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About Us
Parish History
As Part of the Reign of God
In 1874, one year after the Bismarck Tribune announced the construction of the church, Thomas Fortune, a resident of the village, gave $1,400, proceeds from a Fourth of July Picnic, to Abbot Martin Marty to build the church. Lumber arrived in Bismarck in the spring of 1875 from a Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, church that collapsed during a tornado. The members of Bismarck's first parish, assisted by non-Catholics, began construction of the church immediately. The precursor of the present parish was constructed at the corner of Main Avenue and Mandan Street.
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Father Genin accepted as his challenge the construction of the first Catholic church in Bismarck, working side-by-side with the laborers. He apparently possessed the patience of the saint for whom he was named. The priest encountered many difficulties while constructing the building, including the challenges of working with the unskilled labor force he personally supervised.
An historical account stated, "One great cause of annoyance was that when the building was raised and enclosed, it swayed to one side, and when, with great effort, it was restored to its proper equilibrium, it would sway correspondingly to the other side."
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A Church of Structure, Vision
Father Clement Dimpfl, the last Benedictine priest to serve as pastor of St. Mary's, arrived in Bismarck in 1896. With the help of the church's trustees, he quickly set about the task of purchasing land at Eight Street and Broadway Avenue. In July 1897, the foundation for the new church was laid, and in October, a rough framework was constructed. The church, built for a cost of $12,000, was dedicated on September 25, 1898, by Bishop Shanley.
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The 1902 church yearbook read that the church was "substantially constructed, the foundation being solid rock. The main edifice is in the form of a cross, with an addition of a sanctuary and three sacristies on the north side. The front of the building is adorned with a spire of 114 feet in height on the southeast corner. A large beautiful window graces the façade of the edifice." The window was donated by the Marquise Medora von Hoffman in her husband's memory. Nearly all stained glass windows were donate by women.
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A People Grow in Faith
Marge Schempp of Bismarck remembers her mother, Margaret Martin Hatzenbuhler, talking of the school's early years. The Rev. Vincent Wehrle, Abbot St. Mary's Abbey in Richardson, was appointed and consecrated Bishop of Bismarck. His ordination left a lasting impression on Mrs. Hatzenbuhler. "Mom always remembered how the Sisters marched all the students from the school to the train depot to meet Bishop Wehrle. She also remembered that the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus were at the depot in full regalia…"
Bishop Wehrle chose St. Mary's as his procathedral. He named as his Vicar General Father M.J. Hiltner.
As the church grew so did the school. St. Mary's acquired land at 9th and 10th streets for its school on property that John's Abbey had originally purchased with the intent of building a college. St. Mary's School, constructed for $25,000 in 1908, "was a brick structure from the first, with eight classrooms on the first floor and nuns quarter on the second," Father Terrence Kardong of Assumption Abbey wrote in his historical account of the church. "The top floor was for boarding students. The pastor saw to it that it was a solid building, with hardwood floors and steel ceiling."
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A Golden Celebration
Father Hiltner's successor was Father John Slag, who came to the church in 1921. Maynard Entringer and his family joined St. Mary's during the Father Slag's tenure. "He was a very dynamic person," Mr. Entringer says of Father Slag. "His sermons were filled with hell fires and brimstone. I didn't know there was a loving God until I was 50 years old. I always pictured him as a grumpy person." The priest he came to admire and appreciate joined the city park board and became a major reason the city has so many parks.
Early in Father Slag's tenure, St. Mary's celebrated its Golden Jubilee. The year 1927, "witnessed the solemn celebration of the whole parish of 50 years of faithful service and loyalty rendered to Almighty God," Father Slag wrote in the church's history. "It is a glorious manifestation of steady growth and progress."
Bishop Wehrle wrote in the foreword to the history, "For me, personally, working as a priest for years among the pioneers of the west has been a fountain of joy, because I could witness, how in western North Dakota the biggest number of Catholics preserved the light of faith in all its brightness and raised God-fearing sturdy families…"
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A Parish in Transition
If Father Slag was intense, his successor was the opposite, easy going and known to start singing an Irish ditty at a moment's notice. Mona Ziegler remembers that during instruction classes, she had to wait until Monsignor Robert A. Feehan lit his pipe. Often he surprised her by singing an Irish song. "He was the friendliest man," she remembers. "He was a honey," says Anne Entringer, who also took instruction from the Monsignor.
His appeal was universal. Catholics and non-Catholics alike enjoyed his company, so much so they held "Bismarck Thanks Monsignor Feehan Day" in 1969 "just because…" As Paul Ziegler says, "If you ever knew a saint, that was him."
Monsignor Feehan took charge of the church during the height of the Depression, when both people and parishes struggled to survive. He led the parish for the next 41 years. Monsignor had an undeterred faith in the impossible becoming probable, the probable becoming reality. The Monsignor died September 10, 1981. Ruth Braus, Marge Schempp and their fellow parishioners experienced Mass rich in tradition when their choir gathered for Monsignor Feehan's funeral. "There were teenagers, middle agers and old agers," Mrs. Braus recalls. "The choir loft couldn't have squeezed in another person."
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A Place Called Home
Father Ted Gustin became the church pastor upon Monsignor's death. "I liked him very well," Mr. Entringer says. Father Gustin was already familiar with the church, having served as assistant pastor. He led the church until 1988 when Father Charlie became pastor.
Our St. Mary's has special meaning for each of us. Shannon and Jackie, Carry Mocassin joined St. Mary's four years ago. Mr. Mocassin joined the church choir and has enjoyed donating his time and getting to know his fellow parishioners. "We chose this parish because of Father Charlie," Mr. Mocassin says. "His personal touch make it a special place."
"I have so many wonderful memories of St. Mary's, that I feel joy just remembering," Mrs. Braus says. "St. Mary's has really played a big role in our life," say Mike and Mary Vandal. "It is a wonderful place of worship and we truly enjoy it here."
Cindy Knudson has been a member of St. Mary's since 1975, but it wasn't until 1993 that she renewed her commitment to her faith. Instead of a religion filled with nebulous talk, she found a very real, approachable faith. "I was so delighted that I had given the Catholic church another chance, because the sermons and service were making so much sense to me," she remembers.
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St. Mary's Remodeling
In keeping with their responsibilities to the church, St. Mary's Parish Council and parishioners embarked in 1971 on a remodeling project of the church building. The objective of the remodeling effort was to simplify the interior with the same color scheme - white - and add more modern motif with new fixtures and wood battens - narrow strips of wood flooring. The church was blessed on July 11, 1971, during a morning Mass by the Most Rev. Hilary B. Hacker, then Bishop of Bismarck.
Six years later, the present-day school and parish center were constructed to include nine classrooms, a library, a office, a large multi-purpose gym and a parish hall.
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The parish began another remodeling of the church building in the early 1990s with an ambitious fund-raising goal - $520,000. Maynard Entringer, who co-chaired the effort, remembers consultants trying to dissuade the church from such a goal. He shook his head as he recalled telling them that the goal was attainable. "You explain to them what needs to be done and we will get the money." Approximately $500,000 was donated to the fund drive by the time remodeling began. "It's fantastic what will happen when you put your faith in people," Mr. Entringer says.
The goal of the refurbishing was to restore the church to its original gothic architecture, characterized by its vaulted ceiling and pointed arches.
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