A Visual Reconstruction of the First Mass in Wyoming
- By Michie
- One Bread, One Body - Catholic
- 0 Replies
On July 5, 1840, the Flemish Jesuit Pierre-Jean De Smet offered Mass atop a bluff near present-day Daniel, WY. Assembled to witness the ritual was an immense crowd of fur trappers and Indigenous peoples who had convened for the annual trade rendezvous held nearby. The memorable scene marked the first public celebration of the Mass in what is today Wyoming.
De Smet had arrived at the rendezvous to evaluate the prospect of establishing missions in the area. Up to this point, the 39-year-old’s experience as a Jesuit had been characterized by chronic illness, discouragement, and failure. His 1840 journey to the Rocky Mountains, however, launched a transformative phase of his career, one that would catapult him to fame as the century’s foremost missionary to the North American Indians as well as an energetic diplomat, intrepid explorer, pioneering cartographer, and popular author who would leave a lasting mark on the history of the American West.
In a letter, De Smet described the pivotal events of July 5 like this:
Continued below.
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De Smet had arrived at the rendezvous to evaluate the prospect of establishing missions in the area. Up to this point, the 39-year-old’s experience as a Jesuit had been characterized by chronic illness, discouragement, and failure. His 1840 journey to the Rocky Mountains, however, launched a transformative phase of his career, one that would catapult him to fame as the century’s foremost missionary to the North American Indians as well as an energetic diplomat, intrepid explorer, pioneering cartographer, and popular author who would leave a lasting mark on the history of the American West.
In a letter, De Smet described the pivotal events of July 5 like this:
Continued below.
Guest Article: A Visual Reconstruction of the First Mass in Wyoming
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