The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1941-08-21
Gives History of
Catholic Church

Frank Pival. 1t is the intention to
build church which will cost about
s., 900. The building will be To-
Gated a short distance east of the
school house, where the church
owns a block of land The founda-
ton work will be started the first
of April, after which Father Venus
will some here and with the COM
mittee will make arrangements for
the erection of the building"
The sum of money already in the
building fund was greatly augment
ed by the liberal donations of many
Catholics who were anxious to have
a building III which to worship.
Church Built in 1910
The contract for the erection of
the church was let to Frank Pival,
a member of the building commit
tee. The work of building the church
began in April, 1910, and was COM
pleted the following September for
the sum of $1,000.
On Sept. Is, 1910, the new church
was dedicated by the Most Rev.
John P. Carroll, assisted by the
Rev. c. M Aiken who succeeded
Father Venus as pastor of White
fish. In the Western News of Lib
by, Sept 20, the following account
was found:
Bishop Carroll of the Helena
diocese was in Libby last Sunday
and while here dedicated the new
Catholic church. There was large
attendance at the ceremonies and
Bishop Carroll had many kind
words to saw of those who made
the church a possibility and who
succeeded in completing it. The
Bishop, incidentally, IS something
of a booster for Montana and made
his audience sit up and take notice
i that Montana is the best state in
the nation. After the ceremony
there was a banquet at the Libby
hotel attended by the following.
Bishop Carroll, Father Van Aiken,
ID. E. Dawson, John P Wall, F. M.
Plummer, John Reedy, John Bur-
goyne, Frank Pival, Ramsey Croft
teau, L. Fl. Faust and A. Lacharity.'
On the occasion of the dedication,
a temporary altar was erected and
benches made by the parishioners
were used. These were replaced
by the present altar and pews,
which Father Van Aiken secured
from the ola church in Kalispell
when old St. Matthew's became too
small and the present church was
erected.
The present parish was canOni-
cally erected in 1911, when the Rev
Edmond G. Hanna was appointed its
first resident pastor with Eureka
and Troy as missions.
In the years OF the pastorates O.
Father Hanna and his successor
the Rev. John O'Connor, who wa!
!. appointed Ill 1913, many improve
: ments were made in the exterior
t of the church, especially in tht
: grounds around the church. Tht
. interior was also improved, Station:
t of the cross were purchased, anc
: necessary furnishings in the sacris-
; ties were provided.
: The Rev. Louis r. McRory sue
S ceeded Father O'Connor in 1915. A
2 this time Eureka was given resi-
: dent pastor Father McRory re
! manned in charge of the parish un
|. til September, 1896. In the year.
I Father McRory was pastor in Lib
by, the parish debt was paid, ;
, rectory was secured for the pastor
). and a church was built in Troy
: '06 Club Is Organized
/ i In April, 1906, many Catholi,
! families moved to Libby and il
: September Of that year the '06 clul
d was organized to replace the Ladie.
} of the Catholic Sunday School. Mrs
t James Leary was elected presiden
: and Mrs. f. J. Mcbride, secretary
II treasurer. This organization assist
. ed the many pastors in a financia
6 manner raising sums Of money ant
. in September, 1920, it was POSSIBLE
: for Father McRory, with the assist
/, ance Of the '06 club and by sum
- donated by members Of the parish t
= hquidate the parish debt, the sun
. of 1,l50 being paid to the FRS
= State Bank of Libby.
{ The late Mrs. John P. Wall, VIII
h will long be remembered for he
. many generous donations to tn
a parish, died Feb. %, 1890. In he
y last will she bequeathed the sum Q
. S., 900 for the erection Of a residenc
i for the pastor. An agreement wa
! reached between the Most Rex
II George ] Finnigan, Father Nc
= Rory, and the executors of the es
a. tate whereby her home with all il
j. furnishings was turned over to tn
A. parish instead of the sum mentione
2 in the will.
~ Troy Located Is Miles West
If Troy, a mission of Libby, is Ii
- Gated 10 miles to the west TIL
church in Troy was erected by Fs
- Their McRory at an approximat
!, cost of $4,000 A liberal donatio
- was obtained from the Cathol
RS Church Extension society and oths
1t donations were obtained by Fatht
- McRory and these, with none
raised by the Catholic Aid sociei
= of Troy, made possible full paymel
&c on the building On May 8. 1913
~ the church was solemnly dedicate
"a under the title, Church of the Tn
-