Sacred Heart Cradle of Catholicism - Konawa, OK - News Article Locations on Waymarking.com

"The kids around here like to scare each other by saying this place is haunted," remarked Father Joseph Murphy as he strolled the grounds of old Sacred Heart Mission in southern Pottawatomie County, eight miles east of Asher.

Even if there aren't ghosts here, there are plenty of memories.

Sacred Heart was established by Father Isidore Robot and Brother Dominic Lambert, Benedictine monks from the Abbey of Pierre-Qui-Vire in France. They arrived in Indian Territory in 1875, settling first at Atoka.

The two came as missionaries to the Potawatomi Indians and it was from the tribe that they obtained the land, called Robot's Square Mile, for the purpose of establishing a mission and school for the Indians and a Benedictine monastary for themselves.

This mission is often called the "Cradle of Catholicism" in Oklahoma for it was from here the monks went out to establish some 40 Catholic churches and missions throughout Indian Territory. In 1915 the monks started Catholic University of Oklahoma, later changed to St. Gregory's College, in Shawnee.

The mission site was accepted for listing on the National Register of Historic Places in September of 1983.

According to Father Joseph, the first classes at the day school were in November of 1877. The boys boarding school opened in 1880 with two Arapaho boys and one white boy as students.

In June of 1880, a girl's boarding school called St. Mary's Academy and a convent were completed by the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. In 1884 the Sisters of Mercy took over responsibility for the school.

"The schools were originally for Indian students, but it wasn't long before they were all accepting children of nearby white settlers, ranchers and businessmen as well," said Father Joseph.

The road which leads into the grounds now is not the original entrance to the mission.

"It was a few hundred feet south of here," he said, as he pointed out the many flowering shrubs and plants which were planted by the monks in years past and that still survive among the trees and vines grown up among the mission ruins.

Of the many buildings which once stood on this site, only three of historical significance remain: two log cabins and the bakery.

"The bakery was very important," said Father Joseph as he approached the two-story structure of native sandstone. "The monks didn't eat meat but they were Frenchmen and they did expect and enjoy good bread."

The building was constructed in 1883 with sandstone quarried on the property.

When the keystone in the upper arch of one of the windows had to be replaced in the 1960s, local stonemasons refused to try to cut the local sandstone for fear it would damage their tools.

"Someone was finally found to do it but it took a while to locate him," Father Joseph remarked.

The two-story log house was built in 1878 and is of special significance because, said Father Joseph, "We are told so few good two-story log cabins still remain in this area."

Over the years the building served as a carpenter shop, shoe cobbler shop and bunkhouse.

"An authority on log cabins told us this one differs a little from the usual log cabins found in the state. It has some of the characteristics of log cabins found on the continent," said Father Joseph.

Other structures found standing are the one-story cabin, a silo and a maintenance building and the foundations of the second church, convent, monastery and boys school all built after the fire of 1901 that destroyed most of the Sacred Heart Mission complex.

The Sisters of Mercy located their new building southeast of the original school after the fire. This was an active girl's boarding school until 1943 although the sisters moved their mother house and novitiate to Oklahoma City in 1905.

The monastery was rebuilt in the original location, only this time it was constructed of bricks fired on the grounds.

"They were not a high quality brick. A mild earthquake in the early 1950s cracked the walls in all directions and in 1955 it was demolished for safety reasons," said Father Joseph.

Sacred Heart College, which was begun in 1883, moved to Shawnee after the fire and lasted until 1926.

"The abbey was moved to Shawnee in 1929, but several of the old fathers and brothers remained at old Sacred Heart. The final resident was moved to St. Gregory's in 1955," said Father Joseph.

"I wish we could fix up some here, lay out paths and have signs explaining what it used to be like," he said.

The monks have tried fixing up the buildings remaining at the site, but their action always seems to bring out the vandals.

"As long as we leave glass out of the windows and the doors off the hinges we don't have much trouble. The only thing we worry about much is fire," he said.

Type of publication: Newspaper When was the article reported?: 04/22/1984 Publication: The Oklahoman Article Url: [Web Link] Is Registration Required?: no How widespread was the article reported?: regional News Category: Society/People

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