The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-04-06
GRAND FORKS.
Facts Concerning st. Michael's ChurcE

Facts Concerning st. Michael's Church
and It's Worthy Pastor.
The Grand Forks Plaindealer Of a
late date says: St. Michael's Church.
Of this city, was organized in the year
1877 by the Rev. PeterC. Hubert, and
| was incorporated under the laws Of the
! territory, October. 1883. The congre-
CATION at first worshiped in the public
school building. The second pastor
| was Father Lhiver. who succeeded
Father Hubert in 1879. During his ad-
ministration. small house of worship
! was erected on DeMers avenue, and
later fine structure was commenced
on North Sixth street. Rev. Father
Anne became the pastor in 1883, and
during his passionate the church editice
| was completed at a cosE of $4,000. In
| April. 1885, Eater Ahne was succeeded
! by Father Metzger, after a brief in
| term in which Father Kenney, now of
Grafton served as pastor, In June,
1887, the fine church editce was wreck
ed by o wind storm. In July Of the
same year, Rev. Father Conaty, was
appointed. He came at a time when
the congregation were without church
home. II was feared 10y many even
among the clergy that SO young a man
! would be unable to meet the task OF
rescuing the society from it's unfortu-
nate condition. But his success has
been most gratifying 10 all. He inn
mediately took steps;towards rebuilding
the church and securing the means
| with which to do it. The result was a
much better and finer structure than
| before and it is now the finest and lar
gest church editice in Dakaota. The
receipts for the year 1888 aggregated
S17 600 and tn, expenditures over $l6,-
OO0, and most satisfactory showing is
made by the financial report recently
published. The prospect for the future
is very bright. A large and elegant
school house will be erected on the
church property the coming season, the
building now in use having been found
inadequate to the demands.
Rev. Father Conaty, the present
pastor OF the church, graduated from
college in 1872, studied law and was ad-'
nittec to the bar in Massachusetts,,
where he practiced for eight years, and
afterwards came west and fer a short
time engaged in the law business at
Sioux City. He was then appointed to
government position, and at the ex-
piration of his term OF service he re.
sumed his legal practice. On the adj
vice Of Bishop Marty, he studied forthe
ministry, to which he was ordained on
the oath of June, 1887. On the day OF
his ordination he was appointed pastor
of Grand Forks. whi CHI is conceded to
be the largest Catholic organization in
the jurisdiction Of the bishop. His
work since coming here is familiar to
our readers. The society has Increased
in numbers, and now the large church
building is crowded to its utmost ca
pacity Sabbath after Sabbath. A MOTTO
able feature is the growing temperance
sentiment in the society under his min
lstrations, and the reverend father is
becoming quite famous asa temperance
orator and worker. AS a speaker,
Father Conaty has few equals in the
west, his manner of delivery, style,
ease of expression, and terse pointed
truths giving him wide notoriety as a
divine. A number Of his discourses
among which may be noted his eulogy
of the late General Sheridan and his
grafton on St. Patrick, have been ef-
forts which will long be remembered.