“Standing on the shoulders”: the historic parish of Saint-Louis celebrates its 175th anniversary

St. Louis parishioner Susan Belleque describes how quilts were raffled off at parish dinners — dinners where, for a time, each household brought their own roast turkey, and the cost of the fundraising dinner was 35 cents. Older quilts were made by hand on a frame that held the fabric taut, rolling it up as each section was completed. (Kristen Hannum / Catholic Sentinel)

The 175th anniversary committee discovered several finds in the attic of the church and elsewhere. This once brown hanging of Saint Louis, King of France, turned out to be ivory when cleaned. (Kristen Hannum/Catholic Sentinel)

St. Louis parishioners linger after the 175th anniversary mass, enjoying being back in the church. Prof. James Herrera, pastor of Saint-Louis-Sacré-Coeur in Gervais, says masses will resume at Saint-Louis Church in September after being suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Kristen Hannum/Catholic Sentinel)

The current Saint-Louis church, built in 1880, is the oldest wooden church in the archdiocese. The first Saint-Louis church was built of logs by the Jesuit father. Verecruysee in 1845. It was about 25 feet by 25 feet. (Kristen Hannum/Catholic Sentinel)

The Knights of Columbus served as honor guards for the 175th anniversary mass of the parish of Saint-Louis de Gervais. Altar server Joe Eisenbacher is leading the recession. Other altar servers included Moses Blair, Frank Orton, Noah Saalfeld and Joshua Saalfeld. Archbishop Alexander Sample celebrated Mass, with concelebrants Fr. James Herrera and Fr. James Colman. (Courtesy of Janet Steinkamp)

Bishop Alexander Sample and Fr. James Herrera, pastor of Sacred Heart-St. Parish Louis in Gervais, pose for a photo. Archbishop Sample noted in his homily how fortunate he was to arrive in an air-conditioned vehicle and how different that was from the loyal settlers of French Prairie. (Kristen Hannum/Catholic Sentinel)

The original organ of the Church of St. Louis is now in the vestibule of the church. (Kristen Hannum/Catholic Sentinel)

The Saint-Louis church bears the name of Saint-Louis, King of France. This painting hangs in the vestibule of the little wooden church. (Kristen Hannum/Catholic Sentinel)

Madame Marie Dorion, a Catholic woman whose mother was Iowan and father was a fur trapper, served as an interpreter for the Pacific Fur Company. She ended her days living as a mother and grandmother east of Salem. She was buried “under the steeple” of the original log St. Louis Church. (Courtesy of Sacred Heart Parish)

Joan DeConinck and Cheryl Lucas fold a quilt after decades of quilts on display at St. Louis Church as part of the 175th anniversary celebration. Lucas is from St. Paul, the oldest parish in the Archdiocese. She noted that after damage from the Spring Break earthquake in St. Paul, excess bricks were used in the construction of Sacre Coeur in Gervais, tying historic communities together. (Kristen Hannum/Catholic Sentinel)

Madame Marie Dorion, a Catholic woman whose mother was Iowan and father was a fur trapper, served as an interpreter for the Pacific Fur Company. She ended her days living as a mother and grandmother east of Salem. She was buried “under the steeple” of the original log St. Louis Church. This painting of her and her children, stranded in the winter wilderness, hangs in the vestibule. (Courtesy of Sacred Heart Parish)

Prof. James Herrera, Moses Blair, Frank Orton, Archbishop Sample, Noah Saalfeld, Joshua Saalfeld, Joe Eisenbacher and Fr. James Coleman were the celebrants, concelebrants and altar servers for the 175th Anniversary Mass at St. Louis Parish by Gervais. (Courtesy of Janet Steinkamp)

Irene Duda, former state regent of the Catholic Daughters and longtime parishioner, enters St. Louis Church under one of the restored paintings found in the church attic. (Kristen Hannum/Catholic Sentinel)