| Back to INDEX | ST. EDMUND’S PARISH The history of St. Edmund’s Parish of Ranchester begins with
the building of the Church here in Ranchester, as a mission Church
of Monarch, Wyo. by the Rev. Cyril Hmelovsky. The Church was dedicated
on Dec.19, 1948, by the Most Rev. Hubert M. Newell, the Coadjutor Bishop
of the Diocese. With the transfer of Rev. Cyril Hmelovsky in 1949,
the Rev. Herbert Kraus came as Pastor of the Monarch Parish. He remained
as Pastor till 1957. It was during his time that the location of the
Parish was moved from Monarch to its present location at Ranchester.
This change was needed due to the decline of the coal industry, upon
which the town of Monarch was wholly dependent. It was deemed necessary
to move the Parish house and the location of the Parish from Monarch
to Ranchester. The work of moving the house and relocating it next
to the Church at Ranchester, was completed by Father Kraus in 1956.
The Church at Monarch remained and Mass continued to be said in the
Church till 1958, at which time it was decided that this was no longer
needed. At the present time the Church there is not used. In 1957 the
Rev. Herbert Kraus was transferred from the Parish to Saratoga, Wyo.,
and coming as Pastor to the Parish was the REV. Joseph P. Fraher. He
remains as Pastor at the present time. Since 1957, the Church has been
completely painted and the grounds around the Church put into lawn.
The basement of the house has been finished with an extra bedroom built
and tile covering on the floor. As a help to the Parish income, the
Pastor of Ranchester, since 1954, has acted as the Catholic Chaplain
of the V.A. Hospital at Sheridan. There are 180 Catholic patients at
the hospital. The parish at Ranchester has about 67 families at the
present tlme.
|
||