St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-25

continuing to reside there. The st. Peter
trading post was the only ground of hope
left me. and l removed there, determined TO
remain steadfast as a rock. Mr.. Faribault,
the oldest pioneer of the place. a true gentle
man, offered me small house, which / ac-
cepted. 1t was repaired. and | made Of it
my chapel contented TO reside in a small
corner of 1t until more favorable circum-
stances. visited st. Paul regularly, and oc-
casionally st. Croix settlement, then called
Willow river, and now, if | am not mistaken,
Hudson. In 1872, June s. Bishop Loras gave
confirmation to q few persons. During a
short absence of mine. Father Ravoux being
at st. Peter an accident threatened his life.
One night when sleeping in my little room
he was suddenly aroused by tremendous
cracking of the main beam that supported
the whole roof. Fortunately he was not
hurt. Calling for help he removed every
thing TO the house of Mr.. Faribault Once
more we had to make Of room temporary
place for the holy sacrifice OF the mass
Hearing Of the accident left st. Paul. went
to st. Peter. and at once took means TO go to
Chippewa Falls i'll order to get the lumber
needed for a new building. On my return
/ put men to work, and on the I'd day of
October blessed the first church of St. Peter.
From that time to the day OF my removal
nothing deserving notice happened. save
the passages of the venerable bishop of st
Boniface, Mgr. Provencher, who for the first
time, but not without much danger, went
via ST. Paul and the United States to Canada
"a new route hitheto unknown. On the 2)tn
OF October the little bell of st. Peter chapel
was blessed. On the 18th of May, "A, | was
leaving TO better hands the yet barren field of
my first mission, not, however. without feel
ing deep regret, not without leaving friends
behind me. Respectfully. L. GALTIEH.
This is the simple story of the Toun-
dation of the first church in st. Paul
told by the founder himself-the SANITY
Gaitier. This story would be incom-
plete and unsatisfactory if allowed to
rest here. Let us hastily sketch the
history of the church from the time of
the departure or Father Galtier to other
scenes of usefulness. from the spring
of 1874 till 1851. He died at Prairie du
CHEN, Feb. 81, 1866. Father Ravoux,
who ceededFatherGaltier alternately
resided at Mendoza and st. Paul. For
about three years he was two conSecu-
tive Sundays in Mendoza and the third
in st. Paul; preaching both in French
and English. In 1917, an addition was
made to the little chapel. The small
chapel used by the sisters of st. Joseph,
till their removal to st. JOSeph'S aca-
deny, formed the addition. In 1S49,
the chapel was again too small, and
many of the faithful had to remain
standing outside during divine service.
A great portion of the members Of the
Catholic church who overcrowded the
chapel Sundays were not only those
llflllS III 81. dul, uut Llduy ltU!li hitllC
Canada, st. Anthony. Mendoza, with
others who resided two or three miles
along the left bank of the Mississippi.
In 1917, the Catholic population becom-
ing more numerous in st. Paul and
around it than at Mendoza and Fort
Smelling, Father RavOuX tells us he had
then the divine service in st. Paul every
second Sunday. In 1S49 the Catholics
still continuing to increase on the left
bank of the Mississippi. the zeal
GUS missionary determined upon
spending two Sundays in st.
Paul and the third at Mendoza.
About this time Father Ravou X
wrote the bishop of Milwaukee urging
upon him the necessity of sending a
priest to reside in st. Paul. Late in the
year 1859 the bulls were sent from Rome
to Very Rev. Joseph Cretin. He had
been elected bishop of st. Paul. Bishop
Cretin was 10th about accepting the
biShopric of ST. Paul, and it was but
one or two days previous to his cOnse-
Grafton that he gave his consent. In
the meantime Father Revoux had pur-
chased twenty-one lots for cathedral
purposes. The price was $500. The lot
on which the present cathedral stands
was bought for 500. On the Goth of
January, 1851, the new bishop was con-
SccIdtcu, anu Vic Golii VI ouIy, 1901, Hc
arrived in st. Paul accompanied by two
priests. This was great relief to
Father Ravoux. who had been for seven
wears without any brother priest.
Before the lapse of five months after
his arrival, the bishop had erected on
block Z, in st. Paul Proper. a brick
building upon the site of which now
stands the dry goods house of Schune-
| man q Evans, eighty-four feet long
and forty-four feet wide, three stories
high, including the basement. That
building became immediately the Sec
ond cathedral Of st. Paul. and also the
second residence OF the right reverend
bishop, his priest and ,seminarians
The basement was used as boys
school. In 1852 the Sisters of st. Joseph
opened a girls school on Third street
In 1858 the hospital was built. The
same year piece of ground was
bought OH which has been built
the st. Joseph's academy, for q
cemetery. In 1856 the cemetery wa:
removed to its present location. In
| 1855 the German Catholics erected q
church on Bishop Cretin's block. In
July, 1854, the work of excavating the
basement Of the cathedral (the presently
was begun. On the 18th of June, 1858
it was opened for divine service
While this structure was in process Of
erection Bishop Cretn died. The date
| of his death was Feb. %, 1887. Referring
to his death Father Ravoux. In his me
moirs, says: "His ardent zeal anG
charity for his fellow man, his constant
labor, his mildness, his sincere humility
and spirit of prayer were strong anC
convincing proofs to us all that in his
mind and heart he had but two object:
| in view-the glory of God and the sane
! tification of souls"
But one remains of all those noble
| and heroic souls that labored with 81