The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-05-20
EARLY CATHOLIC MISSIONS IN
ALASKA.

An early effort of Catholic mission
aries to carry the Gospel into Alaska
was made in 1862. At that time
Father Seguin, an Oblate of Mary
Immaculate, belonging to the Vicari-
ate Apostolic of Athabaska, moved by
the desire to Offset the dangers of the
introduction of heresy into the new
country, crossed the Rocky Mountains
and pitched his tent where the Porcu-
pine river empties into the Yukon,
namely, the site of the present settle
ment, and trading post known as Fort
Yukon.
He placed the mission under the
patronage of st. John the Evangelist,
but the presence of a Protestant
preached at the post, the hostility of
the commander and, above all, the evil
influence of an apostate interpreter,
who preiudiced the Indians against
the Jealous priest, rendered it 1mpos-
sible for him to accomplish his work
there. After enduring many priva-
lions and hardships he accordingly re-
turned to Athabaska.
Four years later, when the United
States had completed the purchase of
Alaska, the Catholic missionaries be-
gan once more to plan to enter the
Apostolic field. In 1870, Father Pet
not, another Oblate from the Cana
dian northwest, journeyed over the
Rockies to meet the new masters OF
the territory, trusting that the Catho-
lie missions would be protested by
them. Ere long, he wrote to Bishop
Faraud, o. M. I. Vicar-Apostolic of
Athabaska, begging him to send other
missionaries to Alaska.
In the mean time, Francis MERCER,
the first agent of the Alaska trading
posts, returned to Montreal, his native
city, upon visit. On his way
thither he expressed to the Oblate
Fathers of the mission stations in
Athabaska his earnest hope that
Bishop Faraud would send mission
aries to the Yukon. He, moreover,
sionaries free lodging and mainten-
ance and added that he would be most
happy if, when he turned to his post
the following July, he would welcome
the Fathers and be able to tell the
Protestant preachers that the new dis
tricts were already occupied.
In accordance with these requests,
Bishop Faraud wrote to Bishop Clut,
his coadjutor on the Mackenzie, tell
ing him to make strenuous effort to
send at least one missionary to Alaska
Bishop Clut, who had been inpatient
ly awaiting an opportunity, fastened
to appoint Father Augustus Lecorre to
the new mission, and resolved to &C.
company him to this promising Apos-
tolic field
Toward the middle of September,
1872 the Bishop and Father Lecorre
left Fort Good Hope in birch bark
canoes with three Indian pedd1ers, and
voyaged down the Mackenzie to the
mouth of the Peel river, which they
assembled as far as Fort Macpherson.
Thence they made the portage
across the Rocky Mountains, and
started down the Porcupine, hoping to
reach Fort Yukon before winter set
in. The freezing over of the current,
however, rendered it necessary for
them to wait for the ice to thicken.
Then the trip was accomplished by
sledges at the cost of many fatigues
and hardships. Father Lecorre was
i'll all the way. 1t was thought he
had been poisoned by eating of canned
food that proved to be not so fresh as
it should have been.
Upon reaching Fort Yukon, Bishop
Clut and Father Lecorre we're cordi-
ally received by the French Canadian
officials of the post, but the Indians
who had already been won by the
Professionals, would not listen to the
teachings of the Catholic missionaries
The Bishop and Father Lecorre, there
fore, employed their time during the
winter in learning the language of the
aborigines.
When spring came and the ice
broke up, they began their voyage
down the Yukon. On May goth they
reached Muklurovet, village situated
a few miles below the present Fort
Gibbons on Juneau station. There
the Indians, who had also been visited
by Protestant preachers, were distant