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A Brief History
On June 22, 1937, after two years at St. Bernadette’s, Father Emile Jungbluth O.M.I. was assigned to the Peace River Block in B.C., which was, at that time, still under the Vicariate of Grouard. It became part of the Vicariate of Prince Rupert in 1944.
Father Jungbluth was the sole Oblate missionary in charge of an area covering 1,500 square miles. The inventive and astoundingly resourceful Father Jungbluth was the ideal charge for such an immense task. When funds were scarce he would put his numerous skills to work, fixing motors, watches, and radios for enough to live on, saving any donations for his missions.
Father Jungbluth also served as chaplain to the American army while they were building the Alaska Highway during WWII. When the war ended, the American army was not allowed to give away or sell their machinery, provisions and supplies as they had been imported under a duty-free arrangement. Instead, the army was ordered to bury, burn and destroy huge piles of blankets, clothing and food. The Father couldn't’t bear such waste when his missions faced such scarcity. Thus, he would sneak into the army camps at night and raid the piles of excess before the soldiers had the chance to destroy them. He distributed the booty among the First Nations at his missions.
The Native peoples to whom Father Jungbluth ministered were widespread and isolated from the larger centers of the Peace River Block. In 1938, in order to expedite the travel time between his mission stations, he brought the first motorcycle to be seen in the Peace Country. With his portable chapel and supplies strapped to the back, he traveled from mission site to mission site, throughout his area and, once a year, raced in the Fort St. John rodeo.
The money for the building of St. Theresa’s came from donations sent from Father Jungbluth’s family and friends in his hometown of Strasburg, Alsace, France and from a $500 donation by the Church Extension Society of Toronto. The construction was done by the local Dunne-za, Sekani, Cree and Métis, many of whom were highly skilled carpenters. William Calliou, a Métis, donated the land for St. Theresa’s church.
SITE INFORMATION
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Church consecrated: 1939
Cemetery: yes, up the hill behind the church
Ownership: Roman Catholic Church
Access: locked; public access to grounds
Contact: Jane Spenst 250-788-2445
FURTHER READING & BIBLIOGRAPHY
Morton, W.L. (Editor) 1984, God’s Galloping Girl: The Peace River diaries of Monica Storrs, 1929-1931, University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Matheson, Shirlee Smith 1986, Youngblood of the Peace, Lone Pine Publishing, Edmonton, Alberta.
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