A transcription of pages 195-469,
Family Histories from the Verdigre Centennial Book
Thanks to the Verdigre Library and its volunteers for making this available.
 
The index below only includes the husband and wife for each family.
The maiden name for the wife is used if listed.
For other names, use the search on the Home Page.

Index's A-I, J-P, & Q-Z

FATHER RONALD A. BATTIATO

Ronald A. Battiato was born living, to John and Frances )Minardi) Battiato at Fremont, Nebraska. The fifth of five children, he was preceded by Russell, Mary, Charles, and John. His parents are resting in the eternal light of the Lord.

“Ronnie” as he is known by his family, attended St. Patrick’s (now Bergan) high School, Fremont, graduating in 1953. In the fall of that same year he entered Conception Minor Seminary at Conception, Missouri, receiving his BA degree in 1957. From 1957 to 1961 he continued his theological studies at St. Paul Major Theological Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota.

On May 27, 1961, he was ordained to the priesthood of our Lord at St. Cecelia’s Cathedral in Omaha by the late Archbishop Gerald T. Bergan. The following day he offered his first Solemn Mass at his home parish of St. Patrick’s in Fremont, Nebraska.

Father Battiato’s first assignment was at St. Francis Cabrini in Omaha from 1961 to 1966. While at St. Francis Cabrini he taught at Ryan High School. Other assignments were St. Rose of Crofton (1966-1969) while acting as Guidance Counselor and Latin and Religious Instructor at Cedar Catholic High School in Hartington, Nebraska; Assumption Parish of Omaha (1969-1970) which assisting at St. Joseph High School in student guidance; St. Leo’s Church, Snyder, Nebraska, (1970-1972) while also serving as Guidance Counselor and religion teacher at West Point Central Catholic High in West Point, Nebraska; St. Michael’s of Coleridge and St. Mary’s Mission Church in Belden (1972-1978). During his tenure at St. Michael’s at Coleridge, he was Guidance Counselor and Religion teacher at Cedar Catholic High School in Hartington, Nebraska. In 1973 he received his Master of Science Degree in Guidance and Counseling from Creighton University in Omaha.

[pg 201 PHOTO Father Ronald A. Battiato]

Father Battiato was assigned to the parishes of St. Wenceslaus, Verdigre, and St. William’s of Niobrara in June of 1978. On coming to these parishes, Father had the task first of constructing St. William’s Church in Niobrara. With the help of many local people and one professional carpenter and literally, bringing the church piece-by-piece from Sioux City in his pickup, he completed the beautiful church in 1979. Father then set his sights to the immediate task of the religious education of the children of both parishes. At St. Wenceslaus Plaza, with the help of local carpenters, he fashioned and had erected individual portable classrooms for grades pre-school through eighth as a great convenience for these classes and their CCD teachers.

Father is ever mindful of the people of his parishes and of the community at large. During the Farm Crisis of the 80s, he was instrumental in starting the Food Pantry for those affected by the September 1984 closing of the Bank of Verdigre and subsequent actions of the F.D.I.C. He was a spokesperson for the people exposing the F.D.I.C. locally and nationally for the extreme measures they invoked in loan payback bill collecting.

May 27, 1986, is the date of Father Battiato’s 25th Jubilee of the day he was ordained. In anticipation of this event, all the priests of the Archdiocese of Omaha, Archbishop Daniel E. Sheehan, and Bishop Anthony Milone gathered in solemn celebration at Mount Michael Abbey in Elkhorn, Nebraska, with his classmate-Jubilarians on April 3.

St. William’s of Niobrara celebrated his Jubilee on April 20 with a special Mass in honor of Christ, the High Priest, followed by a potluck and program. St. Wenceslaus celebrated his Jubilee on April 27. His family and relatives joined him on May 4 at St. Patrick’s in celebrating the 25th year Jubilee as a priest and the first priest son from the family and parish.

Pages 200, 201