St. Richard's celebrates 116th year

Holy Week and Easter masses were celebrated for the 116th year in a St. Richard's Catholic Church in Columbia Falls.

Photos and stories in the April 11, 1952 issue of the Hungry Horse News highlighted the 61st anniversary of the first St. Richard's Catholic Church. The present Catholic church on Ninth Street West was dedicated in 1959.

Bricks for the church built in 1891 were made by brothers Mike and Bill Berne, using local clay. The brickyard was near the river.

Men and women volunteered many hours redecorating and remodeling the church for the 61st Easter Mass celebrated here. Ladies busy cleaning, washing windows, scrubbing and dusting included two current members, Margaret Ellman and Katie Lundstrom. Others pictured were Mrs. Tom Lee and Mrs. Ted Brunelle, now both deceased.

Men pictured in the issue were Bill Lynch, Father M.M. Beatty, Ed Becker and John Ellman. Efforts of volunteers resulted in a new birch altar, altar canopy and birch communion rail. The sanctuary was tiled.

Modern walls were painted with deep forest green in the front, mint green main walls, a sunlight yellow ceiling and a coat of gray paint on the floor. Walls were originally painted a drab white.

Father Faley wore his new robe from France for the 61st anniversary in 1952. Altar boys shown with Father Faley were Robert Baumann, Alfred Gardner and Paul Murphy.

Church history tells that Father H. Alleys, stationed in Frenchtown, visited the territory, found the nucleus of a strong Catholic settlement in this locality, and decided that a church was necessary.

Some of the first settlers in Columbia Falls were from Butte. Local priests serving in 1952, Father Hugh S. Faley and Father M.M. Beatty, were both from Anaconda. Father Faley came to Columbia Falls on Sept. 1, 1941.

It was noted that Father Alleys completed payments on the church after he moved to Anaconda.

Father William Molloy came from Butte to serve the church in the early 1950s. He was priest when the present church was constructed.

The first St. Richard's Catholic Church was designated for the National Historic Register in 1980, according to Dr. Robert Hager, D.C. His Old Church Chiropractic Center is located in the still attractive brick building at 505 Fourth Avenue West.

The bell from the first Catholic church is attractively displayed in front of the present St. Richard's Catholic Church. It is inscribed, "The O. S. Bell Co. 30 Hillsboro, O."

A bronze plaque describes the bell as from the first church in the Flathead Valley.

Gladys Shay is a longtime resident and columnist for the Hungry Horse News.