The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-01-10

In the presence of prelates, priests
and people the Academy of Mary
Immaculate was dedicated on Tues
day, December Goth, by the Most Rev
Archbishop Langevin of st. Boniface,
Manitoba. The Archbishop arrived
Monday evening and celebrated Mass
in the little Church of the Assumption,
the morning following. The dedica-
tion ceremony took place in the after
neon. At Eoeo'cloci. RR'',lhe IS, priests,
and people assembled in the church
where Father Picherit, pastor of
Pembina, formally welcomed the
Archbishop, who, in his response, con-
graduated the citizens of Pembina on
the new academy made possible by
their united effort. He then dwelt on
Catholic Education and pointed out
how they would reap their reward in
the higher citizenship which the
Academy would promote. After the
Archbishop's address the "Veni Crea-
tor" and "Laudate Pueri" were
chanted Then followed the dedica-
ton ceremony according to the
significant rite of the Church. Bene-
diction of the Blessed Sacrament in
the Convent chapel with the Arch
bishop officiating ended the sacred
ceremonial of the day. There were
present at the dedication ceremony
besides Archbishop Langevin, Rt,
Rev. Bishop Beliveau, Auxiliary
Bishop of St. Boniface; Rt Rev. Mgr
Dugas, V. G., of the Diocese of St.
Boniface; Fathers Lambert, Loriot,
Jutras, and Leroux, of the Diocese of
st. Boniface; Rev. J. U. Sevigny of
ST. Thomas, N. D.; and Very Rev. G.
M. Turcotte of Grafton, N. D.
The present Academy of Mary I'M
maculate was the former court house
of Pembina County made vacant by
the transfer of the County seat to
Cavalier. Through the kindness of
the citizens of Pembina the building
was obtained for academy purposes.
1t has been completely remodeled and
fitted with the conveniences of a
modern school. The idea of an acad-
emy at Pembina was conceived in
the mind of Mr. E. w. Conmy, an old
resident of Pembina County, and it
has been mainly through the disin-
terested zeal and untiring efforts of
this one man that the idea mas be-
come reality.
Pembina is one of the historic spots
of North Dakota. There the first Mass
offered in the territory now embraced
by the state, was celebrated by Father
Severe Joseph Dumoulin in 1918. 1t
was there that this pioneer missionary
of North Dakota built the first
church, school, and parish house con-
structed within the borders of the
state The "Coulee des Pretres," the
spot where the three log structures
were reared almost a hundred years
ago, is still pointed out. The sites of
the buildings, still discernible, and a
few graves in the old cemetery close
by the church is all that remains from
those pioneer days.
A bell recently discovered on land
owned by Mr. Conmy and believed to
be the first bell ever heard in North
Dakota, was presented by Mr.. Conmy
| to His Grace Archbishop Langevin on
the occasion of his visit to Pembina
There is strong evidence to show that
this bell was brought to Pembina by
Father Dumoulin. 1t is shaped like
the old French bells, some say like
the Spanish, and weighs about forty
pounds. A crack in the bell which
renders it useless accounts for its not
being in the present Pembina church
where one would expect to find it
When in st. Boniface last spring in
quest of Sisters for the proposed
academy Mr.. Conmy told the Arch
bishop of the bell and then promised
it as a present His Grace did moi
forget the promise on the occasion oi
his visit.