Memories Strong For Church Members

Poplar Church Fire

By Bill Vander Weele

As longtime members Debbie McGowan and Tara Longtree sadly watched their beloved church, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Poplar, be destroyed by a fire on Tuesday, Aug. 25, a blessing suddenly was delivered to them.

One of Poplar’s volunteer firemen handed McGowan, who serves as the church’s bookkeeper, a Bible that wasn’t burned in the church fire.

“There’s hope. There’s promise in the book,” Mc-Gowan said.

That hope, their faith and precious memories are emotions that are now held dearly by those individuals who have called the Catholic church their religious home for decades.

Church member Allison Harrison remembers texting McGowan early that morning, about 4:30 a.m., about the tragedy. “I had to tell somebody,” Harrison said. “It was just complete disbelief.”

McGowan explained she found out through texts and social media. “I was just sick,” she shared.

The church was where the community members celebrated special times such as births, baptisms, communions and high school graduations.

“It just goes on and on and on,” Harrison said of the memories. “They can’t destroy our memories.”

Longtree remembers holding her deceased mother’s hand in the church and asking, “What will I do without you?” Longtree says that the church then became all yellow and provided her strength.

The three women recall how full the midnight mass services used to be. Such a turnout at that time that extra chairs needed to be utilized. They recited a series of family names and share where those members sat during each service.

McGowan says that her husband, Felix, recalls being an alter boy back in the 1960s. “That was when everything was still in Latin,” Debbie added.

Longtree talks about her grand-daughter wearing the same yellow dress and gold cowboy boots each week to service. Mickey Failing then purchased the young girl a dress for her first communion.

Dedicated members such as Joseph Red Thunder and pianist Ann O’Brien are thought of for their contributions decades ago. Although the church building is gone, all those memories are still very much alive.

The first records of the Catholic church in Poplar dates back to 1880, according to “Roosevelt County Treasured Years.” It wasn’t until May 10, 1968, that the current church was opened.

Father Patrick Ryan, who served as the priest in Poplar

from 1957-1967, had a vision for how the church should look. Father Ryan, however, died from cancer before the construction was finished.

Physically, items that made the church special included a unique statue of the resurrected Jesus behind the alter, which was di rent than the usual crucifix. On each side of the statue were rocks that came from old churches. The statue was dedicated to Father Ryan and other church members who passed away.

Roscoe White Eagle skillfully painted the Stations of the Cross, which hung on the walls behind the pews. The frames were created to look like tipis.

Janice White Eagle, now 76, remembers as a high school student watching her father painted the 14 stations.

“I watched him paint all of them and do the frames one at a time,” Janice said.

She explained that her father also created a painting of Father Ryan behind the altar even though the priest never had the chance to see the new church. A special night was held for the unveiling of the artwork, which remained at the church for members to enjoy.

“Now, all 14 of them and the painting of Father Ryan are gone,” White Eagle said about the fire damage. “The funerals, the baptisms, they all took place in that church.”