The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-08-26
A SHORT SKETCH OF THE cATHO-
Lie DIOCESE OF GREAT FALLS,
MONT, ST. ANN'S CATHEDRAL,
CATHOLIC SOCIETIES AND IN
STITUTIONS.

Rev. Lawrence B. Palladino, S. j.,
published a large volume-''INDIAN
AND WHITE," A. D. 1891, to com
memorate that same year, the Golden
Jubilee or the Fifth Anniversary of
the first Catholic Indian Mission in
Montana. The same author is now
engaged in writing a second volume
concerning the development of the
Catholic Church in the Treasure
State, especially amongst the early
settlers down to the present day. Here
are few reliable facts and dates,
taken from the above named book re-
garding the early history of the Cath
Ollie Church in Montana when it was a
territory, which will be of interest,
especially to the early pioneers who
may have witnessed some of the in
cidents narrated in that work. Over
300 years ago the Jesuit Missionaries
christianized and civilized many of
the nomadic Indian tribes of Canada.
Father Ignace Joques became the
apostle of the Iroquois and sealed
with his blood the Faith that he had
come to preach. In the year 1872 a
band of these converted Iroquois
Indians made journey to the un-
known regions of the great Northwest.
They finally settled down in the
country of the Flathead Indians lying
at the west of the base of the Rocky
Mountains, Montana. These civilized,
Catholic Iroquois were kindly received
by the Flatheads and through inter-
marriage, became members of that
tribe. Having learned of the admir-
able qualities of the Jesuit mission
aries, delegation of four braves from
the Flatheads, went in the Spring of
1881 on long and perilous expedition
to st. Louis, Missouri, distance of
5000 miles hoping to bring back with
them at least one of the "Black Robe
missionaries. But alas! to their great
disappointment, they we're not sue
cessful. 1t was only after third ex-
petition to Saint Louis, that their
petition for a Catholic missionary
priest was granted: Rev. Peter J..
DeSmet, S. j., and his followers. The
illustrious Jesuit missionary, Rev.
Peter J. DeSmet, S. J., left Saint Louis.
NO., April 5, 1910, for the distant
Northwest. On June 80, he was met
at Green River, Wyoming, by 1000
Indians who had blazed the trail 800
miles over mountains, rivers and bar
rem plains, in the hottest season of
the year, to meet the long-looked for
Catholic priest, known to them as the
faithful and trusted "Black Robe" On
he banks of the Beaverhead-J effer-
son River, at the lower end of the
Boulder Valley, is the spot where
Christianity was preached for the first
line in Montana. The bulk of the
indians who were present at this
memorable religious gathering, where
he Holy Mass was offered for the
irst time in the Treasure State, was
composed of the Flathead tribe, al
though there, were representatives
from the Nez .Perces, Pend d'Oreilles
and Kalispell tribes. Father DeSmet,
discovered to his great delight. that
all of the F1athead tribes were well in
structed in the fundamental doctrines
Of Catholicity by the aforementioned
Catholic Iroquois, so he soIemnly
baptized them and administered to
them the other sacramento. Father
DeSmet taught the Indians and the
whites, both by word and example.
that work was not ignoble; that man
must earn his bread by the sweat of
his brow; that the words of the
.Psalmist should ever be remembered.
'eThe earth was created for the abode
of man, and to manifest the glory and
the perfection of the Lord" During
his Al years of missionary life, Father
;DeSmet crossed the Atlantic 10 times
visiting Popes, kings and presidents
in behalf of the American aborigines.
By actual calculation he travelled $780,
600 miles on his errands of charity.
The United States Government appeal
ed to Father DeSmet on four differ.
ent occasions, to act as pacificator
among the restless and hostile Indians
and the cruel white settlers. He was
the only white man with whom the
Indians would sit inA council and he