Padua Church History
Church of St. Anthony. Padua is a name of comparatively recent date for an old settlement formerly called Rooney's settlement in the southeastern part of Raymond township. The Benedictines visited here between 1867 and 1880; some of the earliest ones were Father Augustine Burns and Father Meinulph Stukenkemper. From 1880 to 1897 the mission was visited by secular priests from Melrose or Sauk Centre.
The first resident priest was Rev. Thomas Fassbind, 1897-99; his successors were Revs. Francis Welp, 1899-1903; William Ludwig, 1903-1904; Hildebrand Zoeller, O.S.B. (from Sacred Heart Abbey, Oklahoma), 1904 to March, 1905; Herman Klein, 1905 to 1907; Ignatius Tomazin, 1907; Matthias Butalla, 1898-1910; Michael Scherer, July, 1910, to 1913; John Fuss, since May, 1913.