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Our Lady of Swan Valley Catholic Church
On Sunday, Swan Valley Catholics dedicated a new church on Beck Road off
Hwy 83, MM 47.
At left, Fr. Okorn, parish pastor, in dedication services
Sunday, Sept. 1, 1996. At right, Mike Holmes, left, presents Helena Diocese
Bishop Alexander J. Brunett with the Church Keys.
Swan Valley Catholics dedicate new church
From the Pathfinder
September, 1996
by Gary Noland
Over 200 people turned out Sunday for the dedication of a new church
in the Swan Valley.
"Our Lady of Swan Valley Catholic Church" was dedicted by Helena
Diocese Bishop Alexander J. Brunett.
Fr. D. A. Okorn, pastor at the church, in closing remarks, thanked the many
people whose efforts had made possible the building of the first Catholic
church in the Swan Valley.
"It all began on December 9, 1990, while the Catholic congregation
was holding services at the Condon Faith Lutheran Church. Visiting Bishop
Curtis told the congregation that day that he would like to see a Catholic
Church in the Swan Valley," Okorn recalled.
He noted several persons for significant contributions, including Margaret
Leistiko and her husband, the late Gene Leistiko, for donating the two acres
of land for the church; the Catholic Church Extension Society for arranging
a matching $60,000 gift from the Francis Baldy family of Rendville, Ohio;
the Diocese of Helena for a $10,000 gift; Dr. Lendal Kotschevar of Miami,
Florida, for a $22,000 check that matched local fund-raising efforts; Richard
Gilmore who built and donated all the furniture in the church, except for
the pews. "Without his help, the church would not be here today,"
Okorn said.
He also gave special thanks to Dick and Sandy Kiehl, the "cleaning
angels," for countless hours of work in recent weeks; Larry Deeds,
the architect; Paul Brueggeman and companions from Polson; Donna Gibson,
who came from Seattle to sing at the dedication, the Swan Valley Ecumenical
Singers, and Michelle Jenkins, pastoral assistant at the Sycamore Tree.
Other contributors were named in the dedication program.
The parish served as its own contractor, utilizing several subcontractors
over the three and one-half years it took to complete construction.
Okorn also paid tribute to the Condon Faith Lutheran Church where Swan Valley
Catholics have held their services for the past 20 years.