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In 1898, Bishop Charles E. McDonnell, the second Bishop of the Brooklyn Diocese, formed a new parish in Sea Cliff that he named St. Boniface Martyr, and appointed Father James J. Donohoe as first pastor. Father Donohoe celebrated his first Mass on July 3, 1898 in the Old Chapel. The Sea Cliff News of July 9, 1898 correctly predicted: “As Father Donohoe is a hustler, it will not be long before a handsome new church will be erected.” They broke ground for the edifice on January 11, 1899, and volunteers (including many non-Catholics) carted bricks and fieldstone from the Glenwood Landing dock and from the Long Island Railroad station in Glen Head. On June 11, 1899, the cornerstone for the church building was laid.

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As the church was being erected, the work of building the parish also proceeded. Father Donohoe set up a Sunday School and organized a Junior Choir, formed an Apostleship of Prayer, arranged for a mission, got the Holy Name Society underway, organized the St. Aloysius and Holy Angels Sodalities, took the first census, celebrated the first confirmation, and trained the first altar boys. He set up the St. Boniface Guards for youth aged 9 through 15. He bought an old boarding house, turned it into a rectory, and held a special collection to furnish it. Instead of charging pew rent, as was the custom, an “admission fee” of ten cents was taken at the door as one entered for mass.

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The social life of the church blossomed, all with the point of fund-raising. A news account of the time tells of “lectures, balls, stereopticon views, picnics, minstrel shows, fairs (one in 1897 netted $1200), concerts, lawn parties, open-air dancing, euchre (card) parties and suppers…”.

The moment the basement of the church was completed, Father Donohoe again appealed for the parishioners to harness their horse teams to carry chairs, benches and an altar to the site, where mass was celebrated on July 9, 1899. The completed church building was dedicated by Bishop Charles E. McDonnell, D.D., on April 22, 1900.

A Temperance Society was begun in April 1901 and lasted for only five years (records indicate a yearly decrease in numbers). In 1902, the first St. Patrick’s Day Supper was served, and netted $142.40. It soon became the parish event of the year, attracting people from the whole Oyster Bay peninsula. Its eat-all-you-like meal, prepared and served by the Ladies Guild in an atmosphere of carefree joy, was finally discontinued in the 1950′s for lack of ability to handle the crowds.

Father Donohoe was transferred in 1906 to St. Martin of Tours in Brooklyn, and Reverend William L. O’Hara became the second pastor at St. Boniface Martyr (1906-1909). He early became known for his civic interest, his instruction of non-Catholics, and his generosity. In June of 1906, he gave the commencement address at the Sea Cliff High School graduation exercises. It was he who urged his parishioners and others in Sea Cliff to send money to aid those suffering from the San Francisco earthquake and, later, to collect for victims of an earthquake in Italy.

The pastor who followed Reverend O’Hara was by disposition apparently something of a local John XXIII (before his time). The Rev. Louis J. Sloane, who served until 1926, managed to pay off the church debt and began the dream of a parochial school. To this end, he started to build a treasury. Father Sloane was known for his great charity toward all people. He was well liked by non-Catholics in town and made many converts. When Father Sloane was suffering from his last illness, public prayers for his recovery were said in all the Protestant churches in Sea Cliff and in the Jewish Synagogues in Glen Cove. During the last two years of Father Sloane’s pastorate, Reverend Aloysius H. Gillick and Reverend William Rhatigan served as administrators.

A new church bell was blessed on Thanksgiving Day, 1916, and began to ring out the Angelus three times each day and to call the parish to divine worship. Weighing one thousand pounds, the bell was made by the Meneely Bell Company of Troy, New York, and was donated by Miss Mary A. Neville. It now sits in a small brick tower adjacent to the main church building and still rings joyously to this day.

The “diamond-in-the-rough” who followed Father Sloane as pastor is still remembered by some in the community: Reverend Patrick J. Ford (1926-1937). Irish-born, with a tough exterior, he was the sort of pastor who visited his flock, family by family. Carrying forward Father Sloane’s dream, the school became his great effort, and it was brought to a reality at a cost of a quarter-million dollars. It opened in September, 1928, with an initial enrollment of 150 pupils, and the Sisters of Mercy of Dallas, Pennsylvania were enlisted to teach.

When the Great Depression hit the country, it seriously affected St. Boniface Martyr Parish. Few could meet pledges made in good faith, and the church was burdened with debt. Father Ford, in 1932, organized a “conference” of the St. Vincent de Paul Society as one bulwark against personal need suffered by the parishioners and others in Sea Cliff during those stark days. To make matters worse, in 1936, an arsonist set fire to the church building on three occasions, causing heavy damage and adding to the financial debt of the parish.

When Father Ford was moved to St. Sylvester’s in Brooklyn, he was succeeded by Reverend Charles B. Garvey (1937-46), a native of Cutchogue who was one of the first vocations from Suffolk County. During his pastorate, the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) was organized, the Confraternity of the Rosary was begun, and the Carmelite Third Order set up a chapter here.

During W.W.II parishioners knitted scarves, held blood-banks, rolled bandages, sat fire-watches, and entertained “the Boys” from Mitchell Field and Roslyn Air Base. They whispered about the strange boats quartered at Fyfe’s Shipyard in Glenwood Landing that were tested up and down the harbor (which they later learned were the “PT Boats” of Pacific fame). They wrote a lot of V-Mail letters and also held special prayer services for a victorious D-Day. As a matter of fact, they did a lot of praying! During the war, more than 400 men and women of St. Boniface served in the armed forces and of these, 15 made the supreme sacrifice of their lives.

During the era of post-world war prosperity, many Catholic families moved out to the suburbs and into the parish. Despite the return to better times, many still felt the pinch of the long depression. To aid them in adjusting financially, while helping them avoid the high interest rates of the loan companies, a cooperative credit union was established among the parishioners. Small loans at very low interest rates were of untold value.

Father Garvey died as pastor in 1946, and was succeeded within a month by the Reverend William J. Gately. Under Father Gately’s leadership, the parish debt was paid off, and the church, school, convent and rectory were repaired and redecorated.

In May, 1947, a census revealed that the parish had grown to 1,198 families representing 3,645 individuals. During Father Gately’s stay, the parish celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1948, with a Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving, with the Most Reverend Thomas E. Molloy, Bishop of Brooklyn, presiding. Father Gately was instrumental in establishing a Mothers’ Club as a support for the parochial school.

In 1952, Reverend Thomas W. Smiddy succeeded Father Gately. After a year of dedicated pastoral work Father Smiddy, in 1953, was transferred to the Chancery Office in Brooklyn where he was eventually elevated to Papal Chamberlain as a Very Reverend Monsignor. In exchange, the man who held that post in Brooklyn, Very Reverend Monsignor Vincent J. Baldwin, came to St. Boniface. He was aided in his adjustment to the life of pastor by Fathers O’Mara and Canning, who had long served in the parish. Three years later, Monsignor Baldwin left for St. Aloysius in Great Neck, and was succeeded by the Reverend John J. Fee.

Since three successive pastors, Fathers Gately, Smiddy and Baldwin, had each won high office in the Church after leaving St. Boniface, it was said at the time that a priest apparently “is never simply transferred from St. Boniface — he’s promoted!”

About a year after Father Fee’s arrival, an important change occurred. The Brooklyn Diocese had, from 1853, extended control over the entire length of Long Island. In May 1957, Nassau and Suffolk counties were separated from the old order and designated as a new diocese with its seat at Rockville Centre. The Most Reverend Walter P. Kellenberg became the new Bishop. At this time, Father Fee’s devotion to Mary was recognized and he was appointed director of the Legion of Mary for the new diocese, a post which he held until his death.

Father Fee sensed that it was time to build. The lovely small church built in 1900 seated just over 300; the school, built in 1928, needed more classrooms; the greater number of classrooms would demand more teachers and, hence, more convent space; and the rectory, which had never been large enough, would in any event be demolished if a larger church were to be built.

With Father Fee’s leadership and much work and sacrifice on the part of the St. Boniface lay people, a fund-raising campaign began in 1960. The goal of a quarter-million dollars was quickly oversubscribed. Six additional classrooms were completed within the original school building, an extension providing for thirteen sisters was added to the convent, and an adjacent house was bought and made into a rectory. A new and larger church building was designed and constructed. All of this took until 1964 to complete.

The original church building being torn down in 1964. (click photo to enlarge)

Finally, on May 3, 1964, the Solemn Dedication of the new edifice took place. The Most Reverend Walter P. Kellenberg, D.D., Bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, pontificated, and the Most Reverend Vincent J. Baldwin, S.T.D., V.G., Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre, who had served as pastor in Sea Cliff (1953-56), preached the homily

. The new church building in 1964. (click photo to enlarge)

There were other familiar faces serving as Officers of the Pontifical Mass that day: Right Reverend Monsignor William J. Gately, Assistant Priest; Very Reverend Monsignor Thomas W. Smiddy and Reverend James F. Bradley, Deacons of Honor; Reverend George F. O’Mara, Deacon; Reverend Joseph F.X. Canning, Subdeacon. The Masters of Ceremonies were the Very Reverend Monsignors Francis J. Williams and John R. McGann.

St. Boniface dedicates its new church on May 3, 1964. (click photo to enlarge)

The souvenir program for the day explained very well the rationale for the new church building, and permitted the architects to describe what they thought they had accomplished:

The new church building we dedicate today replaced the old St. Boniface Martyr Church which stood for more than sixty years on the same site. Much local affection was held for the old church which had become a landmark in town…. [P]arish growth demanded an enlarged, more up-to-date church. In the demolition of the old church, Father Fee had hoped that something of the original building might be incorporated in the new design. The original church bell atop the front facade of the old church was in excellent condition and would provide auditory as well as visual memories of the former place of worship. To bridge this old and new, the old bell has been placed in a free-standing bell tower, and has been made automatic, with clock and manual controls inside the new church.

The design of the church is simplified Romanesque style with contemporary feeling… typified by the large entrance arch of limestone, the slate roof and the circular head windows in the nave and the transepts. The short walls of the transepts… carry carved limestone statues… of the Patron of the Parish… and … of the Patron of the Diocese….

The architects described their use of oak (symbolic of St. Boniface’s having destroyed the Pagans’ sacred tree) in the nave and in the church doors, and of the oak leaf and acorn design in the altar rail, votive stands, lectern and speaker grilles. In great detail they describe the eight stained-glass windows in the transepts which depict “historically accurate events from the life of the patron of the parish”. The four windows in the nave illustrate the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary and the large entrance window depicts the Coronation of the Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Earth. When the celebration was over it was realized that with the cost of the expansion and of the new buildings and of the purchase of the two adjacent parcels of land, the parish had a $440,000 debt.

While the physical structure of St. Boniface was expanding, so too was the role of its parishioners. Lay activity had always been a hallmark of the parish, but with the advent of Vatican Council II came the formal changes of a Parish Council, a School Board, and a CCD board composed of laymen and laywomen. These lay efforts continued to be reinforced by those organizations already in existence and the Adult Choir and the Folk Group were added.

To celebrate its Diamond Jubilee, the parish began 1973 with a New Year’s Party. Two dinner plates were designed to commemorate the occasion of the 75th Anniversary. A Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated on Sunday, June 24, 1973, with Bishop Kellenberg as the principal celebrant and with Fathers James Bradley, George O’Mara, Joseph Canning, Hubert Spinner, Thaddeus Semla, and, of course, Father Fee, as concelebrants. Father George O’Mara, who had been associate pastor at St. Boniface from 1935 to 1961, gave the homily. The record shows — reflecting Vatican II — that Joseph Vulpis was the cantor and Robert Bolger was the lector.

The 75th Anniversary Mass celebrated on June 24, 1973. (click photo to enlarge)

In 1976, the School Board initiated a parish pre-school program to provide early childhood education for the community. The parish continued to prosper and to grow, and as one observer from outside the parish noted, Father Fee played “a dignified and important role in Sea Cliff,” as well as in the St. Boniface community. He was honored by the North Shore Kiwanis Club as “Citizen of the Year” in 1980 and, when he reached the age of obligatory retirement, continued to reside at the parish as Pastor Emeritus. It was then that the Reverend Donald F. Diederich was installed as pastor.

In the fall of 1982 the priests moved to the newly renovated Parish Center, a building that since 1928 had been the convent for the Sisters of Mercy, and the former rectory was rented to the Sisters of St. Joseph.

May 31, 1983, was the 25th Anniversary of Father Diederich’s ordination. Quite secretly, the parish determined to send Father on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, which he had never visited. Arrangements were made for him to depart on May 22, so he could celebrate a special mass in that most sacred place, on his actual anniversary. On May 15, Father Dederich was honored at a mass and afterward a reception was held in the school auditorium to wish him well.

Father Fee’s sudden death from a heart attack on November 19, 1983, came as a great shock. Sadly, members of the parish said good-bye to their former pastor of 25 years. The funeral mass for the Pastor Emeritus was celebrated with Bishop John McGann as the principal celebrant.

Father Diederich’s pastorate was marked by strong emphasis on the liturgy. “The parish community begins with the Eucharist, and the other sacraments,” said Father Diederich, “and everything else flows from that.” Among his efforts, a successful half-million dollar fund-raising campaign to renovate the church was realized.

The renovated church, re-dedicated on March 24, 1985, by Bishop McGann, gave St. Boniface a stronger sense of active participation in the liturgy. Further involvement with music was encouraged, and a musical director was hired. The involvement of scores of Eucharistic Ministers and lectors was also enlisted. Changes in the church itself included removal of the altar rail, creation of a permanent altar facing the people, addition of a wide but shallow sanctuary and a repositioning of the pews to bring the congregation and celebrant closer together. The original baptismal font was relocated to the sanctuary and the tabernacle was repositioned to a place of prominence in the sanctuary. Architectural history was preserved by refashioning the original marble altars into a single permanent altar, a substantial base for the tabernacle, and the eye-catching face of the ambo. Original oakleaf fretwork from the communion rail adorned the wall above the tabernacle.

Social concerns were also made more visible by an active Justice and Peace Committee; a parish outreach position was added to the staff and ecumenical ties grew. Social life in the parish was encouraged for the youth by Father Thomas Mulvanerty and, later, paid youth ministers were added. Parish-wide activities such as the Family Luncheon, Country Fair and Service Auction added vitality to St. Boniface’s social life and also to parish funds. A parish census done in 1982, reported 1,447 homes in the parish with 3,902 Catholics.

Sacramental programs involving parents continued to develop under the leadership of Sr. Margaret McPeak, school principal, and Mrs. Ita Levesque, religious education director. Parishioners now helped prepare engaged couples for marriage and new parents for their children’s baptisms. A Mass of Anointing of the Sick and a Marriage Renewal Mass became part of the annual parish calendar, and in 1987, under the direction of Father Jay Madacsi and Maureen Kelly, the restored Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) was celebrated at St. Boniface for the first time. In September, Father Reginald Camilleri arrived at the parish from Malta.

In June of 1988, after eight years as pastor, Father Diederich left St. Boniface to become pastor at St. James Parish in Setauket and Father David Farley was installed as pastor. Though here for only one year, parishioners knew Father Farley to be a kind and gentle man. He will be especially remembered for leading a parish prayer vigil in the spring of 1989, while a St. Boniface student lay in a coma after sustaining a serious injury at school. The entire parish participated in the round-the-clock vigil, until the third grader’s life was out of danger. It stands out as a special moment of faith for St. Boniface — the parish’s own miracle.

Shortly after his arrival, in response to senior members of the parish, Father Torpey hired Sister Mary Butler, O.P., to begin a senior outreach program. (In 1995, after being elected Regional Director of her order, Sister Mary moved on, but the successful program has continued). Other staff changes came when Sr. Margaret McPeak retired as school principal and Mrs. Lenora Brisotti was appointed. In June of 1990, Ita Levesque, longtime director of the parish Religious Education Program, moved on to become the director at St. Brigid’s Parish, and Father Torpey appointed Julie Byrne as administrator of the program.

In June of 1991, the parish schools of St. Boniface, St. Mary’s in Roslyn, St. Rocco’s and St. Patrick’s in Glen Cove and St. Hyacinth’s in Glen Head regionalized to form All Saint’s Regional Catholic School.

Under diocesan direction and the leadership of principal Sister Helen Dolan, S.S.N.D., the school began on two campuses with a nursery through third grade at the Lower Campus (St. Hyacinth’s) and grades four through eight on the Upper Campus (St. Patrick’s).

In 1995, Sister Maureen Vellon, R.S.H.M. was appointed as principal of ASR. At present, 40 of the approximately 400 students are St. Boniface parishioners, and the school continues to flourish. In the fall of 1999, all grades will be located on St. Patrick’s parish property, allowing for total technological integration of all classrooms, leading the school into the 21st Century.

The school is supported by each of the five parishes and the school board is comprised of each parish’s pastor and representatives appointed by that pastor. St. Boniface is represented by parishioner Síghle Lynch.

The decision to regionalize the schools and close the St. Boniface School building made for a very painful time in the parish, especially for the parents and children who attended. Since then however, space made available by the closing of the building has been put to good use. For much of the 1990′s, the third floor of the school has been rented to St. Christopher Ottilie Home, while the parish offices were moved to the lower level. The building also provides classroom space for the children who attend the parish religious education program, and practice and game space for the many CYO basketball teams. The priests’ residence has been moved back to the old rectory.

In time, it became clear that Father Torpey had made liturgy a major focus of his ministry. Nowhere is that more evident than at the family liturgy celebrated each Sunday. At ease with children, he has fostered liturgy where children can be both comfortable and involved. “If we focus on kids, it creates a focus on the family,” said Father Torpey. “If the children know they’re loved, it involves the whole family and it helps the parish to celebrate that love in the present; which, in turn, prepares us for the future.” This focus has attracted many new young families to the parish. Liturgical music has continued to be important, with Jeffrey Schneider as the present music director. To assist the pastor in keeping a clear pulse on the parish finances, in 1993, Father Torpey hired Eileen Krieb to help oversee parish business and finance. On June 6, 1993, the parish joined in the celebration of Father Torpey’s 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood with a mass followed by a lovely garden party.

Focus on the parish’s 100th anniversary (1998) began in 1993, with an elegant dinner dance at the Manhasset Bay Yacht Club, where parishioners, Ceil Herbert and Robert Bolger, were honored. It was the first of many Centennial celebrations. Reflecting on the Centennial, Father Torpey praised the work of the previous pastors. He pointed out Father Diederich’s work with liturgy and Father Fee’s strong sense of Church and how they have provided a foundation to present celebrations, involving some of the same people who worked with these previous pastors.

In 1995, St. Boniface became a one-priest parish when Father Camilleri (Reggie), who had won the hearts of parishioners in his seven years here, left St. Boniface to do further study. We gained Sr. Kathleen Murphy, O.P., however, who was appointed pastoral associate and has proved to be an invaluable asset to the parish as it continues to grow. Sr. Kathleen assists the pastor in the many aspects of running a parish and also conducts some liturgical services. Besides supporting parish programs already in existence, in 1996, Sr. Kathleen started a new program, M.O.M.S n’ Tots, for mothers of pre-schoolers.

In 1996, the parish embarked on a diocesan Stewardship Program. Consciousness-raising on its theme of giving back time, talent and treasure in thanksgiving for all God has provided has been an impetus for parish growth. This program has not only improved the parish’s financial situation, but has put new blood into volunteerism. Consequently, appreciation for the many gifts already shared within the parish community has grown among parishioners.

St. Boniface Martyr Parish began its preparation for the Jubilee Year of 2000 on Christmas Eve, 1998, when the front doors of the church were closed and draped with a Jubilee Banner, to remain closed until Christmas Eve 1999, when they were ceremoniously reopened, just as Pope John Paul II opened the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, to symbolize the Church’s “Opening Wide the Doors to Christ” at the dawn of the Third Millennium.

Our parish also marked the coming of the new millennium by becoming on of the first parishes on Long Island to establish a presence on the internet, with the launch of its website, designed by parishioner Robert P. Lynch, at www.saintboniface.org on October 15, 1999.

As St. Boniface Martyr Parish celebrated its Centennial in 1997 and 1998, and the Jubilee in 1999 and 2000, the same strong sense of community that had started this parish was still going strong. Many prayers and thanks go to those who have gone before us and have provided the faith community with all that it needed to sustain its first one hundred years. We pray that God will continue to bless our parish, providing it with the gifts it needs to flourish in the future.

The dream of a St. Boniface Martyr School began in 1899, when the original church was built. Father James Donohoe, the first pastor, expressed a strong desire to see a parochial school for the children of parish families. The idea stayed alive in the 1920’s, when Father Louis Sloane, the pastor at the time, began to set aside money each year to be
used in building the school.

His successor, Father Patrick Ford, went a step further by organizing a fund drive to raise $50,000 of the $250,000 needed for the schools’ construction. The support given by the parishioners was such that the money was donated or pledged within only a few weeks. Combined with the funds set aside by Father Sloane, that money was sufficient to buy the Amrhein Farm on which the school was to be built, and to hire Architect James O’Connor
to design the structure.

In November, 1927, ground was broken and Frank A. Droesch, Inc., a construction firm from Queens, began working on the building. The work was completed in time for the school to open its doors in September, 1928. On June 23, 1928, the Sisters of Mercy from Dallas, Pennsylvania arrived and began registering children for entry into grades 1 through 6. Another grade was to be added each year until all 8 grades were included.

The new school opened on September 10, 1928, with an initial registration of 150 students. The building contained 10 classrooms, 2 indoor playgrounds, lunchrooms, a kitchen, restrooms, offices, a clinic, storerooms, and a large auditorium. Bishop Thomas F. Malloy of the Diocese of Brooklyn formally dedicated the school on September 16, 1928, at a ceremony attended by more than 1000 people.

In June 1931, the first 8th grade class (14 students) graduated, leading the way for the 59 graduating classes that followed it into the world.

Over the subsequent decades, enrollment at St. Boniface grew (to nearly 600 students, at one point) and the building was expanded to accommodate the students. In 1962, a library and gymnasium were added and 8 new classrooms were opened. In 1963, student services were expanded to include a 5-day hot lunch program staffed by volunteers from the Mothers’ Club (later the Home School Association).

For 36 years, St. Boniface provided its students with a free education but, in 1964, economic factors forced the introduction of a modest family tuition schedule. The school continued to change. In 1969, a playground was built on school property with the help of many community volunteers. In 1976, nursery and Pre-K programs were begun, and, in 1977, the first kindergarten class started. By that time, lay teachers had replaced most of the Sisters of Mercy.

In the fall of 1989 enrollment was approximately 220 students, a number that allowed for smaller classes and an excellent student-teacher ratio. From its earliest days, St. Boniface Martyr School served as a superb example of academic excellence in Catholic education.

The environment encouraged each student to realize his or her potential for achievement. Spiritual growth and development of the students remained a primary concern, with secular needs being addressed. The Early Childhood Program that was inaugurated in 1976 with 18 students, had, in 1989, over 90 students in its Pre-K and Nursery Programs. Also, an innovative After School Program was instituted to allow students to remain on the school grounds until 6 p.m. each day, if necessary. Other after school programs included soccer, basketball and
track clinics.

In its 62 years of existence, St. Boniface Martyr School graduated over 2,000 pupils.

All Saints Regional Catholic School

Beginning in September of 1990, St. Boniface, along with the parish schools of St. Patrick’s and St. Rocco’s in Glen Cove, St. Hyacinth’s in Glen Head, and St. Mary’s in Roslyn was regionalized by Bishop McGann into All Saint’s Regional Catholic School (ASR).

Under diocesan direction and the leadership of principal Sister Helen Dolan, S.S.N.D., the school began on two campuses with a nursery through third grade at the Lower Campus (St. Hyacinth’s) and grades four through eight on the Upper Campus (St. Patrick’s).

In 1995, Sister Maureen Vellon, R.S.H.M. was appointed as principal of ASR. The current principal is James Thompson.  At present, 40 of the approximately 400 students are St. Boniface parishioners, and the school continues to flourish. All grades are now consolidated in the school building on the St. Patrick’s parish campus, allowing for total technological integration of all classrooms, leading the school into the 21st Century.

The school is supported by each of the five parishes and the school board is comprised of each parish’s pastor and two representatives appointed by that pastor. St. Boniface is represented by parishioners Sighle Lynch and Kevin Horton.

St. Boniface School Principals

 Boniface wanted everyone to have the opportunity to know about and love Jesus and his Church.  He became a missionary to the western part of Germany.  Pope St. Gregory II blessed him and sent him on this mission.  Boniface preached with great success.  Once, to prove that the pre-Christian gods were false, he did a bold thing.  There was a certain huge oak tree the local people believed was sacred to their gods.  In front of a large crowd, Boniface struck the tree with an axe.  The big tree crashed.  The people were enlightened when realized that their gods took no action against Boniface.

 In his lifetime, Boniface converted great numbers of people.  In place of the statues of the pagan gods, he built churches and monasteries.  In 732, the new pope, St. Gregory III made Boniface an archbishop and gave him another mission territory, Bavaria.  He and some companions went there to teach the people about Christianity.

 Then, one day, he was preparing to confirm some converts.  A group of armed inhabitants swooped down on the camp.  Boniface would not let his companions defend him.  ”Our Lord tells us to repay evil with good,” he said.  “The day has come for which I have waited so long.  Trust in God and he will save us.”  The warriors attacked, and Boniface was the first one killed.  He died a martyr on June 5, 754.  His wish, stated in his will, that he be buried at the famous monastery he had started at Fulda, Germany were carried out.

Did St. Boniface invent the Christmas Tree?

The specific origin of the Christmas tree is lost in the distant past.  It may have started when pre-Christian rituals involving evergreen boughs were merged with Christian celebrations and beliefs.  

It seems to be generally recognized that the people who lived in what is now Germany were the first to develop the tradition of the Christmas tree.  One tradition is that when Boniface cut down the famous oak tree that he was surprised to find a fir tree growing in its place.  The fir was thereafter associated with the primacy of the Christian faith.

Martin Luther is credited with first placing candles on the Christmas tree.  He spent a great deal of time walking through the forests of evergreen conifers thinking through his beliefs.  The candles are said to have represented the stars he saw through the trees.