The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-07-29

It M4.e3 City in charge of Custer,
DAWSON, Yellowstone and Carbon
counties. In 1901, when Rev. A. Holt
man became rector of Red Lodge in.
Carbon county, the Billings district.
was confined to Yellowstone county,
exclusively. In 1907, the Laurel par.
| ish was created.
| There are three missions attached
to Billings: Custer, Pompey's Pillar
and Ballantine Custer and Pompey's
| Pillar both have churches, thanks to
the Catholic Church Extension Socie-
ty of Chicago, which has done SO much
for the spread of Catholicity in the
West.
The good people of Custer and
Pompey's Pillar were dissatisfied with
worshipping in public halls like school
buildings, and four years ago the ques-
ton of building little Mission church
es was agitated with the result that
Extension Society, the missionarys
real friend, was appealed to. The an
swer came back, "We will gladly do
nate $500 towards erection of church,
es in both named places" This char
ity urged the few good Catholics in
these respective places to get busy,
and today Custer and Pompey's Pillar
are the proud possessors of neat
frame churches where the faithful
gather monthly to assist at the au-
gust Sacrifice and partake of the Sac
raments. There is still an indebted
ness of $1,000 each on these Mission
churches which the good parishioners
are anxious to get rid of as soon as
possible, and with the help of God and
a good crop, these remaining debts
will soon be wiped out. There is a
third Mission which is under the jul
lantine. We hope the time is not dis
tant when Ballantine also will have
it's own place of worship where the
rising generation will have an oppor-
tunitY to see the beauties of our Holy
Faith carried out.
In January, 1921, Rev. c. Pauwelyn
rendered his resignation as "locum
tenens rector of Billings to the Right
Rev. Bishop Of Great Falls. His rea-
son in doing so was ill health
Rev. c.. Pauwelyn was succeeded by
the Rev. John A. Petit, who was pas
tor of Chinook and Missions for eight
years and half. Father Petit took
possession of his new charge in Bill.
lings on February 3, 1921, and is still
in charge. In July, 1921, Rev VIM
, Raymond, who had been assistant in
Billings for almost four years, was
transferred by order of the Right Rev
Bishop Lenihan as assistant to Lew.
istown. He was succeeded by the
, Rev. Joseph McMullen, who is still
acting as assistant to Father Petit
st. Patrick's parish boasts of one OF
the finest church buildings in the
) state of Montana, and it's parochia
; school is the pride of the city. This
school owes it's existence 10 the great
generosity Of the late Mrs. Catherine
) Sheehan Frat, one of the pioneers OF
f Billings
| After Mrs Traits DEATH which oc
; Cured on New Years Day, 1918, il
was found that among other requests
she had set aside 100000 to be used
in the erection and maintenance of a
cost of the building and $4,000 to be
held in trust for the support of the
school The main building measures
: 75X77 feet, with boiler room in the
: rear measuring 3Sx44 feet The ROOT
is OF tile and all floors and stairways
, of terrazzo. The main building is
Thoroughly modern, and particular at
tention has been given to lighting and
, heating. The Ventilating system pro
vides for q change of air every ten
minutes. The first floor contains two
class rooms, play room, lunch rooms
and lavatories. The second floor has
four spacious class rooms with ample
hall space, and cloak room facilities
The third floor is not yet finished, but
owing to the crowded condition of the
school it will be completed by next
September. This floor will contain
two class rooms, large assembly
hall and chemical laboratory Over
the entrance beautiful tablet bears
the inscription, Kate Fratt Memorial
School," The Right Rev. Bishop Len
Than expressed his gratitude and ap-
probation by letter to Mrs. F'ratt
before her death for the lots and to
her heirs and executors for the mag
nificent gift of the school after her
death. At the public blessing of the
school, the Right Reverend Bishop
congratulated the people on this splen-
did bequest and he spoke feelingly of
Mrs. Catherine traits great work for
Oathoiicity in the whole Northwest,
and its special benefit to all the people
of this community. For" he added,
the child properly taught his reli-
glcn, is an asset to the city and state
in which he lives The Bishop also
thanked the heirs for their hearty
good will in getting the school start
ed at the earliest possible date. Mr..
Bart NJ. Sheehan, Mrs. Traits only
brother, has tried to carry out every
detail in the erection of the school
building as he thought Mrs. Fratt
would have wished it. As the school
was built during the late war when
materials were SO high, Rev. c. Pauwe-
lyn had to borrow $4,000 from the
| Merchants Bank of this city to COM
plete the building, which amount has
been reduced to $4,000. Attendance at
the Fratt Memorial School during the
| present year, 1922, has been extreme