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St. George’s Catholic Church was Assiniboia’s first place of worship

Sunday worship services have been an eminent component of Assiniboia since the age of settlement in the early 1900s. Today, the town is filled with Protestant, Evangelical and Catholic congregations.

Sunday worship services have been an eminent component of Assiniboia since the age of settlement in the early 1900s.

Today, the town is filled with Protestant, Evangelical and Catholic congregations. Indeed, faith, prayer and belief have been cornerstones for generations of Assiniboians.

The first church to appear in Assiniboia was St. George’s Catholic Church. The church located on 325 Sixth Avenue East was conceived in August 1912, after settlers in the Leeville District met at the home of Francois Curratt to discuss the organization of a parish in the growing community.

The trustees met in February 1913 – they were determined to construct a rectory and a church.

With Charles Rozon in charge, the earliest version of St. George’s was completed by Easter Sunday, 1913.

Father Faucher, blessed with leading the parish, organized Assiniboia’s first mass. A year later, Bishop Mathieu consecrated the bell for the church at retreat held on March 19, 1914. At the retreat, the parish of St. George’s received a relic of the church’s patron saint from the bishop.

Later, the parish joined the Gravelbourg Diocese in 1930.

St. George’s attended to Assiniboia’s growing community in countless ways. There were 983 baptisms, 569 confirmations, 235 weddings and 176 burials recorded at the church from 1913-1955.

The Order of the Oblate Sisters arrived in Assiniboia to teach children in 1956. The Sisters also gave lessons in Christian ethics, music, choir and French.

The school continued until 1974, when rising costs convinced the parishioners to sell this comparatively new institution to the Assiniboia School Unit.                     

Social organizations connected to the Roman Catholic Church have played prominent roles in Assiniboia’s history. During Father Paul Boudreau’s time as a pastor of St. George’s Parish from 1944-1950, a chapter of the Knights of Columbus formed, along with the Catholic Women’s League with Mrs. Mulvena acting as president.

A newer version of St. George’s was constructed then completed in the autumn of 1963, costing nearly $170,000.

Father Vachon, (active from 1950-1969), first conceived the idea of building this new church and an attached rectory with the centre’s eventual construction and completion supported through donations and fundraising efforts.