We originally planned to place it on the existing half wall between Holy Spirit Church and the rectory. However, after closer inspection, that would not have been a stable area on which to build the necessary support. Therefore, it will be set into the brick wall of the rectory shown in the remaining photos. (to show the location in relationship to the church building) Here it will be lit and protected with the existing diagonal covering.
It will be placed just feet away from its original home
There will be a dedication ceremony after a Sunday Mass soon. We hope to have that date set this week and will announce it here.
The plan in the Spring is to add a seating area in front of the mosaic where people can sit, reflect, pray or remember.
That will be our next phase
Thank you all for your support and encouragement. Stay tuned for more detailsAnnie Sullivan, who taught deaf and blind Helen Keller how to communicate, is not the only Miracle Worker.

Monongah has its own Miracle Worker, Fairmont West High graduate Kathleen Grattan Dukate, clinical care coordinator at WVU Medicine in Morgantown who lives in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.

Kathleen first started this project, and the fundraising for it, in 2015 so it’s been a long, slow path to the goal of putting the mosaic on the Holy Spirit Church grounds in Monongah, not far from where it once stood atop the school that I attended along with many children of Monongah’s Catholic miners.

Kathleen found a mosaic tile artist in Morgantown who was able to take the original 19 tile pieces, which Sister Stephen had saved in her desk drawer before the Sisters of the Auxiliaries of the Apostolate Society’s school building was razed, and find matching pieces in Italy.

The mosaic was removed when the school was demolished in 2011. It found a temporary home at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Fairmont, where the Monongah High Alumni Reunion is held every year.

I’ll let the Miracle Worker, Kathleen, tell the story:

So excited to post this latest update.

The mosaic has been restored. Sister Stephen kept 19 of the missing tiles in her desk drawer. And with those in hand, our mosaic artist went to Italy where she was able to match them and purchase any additional tiles needed to make it complete once again. Restoration of the mosaic was funded by an anonymous donor to whom we are so very grateful! As you can see it has been cleaned and polished and is ready to be installed tomorrow!

We originally planned to place it on the existing half-wall between Holy Spirit Church and the rectory. However, after closer inspection, that would not have been a stable area on which to build the necessary support. Therefore, it will be built into the brick wall of the rectory.

Here it will be lit and protected with the existing diagonal covering. It will be placed just feet away from its original home.

There will be a dedication ceremony after a Sunday Mass soon. We hope to have that date set this week and will announce it here.

The plan in the Spring is to add a seating area in front of the mosaic where people can sit, reflect, pray or remember.

That will be our next phase.

Thank you for all your support and encouragement. Stay tuned for more details!

Kathleen Grattan Dukate, clinical care coordinator at WVU Medicine in Morgantown who lives in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, finally found an artist who is restoring the mosaic that once graced Sts. Peter and Paul School in Monongah.

Kathleen first started this project, and the fundraising for it, in 2015 so it’s been a long, slow path to the goal of putting the mosaic on the Holy Spirit Church grounds in Monongah, not far from where it once stood atop the school that I attended along with many children of Monongah’s Catholic miners.

Fairmont West graduate Kathleen’s latest Facebook post:

“I know it’s been a long time since I’ve posted anything, but I wanted to give an update on the mosaic project. We found a mosaic artist in Morgantown who met with us a couple of times and was able to locate matching tiles in Italy to replace the few missing tiles in the mosaic. The mosaic has been transported successfully to her studio where it has been cleaned and is being restored.

“We are working on obtaining permission from Holy Spirit Parish to erect the restored mosaic on the grounds of the church (near where the Sisters Auxiliaries of the Apostolate Society convent was before it was razed) so that it can be enjoyed by everyone who visits.

“Our goal is to have the project completed this fall. We will be meeting with parish council next month.  But, things are moving along nicely.

“We hope to have a fund established soon to accept donations for the restored piece and its future maintenance.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please send me a private message if you’d like to help in any way! Thanks so much for your support and patience!

“Kathleen”

There’s a Saints Peter and Paul School Facebook page where you can reply to Kathleen. Or you can go on the Kathleen Grattan Dukate Facebook page to reply.

The mosaic was removed when the school was demolished in 2011. It found a temporary home at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Fairmont, where the Monongah High Alumni Reunion is held every year on Mary Lou Retton Drive.

The Sisters Auxiliaries of the Apostolate Society was dissolved in 2013. The school and surrounding buildings were demolished in 2011.

The order was founded in 1903 in Alberta, Canada. All its nuns moved to Fargo, North Dakota in 1911. In 1931 all the nuns moved again, to New Cumberland, West Virginia. The motherhouse moved once more, to Monongah, with missions in New Cumberland, Scarbro and Kilgore, Texas.

Kathleen moved from Fairmont to Waynesburg. She is a Fairmont West and Duquesne University Nursing School graduate.

Her husband is Brian Dukate. Son Loren Dukate is in the Navy. Kathleen’s father is a college professor.

There’s also a Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School in Oak Hill. Sister Agnes came from Scarbro, West Virginia, which is four miles from Oak Hill, to Monongah.

 

Some projects dash; others crawl very slowly.

Kathleen Grattan Dukate, who is a Fairmont West graduate but lives in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania and is leading the campaign to find a home for the mosaic that once was on the front of Sts. Peter and Paul School, has learned that lesson.

Her project began more than a year ago.

Kathy’s latest update:

“Sorry for the long time between posts. Our next step is to present a formal sketch or drawing to the diocese for approval. They would like to see a rendering of the area and mosaic monument we are proposing.

“I have a very good friend who has agreed to meet with me and do a professional computerized drawing.

“However, I wanted to ask of any of you are talented in this field and would like to do it. I would provide photos that I've taken of the area and some rough sketches.”

Kathy is the Care Transitions Coordinator at Amedisys Home Health. She is a Duquesne University Nursing School graduate married to Brian Dukate.

Adam Michna, whose aunts Sister Rose and Sister Dolores were among Auxiliaries of the Apostolate nuns at the school, joined Kathy in the project.

The mosaic was removed when the school was demolished in 2011. I think it found a temporary home at the Knights of Columbus in Fairmont, where the Monongah High Alumni Reunion is held every year.

We can look for it when we attend the Reunion on May 27. The banquet begins at 6:30 p.m. and the dance at 8:30 with music by Stepping Stone.

Print and fill out the form in this blog to send in your dinner-dance reservation to Alumni Association treasurer Donna Davis.

The Peter & Paul mosaic monument will be an eternal show of appreciation for what the nuns did for the children of Monongah’s coal miners, including me and my sister, Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1955, who lives in Rivesville.

And it took more than three years from announcement to official opening of the Family Dollar Store in Monongah on Camden Avenue (U.S. 19) at Walnut Street on property formerly occupied by the Huntington Bank, so the mosaic project may be a little quicker.

The Pulice, Fiori and Gumont families took turns living on the Walnut Street property before the home was torn down to make way for the Huntington Bank.

Mosaic memorial in drawing stage

Kathleen Grattan Dukate, who is from Fairmont but lives in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, reports that the mosaic memorial has reached the stage where she has to submit a drawing of her plans to the Wheeling diocese.

Writes Kathy:

“The diocese would like to see a rendering of what we have in mind for the memorial before we can officially secure the piece of ground on the school site to begin. So, the vision we have discussed is floating around in my head, now I need to get it onto paper or computer screen for them to review.

“In the meantime, a fund will be set up to take donations. I am hoping to have that name approved any day so we can begin collecting donations for the project.

“I am hoping to make the most of the good weather to make some progress.”

The mosaic adorned the front of Sts. Peter and Paul School before it was removed when the school was demolished in 2011. It found a temporary home at the Knights of Columbus in Fairmont, where the Monongah High Alumni Reunion is held every year.

Adam Michna, who had two aunts who were nuns at the school, joined Kathy in the project.

Monongah Mosaic Memories

Kathleen Grattan Dukate, who is from Fairmont but lives in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania and is leading the campaign to find a home for the mosaic that once was on the front of Sts. Peter and Paul School, is looking for a name for the group.

It sounds like Friends of Saints Peter and Paul might be the favorite choice.

The mosaic was removed when the school was demolished in 2011. I think it found a temporary home at the Knights of Columbus in Fairmont, where the Monongah High Alumni Reunion is held every year.

o   Kathy, Care Transitions Coordinator at Amedisys Home Health, wrote:

“As we embark on the mosaic project, we need a name for our group. I was tossing around something like Friends of Saints Peter and Paul. I would like to know your thoughts

Adam Michna, who had two aunts who were nuns at the school, has joined Kathy in the project.

When they give me more information about financing, how to contribute, where it will be installed, I’ll pass it along on this blog.

If you want to help, and you’re in or near Marion County, go to the Saints Peter and Paul School Facebook page and let Kathy know what you have in mind.

This will be our eternal show of appreciation for what the nuns did for the children of Monongah’s coal miners, including me and my sister, Jackie Olesky Straight, Class of 1955, who lives in Rivesville.