The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-06-22
HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH IN GRAND
FORKS, N. D.

The late Bishop Stanley, in his
booklet. Tile Founding Of the Cath
oic Church in North Dakota states
on page 20 that In fact, before 1856.
Mass had been said often in every
camping place from Lake Traverse TO
Pembina;" and this was one Of those
places
On the evening Of October 30, 1860,
Rev. Joseph NJ. Cotton, on his way
from 81. Paul to Pembina and St.
Joseph lnow Walhalla and Leroy,
being appointed pastor Of these places,
reached the cite where the great city
Of Grand Forks EOw is, where he
camped al fresc0 with 4 half-Oreed
named Desmarais, Who in parting with
him the next morning, gave him a
small package of wild haWs.
1t was seventeen years later, that
is in 1877, that the Church made it's
first entrance into the then frontier
town. Rev. P. Hubert, being sent as
a missionary in this section, that is
for Grand Forks, CroOkstOn and Red
Lake settlements, gathered about him
the first little congregation. In 1881
a chapel was erected, and in 1882 a
new church was constructed. By this
time Father LHiver had taken the
charge of the parish, followed by Rev.
B. A. Anne in April, 1888: under his
pastorate, on March Il, 1884, the first
Solemn POntifical Mass was celebrated
in Grand Forks by the Right Rev.
Martin Marty, Vicar Apostolic Of the
Dakota Territory, and Rev. Father De-
cantlion, o. p, Of Minneapolis, preach
ed an eloquent sermon. The ST. Mich
ael's Benevolent Society marched in
a body to the church; Mr. A. j.
OKeefe being the president Of that
organization and Mr.. Phil J. McLaugh-
lin vice-president. A banquet in the
Gotham hall, South Third Street, fol
lowed the ceremony, at which Igna-
thus Donnelly was the principal speak
er; after whom came A. w. Bangs, A.
II. Noyes, George II. Walsh and A. j.
O'Keefe. At the close of the celebra-
ton, the bishop spoke on the Pope,
Leo XIII, and was presented with a
crOzier.
The next Solemn POntifcal Mass
was celebrated by the same Right
Rev Martin Marty on the occasion OF
the dedication of the church, and Rev.
Francis Flanagan of Larimore deliV-
cred the sermon. In 1887 that church
was wrecked by a tornado, but it was
soon rebuilt; and it was not until the
fire Of 1907 that the parish was again
without a church Work was then
commenced to the end that the pres
ent structure might be erected, and it's
\completion marks an achievement OF
which the Catholics of Grand Forks
may well be proud.
Early in June, 1903, Right Rev. John
Stanley, then Bishop of Fargo, pre-,
sided at the laying of the cornerstone
of the present church, assisted by the
pastor, Rev. e. J. Conaty, Rev. John
w. Considine, Rev. Edward Geraghty
and others.
On Sunday morning, June Is, 1910
the Right Rev. James O'Reilly, D. D.
present Bishop of Fargo, soIemnly
dedicated St Michael's Church m tie
presence of many thousands Of loyal
Catholics Knights of Columbus play
ing the prominent part. The dedica
tory ceremonies began at 10 o'clock
followed by the Solemn Mass, with
Rev. e. J. Conaty as celebrant, Rev
J. A. Lemieux as deacon, Rev. Joseph
Bachand as sub-deacon and Rev M. j
O'Driscoll as master of ceremonies
Attending Bishop O'Reilly was Rev, M
Pischerit of Winnipeg. The Right
Rev. Bishop delivered the sermon.
During the early days Catholic serV
ices were held in the building at the
northeast corner OF Sixth Street and
DeMers Avenue. 1t was in this build
ing that on July 80, 1887, Rev. e, ].
Conaty said his first Mass. having ar
rived here just a short time after the
destruction of the church by tornado,
and took possession Of the Grand
Forks parish at the head Of which he