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

used as the printing Office of the Bill
lings Herald, was rented for services
on Sundays. A temporary altar and
seats were provided by subscription,
and Holy Mass was said there up to
the time the new church was finished.
First Church.
The members of the building COM
mittee for the church were P. Gogar-
ty, chairman; Dr. Remnant, treasurer;
Thomas Hogan, Michael Flanagan and
Joseph Clancy. Eighteen hundred
dollars were collected and the con-
tract for a brick church, 65x25, was
let to H. M. Allen of Billings, for
twenty-six hundred dollars. Eight
hundred dollars were loaned by Bish-
op Brondel without interest, with the
be donated to the Crow Indian Mis-
sion when collected; the debt was
cleared in 1885,
The church was solemn1y dedicated
in honor of st. Joachim by Bishop
Brondel on Sunday, August 27, 1887,
in the presence of Fathers J. Cataldo,
S. j.; P. P. Prando, S. j.; Joseph
Brandini, S. j. The Jesuit Fathers of
st. Xavier's Mission visited Billings
monthly for nearly one year, but for
need of priests and difficulties in
reaching the city from the Mission,
they surrendered the charge to the
diocesan clergy. The Billings Mis-
sion was added to the Miles City Mis-
sion; thereafter, the fourth Sunday of
each month was reserved for Billings
During the fall, new organ was pur-
chased and on December 80, 1888, the
first High Mass and Vespers were
celebrated in the new church
The following year, from November
"a to November 20, the first Mission
was preached in the church by Rev
J. M. Mclaughlin, a Redemptorist
from st. Louis, and sixty persons
made the Mission. During the sum-
mer of 1897, Rev. F. Clarenbeck was
assigned as first resident priest of
Billings.
During the eight years Father Clar-
enbeck was in Billings, he secured the
gift of a 1,2OO-pound bell from E. B.
Kennedy, and built part of the pres
ent stone rectory, at cost of twenty
two hundred dollars.
Hospital.
The Sisters of Charity of Leaven-
worth opened st. Vincent's hospital,
February 2, 1899 Ever since. the
good work has continued and up to
this year over 10000 patients have
been admitted within it's walls.
During the year 1918, a training
school for nurses was added to the
institution under three years
course of instruction, and the first
three graduates received their diplo-
mas in January, 1916
Division of the Diocese of Helena.
In May, 1904, the diocese of Helena
was divided, and new diocese Great
ed, comprising all of eastern Montana,
with the See in Great Falls. Right
Rev. Bishop Brondel had gone to his
reward on November 2, 1903, and the
AeSf. AhbtLloO W IL. L.,
Dean of Marshalltown, Iowa, was
made the first Bishop of the new do
cese. He was enthroned in his pro-
Cathedral at Great Falls on October 9,
1904. by Archbishop Christie of Port
land, Ore. All the Bishops OF the Ore
gon province and large number of
priests were present at the ceremony.
Billings became a part of the new do
cese under the new Bishop.
Cemetery.
In 1905. ten acres were bought for
one thousand dollars from Mr.. Frank
kellett, two miles west of Billings on
high ground with proper drainage.
rive acres were plated in lots. The
hrst one buried in the new Calvary
cemetery was Patrick Kelly, born in
ireland. who died in Billings at the
age OF 65, on November Is, 1906. The
grounds have been steadily improved,
trees have been set out, and i'm 1912.
Mr.. Charles O'Donnell donated a neat
woven wire fence with high gate at |
the entrance from the county road,