St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church (Calgary) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church |
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![]() St. Patrick's Church in 2011.
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General information | |
Architectural style | Carpenter Gothic |
Town or city | 14608 Macleod Trail, Midnapore, Calgary, Alberta |
Country | Canada |
Construction started | 1904 |
Completed | 1904 |
Technical details | |
Structural system | wooden |
St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church is a historic church building in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is located in the Midnapore area. This church was built in 1904. It has a special design style called Carpenter Gothic.
Contents
St. Patrick's Church: A Historic Building
St. Patrick's Church was built by local workers. The land for the church was given by Patrick Glenn. His family was one of the first farming families in Calgary. The church has a very steep roof. It also has tall, narrow windows called lancet windows. These features are common for Carpenter Gothic churches.
Who Was Father Albert Lacombe?
A famous missionary priest named Father Albert Lacombe served at St. Patrick's. He worked there until he passed away in 1916. Father Lacombe was very important in the early history of Alberta.
Why Is This Church Special?
St. Patrick's Church is considered a very important place. It was named a Provincial Historic Resource on April 10, 2001. This means it is protected because of its history. It is special for a few reasons:
- Its unique Carpenter Gothic architecture.
- Its connection to Father Albert Lacombe.
- Its role in the religious history of southern Alberta.
The Church's Location and Neighbors
The church is located on the east side of Macleod Trail. It sits north of another old church, St. Paul's Anglican Church. St. Paul's was built even earlier, in 1885. On a hill nearby is Lacombe Home. This building was built in 1910 and is also a Provincial Historic Resource.
A Church's Journey Through Time
The people who went to St. Patrick's Church moved to a new building in 1983. After that, the old St. Patrick's church was used by different groups. These included Midlands United Church and St. Paul's Anglican Church. It was also used by All Saints (Lutheran) Church for a while.
However, the building later became empty. It started to fall apart. In 1997, the church land was sold. The whole property became a registered cemetery.
In 2010, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary bought the land back. In June 2011, they allowed the St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church to use it. This group started to fix up the church. They now use it as their place of worship.