The Catholic bulletin., 1918-05-25
ST. MARYs CATHEDRAL PARISH

Fargo, North Dakota, has been
called the biggest little city in the
country" and is known in the COM
mercial world as a progressive and
up-to-date business centre. The Cath
0ic Church has kept pace with the
progress of the city. The clear fore
sight of those to whom the destiny
Of the church in Fargo and North
Dakota was committed enabled them
to lay solid the foundations for fu-
ture progress and they builded well
and strong. The Cathedral on the
corner CT Broadway : the main
artery and driveway of the city-and
Sixth Avenue North, is proof of this.
The Cathedral, the Bishops residence
and parochial house, all solid, Sub
stantial brick buildings, occupy one of
the largest blocks in the city and the
Catholics of Fargo are justly proud
of them. The progress of the Church
has been even greater than that of
the city when we take into considera-
ton the number of years since the
first church was dedicated.
The first Catholics of Fargo attend
ed mass in Moorhead, Mimi, for many
years. In the spring of 1880, the
Catholics of Fargo made an effort to
get d church Of their, own and the
pastor of Moorhead wrote to Bishop
Marty at Yankton, South Dakota.
Bishop Marty was then Vicar Ap0s-
tOliC of the Territory Of the Dacotahs.
On August IA, 1880, Bishop Marty was
in Fargo. On August Is, he preached
at High Mass in Moorhead, and called
a meeting of the Catholics of Fargo
for that afternoon. Father Richard of
Yankton accompanied the Bishop to
the meeting which was held at the
home Of Mr.. Giriet, French, Ca
madam, as the name indicates. At
the meeting, it was decided to have a
church in Fargo, and soon after a lit
tie frame church was purchased from
one of the Protestant denominations
and was moved to the southeast cor
ner of the block where the st. Johns
Orphanage now stands. The original
building still stands and is used by
Thos. F. Powers Co. Father Richard
continued to say Mass in Moorhead
until the new church was ready.
The first Mass in ST. Mary's Church
Fargo, was celebrated by Father
Richard on Sunday, September 26,
1880, and henceforth Fargo had its
own church. Rev. Jos. A. Stephan,
afterwards Monsignor Stephan, Direc-
tor of the Catholic Indian Bureau in
Washington for many years until his
death few years ago, came to Fargo
as pastor in the fall of 1880.
In August, 1882, the Sisters of the
Irish Presentation Order came up
from st. AIMS near Yankton, S. D.,
and opened a school just north of the
church. Mother st. John was the
first Superioress. The school was
used for. many years and then turned
into an Wrphanage. 1t was burned in
January, 1905, and the present Or
phanage was built on the old site.
Many interesting things connected
with the early history of the parish
must remain hidden owing to the de-
struction by fire of the parish records
in the old house which stood north
and west of the church. The present
records show shat Father Flanagan
was pastor of Fargo in 1883 and 1884.
Rev. D.. V. Collins was in Fargo in
February, 1884 Rev. S.. Maddox,
now pastor of Chatfeld, Diocese. of
Winona, Mimi, was pastor of Fargo
from April or May, 1884, to January,
1886. Rev. D. " Collins, who died as
pastor of Mandan in 1909, was pastor
Of Fargo from February, 1887, to 1895.
Monsignor j. A. Len1ieux, now pastor
of ST. Michaels Church, Grand Forks,
took charge Of Fargo in July, 1894, and
remained in charge until August 81,
1907. During his pastorate the Ca
thedra1 and bishops residence were
erected.
On August 16, 1891, the late Bishop
Stanley removed his residence from
jamestown to Fargo, and in 1892 the
bishop built the foundation of the
new Cathedral. Owing to poor crops
and financial stringency in North Da-
kota the foundation stood for many
years. During the Fargo fire in June,
1893, the foundation caught fire sew
eral times, but the fire was extin-
guished by bucket brigades headed by
the bishop and some of the priests
who were in, the city. In 1898 loan
of $4,000 was made through Mr.. Rob
ert of Montreal, Canada, and the con
tract for the new church was let to
Watterworth & Fee of Duluth. B. f.
Stanley built the Cathedral under the