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Show THE INTERMOUNTAIN CATHOLIC 47 Immaculate Conception Church. Provo, Utah , L t Rev. Joseph G. Delaire, Pastor Sunday Mass 10 A. M. Week-da- y Mass 7 :30 A. M. Provo, Utah History of the Parish About fifty miles southf of Salt Lake, situated in a rich valley, is the city of Provo, with a population of about fifteen thousand persons. Agriculture, woolen mills, railroad shops and a steel manufacturing plant constitute its chief industries. The State Insane Asylmn is located near the city, which is also the seat of the Brigham Young University. The history of the Catholic Church in Provo dates from Father Escalantes trip to Utah at the beginning of the last quarter of the eighteenth century. The first time that the Catholic religion was preached in Provo was in September 1776, when Father Escalante preached to the Indians. There was no further Catholic missionary work in the Utah Valley until the coming of Father Scanlan to Salt Lake in 1873. For many years thereafter Father Scanlan visited Provo occasionally. In 1890 several Catholics had settled in the town and for their accommodation religious services were held once a month by a priest from Salt Lake. In 1892 Bishop Scanlan, unable to secure a suitable place for monthly services, purchased a lot on which stood a large residence. In the rear and adjoining the residence proper feet in width. By taking down the end wall were three small rooms which were twenty-twand building an addition of thirty feet it was possible to have a neat chapel fifty feet by twenty-two feet with a part of the house for the residence of the priest. Bishop Scanlan, with his own hands and with the help of an Italian named Rocco Rita, performed this task and thus built the first Catholic Church in Provo which was dedicated to St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles. From 1893 until 1900 Provo was visited about once a month by priests from the Cathedral at Salt Lake. During this time one by one the Catholics residing in Provo had moved out and by the year 1900 there were only a few left. As a consequence during the first twelve years of the twentieth century the Church was closed and no services were held in Provo. During these twelve years, however, a few more Catholics again found their way to Provo, among them a Mr. Joseph Gendron. In the year 1912 this man learned for the first time that there was a Catholic Church in the city. He found the keys of the Church, had it thoroughly cleaned, and gathered the few Catholics of the community together. He acted as a sort of deacon, instructing the children and saying the Rosary for the people. He then made application to Bishop Scanlan for a priest. During the following year the Rev. Anthony Petillo came to Provo twice a month on his way from Salt Lake City to Helper and it was under Father Petillo that the first Holy Communion in Provo took place in the spring of 1914. o |