St. Patrick’s Catholic Church has storied history

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on March 22, 2023.

The laying the cornerstone of St. Patrick's Church, August 24, 1913. Galt Museum & Archives 20101112001

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

The history of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church dates back to the 1800s when the original church was built, but more so to the existing structure that was built by many in the 1900s.

For many, St. Patrick’s church has been part of their life since they can remember, and some have memories of the church itself being built. Such are the memories of Dolores Viney, who remembers going to church as a child in the basement of the existing church before the rest of it was constructed.

“We had Mass in the basement in St. Patrick’s because we didn’t have the money to complete it and then the war came, that’s one of the things that I remember in my childhood,” said Viney.

Those memories date back to when the church was first built between 1913 and 1952 when parishioners were only able to have the basement built.

Prior to 1913, St. Patrick’s church was located elsewhere.

The parish had to move to the current location when it outgrew the original church.

“The foundation for this building was set in Aug. 24, 1913 when they constructed the basement and then with the First World War and shortage of money they stopped at that point, so for almost 40 years they only part of the church that was filled was the basement and they had all their services down there,” said Belinda Crowson, president of the Lethbridge Historical Society.

 She said the floor of the current building served as the roof for their “basement church” until enough money was collected to start building the rest of the church.

 “They started to fundraise again after the First World War, but there was the recession and the Great Depression and the Second World War and they put their money into other causes and other purposes and that’s why they kept the basement church for so long,” said Crowson.

Once the money was raised, everyone was ready to help from professionals to high school children.

“My husband went to the church still wearing his office clothes to help out. That picture of him was taken during his lunch hour – everybody pitched in to build, there’s many people that did build that church with their own hands, and in those days it was OK that anybody could go to help. Nowadays probably not,” said Viney.

The church was finished on Sept. 24, 1952 and was blessed by then Bishop Francis Carroll.

Viney said the church holds a lot of memories for her family from the time she was a child attending church in the basement, to many milestones with her husband and children who attended Mass there for many years.

“St. Pat’s has been part of my life since I was born and I’m 88 years old,” said Viney.

She said she got married there, her children were baptized there, they had their first communion, confirmation and some were even lucky enough to be married there as well, and one of her brothers-in-laws was a priest at St. Patrick’s church.

“One Christmas midnight Mass we had father Viney saying the mass, my three boys were all servers, and the two girls were with us and we brought up the gifts so it was a Viney mass,” said Viney.

St. Patrick’s Church closed in 2011 and after 12 years it was re-opened this year for Mass on Mar. 17 to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day since St. Patrick was the parish’s saint. It is scheduled to re-open again on Sept. 24 to celebrate the anniversary of its consecration.

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