The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-03-26
HISTORY OF ST. SAUGUSTINE'S
PARISH, AUSTIN, MINI.

AS far back as the year 1857, and
for a period extending to the year
1866 the names of Fathers Prender
CAST and McDermott are most cOnspic-
uous. the latter of whom was the first
to reside in this city. going from
house to house each Sunday to break
the Bread of Life to the widely scat
tered flock.
Though Father McDermott took up
his abode in the city of his choice, yet
to Father Keller is due the honor OF
establishing and putting on firm ba-
sis the first congregation of st. Angus
tines parish. While actively engaged
in 1aborous work at his home in Fari
bault, this good priest extended his
zeal beyond the boundaries OF his par
ish, and shared. alike with the Austin
and Faribault flocks the spiritual food
which he had been commanded to dis
tribute.
On Sept l, 1896, Bishop Grace, then
Bishop of ST. Paul, writing to enc of
our venerable parishioners concerning
the needs of our Austin Catholics, re-
GREETED his inability to send here res
ident priest, as other and greater cities
required greater solicitude, but hoped
Tor speedy relief from a kind Provi-
dence, and felt justified in sending with
his letter an assurance Of placing a
1,riest in the Austin district during the
TALL of the following syear-1SG7, This.
good news soon spread abroad, and
immediate steps were taken to build a
church 1t will not be amiss to state
here that money for the erection of the
new. church was immediately solicited
and obtained, and that three gentle
men of Austin, Messrs. Yates, Lewis,
and Fake, non-Catholics, generously
donated a lot comprising whole city
block, bounded on the north and south
by Grove and Moscow streets, and
east and west by Kenwood avenue and
Second street.
Messrs. Thos. Gibson, w. I. Brown,
and p. Barrett, all of whom are hap
PLY still living, We're the foremost in
the work of construction.
The original humble structure
pastoral residence until it had grown
too small, and was enlarged by Father
GEMS, to make room for the ,increas-
ing needs of the growing congregation.
Father GEMS was resident pastor
during the period of time between the
year-a1869 and October, 1874 during
which time he labofed necessarily and
fr>,s C,,iri t,Iol
of his little parish. For those who
would wish to learn more about this
good father, at is but necessary to con-
suit those of our present congregation
who were here during his term of rec
torship. Rev. Father Paulin, who was
called to his reward last year, was
sent here as Father Gents successor,
:. and remained.only shorttime. Faith
er Arthur Hurley was next appointed
pastor of Austin, in September, 1875,
and ministeFed to the flock until No
yehnber, 1882, when he was in turn sue
6eeded by the former pastor, Father
GEMS, who Immediately set to WORK
building the present: residence, but
unable to finish it. Being called to
: Vember, 1883, by the late lamented
. Rev. D. Sullivan, to. whom we are in
debted for the present structure, from
which his body, worn out by fatigue
and burdened with the incessant la
bors of his ministry was carried in
death, to be, placed in the cold grave
among those of his spiritual children
nc r1r.inp 1xy hon hod hoY
and to whom he had often impaired
the eonsoling words of forgiveness in
the sacred tribunal of penance, there
10 rest until called by the angels voice
to appear before the whole world to
give public manifestation of the grand
deur of the eternal reward promised
to the faithful of the children of men.
Towards the last year of Father O'Sul-
livans career as pastor, Rev. Thos. F..
Burke was sent to assist in carrying
on the good work being done, land was
left here but one year, being called to
other fields of duty.
The present pastor, Re. Rev. E. H.
Devlifl, forms the link Of the chain
uniting the past with the future. He
began his work here on the eleventh
day of June, 1896. On the 7th of Au-
gust of the same year Rev. Joseph A..
= Mattson came to- share his .labors and
remained until the following Christ
mas. From June, 1916, until April,
1918, Reverend John 3. Scullen was
assistant pastor. Since last Septem-
her, Reverend John ]. Stapleton has
shared the labors of the passionate.
In 1908 the present school building
!. sua 9 erected. a fhree.StnrY brick build