The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-09-30
HISTORY OF ST. PATRiCKS
CHURCH OF BUTTE.

The history of ST. Patrict's parish
in it's carry days seems SO intimately
connected with the history of Silver
Bow as to make one and the same. 1t
is history of more than ordinary
growth and beset with no small diff
culties. When we consider that 43
years ago today there was not one
house where 10000 people are living
now; when we observe that 20 years
ago there was one priest where now
ID seem to have their hands full, only
one little church, and now Z; only one
little excuse of school with some Is
pupils; whilst now we count 5 schools
and under construction; and not
less than 1890 pupils with a hopeful
prospect of 5000, at least, at the next
term; we must recognize wonderful
growth. Still we stand so close up to
the principal events that it may seem
hard to pronounce an impartial judg,
ment; most of those having an impor-
tant share in them being still alive.
That portion of Montana where Butte
is fiourishing today was hardly ever
ViSiteds50 years ago. In fact, we nev-
er saw it mentioned in any writings
of that time. Placer mines were first
discovered in 1864, and the name of
Butte was selected from the isolated
mound or Butte which stands there
lonesome and solemn on our western
side. Father Gionda, S. j., is said to
have visited some Catholics on May
Is, 1866, in our neighborhood, and Fa-
Their Happens, S. j., seems to have
been around the spot where Butte
stands, in the fall of the same year.
In 1866, Father De Ryckere was sent
to the eastern section of the Mes
gualy diocese. This region was so
very little known at headquarters that
although it belonged to the Omaha do
cese. He landed in Cottonwood, later
called Deer Lodge, where he found
or 6 Catholics and small number
of Indians and half-breeds This mis-
sion extended over the whole coun-
Silver Bow, Powell, Granite and Deer
Lodge. In 1866, he performed one bap-
tism in Butte and one or two more
every year until 1878. Catholics seem
ed slow coming this way. In 1867,
there we're in and around our present
location 1000 people with only six or
seven Catholic families. In 1867, a
little frame structure was started at
Rocker, but was never completed, the
people fluctuating back and forth. To-
ward the end of 1877, a frame church
was erected just west of the present
st. Patrick's church location, and was
blessed in 1879 by Archbishop Leg
hers. After an eloquent sermon, the
Archbishop called upon the congrega-
ton for the name to be given; and by
practically unanimous assent, the
name of st. Patrick was selected. The
little bell still hanging-in our belfry
was secured by means of concert.
From now on, the population began
to grow and the number of Catholics
increased. Placer mining had given
way to regular quartz mining and SO.
in 1878, eighteen children were bap-
tized, although there were only nine
in 1879 and two in 1880. In 1881, Fa-
Their Dolls was sent to Butte as the
first resident priest. He arrived March |
49,. His administration was beset with
all kinds of difficulties which are ex-
planned in various ways and attribut, |
ed to all sorts of causes, hard, perhaps, |
to discuss today. A little house was |
built as priest residence at cost |
of $4,000, the main portion of which |
forms today the dwelling house of our
sexton. In 1888, the new st. Patrick's