Returning to my goal of presenting the various parishes of the Diocese of Baker, here are some facts and photos for St. Patrick’s in Heppner, Oregon.
According to A Brief
History of the Diocese of Baker[1],
the first St. Patrick’s Church in Heppner was built in 1887. It looked like this:
When Fr. Francis McCormack
was appointed pastor in 1940, his first project was to raise money to build a
new church. A new site was also selected
and purchased in 1941 (for $1000!). The church was completed in November of
1941. The old church was sold and remodeled for the American Legion Hall.
The History also
recounts that a new rectory also had to be built, but stumbling blocks were
Bishop McGrath’s objections to the high building costs, as well as World War II
regulations and the scarcity of building materials. Construction of the rectory
had to be postponed, and was not completed until 1948.
Another new church was built in 1971 - it's the current St. Patrick's.
From The Cross in the
Middle of Nowhere[2],
we learn that in November of 1971, Bishop Thomas J. Connolly
…officiated at the Mass of
dedication and blessing of the new St. Patrick’s in Heppner which was built
under the direction of Father Raymond Beard. It was the first new construction
in the Diocese to reflect the changes in the liturgy of the Mass called for by
the Second Vatican Council. Several innovations were combined to present a
unique form to the interior. The shorter and broader nave, divided to form a
“y”, coupled with the elimination of a communion rail, brought the congregation
closer to the sanctuary. (p.253)
Here are a few photos of the interior of the church.
 |
| The priest's view |
The parish website has a
nice history page,
featuring the above photos of the exterior of the church. However, it appears
that the website has not been updated since November 2011.
St. William's in Ione is a mission of St. Patrick's.
 |
| St. William's Catholic Church in Ione |
[1] A Brief History of the Diocese of Baker,
Vol. 1, by Fr. Dominic O’Connor, Benedictine Press, 1930
[2] The Cross in the Middle of Nowhere, by
Msgr. William S. Stone, Maverick Publications, 1933
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