Harold Stansell, S.J.

A Durable Bishop

PATRICK ALOYSIUS McGOVERN

(1912-1947)

The fourth Bishop of Cheyenne, Patrick Aloysius McGovern, was born October 14, 1872, in Omaha, Nebraska. His parents died when he was very young, and consequently, one may surmise, he did not experience the security that is usually associated with a closely-knit family circle. One report indicated that two aunts assisted him through his formative years and according to his own testimony, given in later years, he received his early education from the Sisters of Mercy. (McGovern, 15) Young McGovern enrolled at the recently established Creighton College in Omaha; he was a member of the first graduating class of that institution, graduating in 1891. McGovern decided to study for the priesthood, so he applied to and was accepted by Bishop Richard Scannell for service in the diocese of Omaha. After completing his theological studies at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio, Patrick McGovern was ordained in Omaha by Bishop Scannell on August 18, 1895.

Father McGovern was first assigned as assistant to the pastor of St. Patrick’s parish, in Jackson, Nebraska. Sixteen months later he was transferred to Kearney, Nebraska and appointed pastor of St. James parish. Two years later Father McGovern was recalled to Omaha and appointed rector of the cathedral. He later recorded that during his nine years as rector of the cathedral he managed to liquidate the debt “that had pressed upon the people for many years” and he also abolished tuition fees in the parochial school. (McGovern, 16) By an interesting coincidence, Rev. William Kelly, later first resident pastor in Cheyenne, was then living at the cathedral in Omaha. No doubt the veteran priest had much to tell the younger man about his missionary experiences in Wyoming.

The decision of Bishop Scannell in 1902 to relocate the cathedral in another part of the city resulted in another change for Father McGovern. He was appointed pastor of St. Peter’s parish in Omaha. Again, he inherited a substantial debt. The parishioners were not only able to pay off the debt, but since the congregation had outgrown the church they built a larger church. Such notable success must have impressed the bishop to submit Father McGovern’s name to Rome with the recommendation that he be considered a qualified to govern a diocese.

Bishop McGovern

In January, 1912, Patrick Aloysius McGovern was appointed Bishop of Cheyenne; the official document was dated January 19, 1912. In conformity with the requirements of canon law stipulating that a bishop-elect must receive episcopal ordination within in three months from the reception of the Apostolic letter and before he took possession of his office, Father McGovern made the necessary arrangements for the ceremony. He selected Archbishop James John Keane of Dubuque, his predecessor as bishop of Cheyenne to be the consecrating prelate. The co-consecrators were Richard Scannell of Omaha and Philip Joseph Garrigan of Sioux City, Iowa. (Code, 191-192) Since the cathedral had been razed and a new one was under construction at the time, the episcopal ordination took place in St. John’s Church on the campus of Creighton College.

The new bishop was prevented from immediately taking over the reins of government in Cheyenne because he was suffering from a stomach ailment severe enough for surgery to take out a considerable part of his stomach and thereafter forced him to be abstemious in his eating habits for the rest of his life. During his four-month convalescence he resolved to hold a diocesan synod at the earliest possible date and acquainted himself with the facts of the diocese. He learned that there was a total of fourteen parishes and sixteen priests, fourteen diocesan and two religious. Members of two religious orders for women conducted schools in the diocese: Sisters of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, of Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, staffed the Academy of the Holy Child Jesus in Cheyenne, and the Sisters of St. Francis of Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania, taught the girls at St. Stephen’s Mission. The new bishop also ascertained that the churches and parochial residences were very poor, but “fortunately the debts were few and not heavy” (McGovern, 17). Most likely the bishop was probably concerned with the reasons for the considerable turn-over in the number of priest administering to the faithful in Wyoming. He went on record as favoring the stabilization of the number of priests in the diocese and stated that he intended to secure a body of clergy ordained for the diocese. One project high on his list of priorities was to initiate of a policy of adopting a sufficient number of seminarians who would commit themselves to work in the diocese of Cheyenne after their ordination.

In due time the bishop was able to assume the task of governing the diocese. At the beginning of Bishop McGovern’s administration two outstanding events took place in Cheyenne in April, 1913. The first was an episcopal ordination of a priest serving in Wyoming, immediately followed by the bishop’s planned synod. Father James Albert Duffy, who had served the diocese since he came to Wyoming at the invitation of Bishop Keane in 1904, was named bishop of the newly established diocese of Kearney (later transferred to Grand Island), Nebraska. The episcopal ordination took place in the beautiful cathedral in Cheyenne on April 16, 1913, presided over by the metropolitan, Archbishop James John Keane of Dubuque, assisted by Richard Scannell of Omaha and the new bishop of Cheyenne, Patrick A. McGovern. (Code, 76)

First Synod of the Diocese of Cheyenne, 1913

The second event was the result of much planning on the part of Bishop McGovern, namely, the convening of a diocesan synod. During the period of his recuperation from the operation which had cost him a considerable part of his stomach, synod. A synod is a meeting of the bishop with the priests of the diocese during which statues would be formulated to provide for the orderly government of clergy and people and would identify diocesan officials and, finally draft “salutary decrees conducive to the up building of religion” (McGovern, 18).

The day following the episcopal ordination of James A. Duffy, Bishop McGovern officiated at the Mass of the Holy Spirit which preceded the first session of the synod. The synod was convened, officials named, then all made the profession of faith, and the secretary, William Keavey, called the roll of the fifteen priests present, twelve diocesan and three religious. Six priests had been legitimately excused, namely, Nicholas Endres, Henry Schellinger, John Duffy, Fridolin Huessle, Thomas Hayes and the Conventional Franciscan, Ignatius Berna. Four diocesan consultors were selected: the Right Rev. Hugh Cummiskey and Fathers Joseph Conrath, Nicholas Endres and William Keavey. Next, the diocesan officials were named: Right Rev. Hugh Cummiskey, vicar general; James Hartmann, chancellor; Anton Shiffrer, Rudolph Groener, Joseph DeNichola, and Ignatius Berna, O.F.M.Conv., parish consultors; Nicholas Endres, treasurer (procurator fiscalis); Gerard Schellinger, defender of the matrimonial bond; and John Duffy, censor of books.>1912>1

Three men who might have benefited from an opportunity to become well acquainted with their bishop were deprived of that chance because they were excused from attending the synod. The three in question would prove to be very important in their parishes for many years. The three priests were Nicholas Endres who was firmly established in Thermopolis and the surrounding area, Henry Schellinger who was pastor in Green River for many years, and John Duffy the pastor of Holy Name parish in Sheridan. It is possible that the three men were less than enthusiastic about their new bishop. (Newell, “Reminiscences”)

)

Under the heading Statuta (Statutes) Bishop McGovern promulgated the Decrees of the Plenary Councils of Baltimore and the statutes of the first synod of the diocese of Omaha, ordering that they be strictly observed by all who exercised the sacred ministry in the diocese of Cheyenne. The statutes are enumerated under the following headings: Concerning Persons (#1 to #38); Divine Worship (#39 to #70); Sacraments (#71 to #143); Sacramentals (#144); Funerals and Burials (#145 to #155); Confraternities and Pious Societies (#158 to #159); Church Singing (#160 to #162); Orphans (#163). A separate section contained the statutes that pertain to the management of the Temporalities. And, perhaps surprisingly, these were printed in English.

It would not serve the purpose of this history to write a commentary on the statues of the diocese. However, there are three statutes that are of special interest to the student of the history of the Catholic Church in Wyoming. The first concerns the matter of incorporation of the parishes. It has already been noted that Bishop Keane requested the pastors to incorporate their parishes according to the provisions set forth in the law of the State of Wyoming. Consequently, each parish was to have a board of trustees with the bishop as chairman along with the pastor and two Lay Trustees.>1912>2

The 172nd statute of the synod provides; “The temporal affairs of each church are managed under the direction of the Bishop, by the pastor and two laymen. These laymen who are called the Church committee, are named by the pastor, with the approval of the Bishop, each year, in the month of January. No one who is not a yearly communicant can be a member of this committee. Should any difference of opinion arise between the pastor and his committee it will be settled by the Bishop, whose decision will be final. Whilst it is the duty of the pastor to consult his committee in regard to the temporal affairs of his congregation they can undertake nothing with out his knowledge and consent.”

The 169th statute which legislates that “no priest is allowed to keep a conveyance of his own without the Bishop’s permission.” The student of history is reminded that the means of travel was of special concern to all citizens of the State of Wyoming as well as other western states where there were great distances between cities and towns. It is true that the railroads had been very important as a means of travel, but there was a necessary reliance on the horse as a means of conveyance to out of the way places. By the time the priests met with their bishop in the diocesan synod a great change in the means of travel had taken place. The automobile was revolutionizing travel. Professor Larson wrote: “By 1913, however, the automobile age had advanced to the point at which the legislature thought it appropriate to provide for the registration, identification and regulation of automobiles” (Larson, 344-345).

For some reason Bishop McGovern took a dim view of this development. As late as the Synod of 1948 it is recorded that Assistants may not own a car without the express permission of the Bishop.

Thirdly those attending the synod realized a raise. Statute 55 stipulated that “the salary of a pastor is six hundred dollars a year, that of an assistant three hundred, to be drawn every month, or every three months. When the congregation cannot afford to give this much, the clergy will be content with what they can obtain without distressing their people.” This, by any standard, is meager recompense for their priestly services. There was a supplemental provision made in the following statute which decreed that “offerings of the faithful at baptisms and marriages, and at Christmas and Easter, go to the pastor, who for the present will apply them to the support of the house expenses do not exceed what is necessary to secure a modest board for the clergy.

During the months following the synod one finds an interesting insight into the character of Bishop McGovern regarding remuneration for services rendered is found in the reminisces of the bishop of as recorded by his successor Bishop Hubert M. Newell, who noted that his predecessor had resided the cathedral rectory until such time when he was able to build a bishop’s house. While he lived in the rectory he took his turn hearing confessions, offering the parish Mass and preaching and baptizing. He collected an assistant’s salary of $25.00 a month for his contribution to parish life and services.

The synod of 1913 was a milestone in the development of the diocese of Cheyenne. Not the least important result of the meeting was the fact that Bishop McGovern met with most of the priests of the diocese and had an opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of the men he would have to count on to administer the parishes and provide for the spiritual needs for parishioners and the Catholics in the Mission churches. At the same time the priests were able to become acquainted with their bishop. It would be helpful. if it were known what conclusions each arrived at during the course of the synod about the diocese from his Vicar General, Right Reverend Hugh Cummiskey, who had served as administrator of the diocese three times when the See was vacant. At the time of the synod the monsignor had been pastor of St. Laurence O’Toole Parish in Laramie for some thirty-four years. He was in an excellent position to be quite knowledgeable about the status of the diocese. Three men who might have benefited from an opportunity to become well acquainted with the bishop were deprived of that chance because they were excused from attending the synod. The three in question would prove to be very important in their parishes for many years. The three priests were Nicholas Endres who was firmly established in Thermopolis and the surrounding area; Henry Schellinger who was pastor in Green River for many years; and John Duffy the pastor of Holy Name parish in Sheridan. It is possible that the three men were less than enthusiastic about their new bishop.

Governing the diocese

It may be beneficial to give a survey of the diocese as it appeared it the National Catholic Directory of the year following the synod. There is some evidence that the Catholic Church was keeping pace with the developing State of Wyoming. The state was not being overwhelmed by people wanting to take up residence there. The census of 1910 gave the total of 145,967 people in Wyoming. The Catholic Directory notes that there were an estimated 13,000 Catholics in the Diocese. These Catholics were ministered to by fifteen diocesan and five order priests. There were ten churches with resident pastors and eighteen missions that had churches. Three Conventual Franciscans resided in Douglas and ministered to the Catholics in the missions of Glendo, Lusk, Torrington and Wheatland. Two Jesuit priests were in charge of St. Stephen’s Mission on the Wind River Reservation. The contribution of dedicated nuns in the field of education was limited to Cheyenne and St. Stephen’s Indian Mission at the time of the Synod Eighteen Sisters of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus taught at the Academy in Cheyenne and eight Sisters of St. Francis taught in the Indian girls in the St. Stephen’s Indian Mission. The year following the Synod, 1914, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth returned to Wyoming after an absence of nearly fourteen years; three Sisters opened Holy Name School in Sheridan. A final note in the 1915 edition of the Catholic Directory recorded that there were ten “ecclesiastical students” preparing for service in the Diocese.

Bishop McGovern lived in the cathedral rectory with had been built during the regime of Bishop Keane. This fact must have been quite convenient because the chancellor of the Diocese, James A. Hartmann al lived there. For the first few years the bishop listed himself as pastor, but in 1916 Father Hartmann was identified as rector of the cathedral. When the bishop was in residence he took a regular turn in hearing confession, offering one of the parish Masses, preaching and baptizing.

Bishop McGovern had his own particular style of governing his Diocese. It seems that he took as his model Bishop Richard Scannell under whom he had served in the diocese of Omaha. Bishop Scannell had the reputation of being stern and aloof and he was more feared than loved by his priests. Most Reverend Hubert M. Newell who succeeded Bishop McGovern noted in his reminiscences that his predecessor “was often stern with priests and less frequently so with his people,” however he added he was always fair. Perhaps the bishop’s health made him less accessible than he might otherwise have been. It seems quite clear that the bishop expected his priests to do the best they could in ministering to the people who had been entrusted to their pastoral care. He also trusted them to manage their parishes in a way that would keep them free from debt insofar as that was possible. It is a known fact that the bishop kept his correspondence to a minimum. He made some appointments to parishes on what was at that time a penny post card. This did not please the priests because, given the size of most towns, in Wyoming, the post master and others would see the appointment before it was delivered to the priests. Furthermore, requests for dispensations or decisions on canonical matters might be answered in Latin on just such a card. In the interest of economy the Advent and Lenten letters were sent year after year with only the date changed to make them current.

Bishop McGovern did not adjust to the great changes that were taking place in the development of transportation. Seemingly he did not trust the use of the automobile even though the machine would have facilitated his necessary trips around the diocese to administer the sacrament of Confirmation. One of the priests would meet him and take him to church for the ceremony. After the sacrament had been conferred another priest would take him to the nearest city or town until the tour in that part of the state had been completed. Some of the trips called for the taking of a train to Denver, Colorado, where the bishop would board another train which would take him to certain towns of the diocese such as Gillette, Sheridan and the Big Horn Basin. (Newell, “Reminiscences”)

One of the most important projects on Bishop McGovern’s agenda was to build up “a zealous and exemplary corps of diocesan clergy.” As he became acquainted with the extent of his diocese and the problems connected with the administration of widely scattered parishes the bishop realized that he needed “to recruit a body of men fashioned in the heroic mold that was necessary” if these men were to be successful in meeting the challenges of traveling on long trips over bad roads, having no place they could call home and very few opportunities of obtaining fraternal encouragement from other priests. (McGovern, 40)

During his long tenure of almost forty years, Bishop McGovern succeeded in obtaining a corps of dedicated priests who brought the consolation of the sacraments and the inspiration of the Word of God to the Catholics of Wyoming. Bishop McGovern was also successful in recruiting outstanding priests from many places, especially Ireland, a country which sent so many sons to various dioceses in the United States.

Besides those priests who came to the diocese during the bishop’s regime there were some whom he inherited from Bishop Keane who proved to be invaluable in carrying on the work of the church. Msgr. Hugh Cummiskey, vicar general for so many years, suddenly died of a ruptured appendix in October, 1920. Not the least of these Keane appointments was James A. Hartmann whom the bishop had appointed chancellor of the diocese and later rector of the cathedral, offices Father Hartmann held for many years. Father Hartmann enjoyed firsthand proximity and continued contact with Bishop McGovern since both resided in the cathedral rectory which was naturally the convenient center of administration of the diocese. McGovern wrote in his History that Father Hartmann liquidated the debt on the cathedral and supervised the redecoration of that church. (McGovern, 40)

Furthermore, the rector acquired property across the street from the cathedral and arranged for the building of a hall which would be used primarily as a recreation center for the parish. The hall included a dining room and kitchen, stage and motion picture booth, reading and billiard rooms, and contained ample space for playing basketball, a handball court, a bowling alley, and showers. Archbishop Edward J. Hanna of San Francisco presided and preached at the laying of the cornerstone (local newspaper, July 29, 1922). Later the building was razed and the property sold to the United States Government for the impressive Post Office which was built on that space.

Furthermore, the rector acquired property across the street from the cathedral and arranged for the building of a hall which would be used primarily as a recreation canter for the parish. The building was designed to contain ample facilities for basketball and other athletic sports. Moreover, the plans included a stage, dining room, and kitchen, billiard and reading rooms, motion picture booth, a bowling alley shower baths and a handball court. Archbishop Edward J Hanna of San Francisco presided at the laying of the cornerstone and preached July 29, 1922.

Another early concern of Bishop McGovern was the condition of the cemetery which had been obtained in the time of Father John McGoldrick, pastor in Cheyenne until October 18, 1877. The bishop had the lots cleaned up, an iron fence installed, and provided for perpetual care of the graves. In 1923 the bishop donated a Celtic cross made of Barre granite at the cost of $3,000, and paid for its installation in the center of the cemetery. It was a fitting monument to the bishop’s memory. (McGovern, 40, passim)

Founding of St. Joseph’s Children’s Home

Bishop McGovern, himself an orphan, was naturally very much concerned about the plight of orphans in Wyoming. The 163rd statute of the Synod of 1913 stipulated that pastors had an obligation to provide for the well being of the orphans in their parishes. The bishop gathered information about the number of orphans in Wyoming and was surprised to learn that there were seventy-seven orphans being cared for in three orphanages in Denver, Colorado; of that number twenty-six were non- Catholic. Wyoming had the Episcopal Cathedral Home for dependent children in Laramie and there was a state home for orphans in Cheyenne.>1912>3

Bishop McGovern decided that the Catholic Church in Wyoming should have an orphanage. In 1923 he established a legal corporation with the following members: the bishop, Very Reverend John T. Nicholson, Vicar General of the diocese, Reverend James A Hartmann, Chancellor of the diocese, Mr. John T. McDonald of Torrington and Mr. Joseph R. Sullivan of Laramie. The diocese obtained a ninety- three acre irrigated farm near Torrington through the good offices of Mr. McDonald. The property was purchased from F .M. Pearson of the Lincoln Land Company for $3,500.00, “a price so low it represented a $15,000 gift to the future institution” (McGovern, 18). The diocese obtained a ninety- three acre irrigated farm near Torrington through the good offices of Mr. McDonald for $3,500.00, “a price so low it represented a $15,000 gift to the future institution” (Lefevre, 32).

After the property was acquired, the members of the corporation decided to make an appeal to the people of Wyoming, Catholic and non-Catholic, requesting them to give financial support to the project of building an orphanage. The campaign had a good start. John Koshir of Rock Spring deeded $20,000 worth of property to the bishop of Cheyenne, Mary Walters of Saratoga also made a bequest, and Monsignor Hugh Cummiskey had designated funds in his will for the project. The bishop appealed to the clergy to give a good example by pledging money to the fund-raising campaign. He challenged each pastor to pledge $1,000.00 and each assistant pastor to pledge $500.00 “to be paid in annual installments of $200.00 and $100.00 perceptively over the following 5 years.” The bishop is said to have informed one pastor that he was donating several thousand dollars which he had received from the people of Omaha when he was appointed bishop of Cheyenne. (Lefevre, 31-33)

When sufficient funds were collected, plans for the orphanage were drawn up. William Dubois, an architect from Cheyenne, envisioned a three-story building with accommodations for eighty-five children and the personnel who would supervise them. The contract for construction was awarded to Harvey Stenmark of Denver and work on the building began in the spring of 1929; a local Torrington man, J.F. Rankin installed the plumbing and heating systems, while the electrical work was under the supervision of John Newby of Wheatland. Work on the building progressed at a good pace and the building was completed in the summer of 1930 and the facility was dedicated on Labor Day, September 1, 1930. The Bishop of Denver, J. Henry Tihen, presided; other bishops attending were John Mittly of Salt Lake City, George J. Finnegan, C.S.C., of Helena, and John J. Cantwell of Los Angeles. Bishop McGovern preached, noting that the orphanage had been founded on the principle of Christian charity to care for homeless children without regard to creed or color. St. Joseph was designated as patron of the orphanage, perhaps because the motto on Bishop McGovern’s episcopal coat of arms was Ite ad Joseph (“Go to Joseph”). (Lefevre, 33)

The next task was to organize staff to administer the affairs of St. Joseph’s Children’s’ Home. Bishop McGovern appointed Rev. John Henry, a native of Ireland recruited for service in the diocese, as superintendent of the institution. Furthermore, the bishop was successful in obtaining Sisters who were members of a branch of the Franciscans from New York to look after the children. Happily the institution was debt free when the staff took over. The finished building had a somewhat forbidding appearance in its stark setting, so Father Henry worked to plant trees and shrubs to improve the site. And since the board of trustees recommended that the institution be made to be self-supporting, insofar as possible. Accordingly, Father Henry sought to develop farming and gardening techniques in an effort to achieve self-sufficiency. Father Henry and his helpers built livestock pens and a barn for their diary cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry. Gardening became very important and many vegetables were furnished for the tables. These accomplishments made it possible for the institution to survive the Great Depression. Father Henry and the Sisters, with the cooperation of the children, made St. Joseph’s a much-needed refuge and school for orphans and homeless children.

By 1932, thirty-two orphans were being cared for. Since most of these children were unable to contribute anything toward their support the bishop soon recognized that supplemental financial help would be necessary. Consequently he appointed Rev. Albert Knier to be assistant superintendent with the particular responsibility of finding continuing sources of financial aid to make it possible for the institution to meet its obligations. Father Knier and his successors were expected to travel around the diocese to visit the parishes and tell the people about the need the orphanage had for financial assistance; these priests would tell stories about the children to enliven their appeal. In truth they were to become beggars. (Lefevre, 42)

Other Works in the 1930s

A second development in the decade was the establishment of a parish in the southern part of the city of Cheyenne. The Cheyenne clergy recognized the need to establish a second parish to provide services for the Catholics who lived south of the Union Pacific railroad tracks. The bishop directed Father James Hartmann to build a church to accommodate the Catholics who lived in that part of the city. The diocese acquired two lots and another two were donated by Mrs. Mary Schmidt. Under Father Hartmann’s competent direction the new place of worship was completed and dedicated as St. Joseph’s church on January 28, 1929, by Father Hartmann, assisted by Fathers John Henry and Leo Morgan. Bishop McGovern preached the sermon. For nearly a decade the church was a satellite of St. Mary’s Cathedral, but in November, 1938, the bishop established St. Joseph’s as a separate parish and appointed Rev. Jerome Denk pastor. At that time four Masses were offered every Sunday in the cathedral and two in St. Joseph’s. (McGovern, 42)

A third important event in the decade of the thirties that caused considerable sadness in Cheyenne was the termination of the services of the Sisters of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus in the diocese; the Sisters had taught in Cheyenne for almost fifty years, having arrived in Cheyenne in 1884 to open academy on property that had been acquired by Father Francis J. Nugent and which was deeded to the Sisters on condition that they build and staff a school. Apparently the academy was practically autonomous. Changing times and constant financial struggles troubled the Sisters who had to increase the charge for board and room. The bishop suggested that a campaign be launched to raise money which would help the Sisters to meet their financial obligations. The campaign was moderately successful, but not enough to persuade the Sisters to remain in Cheyenne. Finally the superior of the congregation decided to withdraw the Sisters from the diocese and they departed in 1933. Bishop McGovern recorded in his History: “There was a great deal of regret at their departure; for they had a splendid record of forty-nine years of achievement to leave behind them. Let it be said to their credit that these women were ideal religious, possessing a very high degree of refinement, and well trained in the teaching profession. The impress of their culture will be reflected in this community for years to come.” (McGovern, 46)

The withdrawal of the Sisters of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus marked an end to an era and the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Catholic education in Cheyenne. Before the Sisters left the city they deeded their property to the local parish and received an equity of $20,000. The academy became parochial and the name was changed to St. Mary’s. In the meantime Bishop McGovern had succeeded in obtaining some Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters the academy. The bishop evidently intended that the rector of the cathedral, Father Hartmann, was to be in charge of the academy working along with the Sisters. The bishop noted that Father Hartmann not only eliminated tuition fees, but undertook the responsibility of paying salaries to Sisters from money taken out of the parochial receipts. (McGovern, 47) As a result of these new arrangements there was such an increase in enrollment that it became necessary to build a new high school and to renovate the old building so that it could accommodate the grade school children. The high school building was completed by the fall of 1938 at a cost of $100,000, of which the parish assumed a debt of $50,000.

The crowning achievement of the decade of the thirties was the successful realization of the dream of Bishop McGovern for the completion of St. Joseph’s Children’s Home. The bishop wanted to build a chapel, essential for a Catholic institution, and to provide an auditorium with a stage and an area suitable for indoor recreation. (Lefevre, 43) Encouraged by a bequest of $13,000 from Louis Oedekoven of Gillette, the bishop made an appeal for a special collection to pay for the two additions. Sufficient funds were collected by 1935 to allow the board of trustees to proceed in the selection of an architect. A measure of Bishop McGovern’s interest in St. Joseph’s Children’s Home was that he approved the selection of the well-known Boston architects, Charles D. Maginnis and Timothy Walsh, to submit a plan. The firm of Maginnis and Walsh was in great demand in the United Stated and Europe; Charles Maginnis and was responsible for the original plans for the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., and for the Carmelite Convent in Santa Clara, California, both of which were awarded the American Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal for ecclesiastical architecture.>1912>4

The contracts for construction were awarded to the same firms who constructed the original building: Harvey Stenmark of Denver, J.F. Frankin of Torrington, and John Newby of Wheatland. The chapel was rapidly completed and dedicated on June 17, 1936, at a celebration attended by many Catholics, townspeople of Torrington, and state officials. A number of bishops from neighboring dioceses also assisted at the dedication: James H. Ryan of Omaha, Gerald T. Bergan of Des Moines, Henry P. Rohlman of Davenport, Edmond Heelan of Sioux City, Stanislaus Bona of Grand Island, and Urban J. Vehr of Denver. Bishop McGovern delivered the sermon, most likely with a certain amount of pride since at the time the chapel “was considered by many to be the most beautiful church in the diocese.” (Lefevre, 44)

A note of sadness clouded the happy occasion of the dedication of the chapel of St. Joseph’s Children’s Home. The Franciscan Sisters who had taken care of the children faithfully for the first five years had been recalled to New York. To replace them the bishop was successful in obtaining some Sisters of Humility of Mary of Great Falls, Montana, to take charge on a temporary basis. After four years of searching the bishop enlisted the Franciscan Sisters from Wisconsin who were specially dedicated to the care of children. In 1940 they assumed the responsibility of maintaining a staff at St. Joseph’s Children’s Home and continued to do so from that time to the present [1988]. (Lefevre, 45)

Not so long after the dedication of the chapel at St. Joseph’s Children’s Home Bishop McGovern suffered a nervous breakdown and was hospitalized for ten weeks. After he returned to the cathedral rectory he soon realized that his nerves were somewhat frayed and decided that it would be better for him to have his own residence. He bought some property on the corner of Pershing Boulevard and Carey Avenue. Bill Dubois, an architect with a good reputation and friend of the bishop, was commissioned to design a residence, which was subsequently constructed by George Hancock. In April, 1940, the bishop moved into his beautiful episcopal residence, which he had made livable by carefully selecting its furnishings at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago and placing them according to the suggestion of interior decorators. Ever conscious of financial arrangements, the bishop recorded in the history of the diocese, “Accordingly the diocesan corporation, out of the funds in the treasury, built the beautiful Episcopal residence at the corner of Pershing Boulevard and Carey Avenue, where the bishop took up his abode in April 1940” (McGovern, 23).

Not long after Bishop McGovern moved to the new residence he sent notice to all concerned that there would be a special celebration of the centenary of the first public Mass offered in Wyoming by Father Peter Jan DeSmet, S.J, on July 5, 1840. Catholics of the state were aware of the beginnings of the Church’s presence in Wyoming and, ever since 1925 perhaps even earlier, efforts had been made to locate the site of the event. Members of the Knights of Columbus kept interest alive and eventually settled on a site near Daniel as the place were that Mass had been celebrated. The Knights financed the construction of an altar and dedicated it to honor the memory of Father DeSmet who had offered the Mass and later wrote a vivid description of the celebration. The Knights sponsored an annual Mass to be celebrated at the altar. When the hundredth anniversary approached interest increased and preparations were made to commemorate the event with a special public celebration. Bishop McGovern cooperated in a befitting manner and announced that there would be Pontifical Mass to highlight the memorable occasion. The letter is a good example of the terse style of the bishop and deserves to be quoted in full:

3106 Carey Ave.

Cheyenne, Wyoming

May 6, 1940

Officers for the Pontifical Mass to be celebrated July 4, 1940, at DeSmet monument, near Daniel, Wyo., on the centenary of the first Mass said in the state by Very Reverend Peter John DeSmet, S.J. Celebrant, Most Reverend P.A. McGovern, D.D.

Archpriest, Very Reverend John Henry, V.G.

Deacon, Rev. Gerard Schellinger

Subdeacon, Rev. John J. O’Connor

Deacons of Honor, Revs. Henry Schellinger and William J. Short

Assistant master of ceremonies, Rev. E. Cassidy

Sacristan, Rev. Albin Gnidovec

The sermon will be preached by Most Reverend Duane G. Hunt, D.D., Bishop of Salt Lake.

Chaplains to Bishop Hunt, two Jesuit Fathers from St. Stephen’s Indian Mission, near Riverton, Wyo.

The Mass will begin at 10:00 sharp.

P.A. McGovern

Bishop of Cheyenne

The celebration of the centenary was a notable success with a goodly number of dignitaries present, including the governor of the state, several state officials, and United States Senator O’Mahoney. Twenty priests attended and twelve hundred of the faithful paid tribute to the memory of the notable event.

The decade of the forties was notable for developments that matched or surpassed in importance those that had taken place in the thirties. Not the least of the achievements during the decade was publication of the history of the diocese. It is difficult to determine how long the bishop worked on the project, but it is known that as early as 1915 he requested each pastor to send him a history of his parish. Later he asked that the histories he brought up to date and submitted to his office every ten years. The bishop was concerned about the misinformation about the Catholic Church in Wyoming that prevailed in some quarters and he was determined to present the truth to any interested person who should be enlightened. In the forward to the history the editor noted that there were many erroneous statements concerning the history of the church in Wyoming published in books and newspapers and it was his purpose to present and authentic record. Bishop McGovern undertook the task of editing the histories that pastors had submitted; however, he reserved to himself the task of writing a general history of the diocese, and the history of the Cheyenne and Laramie parishes. When the book went to press it contained 249 pages. The publication date was January 6, 1941.>1912>5

After a comparatively long chapter on the diocese in general the editor related the history of each of the parishes which were in existence at the time of publication. The book also contained a short history of St. Stephen’s Indian Mission. The history of the diocese is an invaluable source of information for anyone who is interested in the history of the first fifty-four years of the existence of the diocese. The bishop compared the situation that the diocese was in by the year 1940 with the state in which it was in 1912 when he came to Wyoming. He pointed out that there was an increase of ten parishes served by twenty more priests than there were in the diocese in 1912. Religious priests increased for four to nine. There were twenty-nine more churches and two more schools. The bishop summarized the state of the diocese in these words:

Within this same period parochial schools have been opened in Sheridan and Casper; rectories have been built or acquired in Cheyenne (two), Pine Bluffs, Rawlins, Rock Springs, Green River, Evanston, Torrington, Riverton, Lander, Greybull, Powell, Gillette, and Buffalo; substantial brick churches have been erected in Cheyenne, Casper, Rawlins, Powell, Evanston, Laramie, Greybull, and two at Rock Springs. Besides this, in many of the smaller towns and hamlets, through the generous and never failing aid of the Catholic Church Extension Society, chapels have been provided for scattered groups of the faithful who would have lacked priestly ministrations but for this providential help.” (McGovern, 26)

The bishop realized that his diocese was a missionary one and he was able to convince the authorities of the Catholic Church Extension Society of this need for support. The Extension Society had been established on October 18, 1905, “to serve the needs of the home missions – those areas of the U.S. where the work of the Church is seriously handicapped by the lack of personnel, organization, finances, etc.”>1912>6

Moreover, the Society provided regular support to needy clergy and seminarians. Parishioners in some towns could not support their priests so financial aid was appreciated. The bishop was also grateful for the help that he and his priests received from the American Mission Board.

During the year 1941 an event took place indicating a definite shift in orientation of the Church in Wyoming. On November 15, 1941, Cheyenne’s southern neighbor, the diocese of Denver, was made an archdiocese and a new province came into existence. The diocese of Cheyenne was detached from the province of Dubuque, to which it had been attached since 1893, and became part of the ecclesiastical province of Denver. The two suffragan bishops in the new province of Denver were the bishop of the newly established diocese of Pueblo and the bishop of Cheyenne. A major benefit of this development was that it brought the bishop of Cheyenne closer to the metropolitan, Urban J. Vehr, Archbishop of Denver, who proved to be a very hospitable neighbor.

Another event that took place in the year 1941 was the accreditation by the North Central Association of St. Mary’s High School. One of the members of the accrediting team was Rev. Hubert M. Newell, Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Schools in Colorado. Father Newell was invited to reside in the rectory of the Cathedral. In the course of the week he so impressed the pastor, Father Hartmann, and his assistant, Reverend John Meyer, with his knowledge that he asked his pastor (after Father Newell had returned to Denver), “Do you think Father Newell will be a bishop?” He received the laconic reply, “Possibly.” (Meyer, 55)

Soon after Denver was made an archdiocese, the United States became involved in the Second World War. For the most part the war had a rather limited consequences for the diocese of Cheyenne. Only two priests from the diocese were released to join the army to serve as chaplains, Fathers Frederick J. Kimmet and Jerome Denk.

In September, 1942, a long-standing problem was resolved concerning the canonical status of the Jesuits who were in charge of St. Stephen’s Indian Mission. The Jesuits ministered to the Arapaho and Shoshone Indians located on the Wind River Indian Reservation and, since the early days of this mission, the Jesuits had cooperated with the pastors in Lander and Riverton. In the course of time a number of non-Indians settled within the boundaries of the reservation and many Catholics made it a practice to attend Mass in the Jesuit chapels. The canonical problem arose in matters concerning jurisdiction pertaining to marriages which prompted the pastors at Lander and Riverton to request Bishop McGovern to establish St. Stephen’s Mission as a canonical parish. Bishop McGovern wrote a succinct letter to Peter A. Brooks, Provincial of the Missouri Province of the Society of Jesus, informing him of the suggestion of the two pastors, pointing out that “this will give the pastor and his assistants the right to assist at all marriages within their jurisdiction; for this is the rule within my diocese.”>1912>7

The bishop requested that the provincial submit the name of the superior of the mission so that he could appoint him pastor and the names of the other priests of the mission staff so they could be designated assistant pastors. Father Brooks asked for advice from his canonist, Adam D. Ellis, S.J., who recommended that Father Brooks comply with the bishop’s request. Father Brooks also asked the advice of Albert C. Zuercher, S.J., a former superior of the mission. Father Zuercher also advised compliance in the matter and, incidentally, wrote that Bishop McGovern “is one of the best friends the mission has.”>1912>8 In a letter dated September 11, 1942, Father Brooks presented the name of Father George P. Prendergast, S.J., and the other priests at the mission with the request that they be named pastor and assistants respectively.

The response of Bishop McGovern is another example of his characteristic terseness and is quoted in full. “Rev. George P. Prendergast, S.J., is hereby appointed pastor of the newly created parish of St. Stephen, Fremont County. The following priests are appointed assistants in the same parish: Rev. Albert C. Riester, S.J., Rev. Leo Doyle, S.J., Rev. Leonard Fencl, S.J., Rev. William F. Ferrell, S.J.”>1912>9

It is interesting to note that the letter of the appointments was dated August 30, 1942, but the letter requesting the Provincial Father Brooks to present the names for the respective offices was dated September 1, 1942.

Two years after the conclusion of World War II it became increasingly evident that Bishop McGovern was losing ground as far as his health was concerned. His health had never been robust and the years were taking their toll. The bishop petitioned the Holy See to appoint a coadjutor-bishop who would lighten the burden of administration.

Hubert Michael Newell, a priest of the archdiocese of Denver was appointed coadjutor-bishop with the right of succession (August 2, 1947). Bishop-elect Newell was consecrated in the cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Denver on September 24, 1947 by Archbishop Urban J. Vehr, assisted by Bishops Joseph M. Gilmore of Helena and Joseph C. Willging of Pueblo. The sermon for the occasion was preached by Most Reverend. Duane G. Hunt of Salt Lake, Utah. About a month later Bishop Newell arrived in Cheyenne where he received a warm welcome.

The story of the two bishops (1947-1951) is in the next chapter, an account taken primarily from Bishop Newell’s unpublished “Reminiscences.”

NOTES

1912-1947

>1912>1 Statuta Dioecesana (Omaha: Swartz, 1913). Internal references to decrees of the Councils of Baltimore. Ed.

>1912>2 Example of Articles of Incorporation needed to show the form of the document. Ed.

>1912>3 Julianne Lefevre, For Wyoming’s Children: A Half-Century History of St. Joseph’s Children’s Home (Cheyenne: D.O.M., designed and printed by Unicover, 1980), 31.

>1912>4 E. Kennedy, Jr., “Maginnis, Charles Donagh,” (NCE). Maginnis also designed some of the buildings at the University of Notre Dame.

>1912>5 Bishop Patrick A. McGovern, ed., History of The Diocese of Cheyenne (Cheyenne: Wyoming Labor Journal, 1941).

>1912>6 John L. May, “Catholic Church Extension Society,” NCE.

>1912>7 Letter*** in the archives of the Missouri Province of the Society of Jesus.

>1912>8 Letter*** in the archives of the Missouri Province of the Society of Jesus.

>1912>9 Letter*** in the archives of the Missouri Province of the Society of Jesus. Date Sept 1 or 11? Ed.