The Mariapolis faith community was a mission of St. Alphonse known as St. Alphonse Sud. With the coming of the railway in 1891 a village south of St. Alphonse was given the name of Mariapolis upon the suggestion of Fr. Telesphore Campeau, the parish priest of St. Alphonse, to the Northern Pacific Railway Company. From 1890 to 1895 Fr. Campeau served the mission of Mariapolis, saying Mass in a small Church in the Northeast corner of the village which had been constructed by the French inhabitants of the area. He was followed by Fr. Noel Perquis for two years and then by Fr. Gustave Willems from 1897-1899.
On September 24, 1899 Fr. August Roux, the pastor of St. Alphonse came to say Mass in Mariapolis. Each parishioner gave an offering of $1.00 towards the purchase of bells for this small church.
Fr. Picod, the assistant to Fr. Roux was in charge of the Mariapolis mission and served the community twice a month. in 1899, Mariapolis became detached from the parish of St. Alphonse. By the spring of 1900, the interior of the church had been paneled with voluntary contributions and a priest from St. Alphonse came to say Mass every Sunday.
In August 1903, the Mariapolis mission was elevated to a parish. Our Lady of the Assumption was the official name given to the new parish. Fr. Charles (Pere Charles) Deutschler became the first resident priest. He was replaced by Fr. J.B. Morlat (1904-6) and then by Fr. Jean Marie Comte (1906-7). In 1907 Fr. Joseph Albert Rousseau became the pastor. in July 1908 work on the foundation of the new and much larger parochial church of Mariapolis commenced. The church with bell tower (steeple) was to be 100 feet long by 42 feet wide, and of the Romanesque style with the estimated cost of more than $10,000.00. By 1910 the new church was being used for regular Sunday Mass and the old church was converted to a parish hall. a few years later the brick work to the exterior was done to a cost of approximately $1000. By 1927 the interior of the Church was completed.
Fr. Rousseau also administered to the Catholic people of Baldur. He was later aided by Fr. Joseph Fonmosse. Fr. Mazué replaced Fr. Rousseau for a short time.
During Fr. Moquin’s stay (1929-1955), a new bell was hoisted into the steeple and a new altar and ornaments were purchased for the church. In 1938, Greenway and Glenora were included into this parish where Mass was said twice a month in the Glenora hall.
In 1955 Fr. Moquin was replaced by Fr. Jolicoeur, followed by Fr. Fontaine in 1957. Fr. Fontaine went to Glenora every Sunday to say the 8:30 Mass. In 1960 Fr. Dugré became the new pastor. Fr Crémonesi (1965-1968) undertook the changes in bringing the altar forward and removing the Communion rail. In 1968 our parish again became a mission of St. Alphonse under the direction of Fr. Hunfeld. Rather than travelling to Glenora, Fr. Hunfeld arranged to say an 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Mass in Mariapolis each Sunday which he did until his passing in 1999.
In 1999 we became part of the Swan Lake Catholic Centre and Fr. Michiels helped us all to accept and adjust to this change. September 2006, Fr. John Te Neguyen was assigned to the Catholic Centre.
Swan Lake Catholic Centre 