The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-07-27
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH'S
CHURCH.

1t was a Catholic who was the dis
coverer of the American continent,
and the Catholic clergy and laymen
bore their full share in the hardships
and perils of explorations and early
settlements of this country.
Every state in this Union numbered
among it's pioneers brave and adven-
turous men to whom the sign of the
cross was the symbol of their faith.
North Dakota has been no exception
to this rule. Hence it is that the his
tory of the Catholic Church in Devils
Lake began very early in the history
of the town. Devils Lake was founded
in 1882
The first priest that attended Devils
Lake city was Rev. Thomas M. Gahill,
who was stationed at Larimore, N. D.,
| whence he came at intervals from the
winter of 1883 to May, 1884. Divine
service was held in a rented room on
Fourth Street.
The first resident priest at Devils
Lake was Father P. M. McGinnis. He
arrived in May, 1884, and left again
in November of the same year. In the
fall of 1884 the townsite company do
mated twelve lots to the Catholic COM
munity. In October and November,
184S, a frame building 42x32 was put
up on the old site Of the church, on
First Street, with a double floor and
shingle roof, to serve as place of
worship.
In May, 1885, the second resident
priest Father Thomas J. Keelan, took
charge of the congregation. He left
again in November of the same year.
During the summer of 1885 a priests
house was erected. But the erection
did not at once secure resident pas
tor for priests were scarce in North
Dakota.
From November, 1885, to July, 1886,
Father Jerome Hunt, o. S. B., from
St Michael's Indian Mission, near
intervals.
On July 81, 1885, Rev. Father Claude
Elmer, 0. S. B., arrived at Devils Lake
to take charge of the mission work.
On his arrival he found $25106 debts
on the church property and but $15.75
in the church treasury. The following
six men composed the church COM
mittee: John w. Maher John Caffrey
Barney F. Stanley, Charles Budde,
James O'Brien and Michael H. Lynch.
From May, 1888, to July, 1888, Rev.
Stephen Stenger, o. S. B., tended to
the Devils Lake Mission in the alb
sence of Rev. Father Claude Elmer O.
S. B., who went on a visit to Europe.
Towards the end of July, 1888, Rev.
Vincent Wehrle, o. S. B., arrived at
Devils Lake to be it's future pastor.
He was the regular pastor of st. JOS
eph's Church from July, 1883, to Jan
uary ID, 1889.
The following priests assisted him
both at Devils Lake and in the mis-
sions for a shorter or longer time:
Rev. Othmar Erren, o. S. B., Rev.
Joachim Widner, o. S. B., Rev. Bona
venture Goebel, o. S. B., Rev. Othmar
Wehrle, o. S. B., Rev. John B. Schor-
no, o. S. B.
The period of Rt. Rev. Vincent
Wehrle's pastorate of Devils Lake
Church was one of great church growth
and activity in the country tributary
to Devils Lake.
Right Rev. Vincent Wehrle, 0. S. B.,
organized and built churches for the
following outside missions: st. Bene-
diets Church at Rutten settlement,
SIS. Peter and Paul Church at Sweet
Water st. Vincent de Paul Church at
Leeds, Sacred Heart Church at Cando,
Immaculate Conception Church at
Penn, st. Leo's Church at Minot.
In 1883 he founded st. Calls Monas-
terry, which is situated three miles
south of town on the banks of the lake.
This monastery was likewise a school
where during the winter season many
boys and even young men from the
country sought and obtained that edu-
cational help of which each was in
need.
In 1895 acting for the Sisters of
Mercy, Abbot Vincent purchased the
Olu puDlC SCuOOI DullQlnS Oh flTSC
Street, and turned it over to the Sis
tiers for hospital which in his honor
was named st. Vincent de Paurs hos
pital
Besides these enterprises he en-
larged the Devils Lake Church by put
ting an addition to the old church He
did real apostolic work in this part
of the state and did more work for
the Catholic Church than any other
priest in this state.
On January IA, 1899, Rev. Alphonse
Henn,, 0. S. B., was appointed pastor
of ST. Joseph's congregation. During
his. pastorate the interior of the
church was adorned and beautified and |
the growth and development of the
congregation continued.
On Thanksgiving Day in the year
1908, Rev4A Augustine Fuchs, o. S. B., |
received his appointment and took |
charge of the parish. Seeing that the |
building was too small to hold the CON
he had gallery built to ac-
commodate members of the choir and |
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