The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-29
THEIR GOLDEN JUBILEE.
Catholics Of Montana Will Celebrate
tho Occasion on the Com
Ing Sunday.
Fifty Years Ago the First Mission
Started In Bitter Root
Valley.
A Pastoral Letter from Bishop bromide
Calling on His People to Observe
the Anniversary.

Next Sunday will be the 6ftieth ami
versary Of the establishment of the hrst
Catholic mission in Montana. The golden
jubilee will be observed in all the Catholic
churches and at all tho missions in the
state. Bishop Brondel has issued the fol-
lowing pastoral letter. which was read IN
all the churches on Sunday Last:
JoHN BAPTIST BnoNDEL
BY the grace Of God and favor of the
Apostolic See, Bishop of Helena.
To tho clergy, both secular and regular,
the religious communities aud the faithful
Of our diocese,
GREETING IN THE
On the first Sunday of October, the feast
1T the Holy Rosary, we will celebrate the
fftieth anniversary of the establishment OF
tho first Catholic mission in Montana. 1t
was on that day, 1Si1, that the first mass
was celebrated in st. Mary's mission in
Stevensville is now situated. Father Peter
Desmet, =. j., at the, repeated requests OF
the Flathead Indians, had visited the coun-
try from st. Louis, Mo-, the previous year.
He returned in 1871, accompanied by
Fathers Point and Margarine and three lay
brothers Of the society Of Jesus; and began an
mission work among the Indians OF tne
Rocky mountains. or this first band OF
missionaries, two survive-Father Point, at
Montreal, and Brother Claessens. of Santa
Clara, Cal. We may form an idea of what
they went through when they came to these
these mountains. whom civilization was not
in existence IN when the savaRes and Wild
beasts roamed freely over the land. We
may also conceive what an element they
formed in the founding of civilization, as
they always we're on the side of religion
o,,l c>n;,1 1rlar r. IN. Hnv khoPA ia no
Indian tribe that has not its churches and
schools; if there is no country that has not
its Catholic church; if there is no town OF
some Importance that has not its churches.
schools and hospitals, it is due in great
measure to these heroic pioneers of Catho-
licity.
1t is proper that we should celebrate this
golden jubilee of Montana's Catholicity by
thanking God for the graces of the true
faith bestowed upon the aborigines and
for those granted TO the white population
that has poured in the land during tho lat
ter years. Gratitude to God for past bless
ings obtains new blessings. We need the
perseverance of the faithful, we need the
conversion of the sinner, we need the llgnt
of faith for those who are still sitting IN
the shadow and darkness of unbellef. 10
obtain all this and to render thanks in an
appropriate manner to the giver of all good
gifts, we invite the people to receive the
sacraments of pennnce and holy COM
munion on Rosary Sunday; we order that q
to deum be sung at the end of divine SER
vice either in the morning or evening OF
that day; we also order the prayer Of
thanksgiving to be said every day at mass
during the month of October. until thu
meeting of the provincial council OF Ore
gon on the 18th, when the imperata de
spiritu sancto will be said instead. for three
days, by all priests whenever the rubrlcs
allow it, and we desire the sermon of the
day to have for subject: "Catholic Mis-
sions."
We takethis ocoasion to remind you that
as on previous years since 1883. the beadl
and the litany Of the blessed virgin be sale
with benediction of the blessed sacrament
every day from Oct. l to Nov. 2, according
to the order of Pope Leo XIII. ON Aug. 10
1889, the holy father ordered also the addi'
ton of the prayer to st. Joseph. The OBJ
iect ia to bring peace to the church and t.
society. These prayers are to be made
every year until it will be granted to the
church to give hanks to God for the full
liberty restored to the sovereign pontih.
This letter shall be read at mass the first
Sunday after its reception.
Given at Helena on the 9th day OF Sep.
TENDER. 1891, under our sign and seal and
the countersign of our secretary.
+JoHN b. BRoNDEL, Bp. of Helena.
{. G. TOILET, Seo'y.