Pilger, St. Bernard's Parish

The first church picnic was held around 1907. There was a band, a fortune wheel, greased pig contest, climb a greased pole for $1.00 and baseball games. A meal was served outdoors under stands covered with trees and brush. Lemonade was made from real lemons with a press. Ice cream was made in an old ice cream tub with a hand crank.

After several years the congregation decided to build a new church and a building fund was started. A new location on higher ground was selected, a mile and a half north of the log church. Joseph Stauber Sr. donated 10 acres of his homestead, Section 12, Township 41, Range 23.

Building operations began in the spring of 1918. In July about 75 teams could be seen hauling bricks, tiles and other material from Humboldt. In the same month the seven foot foundation was completed. Estimated cost of the 108 ft x 49 ft structure was $12,000. In record time the building was completed and the church was blessed on Aug. 1, 1920.

Over the years, numerous improvements had been made, with the grounds conditioned and trees planted. Worthy of brief mention are the furnishings: complete painting of the interior, stuccoing of the exterior, oil furnaces, electric lights, a new altar and canopy, a new organ, vestments, cabinets, rubber tile sanctuary floor, a public address system and a beautiful set of oil painted stations with oak and mahogany frames. These are of unusual design and quality and were painted by a Hungarian refugee artist. There is not another set like them in Canada.

Also in 1920 a new parish school was built a little north of the church. The number of children attending numbered 45. Parishioners numbered about 275 and there were 45 families and 11 single adults.