The Irish standard., 1897-07-24
Father Hendricks Church.
Especial Correspondence of the Irisi,
Staudard)

Father Hendricks Church.
Especial Correspondence of the Irish
Standard)
EAST GRAND FORKS. Mimi. July
2O.-Few Catholic parishes in this coun-
Try can equal the record made by the
young parish of East Grand Forks.
Though less than five years old it can
proudly boast of having built two hand
some and commodious churches since
the date of its organization, December
%, 1892. and if the present promise of
bountiful harvest be fulfilled, the sec
ond of these churches will be freed from
all Indebtedness this fall For these
praiseworthy results of little over four
years work, the parish is mainly in
debted to the Jealous care and executive
ability of it's pioneer pastor, the Rev.
p. Hendrck.
1t was not a very promising field to
which the popular young Irish priest
came in the fall of 1892 at the behest
of tho good Bishop McGolrick, with in
structions to do what he could for the
benefit of the church in this vicinity.
Many difficulties lay in the way of Or
ganizing parish on this side of the
Red river For. years the Catholic resi-
dents of East Grand Forks had been
accustomed to cross the river to Grand
Forks, N. D., and there worship in an
other city and state. Not all of them
recognized at first the desirability CT
establishing a parish of their own, but
the fervid appeals Of the young priest
fresh from the academic halls of Rome,
where he had studied for ten long years,
and had become filled with spirit of
religious zeal, at length aroused the
people of this part of Minnesota to a
full sense of their duty in the premises,
and his enthusiasm triumphed over all
obstacles.
Preaching in the little city hall FOR
lack of a church, Father Hendrick gath
cred around him the nucleus of his pres
ent large congregation, and saw the
first fruits of his labors in the Deem
Der after his arrival, when the new par
ish was organized with the following
officers and trustees: p. ]. Kelly, pres
ldent; Henry p. Giles, secretary; Jacob
lAobsinger, treasurer; Jeremiah r. Suli-
van and Leon Suprenant With the ex-
ception of Mr.. Lcbsinger, whose lament
ed death occurred in February, 1895.
these trustees still hold office. Mr.. Lob
singer having been succeeded as treas
urer by Hugh Dunlevy, now mayor of
the city, and Father Hendrick now act.
ing as president.
Ground was broken for the first
church in July, 1898. and the new struc-
ture was occupied for public worship
i'll the following year. Funds were free
ly provided by some of the parishioners
who had caught theirs pastors spirit
Of enthusiasm, and in the fall of 1925
over $4,000 was raised by fair organ
lied by Father Hendrick, and the
church was freed from debt The re-
suit of this fair was the wonder of the
Northwest and in a city of only 1,50O
inhabitants, it's financial success WIS
truly remarkable. The church was ded-
icated by Bishop McGolrick in Novem-
Der, 1895. and in the following month
was burned to the ground by an unfor-
tunate accident.
Nothing daunted. Father Hendrcll
and his faithful few set to work to re-
build as soon as the SHOWS melted in
the following spring. and in the summer
of 1896 a larger and handsomer Gothic
structure took the place of the first
church. The first services in the pres
ent church We're held in July, 1896 1t
seats 500 persons and is amply suffic-
lent for the present needs of the par
ish. II the crop indications hold good
another big church fair is contemplated
for this fall. and it is confidently ex-
pected that the existing indebtedness
will be completely wiped out. 1t will
take Il long pull. a strong pull. a pull
altogether, but Father Hendrick has
faith in his parishioners and is pretty
confident that before the snow flies he
will be enabled to invite his bishop 10
perform the solemn ceremonies of dedt
cation in structure free from debt
There is also under Father Hen
bricks care a useful hospital known as
St. Joseph's. the only one on this side
nf the river and operated by ten Of
ne good Bcnedictine sisters, brought
here by the faithful priest from theil
mother establishment at Duluth. They