Gillette, St. Matthew 1941

Gillette, St. Matthew
Bishop McGovern

[88] St. Matthew’s, Gillette, is one of the more recent parishes of Wyoming, although the history of the mission goes back more than a generation.

Gillette became a parish September 18, 1926. The first priest known to have said Mass in Gillette was Rev. P. Cassidy of Hot Springs, S. D., who visited there in 1892. The section-house was first used for this purpose, but later on yielded the honor to the city hall and the Morgan and Daly homes. Fr. Cassidy baptized two persons on his first visit, one of whom was a convert. At that time there were about twelve members in the congregation.

Rev. P.J. Lynch of Newcastle occupies a prominent place in the developing days of the parish. St. Matthew’s church was built under his direction, and opened for services in 1907. The two lots for the church were purchased for $175.00, an amount which had been collected principally by Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Daly. The largest subscriptions for the building were received from John T. Daly and James T. Morgan, who donated $100.00 apiece.

The clergymen identified with the mission of Gillette were: Rev. John C. Ahern, Nov., 1896-Nov., 1897; [89] Rev. P. Cassidy; Rev. G.F. Dillon, Sheridan; Rev. T.P. Hayes, Newcastle, and Rev. P.U. Sasse, Sheridan, 1899-1902; Rev. P.J. Lynch, Newcastle, 1902-1910; Rev. F.J. Keller, Buffalo; Rev. T.D. Lynch, Buffalo; Rev. P. Long, Buffalo, September, 1910-October, 1911; Rev. John Duffy, Sheridan; Rev. T.P. Hayes, resident pastor; Rev. Joseph De Nichola, Newcastle, October, 1911-April, 1914; Rev. Casimir Tomiak, Newcastle, April, 1914-April, 1915; Rev. J.H. Mullen, Newcastle, May-December, 1915; Rev. J.T. Nicholson and assistants, Newcastle, 1916-1917; Rev. J.T. Nicholson, Buffalo, November, 1917-1921; Rev. John O’Connor, Buffalo, 1921-1923; Rev. Edward McDonnell, Buffalo, 1923-1924; Rev. John Brady, Buffalo, 1924-1926.

From 1915 to 1916 Rozet and Gillette were attended by Frs. James Boland and John Mullin of Newcastle. Arvada was attended by pastors residing at Buffalo until 1926.

The mission at Rozet was attended by Rev. John Nicholson, 1916-1917; Rev. John Brady, 1917-1923; Rev. Bernard Schneiders, 1923-1926.

A class of twenty-eight was confirmed June 12, 1917, by Most Rev. Patrick A. McGovern, D.D. The last payment on the church debt was made on that occasion by Mrs. John Daly.

[90] September 18, 1926, found Gillette no longer a mission of Buffalo, but an established parish with the missions of Arvada and Rozet.

Rev. P.P. Szymanski was appointed the first pastor. Soon after his appointment he bought a parochial residence for $8,000.00. During the year 1927, the parish received a generous donation of $1,000.00 toward liquidating the debt on the parochial residence.

Fr. Szymanski was transferred to Greybull in November, 1928, and was succeeded by Rev. John Marley. There was a debt of $3,000.00 on the rectory when Fr. Marley took charge. With the assistance of special collections and donations the debt was gradually reduced to $250.00 in 1938.

Fr. Marley was transferred to Lander in October, 1938, and was replaced by Rev. James McBride.

During the year 1938 there were twenty baptisms and five marriages. Since the establishment of the parish there have been 167 baptized; sixty couples married; one hundred nineteen confirmed; fifty-four deaths.

Active organizations in the parish are the Altar and Rosary society with a membership of twenty-six, and the Catholic Youth organization with a membership of nineteen.

[91] There was a mission in 1930 and one in 1939. There are approximately ninety families in the parish and missions. The average Sunday attendance at Mass is about one hundred and twenty, and the average number of monthly communions is approximately forty-five.

The parish comprises the churches of St. Matthew at Gillette, Sacred Heart at Rozet and St. Catherine at Arvada.

Back to INDEX		Gillette, St. Matthew Bishop McGovern [88] St. Matthew’s, Gillette, is one of the more recent parishes of Wyoming, although the history of the mission goes back more than a generation. Gillette became a parish September 18, 1926. The first priest known to have said Mass in Gillette was Rev. P. Cassidy of Hot Springs, S. D., who visited there in 1892. The section-house was first used for this purpose, but later on yielded the honor to the city hall and the Morgan and Daly homes. Fr. Cassidy baptized two persons on his first visit, one of whom was a convert. At that time there were about twelve members in the congregation. Rev. P.J. Lynch of Newcastle occupies a prominent place in the developing days of the parish. St. Matthew’s church was built under his direction, and opened for services in 1907. The two lots for the church were purchased for $175.00, an amount which had been collected principally by Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Daly. The largest subscriptions for the building were received from John T. Daly and James T. Morgan, who donated $100.00 apiece. The clergymen identified with the mission of Gillette were: Rev. John C. Ahern, Nov., 1896-Nov., 1897; [89] Rev. P. Cassidy; Rev. G.F. Dillon, Sheridan; Rev. T.P. Hayes, Newcastle, and Rev. P.U. Sasse, Sheridan, 1899-1902; Rev. P.J. Lynch, Newcastle, 1902-1910; Rev. F.J. Keller, Buffalo; Rev. T.D. Lynch, Buffalo; Rev. P. Long, Buffalo, September, 1910-October, 1911; Rev. John Duffy, Sheridan; Rev. T.P. Hayes, resident pastor; Rev. Joseph De Nichola, Newcastle, October, 1911-April, 1914; Rev. Casimir Tomiak, Newcastle, April, 1914-April, 1915; Rev. J.H. Mullen, Newcastle, May-December, 1915; Rev. J.T. Nicholson and assistants, Newcastle, 1916-1917; Rev. J.T. Nicholson, Buffalo, November, 1917-1921; Rev. John O’Connor, Buffalo, 1921-1923; Rev. Edward McDonnell, Buffalo, 1923-1924; Rev. John Brady, Buffalo, 1924-1926. From 1915 to 1916 Rozet and Gillette were attended by Frs. James Boland and John Mullin of Newcastle. Arvada was attended by pastors residing at Buffalo until 1926. The mission at Rozet was attended by Rev. John Nicholson, 1916-1917; Rev. John Brady, 1917-1923; Rev. Bernard Schneiders, 1923-1926. A class of twenty-eight was confirmed June 12, 1917, by Most Rev. Patrick A. McGovern, D.D. The last payment on the church debt was made on that occasion by Mrs. John Daly. [90] September 18, 1926, found Gillette no longer a mission of Buffalo, but an established parish with the missions of Arvada and Rozet. Rev. P.P. Szymanski was appointed the first pastor. Soon after his appointment he bought a parochial residence for $8,000.00. During the year 1927, the parish received a generous donation of $1,000.00 toward liquidating the debt on the parochial residence. Fr. Szymanski was transferred to Greybull in November, 1928, and was succeeded by Rev. John Marley. There was a debt of $3,000.00 on the rectory when Fr. Marley took charge. With the assistance of special collections and donations the debt was gradually reduced to $250.00 in 1938. Fr. Marley was transferred to Lander in October, 1938, and was replaced by Rev. James McBride. During the year 1938 there were twenty baptisms and five marriages. Since the establishment of the parish there have been 167 baptized; sixty couples married; one hundred nineteen confirmed; fifty-four deaths. Active organizations in the parish are the Altar and Rosary society with a membership of twenty-six, and the Catholic Youth organization with a membership of nineteen. [91] There was a mission in 1930 and one in 1939. There are approximately ninety families in the parish and missions. The average Sunday attendance at Mass is about one hundred and twenty, and the average number of monthly communions is approximately forty-five. The parish comprises the churches of St. Matthew at Gillette, Sacred Heart at Rozet and St. Catherine at Arvada. Back to Top