The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-08-27
FATHER JEROME
WAS HONOREO BY
BISHOP O'REILLY

Devils Lake, N. D., Aug. 27.-Aus-
pictous in every respect and attended
by a large number from this city and
county, and Benson county, were the
ceremonies held on the south shore of
Devils Lake when the cathedral of
st. Michaels was blessed by Bishop
James OReilly of Fargo, who paid b
glowing tribute to the Rev. Father
Jerome Hunt, the founder, who has
been a servant for thirty-four years
in North Dakota, preaching the gospel
and laboring among the Indians at
Fort Totten.
The constant worker for the good
of the Indians has worked u~nceasing-
~ to give them a comfortable church
home, and this has been accomplished.
the Indians Of Fort Totten having
every convenience known to church
dom, a place to worship that in many
respects excels the best churches and
better still founded by one who is now
considered an important factor in the
history of North Dakota.
The ceremonies Sunday were in
deed impressive. and presided over by
leading Catholics Of the state each
and every one participating in the
ceremonies paying the highest com
pliment to Rev. Father Jerome Hunt.
Among the most noteworthy
achievements of the Catholic priest is
the translation of a large part of HI
Bible into the Sioux language and its
publication from a little Indian print
shop, and the translation and publi-
cation of catechisms, prayer books.
and hymnals into the Sioux language.
1t Is Father Jerone's little printing
house at Fort Totten that is called
upon to supply Biblical literature for
Catholic Indian workers in South Da-
kota, Nebraska and Montana.
Publishes Paper for the Sioux.
A little monthly paper is published
in Sioux language, The Sina Sapa
Wocekiye ~.Taeyanpaha, or The Black
Gowns Church, or more literally The
Herald of the Catholic church. This
is said to be the only Indian monthly
paper in the country.
There are over 1000 Indians in the
three parishes of Father Jerome. At
Crow Hill. FIVE miles west of Fort
Totten. 200 natives worship at the
little church. At, the Fort Totten
government school $50 Indian chill
dren are members of his church, while
at st. MichaeI's located on a beautifuI
hill on the south shore of Devils Lake
$50 more Sioux are members.
Thirty years constant work among
the Indians on the reservation has
won the father hundreds of friends
among the reds. When the first little
structure was built in 1883 known as
the mission, 1t took $1,000 of Father
Jerome's private funds to pay for it.
Since that time he has expended his
income in establishing the two adj
ditional parishes n helping the In
dams and others on the reservation.
When the time came that st. Mich
ael's was too small, Father Jerome
gave another $500 for the addition
and remodeling expense.
p ~RnR - EH-Ll
to Fort Yates, he vas accompanied by
Brother Giles. They came from st.
Abbey, Ind, where Father Jerome
studied theology and was ordained to
the priesthood in 1872. His first con-
structive work was the building OF
a church at Fort Yates in 1873. Al
year later he built a church at the
South Farm school, sixteen miles
from the Fort.
In Hands Of Indians.
The ceremonies which as a genera
thing have been conducted under the
able guidance of the sisters, were
of the congregation, they desiring to
pay a compliment to Rev. Father Jer-
ONE, All the arrangements for the
great conclave were made by the Fort
Totten Indians and the music was
rendered by an Indian choir.
In the course of his remarks Bishop
O'Reilly stated hat in addition to
his active service Rev. Father Jerome
alone was responsible for the house of
worship his own money having made
possible the construction. His own
savings have built a remarkable
much good, his wonderful magne
tism has been a great benefit"
said Bishop O'Reilly. Following Bish-
op OReilly's address Rev. Father
Jerome spoke in the Sioux language.