• Timeline

  • The Church of the Immaculate Conception, later known as the Church of St. Mary, was built at the corner of Main Avenue and Mandan Street in Bismarck in 1875. This was the first church in Western North Dakota. 
  • St. Mary's receives the title of a parish in 1877 when the first resident pastor, Fr. Chrysostom Foffa, is assigned. 
  • St. Mary's Academy is established in 1878. 
  • In 1898, the current location of the church was purchased for $12,000 and a new church building was constructed. Bishop John Shanley dedicated the church on September 25, 1898.
  • The Diocese of Bismarck was established in 1910. St. Mary's served as the Pro-Cathedral, short for provisional cathedral, until a permanent cathedral could be built. The title was retained until the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit was constructed in 1945. 
  • The church saw various remodels in the early 1970s and early 1990s.
  • A gathering space and multi-purpose space was added on to the church in 2003. 
  • On September 8, 2020 St. Mary's resumed use of the title of Pro-Cathedral, and is thus known as the Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary.

• Our Parish Logo

  
  The parish logo, which features the Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary title, has several
  key features worth noting:

  • A silhouette of our iconic church facade and bell tower
  • The year 1877 which is the official year of our establishment as a parish
  • The color blue in our updated parish logo is in honor of our Blessed Mother, the patroness of both our parish and our diocese
• • Then and Now... 46 Photos