In 1881 the Oblate Fathers came to Fort MacLeod to
bring the Catholic Faith to the Indians and settlers of
Southern Alberta. Father Legal, the first residential
priest in this area, lived at Fort MacLeod and from there
visited the Bloods and Piegans until 1889. He then es-
tablished a permanent residence and mission at Stand
Off where he lived until 1897 when he was appointed
Bishop of St. Albert.

A hospital was built by the Government in 1893, near
the residence of the Oblate Fathers, with 4 nuns,
members of the Order of Grey Nuns, becoming the staff.
In the same year, Father Legal, Brother Morkin and the
Nuns started classes for the Indians in the neighborhood.
Later, in 1898, a residential school was built with the
Grey Nuns placed in charge. For 28 years this mission
was the centre of religion, education and health for the
Indians living in the Stand Off area.

However, these buildings became old and inadequate
for the ever increasing population, and in 1926 the
Government built a new residential school and hospital
for the Indians. The school, St. Mary's School, was
located 7 miles north of Cardston and placed under the
direction of the Oblate Fathers. The hospital, the Blood
Indian Hospital, was built near the town of Cardston and
the Grey Nuns took charge of it. A witness said the sick
were moved from the old hospital at Stand Off to the new
hospital in a wagon. Also a new church was erected near
St. Mary's School to replace the old church at Stand Off.

By 1938 many Native families had moved to Stand
Off and a church, St. Catherine's, was built there for
them.

During the '40s enough people settled in the
Glenwood district to justify a church of their own. In
1950 an army building was moved in and renovated for
use as a church. This was named St. Francis Xavier. At
the same time many Indians were settling at Moses
Lake, near the town of Cardston, and also required a
place of worship. In 1960, a church in the shape of a
teepee was built and named the Church of the Im-
maculate Heart.

Today the Indian population have the Mass
celebrated in each of these 4 churches every Sunday with
a good attendance in all.

During these years, the Oblate Fathers offered their
ministry to new settlers living off the reservation. As ear-
ly as 1896, Father Riou visited the district of Lee's Creek
to meet with various Catholic families such as Mr. Shaw,
the Customs officer and Mr. Dandson. In 1900 he said
Mass in the homes of Mr. Richard Vadnais, Mr. Bianchi,
Mr. Blasko, Mr. Tom White and even in the Wallace
Hotel. Father Riou visited the Lee's Creek area 4 times a
year travelling from Stand Off by horse and buggy.

The people of Harrisville decided to build their own
church and in December, 1900 the men of the area went
to Fort MacLeod with six teams and wagons to purchase
the materials. In August of the following year, Father
LaVerne said the first Mass in the new church which had
already been damaged by a severe storm; the walls were
separated from the floor, the roof was torn open and the
doors and windows were broken. The church was
repaired but another storm in January of 1904 again bad-
ly damaged the church. As a result, in June 1907 the
parishioners tore down the church and reconstructed it in
the coulee near the Police Lake Road at Harrisville. The
church, St. Stephen's of Hungry, is still there and is kept
as an historical land mark. The residents of Harrisville
take great pride in keeping the inside just as it was 75
years ago.

In 1904 Father Salaun started to visit the Harrisville
district travelling from Stand Off as did Father Riou
before him. Father Salaun sold his black mare to Mr.
Blasko for $130.00 in cash and $5.00 in merchandise. He
then purchased a grey horse and a mare for $225.00 from
John Furman living near the Lee's Creek Church.

The year 1909 brought the first teacher to the set-
tlement of Harrisville. In 1925 Father Lepine wrote to
Bishop Kidd: "Coming to this little church (St. Stephen
of Hungry) are fourteen families who live within a radius
of eight miles. The attendance is very good and there are
no indifferent ones with numerous confessions and com-
munions. There is Mass every fourth Sunday of the
month. The majority of the children in the Harrisville
Public School are Catholics, our three trustees are
Catholic and we always try to have a Catholic teacher."

In the years succeeding 1914, the Oblate Fathers of
Stand Off visited the Catholic families in Kootenay
Hazelmore, Cardston, Harrisville, Taylorville, Kimball
Whiskey Gap, Del Bonita and Woolford.

Father Jean Louis Levern was an outstanding mis-
sionary in Southern Alberta. He spent 60 years of his life
among the Blackfeet and the settlers. In 1955 he was
given an honorary degree, Doctor of Laws "Honoris
Causa" by the University of Alberta. The Chancellor ad-
dressed him: "You are in the great tradition forged by the
adventurers and missionaries of the ancient realm; mis-
sionary, scholar and citizen of two realms. In honoring
you we also pay tribute to the great achievements of the
Oblate Order which played such a notable part in the ear
ly years of this territory...... "

Father Levern learned the Blackfoot language and
compiled a grammer dictionary, catechism, hymnal and
prayer book in Blackfoot. When he celebrated his sixtieth
anniversary as a missionary among the Indians, he was
presented with the Insignia of the Sacred Cross from
Pope Pius XII in recognition of distinguished and excep-
tional service to the Church.

In 1927, Father Doriste Moreau became Chaplain of
the new Indian Hospital and thus became the first resi-
dent Catholic Priest in the town of Cardston. He was
placed in charge of all the missions south of Cardston. In
that same year St. Teresa's Catholic Church was built in
Cardston.

Father Moreau was replaced by Father Neil McCor-
mick. However, Father McCormick, who was complete-
ly unfamiliar with the Indian language and customs and
since the church was built in close proximity to the
reserve found life in Cardston very difficult and
frustrating. At the same time Father Salaun who was
fluent in Blackfoot and very familiar with the Native
customs was Pastor of St. Henry's Parish at Twin Butte.
These two priests took it upon themselves to exchange
positions without informing the Bishop! When the
Bishop did discover this arrangement, several months
later, he quickly put an end to it. However, Father
Salaun was officially appointed to St. Teresa's in
Cardston in 1933 and remained here until his death in
1942.

The following is a list of the Clergy who served St.
Teresa's:
1889-1929Frs. Doucet, Riou, Lepine, Levern, Ruoux.
Salaun all serving from Stand Off.
Resident Priests:
1929-1930 Fr. Doriste Moreau
1930-1933 Fr. Neil McCormick
1933-1942 Fr. Salaun
1942- Fr. Jacob-served only a few weeks and ther
passed away.
1942-1955 Fr. Ignatius Leaver
1955- Fr. Gregory McLellan
1955-1958 Fr. Armand Lemire
1958-1959 Fr. Lafrance
1959-1964 Fr. John Weisgerber (served from Raymond)
1964- 1958 Fr. Paul Greuther
1968- 1970 Fr. Denis Chatain
1970-1971 Fr. A. Duhaime (served from St. Maryh
School).
1971- present Fr. Philippe Poulin

Some of the first statistics recorded in Church records
among the first white Catholic settlers in the Cardston
area are as follows:
The first Baptism-Thomas White, baptized the 8th day
of April, 1900. Parents were Thomas White and
Bridget Sexton. The baptism was performed by Fr.
Riou.
The first Marriage-Peter Zuback and Mary Blasko on
the 18th day of June 1901.
The first Funeral-Ella Clark, age 19 years, on the 26th
day on January, 1914-interment at Fort MacLeod

Some of the original Catholic pioneers would include
Mr. Dandson, Mr. Shaw, Richard Vadnais, Mr. Bianchi
John Blasko, Tom White, John Zubach, Peter Zubach
Annie Zubach, Mary Blasko, Bridget Sexton, Catherine
Stako, Maria Malina, Mike Olshaski, Albert Gales, and
Jack Martina.

From 1927 until 1965 the resident priest of Cardston
lived in a small room at the back of St. Teresa's Church
Through the generosity and hard work of the
Parishioners funds were raised to build a rectory in 1965
Fr. Greuther was the first to enjoy this beautiful home

As soon as the rectory was completed, extensive
renovations were completed to the church, thus enlarging
and modernizing it.

Since that time a parish hall has been completed in
the basement of the rectory.

The many families of the Parish, the Men's Club, the
Catholic Women's League and the teachers of religion
have made a great improvement in the Sunday service,
the celebration of the Mass, in parish gatherings and in
the training of their children in their faith.

Also some have dedicated much of their time to the
up keep of the church and cemetery at Harrisville.

To summarize, the Catholic population of the
Cardston district ought to be proud of the place they have
taken among the other faiths here present. They are good
members of the community; many having worked years
towards the building of it. They are faithful in the belief
of God and the Savior Jesus and have a respect for the
beliefs of others.

Return to Towns, Villages, Hamlets, and Cities