The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1927-07-22
SKETCH OF REV. FIR.
BENEDICT SEETHALER

In connection with the silver
jubilee of Father Benedict Seethal
er, The Herald is pleased to pub.
lish the following account and ap.
probation of his work which was
contributed by Father Nicholas
Rauh of Circle who is familiar with
the extent of Father Benedict's
service in this and other commune
ties.
Rev. Benedict Seethaler, o. S. B.,
organizer of the Catholic congre-
cation at Wolf Point, and its past
or since the erection of the I'm
maculate Conception church in
this city, will, IN Tuesday, July
rs, 1927, celebrate the silver jubi-
lee of his ordination to the priest
hood.
Father Benedict was born in
Austria in 1877. After very sue
cessfully completing his studies
he was ordained to the priesthood
as a member of the ancient Bene-
dictine order on July 26th, 1902,
in Innsbruck, the capital of APP
line Tyrol.
His ability for educational work
was soon discovered by his superb
ors. Therefore after passing the
necessary examinations for pro
fessorship, he was employed for
years as professor of mathematics
and related lines in one of the
prominent Benedictine colleges of
the Tyrol. His inclination for
pastoral work urged him to lend
a helping hand wherever it was
needed and whenever his strenu-
Gus tasks as professor gave him
a little spare time. In order to be
still more able to work in the lat
ter line, he came to the United
States in 1910.
First, in North Dakota, he did
missionary work besides serving
professor in a private college
for three years.
uGu luClG Gu oil ODGA-
ing for missionary work amongst
the Indians on the Fort Peck reser-
he applied for this work and
moved from North Dakota to Pop
lar, Mont, in August 1913. Filled
genuine missionary spirit he
gave himself entirely to the hard
work of a pioneer in spreading
the Gospel of the Lord.
Whenever needed he did not hest
,ate to do hard work connected
with the life of a missionary. He
quilt with his own hands, accord
ng to his own plans, a residence
1t Poplar, where he was able to
est after his long missionary
ourneys with team and buggy.
There were only three white
Catholic families in Wolf Point
When he commenced, in June, 1914,
o build the present Catholic church
work in which he was architect,
arpenter and financier all in one
He set the church correctly and
xactly at the right place, before
here we're any other streets in
he little hamlet except that which
) now Main street. The church,
here it stands now, was then far
way from the town of Wolf Point,
S there only a few buildings
long the Main street of today.
o buildings, whatever, existed :
hen on the north side of the
'ack.
That he kept on in his energetic
ork is proven by the fact that he
Tilt more than a dozen churches
nee 1914 in the counties of Roo
welt, Valley, Richland and Nc
one. Lack of space forbids men
oning more of the great pioneer
ork he did for the kingdom of :
lrist on earth. F
A man like this is certainly en-
led to the gratitude of the city
Wolf Point as well as of the
rounding country. No wonder
at all want to participate in
noring Father Benedict at his .
LIBERATION of the 25th anniversary
his ordination to the priesthood.
May the Lord bless him and his
'rk for many more years to come,
that he may be able to cele-
ate his golden jubilee rs years
I'M now with the satisfaction of
wing lived a we'll spent life. 3,