Who Are We?
In 1846 the trading post of Fort Benton was founded. On September 27, 1846, Fathers Peter de Smet, SJ, and Nicholas Point, SJ, celebrated Masses. These were reputedly the first religious services held in this region. Father Point wintered here, 1846-1847, where he had both a chapel and classroom at the Fort. He insisted on the validation of marriages between white men and their Indian wives, and he baptized 651 children. The next priest at the Fort, 1855, was the Reverend Father James Croke, later to become the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
In 1858 the Reverend Father Nicholas Congiato, SJ, visited Fort Benton and the following year Father de Smet returned to baptize children and perform marriages. Jesuit Fathers Adrian Hoecken, C. Imoda, and N Congiato came to the Fort in1860. In the spring of 1861, Father Imoda returned with the Reverend Father Joseph Giorda, SJ, and Brother DeKnock to select a site of the permanent mission. Father de Smet again visited the Fort in 1862.
From 1861 to 1866, Fort Benton had occasional visits from the priests stationed at St. Peter's Mission. During the time between the closing and re-opening of St. Peter's Mission, 1866 to 1874, Fort Benton was attended from Helena. In 1874 it was again made a mission of St. Peter's. At times, Mass was celebrated in the T.C. Powers residence and during these years Elizabeth Flanagan and her sister conducted Sunday school.
Regular church services were begun in Fort Benton in 1878 by Father Imoda. In 1878 to 1879 he erected the frame Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, the first church in Fort Benton. Later, June 21, 1880, the Reverend Father H. T. Camp, SJ, was designated the first resident priest of Fort Benton.
In 1886 three Sisters of Providence arrived in Fort Benton to staff the hospital built in 1882. It was in the hospital that the pastors first lived until 1893 when the first rectory was built -- a two story house costing $1,175. Also in 1893 Fort Benton became the charge of diocesan priests. When the sisters arrived they had Mass only one a month and in 1887, Bishop Brondel gave permission for the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament in the Fort's church.
At 9:30 the morning of December 31, 1905, a fire started in the church. A charred altar was all that was salvaged from the otherwise destroyed church. Until another church was built, Catholic services were held in the public school house. Nine months after the Reverend Father John Hennessy was appointed pastor, December 14, 1908, the new Church of the Immaculate Conception was blessed by Bishop Lenihan.
In 1932, during the pastorate of the Reverend Father Anthony Csicsman, the present rectory between the house and the hospital was constructed. On August 21, 1946 Bishop Condon preached the sermon for the Centennial Solemn Mass commemorating the 100th anniversary of Fort Benton. The Reverend Father Henry Pratchner was then pastor.