St; Elizabeth Parish HistorEl
The origin of St. Elizabeth's Parish in Killaly dates back to the year of 1892.
Mr. Johann M. Bruch left his native village of Bronndorf near Lemberg, Galicia early in 1892 to verify
the prospects advertised in the Old Country regarding the acquisition of land on the Western Prairies.
Soon he was on his way back home to move his wife and family to their new homestead. His nephew
Konrad Kletschko, joined the family group. On June 22, 1892, they moved from Grenfell to the selected
homestead on Sw. 34, Tp. 19, R. 7, W. of 2, two miles west and ~2 mile south of Mariahilf Church. This
land is now owned by Dennis Waldbauer of Neudorf.
In 1893 Mr. Johann Hubenig from Rosch near Czernowitz (Bukowina) and Mr. Johann Kletschko,
father of Konrad, with their families followed. They found temporary shelter on the homestead of
Johann Bruch, the patriarch of the Catholic settlement that was to become known as "Mariahilf." With
the advent of the C.P.R. line going through the district, this developed into the Killaly Parish.
In 1895 Father Woodcutter and Father J. E. Zerbach, diocesan priests from the Mission of Kaposvar
celebrated monthly masses in the homes of Mr. Johann Bruch, Mr. Anton Exner and others.
In 1899 the Catholic population of Mariahilf or what is now known as St. Elizabeth's Parish had
increased to such an extent that it warranted the visit of Archbishop Adelard Langevin of St. Boniface to
administer the sacrament of Confirmation to fifty-four young men and women. This important event took
place on the Bruch farm on May 8, 1899.
In 1900 the Mariahilf Church was built six miles south of the present village of Killaly by Fr. P. J,
deBresson, 0. Praem. After the turn of the century the Oblate Fathers from Winnipeg, Fr. Albert
Kulawy and Fr. August Suffa, took turns in ministering at Mariahilf. They were followed by Fr, Marcus
Kasper.
In 1907 an Oblate Community was established in Grayson to care for the whole area. In 1921 the
Mariahilf Church was destroyed by fire. The second chapel was built in 1926 which still stands today, not
so much to be used henceforth as a place for divine worship, but as a reminder of the faith so cherished
by the forefathersl
In 1910 the Catholic people began to build a church in the village of Killaly. Before the work was
finished, a storm swept through leaving the church in ruins. This did not deter the people from attaining
their objective.
The church was dedicated to St. Elizabeth and both churches of the district: Killaly and Mariahilf,
were served by the Oblates of Grayson. It was Fr. Kasper from Grayson who looked after these two
places until 1911. He was followed by Father Edward Hess, who served until 1915. Following Father
Hess came Father Francis X. Rapp, who served until 1925; Father James Schnerch, who served until
1926 and finally Father Anton Bergmann, until the fall of 1929.
In 1929 Father P. J. Schwebius, O.M.I. (1929 - 1933) took up residence at Lemberg and served Killaly
from there. His successor Father Joseph Schulte, O.M.I. (1933 - 1935) resided part-time in both Lemberg
and Killaly.
In September 1935, Father J. Fuchs, O.M.I., took up permanent residence in Killaly in a rented house.
Lemberg now remained a mission to Killaly until appointment of a resident priest in 1939. In the years of
1936  1944 under the direction of Father Fuchs, O.M.I., the parishioners of Killaly started a Rosenkranz
(Rosary Society), which formed the ground work of the present St. Elizabeth Society.


Father Joseph Riedinger, O.M.I. (1944 - 1951), succeeded Father Fuchs and in 1945 - 1947 built a larger
church which was blessed by Archbiship M. C. O'Neill on July 3, 1948.
Father Joseph Schneider, O.M.I., came to Killaly (1951  1955) and during his time in Killaly, bought
the first parish car. He was then succeeded by Father John Rheidt, O.M.I., from 1955 - 1972. In 1957
Killaly was blessed with one of their young men, Adam Exner ordained as a priest. The new perish
rectory was built in 1959 under the direction of Father John Rheidt, O.M.I. The present church was
designed by architect McCudden, built and then blessed on July 6, 1970 by Archbiship O'Neill. After 17
years in Killaly, Father Rheidt, O.M.I., retired in April 1972 to live in Edmonton.
Then from 1972 - 1978 Father Patrick Herbst, O.M.I., moved to Killaly from Lemberg. In March, 1974
the Parish celebrated as Father Exner, O.M.I., became Bishop of Kamloops, B.C. In 1977 construction
began on the Parish Centre.
In August, 1978, Father Clem Novakowski, O.M.I., succeeded Father Herbst. In July, 1980, the parish
of Killaly celebrated Father Clem's 25th anniversary of ordination to the Priesthood. This event was a
first for St. Elizabeth's Barish. February 14, 1981 marked the official opening of the Parish Centre in
Killaly. During the summer of 1982 Killaly celebrated the installation of Rishop Exner as Archbishop of
Winnipeg.
In August, 1983, our present pastor Father Joe Frey, a diocesan priest, succeeded Father Clem
Novakowski, O.M.I. Father Frey resides part-time in Killaly and part-time in Grayson.
This parish at the present has 84 families.