St. David Church, Broadus

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

  • Flame of Love Cenacle is each Thursday at 11:00 a.m. in the church.
  • Divine Mercy Chaplet at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday prior to Mass.
  • Rosary at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday prior to Mass
  • Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is every first Friday at 11:00 a.m.

 

History

Catholic settlers who came to the Powder River area in southeastern Montana in the 1880's and early 1900's found they had to travel great distances to attend Mass.

Depending on where they lived in the area, Catholics went to Miles City or to Gillette and Sheridan in Wyoming or the Belle Fourche, Lead, and Deadwood in South Dakota for church services.

The first Catholic church in Powder River County was St. Charles Church in Stacey, built by Father T.J. Rocque in 1914-1915. In 1912, Rocque traveled by horse and buggy to administer to the Catholic families scattered throughout the area.

In May 1929, Father Regis Nesser came to the new community of Broadus and celebrated Mass in the home of John P. Miller and instructed his children in the faith. Mass was celebrated in Broadus two or three times a year.

Capuchin Father Pius Stutzer arrived in 1931 and guided Catholics in building a church. Two lots on the corner of Wilbur Avenue and North Street were donated by Margaret Trautman.  Groundbreaking for the foundation and partial basement took place on October 5, 1931.

The cornerstone was blessed and laid on December 31, 1931. The St. David Altar Society was established shortly after that with Mrs. John P. Miller as the first president.

Bishop Edwin V. O'Hara confirmed 17 persons in the church on July 14, 1932. The first baptism was that of John Robert Lafave on April 16, 1933.  The first wedding Mass, for John Fredrick Markert and Olga K. Gali, was celebrated on April 10, 1937.

The church basement was enlarged in 1940. The church interior was renovated and enlarged and a new rectory was built in 1958.

In 1967, the sanctuary and altar were remodeled to comply with new liturgical norms.