From the Archives

A young priest named Francis Kelley who was serving in Michigan in the 1890s was appalled by the conditions he witnessed in rural parishes: run down facilities, priests living in poverty and people struggling to maintain their Catholic faith. He also noted the need for more chapels to meet the needs of isolated and usually poor Catholics. It was seen as a challenge to bring the Gospel to as many people as possible. 

Father Kelley, later the second bishop of the Diocese of Oklahoma, vowed to work to remedy the above-mentioned issues. With courage and creativity, he founded the Catholic Church Extension Society in 1905. Headquartered in Chicago, Father Kelley began the mammoth task of fundraising, which he accomplished with great vigor. 

To achieve bringing the sacraments and Catholic fellowship to mission territories such as Oklahoma, Extension concocted the idea (barrowed from the Baptists) of the railroad chapel-car. Approved by the board in 1906, the first car was named in honor of Saint Anthony. It was a fully equipped chapel complete with priest's quarters. The concept was a stroke of genius as it became a temporary worship space where a permanent chapel was not possible. As an evangelization tool, it served as a curiosity, and provided access to Catholicism for people in far flung areas. 

It was a highly successful project as the railroads were generous in exacting no fee to carry them since they seldom went further than 30 miles per week and could easily be attached to a freight. While largely helpful (even leading to large automobiles and boats), due to the extreme heat of summers, it was seldom used during that season. 

The system of operation would lend itself to close cooperation between the missionary diocesan bishop and Extension. The host bishop assigned a chaplain and Extension provided the superintendent who served as a sacristan and singer-organist. All cars maintained a small chapel complete with altar, pews and a confessional. 

Oklahoma was a beneficiary of the chapel-car “Saint Paul” seen in the photo near Grandfield in the mid-teens. It would service several communities with some eventually building their own churches, including Grandfield. The Saint Paul operated between 1915 and 1918. 

The Saint Peter car was the longest running of the three continuing until the 1930s in the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest.

This pioneering spirit of providing the sacraments and connecting the faithful with the Universal Church was a hallmark of Francis Kelley's tenure as bishop as well. Forward thinking and intent upon bringing Christ to the far reaches of the diocese, Bishop Kelley's vision, although severely limited in funds by the Depression, would set the stage for his worthy successor and friend Eugene McGuinness, who would become known as the "builder bishop" following World War II.