About St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church
The need for a church in the Brooks area was realized by Bishop John T. Kidd in 1928. Consideration was made about building a church in both Duchess and Brooks but after talking with several Catholics in the area, the Bishop decided that Brooks would be the centre of a new parish and mission area.
A two-acre parcel of land in Brooks was secured for one hundred dollars ($100). This is where the Alberta Government Service Centre is now located. The new church in Brooks was blessed under the name of Our Lady of Perpetual Help by Bishop Kidd on August 10, 1930. Fr. Fitzpatrick then moved from Bassano to Brooks to look after the new parish.
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Our Parish Priest, Staff, Ministries, Groups + Organizations
Get to know our Pastor, the Parish Staff, the Ministries, Groups and Organizations that build up the core of the St. Mary’s Parish Community. Their steadfast dedication, leadership and service to God continually inspire people across many generations.
About St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church - Tide Lake Mission
This part of the country was opened up by the government for homesteading from 1909 - 1911. People came from parts of the European continent, United States and Eastern Canada. The Polish and Ukrainian people, consisting of about twenty families, settled around the area of Tide Lake which had a post office. These families were all of Catholic faith.
In 1912, the land for the church site was donated by John Glowczarski, better known as “Johnny Bum Thumb“. The church was completed and consecrated as St. Mary’s. Fr. Sylla held the first Holy Mass on December 14, 1912.
Take a look at our buildings + facilities
Parish Boundaries
The area covered by St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church includes the City of Brooks and the County of Newell No. 4, bordered by Range Road 110 to the east, Highway 56 to the west, the Red Deer River to the north, and the Bow River to the south.
The Parish Boundary also extends to the northeast, with the administration of St. Mary’s Parish - Tide Lake Mission covering the communities of Tide Lake, Iddesleigh, and Jenner inside the Special Area No. 2. The whole area is under the Medicine Hat Deanery of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary.
The TransCanada Highway #1 runs East and West and the Veteran’s Memorial Highway #36 runs North and South.
St. Columba’s Parish in Bassano is under the administration of Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church in Cluny - Siksika Nation.
