The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-10-15
HISTORY OF ST. THOMAS PRO-
CATHEDRAL PARISH.

In the year 1856, Ri. Rev. Joseph
Cretin, the first bishop of st. Paul,
visited Winona and organized the first
Catholic parish and appointed Rever-
end Thomas Murray of St.. Paul to
minister to the spiritual needs of the
little mission. Father Murray selected
a location in what is now the south
west corner of the first ward, as
site for the church. On this spot the
first Catholic church in Winona was
erected and dedicated to the honor
and glory of God under the patronage
of st. Thomas the Apostle.
In July, 1858, the Reverend Michael
Prendergast became the first resident
pastor of Winona. Under his direc-
ton, the location of the pioneer church
was changed. He purchased the prop
erty on Center Street between Wa
basha and Sanborn Streets and moved
the church from it's previous location.
Father Prendergasts parish was rath-
er extensive, as in addition to the
Catholics of Winona and of Wirona
county, he had under his charge the
Catholic pioneers in Wabasha, Ohm
sted, Houston, Fillmore, Steele and
Mower counties. To-day this same
territory makes up about half of the
diocese of Winona. In the days when
Father Prendergast covered this cir
cult there were no railroads in the
territory. The nearest approach to
the modern Ford was an Indian pony.
The records of baptisms and mar
riages performed by Father Prender-
CAST on his missionary trips are pre-
served in the archives of the Cathe-
dral parish. The dates affixed to the
various entries show that he was con-
stantly on the move among his var
ious missions and stations
In August, 1862, Reverend Theodore
Venn was sent to Winona to divide
the work with Father Prendergast.
Father Venn took charge of the Ger
mans, Poles and Bohemians in Winona
county. Father Prendergast was
transferred from Winona early in 1854
Until the appointment of Reverend
William Lette in April of that year,
Father Morris attended the missions.
Father Venn had left Winona in
December, 1853, and Father Lette had
all the Catholics of Winona county
under his charge until June, 1868. He
built the churches at Lewiston and
Hart and the foundation for the pres
ent Cathedral. Rt. Reverend Monsign-
or Plut succeeded him in 1868. Mon
signor Plut erected churches at Will
son, Elba and Rollingstone. In ad-
dition, the Church of st. Stanislaus,
Winona, was started, and the major
part of the Church of St. Thomas
erected.
In June, 1871, Reverend Joseph B.
Cotter was sent by Bishop Grace to
take charge of st. Thomas parish to-
gether with the missions of st.
Charles, Lewiston, Hart and Ridgway.
Father Cotter remained in charge of
the Church of st. Thomas until Decem-
Der q, 1889, on which date he was
consecrated first bishop of Winona
Bishop Cotter spent forty years of his
noble life in the city of Winona. He
lived to see the seed which he had
planted take root and fructify. He en-
joyed, as indeed he richly deserved,
the respect and veneration of men of
all creeds and no creed. His name
is a household word in Winona and
his memory will live in benediction
His successor, Rev. P. j. Gallagher,
had charge of the parish for twenty
two years. He went to his reward
February 8, 1914.
In 1906, the Cathedral parish cele-
brated the golden. jubilee of its found
ing. On that occasion there were
present at the festivities, Most Rever-
end Archbishop Ireland, Bishop O'Gor-.
man, Monsignor Oster, Monsignor
Plut, Father Lette and others who
knew the history of the Northwest not
by reading but by actual experience.
1t was in the home of Mrs. Urell that
Bishop Cretin read the first holy Mass
in 1856. Mrs. Urell was present at the
golden jubilee of the parish.