Once described as the smallest and the last in the Archdiocese of St. Boniface, the furthest away from our Swan Lake mother Church, St. Gregory’s has, however a strong will to survive as a parish community. we are small in number with a building which has only recently acquired running water and a bathroom. We have chairs instead of pews, but a long history of perseverance and determination to serve God as a Roman Catholic Community. It is a worship community from Crystal City, Pilot Mound, Clearwater and rural areas surrounding them.
The early pioneers were aware of the need for a place where they could gather for Sunday worship. As early as 1897, they had built a church in Pilot Mound, but as distances were great and numbers were few, the building was sold. Father Poitras came from St. Boniface in 1927-28 to celebrate mass, the first being the Dupas home, then once or twice a year in the home of Mrs LaLier at Crystal City, and then the Demel home in Clearwater, About 1935 Rev. Father O. Moquin from Mariapolis came to the homes of the Simpson, Mondor, Boulet, and Delorme families. From 1939-57 Sunday Mass and Confirmation were held in the people’s homes and in the Legion Hall. In 1958 Father Beaulieu came to serve this mission from the parish from Swan Lake.
Our present building was bought in 1959, and with donations from the rural and urban Catholic families and members of other denominations, was repaired and painted. A deep gratitude is acknowledged to the late veterinarian, Dr. Roman Swiszczowski, his wife and family, for all the help they contributed at that time. This building, originally a Methodist Church, was built in 1886, and was sold to the Pilot Mound School Board in 1927, after the union of Protestant churches and the beginning of the United Church. it Served as a classroom for 32 years.
In 1996, the Ladies Auxilliary of the Mission of St. Gregory became members of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada. Regular meetings were held to discuss parish matters plan fund-raising events – a pancake breakfast, or a tea and bake sale. They also participated in volunteer work: teaching catechism classes sewing and mending for the hospital, visiting the aged and the infirmed, canvassing for the Red Cross, catering to dinners and weddings and cleaning the church buildings.
In 1985 our mission became a part of the Somerset Parish with Father Rene Touchette as the priest. Archbishop Antoine Hacault made a pastoral visit in July 1987, Father Louis Caron served until he was replaced by Father Gerard DeRuyck in 1989.
In 1986, at a CWL meeting, a motion was passed to dissolve the CWL Council and reorganize as the Pilot Mound Catholic Auxilliary, which would encompass all parishioners, with the same mandate as the CWL. When Father Real Levesque came to us in 1991, the Catholic Auxilliary was very active, involved in all the previous functions as well as the distribution of Christmas hampers, garage and bake sales, Meals on Wheels, World Day of Prayer, Prarie View Lodge birthday parties and an annual potluck supper. Archbishop Antoine Hacault made a pastoral visit to our parish to our parish in the fall of 1992.
In 1994, Father Marcel Damphousse came to us from the Somerset Parish for a two year term. We then became a part of the Swan Lake Catholic Centre, presided over by Father Firmin Michiels. In 1997, our Church was integral in the formation of a new Pro-Life group called Pembina Pro-Life, an organization under the auspices of the League for Life, and the Alliance for Life. The mandate is to promote the sanctity of life and educate people about the facts of euthanasia, chastity and abortion. We also joined with the other churches in Pilot Mound, in an Ecumenical effort, in sponsoring a refugee family from Bosnia.
In 2007, with Fr. Michaels retirement, Fr. John Te Nguyen came to Swan Lake Centre as Pastor, and so to our Church in Pilot Mound.
Today we remain an active church community. Many parishioners serve as Lay ministers such as altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, Lectors and Music Ministers. We provide Lay Sunday services in the absence of our priest and also Sunday Sunday lay Services of the Word, in turn with other local churches, at the Prarie View Lodge. Religious Education classes are taught Catechist’s homes. The Ladies Auxilliary has recently undertaken to refurbish some of the Church’s needs such as altar linens and the like. The fund raising events continue and are actively supported by the parishioners. We continue to donate to various charities, including a parish in Haiti. The men of our Church have generously provided regular maintenance of the Church building, the construction of the bathroom addition, a wheelchair ramp. Plans continue for improvements to our little church in Pilot Mound.
Swan Lake Catholic Centre 