A HISTORY OF OUR PARISHES
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SAINT JOSEPH
1853
SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER
1956
The mission of St. Stephen, the Martyr was established in the Umpqua Valley. The priest of the mission served the areas that are now encompassed in Coos, Lane, and Douglas counties.
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Archbishop Frances Blanchet purchased a block of property in Roseburg from Aaron Rose, the property was bounded by streets, Oak, Kane, Washington, and Chadwick.
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The parish was finally established under the care of Fr. Alphonsus Glorieux. ​
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The name of the parish was changed to its present name of St. Joseph.
The first frame structure was begun. Archbishop William Gross dedicated the new church late in that same year.
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In the late 1940’s it was decided that the downtown Church site was no longer adequate for the growing needs of the parish. Under the supervision of Fr. Edmund Hyland, the current location was purchased. The parish decided to build the school first and use the gym for church services until funds could be raised for a new church.
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The first Sunday Mass was held in the gym.
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St. Joseph Parish celebrated its 100th birthday.
Fr. Eunan Buckley purchased additional property, and plans were made for the erection of a suitable Church.
The firm of Wolff and Zimmer were retained as architects. Seattle sculptor Richard Bryer was commissioned to do the artwork in the Church; he hand carved approximately 1500 bricks to form the Stations of the Cross. Each of the fourteen stations has up to 150 pounds of brick used in it.
Archbishop Edward Howard and Fr. Rodger Anderson broke ground for the new St. Joseph Church on April 17, 1966, and construction began on May 1, 1966, the Feast day of St. Joseph the Worker.
Easter Sunday Masses were the first services to be held in the new building.
The dedication was held on May 19, 1968, by Archbishop Robert Dwyer.
1968
1866
1867
1881
1887
1940
1955
1961
1962
1964
1966
1967
A longtime resident of Sutherlin, Mr. Derwood Elliot, was accorded the honor of breaking ground for St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in a ceremony at the Church site on August 20, 1956. Guests from other communities, along with a large group of Sutherlin Catholics participated in the ceremony conducted by the Reverend Edmund J. Murnane, Pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in Eugene, and Dean of that area of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon.
Mass was celebrated for the first time in Sutherlin, Oregon on September 8, 1957 at 10:30 a.m. in the Sutherlin Community Grange Hall. About 150 people were present, the number increasing to about 200 the following Saturday. At that time Fr. J.J. Linehan was the newly appointed pastor of St. John’s Parish in Drain, Oregon, of which Sutherlin was a Mission.
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The first Mass was celebrated on January 17, 1960. The Bell was donated by St. Joseph Parish in Roseburg.
1960
1957
FIND YOUR FAITH
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