Historical church project

The parishioners at St. Mary’s in Hague stepped up and delivered when Father Shannon Lucht asked them to contribute to the repair fund to help make sure that future generations will have the same opportunity to experience the love of the Lord in their beautiful church.
 
But Father also knew that they could only do so much, being such a small group. That’s why the St. Mary Knights of Columbus council is spearheading an effort to team up with the Bismarck-Mandan Knights to prepare and sell to-go quarts of homemade knoephla soup on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Sunday, Dec. 8 at the Bismarck Eagles from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., or until gone. 
 
What better way to honor the German Russian heritage of the people of Emmons County than to sell the popular dish of their ancestors? Hague resident and former Hague Cafe cook, Eileen Wald, has accepted the challenge of keeping the knights on recipe and on task!
 
The project is an opportunity for brother knights to demonstrate the virtues of charity, unity and fraternity that drive the organization. It’s also to raise money for a great cause to preserve one of the diocese’s most beautiful and ornate churches. There are many people throughout the diocese who have connections to the Hague area, and this is a way to take part in the fundraising efforts.
 
The knights have an aggressive goal of raising $10,000 through their efforts. For those unable to attend the soup fundraiser, donations toward the goal are appreciated, and checks can be made to St. Mary’s Catholic Church and mailed to PO Box 322, Strasburg, ND 58573. Please put Hague Knight Fundraiser on the memo line.  
 
Repair project 
 
The cost of the repairs on the nearly-century-old church building was $600,000. On Feb. 20, a construction agreement was reached with a Minnesota company that specializes in masonry and brick repair. The work was just recently completed. About two-thirds of the cost of the project was funded through donations and the other third through a loan from the parish expansion fund of the diocese. 
 
Father Shannon wrote in his appeal letter to parishioners last spring, “As time goes by, any building naturally develops issues simply due to the wear and tear of time. This is certainly the case with our church—which is almost a hundred years old. Over time, as moisture enters areas and then freezes and thaws, damage and deterioration occur. Particularly with brick and stone, this cycle of freezing and thawing causes cracking, crumbling and eventually a loss of strength and stability. If left unaddressed, the inevitable crumbling of the building into ruins will occur.”
 
As many churches, those in Hague and Strasburg (built in 1909) are beautiful treasures. If you’ve never been to these tiny towns, these two churches are worth the road trip.
 
“If you haven’t ever seen the Catholic churches in Hague and Strasberg, they are quite a sight,” said Fr. Lucht. “I’d invite anyone to make the trip and come see for themselves.”
 
History of the parish
 
St. Mary’s Parish in Hague is the oldest continuous German-Russian Catholic Parish in North Dakota. It was in 1885 that the first German-Russian people began to settle in the area. Initially, services were held in private homes. In 1890, a small wooden church was built about a mile west of the city.
 
By 1906, the parish was large enough to build a brick church in Hague. The interior was outstanding, with a life-sized statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the main altar. The dome above was studded with gold pieces in the shape of a star, and two side altars resembled the main altar. Three steeple bells adorned the church. Many of the furnishings were imported from Germany, France and Belgium. 
 
On Feb. 13, 1929, Ash Wednesday, a fire destroyed the church, leaving only a few pillars and some bricks. The entrance of the 1906 structure was saved and remains as the grotto of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
 
Parishioners raised funds to build a new church, basically a duplicate of the 1906 structure; the new cornerstone was laid Aug. 4, 1929. The 13 Roman-arched, stained-glass windows portray various saints. Oil paintings, scenes from the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, adorn the ceiling. The outstanding feature of the church is the high altar with a statue of Mother Mary—all amazing efforts of faithful parishioners despite the Great Depression. The massive nave of the church could seat over 600. There are currently about 65 registered households.
 
The church is listed on the National Historic Register, and numerous visitors come from all over the country to admire and cherish the intricate details of St. Mary’s Church. It’s hard to appreciate the beauty unless seen with one’s own eyes.