St. Matthew’s Parish celebrates 100 years

In brief

St. Matthew’s Parish in Rocky Mountain House is celebrating its 100th anniversary of service to the local Catholic community.

The parish's history traces back to October 5, 1845, when Jesuit Father Pierre-Jean De Smet celebrated the first Mass at the Hudson Bay Trading post. Following meetings held in 1925 to discuss building a dedicated church, the first structure was completed on August 27, 1926. Archbishop Henry O’Leary blessed and dedicated that building to St. Matthew.

As the congregation grew beyond the capacity of the original building, construction began on a new church in 1976. Father Ted Wesolowski celebrated the first Mass in the new building on Easter Sunday, April 10, 1977, and Archbishop Joseph MacNeil solemnly blessed the structure on September 6, 1977. The current church features a center aisle added during subsequent renovations.