The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-10-07
ST. JosEPH,S PARISH.

OF. JOS0pu . PARISH, buLL0, NULL,
was established in 1902, by Bishop J.
B. Brondel and comprised that portion
of the city south of Platinum street to
the southern boundary of Silver Bow
county. Rev. P. A. Quesnel was first
pastor and services were held in a
hall at the intersection of Utah avenue
and Front street. In February, 1903,
| he was succeeded by the Rev. H. B.
| Allaeys, who secured a temporary
frame building in the Farrell Addition
on East Second street, which served
| as modest place of worship for about
four years. The pastorate of Father
| Allaeys was of short duration; he died
| in 1903-the first Catholic priest who
died in Butte. In August, 1908, Rev.
G. M. Van AIKEN was placed in charge
Of St. Joseph's parish, and during his
pastorate the St. Joseph's parochial
school at Delaware avenue and First
street was built Father Van AIKEN
| was succeeded by Father A. ID. Leith-
| am, in July, 1907, and the following
September, the Sisters of Charity, B.
V. NJ, Of Dubuque, Iowa, began the
work of teaching in st. Joseph's
school.
The school opened with an enroll
| ment of over 200 pupils, and the eight
grades had each their separate class
room and teacher. The parish now
| experienced steady growth with the
building of South Butte. An assistant
/ y,rir ot oil 10 tol Nooy - he
additional work and to give the people
the convenience of four Masses on
| Sundays instead of two. A building
| was purchased for the Sisters resi-
dence at the northeast corner of Utah
avenue and Second street, and two
same interesting streets for site on
| which to erect church building.
In May, 1910, Father Lothian was
transferred to Bozeman, and Father
J. B. Thompson was appointed to sue
coed him. Though there was a grow
| ing tendency of the population to build
homes on the southern end of the par
| ish, yet because of the heavy indebt-
edness contracted through the build
ing of the school, it was with difficult
| ty movement was started to erect
a new church building. By the time,
the project of a church was being Sc
riously considered, disastrous fire on
February 1, 1911, destroyed the school
building. This setback, however,
seemed to be the rallying force that
brought the parishioners together, and
when the school was restored, though
under a heavy debt, the foundation of
the church was laid in June, 1911 The
people of the parish subscribed gen..
erously and many made a great sac
rifce to pay for the construction work
Ill health prevented Father Thompson
from giving more than a portion of
the time his zeal would have dedicat-
ed to this work, but he was ably help
ed by the cooperation of the parish
trustees and the assistant priest, Fa-
Their M. J. Donahue. The building was
under roof and partially finished in
December, 1911. The first services
were held in the new church on Christ
mas Day. Father Thompson was I'M
dUlC " SOY MASS, tAOuSA uC ndu III
sisted on being brought to see the
church on Christmas Eve. He died
on December %, 1911. From this date
until May II, 1912, the affairs of the
parish were administered by Rev. M.
J. Donohue.
The present pastor, Rev. M. McCor-
mack, was then transferred from the
pastorate of st. Mary's, Butte, to st.
Josephs. The growth of the parish
necessitated the appointment of sec
ond assistant priest in September,
1915. In 1916, the present commodi
Gus convent was built with adequate
rooms for sixteen Sisters. The paro
chial residence was purchased in July,
1912. By 1917, the parish had out
grown the possibility Of taking care