Without doubt there were Catholic missionaries in Linn County at a very early date, but unfortu­nately no available records about them exist. That they were there, however, is proved by a letter from James Croke, a priest, written to this superior from Jesse Applegate’s farm in the Umpqua Valley and dated August 9, 1853. He writes: “My Lord  . . . I passed through Santiam City and Syracuse and got to Albany the day I left Salem. Albany is a considerable town . . . I called upon the proprietors, Messrs. Montieth, two brothers . . . They appear to be very liberally disposed, but refused to give a deed for lots until we were going to build. They offered two lots in the very center of town, but only on condition that we would commence to erect a church at furthest next Spring. Of course, I could not accept them on those conditions. . .“ (335).

James also wrote about the hostility to Catholics of the country around Marysville (Corvallis), the people all being of other faiths. It is probable that the same hostility permeated the Linn County communities. However, it is on record that on November 24. 1875 Thomas Monteith sold to the Catholic Church for $900 the block on which St. Mary’s church, parsonage and Academy now stand, in Albany (336).

On September 28, 1885, the first important Roman Catholic Church was organized in Albany -St. Mary’s or Our Lady Of Perpetual Help. First services were held in a small school building that was bought and moved to the sight of the present church at 8th and Broadalbin streets. The present building was erected in 1897 (337). In the course of years other institutions were added to the church - a convent of the Sisters of Charity, a Catholic school and, for a time, a hospital. With the coming of the Albany General Hospital, the Sisters’ hospital closed its doors.

In 1884 a colony of about 50 families of the Roman Catholic faith came to Oregon from Minnesota and bought a plot of land south of Jordan. With them came the Rev. Father J. C. Bucholczer and a number of nuns. A church was organized and a building erected, the Rev. Father remaining with his flock until 1903. A convent was established and maintained for a few years, to be discontinued in 1908. In 1921 a new church building was raised on the hill above the site of the old building and is in use today (338).

From the Albany Church the Catholic work spread to all parts of the county, especially during the pastorate of Rev. Father Lane, who was the first native born Oregonian to be ordained into the Catholic priesthood.  Father Lane extended the work to Lebanon, Brownsville, Shelburn, Scio and Mill City.

Links:

Local Catholic Church and Family History & Genealogical Research Guide

Church histories were  abstracted from:  " History of Linn County", Compiled by Workers of the Writer’s Program, Works Progress Administration, ca. 1945.  See bibliography for above-cited references.  All photos from the collection of Lisa L. Jones, unless otherwise noted.  Lisa L. Jones contributed and is solely responsible for the content of these pages.  Copyright 2001.