Leroy, St. Patrick Parish

In 1903, while stationed at Prince Albert, District of Saskatchewan, Fr. John Chester Sinnett became acquainted with Abbot Bruno of St. Peter's Monastery. Fr. Sinnett was in search of an excellent location to establish an Irish Catholic colony. Abbot Bruno informed him of a location to the south of St. Peter's Monastery. In 1904, Fr. Sinnett along with eight men travelled by rail to Rosthern, District of Saskatchewan. The eight men were: James Devine, Louis Hall, Joseph Laverty, John Laverty, Allan McEachern, Tom McGuire, Simon Sullivan and Jack Talon.

As early as April 1905, settlers of Irish descent began arriving and taking up homesteads in Township 34, Range 21, West of the Second Meridian. This was on the northern edge of the District of Assiniboia. As more settlers arrived, the area expanded northward into Township 35, Range 21, West of the Second Meridian. This township was on the southern edge of the District of Saskatchewan. This area adopted the name: The Irish Colony.

During the next few years settlers arrived from Ontario, Quebec, the United States, Europe and elsewhere in Saskatchewan. Fr. Sinnett, SJ, gave up his pastorship in Prince Albert and took a homestead in the southern area of his Irish Colony and looked after the new settlers' religious requirements.

As the colony was too large for one central church, two churches were established. Saint Ignatius Parish was established in the southern area of the colony, primarily serving Township 34. St. Patrick was established in the northern area of the Irish Colony, thereby serving mainly the settlers in Township 35. With the settlement came structures of society. One of the most important was religion. With enough settlers in the area by late summer of 1905, the parish of St. Patrick was formed.

St. Patrick's last mass was celebrated on Nov. 28, 1965. The church was officially closed on Jan. 24, 1966. At the parish's closing the pastor was Fr. Eldon McGrath, and the trustees were: Melvin Jaeb, Tom Harcourt, Leo McDonald and C.J. Verbeke. The parishioners joined the neighboring parishes, namely: St. Ignatius at Sinnett; Holy Rosary at LeRoy; and St. Gertrude.

The pastors of St. Patrick's Parish and their terms included: Fr. John Chester Sinnett, 1905-1922; Fr. A. Chatel, 1922-1923; Fr. B. Corcoran, 1923-1926; Fr. Pierre, 1926; Fr. J. O'Leary, 1926-1927; Fr. A. Perrault, 1927-1931; Fr. T. Gallery, 1931; Fr. W. Dunphy, 1931-1941; Fr. Carroll (assistant), 1933-1938; Fr. Yolk, 1941-1945; Fr. C. Junker, 1945-1949; Fr. A. Juzynic, 1949-1956; and Fr. E. McGrath, 1956-1965.

Within a few years of the church's closing a cairn was erected in the centre of the cemetery. On this cairn was placed a plaque which gives a short history of the start of the parish and a list of family surnames that were members.

The church building was purchased by the Fellowship Church in Lanigan. The building was moved to Lanigan and is still used as a house of worship.

Reprinted with permission of Diocese of Muenster, 1996
Box 10, Muenster, Sk., S0K 2Y0

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