began to do their part to
help. For Valentine’s Day the school children sent 500 greeting cards and 200 games
and puzzles to soldiers in army camps throughout the country. For Easter they prepared
2,200 presents for the soldiers of St. Francis. |
They also purchased $1,045 in defense
stamps, contributed $31 for Masses, for the soldiers, and gave $78.50 to the missions. The
latter project was done in a five-week period. There were many other projects to follow.
Rallies were being held to get parishioners involved in the war effort. On
the hall, movies were shown of the fighting and bombing to encourage people to sign up as
Air Wardens.
It was also during this time that Fr. Gannas encouraged the men that were
left behind to become ushers and to form an Ushers Club.
The Polish Roman Catholic Union marked its 70th Anniversary in
St. Francis Hall in October 1942. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts from St. Francis and St.
Andrew performed for the group. Among the guest speakers were Fr. Gannas, Gov. Murray D.
Van Waggoner, Senator Brown, Judges O’Brien and Moynihan and Msgr. Krzyzosiak, Rector
of Orchard Lake Seminary. It was considered quite an honor for Fr. Gannas and the parish
to host this affair.
1943 thru 1944 the parish remained active doing their share for the war
effort. Fr. Gannas and the parishioners, like other parishes were involved in the war bond
effort. In March of 1944 St. Francis received a War Bond because St. Francis led the
churches on the west side with sales of $51,800 in bonds in the fourth war loan drive.
In 1945 the war ended and as the men of the parish returned home, things
began to return to normal.