This parish is in the Diocese of Nelson, within the Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver. It has a single mission, Most Holy Redeemer Mission in Riondel, which is on the east side of Kootenay Lake about 85 km. north of Creston.
At the church is a large stone tablet with the ten commandments inscribed and, to the south side of the church, a shrine with memorials to some of the congregation who have passed on.
The large granite tablet was given to the church by the Knights of Columbus to commemorate its centennial. The little white church, built by Father James Wagner, and mentioned in the history below is presumed to be the original Holy Cross Catholic Church and not the log church built circa 1878.
Across the bottom of the tablet is inscribed the following:
Donated by K of C Council 5299 on the Occasion of the Centennial of the Holy Cross Church AD 2007
Early History of Holy Cross Parish
According to early records, a little log church was built around the year 1878 by Father Fouquet, south of the present Town of Creston and near the banks of the Kootenay River. It is thought this may have been the church of the "Flat Bows" mentioned in early baptismal records and in the diaries of David Thompson. The beautiful old building Church named St. Peter's was built by Father Coccola in the later 1890's. This beautiful church on the lower Kootenay Indian Reserve, is not presently in use, but is maintained by members of the Band Council.
The little white Church was built by Father James Wagner's leadership in 1907 at the 10th Avenue was called the Holy Cross Church of Creston.
From Holy Cross Parish