St. Mary’s Mission in the Pacific Northwest
Father Pierre-Jean De Smet brought Christianity to Native peoples in Idaho and Montana through the construction of St. Mary’s Mission. With it came Catholic conversion among some Salish (Flatheads) and Nez Perce, and conflict with the Blackfeet.
A few members of Salish speaking tribes, also referred to as “Flatheads,” traveled to St. Louis in the 1830s and requested the Catholic Church send missionaries to construct a mission to teach them about Christianity and the Bible. Father Pierre-Jean De Smet, Society of Jesus, was a Flemish Jesuit priest who answered the call, traveling west with fur traders and Catholic Mohawks. He founded the Catholic mission of St. Mary’s in 1841 to provide schools, storehouses, farms, workhouses, and religious instruction.
De Smet and the St. Mary’s Mission abided by four overarching rules. First: respect the Catholic Church with submission and a desire to learn about the gospel. Second: respect your neighbors and obey those in positions of authority. Third: develop attributes such as humility, charity, and temperance for self-improvement. Fourth: limit contact between Natives and settlers who may not help cultivate Christian values.
The presence of St. Mary’s had a profound effect on many Natives. Some Salish were baptized and the mission counted converts as a sign of the mission’s success. Others, such as the Blackfeet, loathed the mission and waged war upon it, destroying the mission in 1850.
Pierre-Jean De Smet, as the mission’s supervisor, played a large role not only in spreading the gospel message, but also as a community leader. He presided over marriages, baptisms, and other ecclesiastical functions as well as social issues relating to farming, government, and interactions with outsiders. The community looked up to him as a protector and he often counseled Native leaders on matters concerning war and policy. Other Salish rejected De Smet and the Catholic intrusion in their lives and adhered to traditional teachings and practices.
Located near Stevensville, Montana, Historic St. Mary’s Mission is on the National Register of Historic Places. Buildings include the chapel, Father Ravalli’s cabin, Chief Victor’s Cabin, Ox Cart barn, Dove Cote, Smoke House, Diorama, Salish encampment, and apple orchard. A visitor center houses a museum, gift shop, office, art gallery, and research library. Volunteers serve as tour guides, grounds keepers, clerical workers, and operate a museum and gift shop.
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