Our Community
Our parish community consists of close to 500 families, spread out in Baker County and Union County.
Our parishioners come mostly from Baker City, Haines, North Powder, Halfway, Richland, Keating, and other areas in the northeast of our state.
We are trying to reach out to help in our community, as you can read in the link entitled "Community Services."
Some of our parishioners are long-time residents of this area, and the view they see today is very much the same as the view that are reproduced in these historic pictures. Many of them attended St Francis Academy, a school built in 1885, but unfortunately demolished in 1970. The pictures of all the graduates over the years are still visible in our parish hall, and they always bring some nostalgic memories. Hereunder we reproduce some historical photos, most of which are close to 100 years old.
Paintings of our Sisters
These are some recently discovered paintings of two Sisters of St Francis who taught at the Academy before it was torn down in 1970. The first 5 paintings are by Sister Rigoberta and the other 13 are by Sister Rose de Lima. Most of these paintings are in private residences, but those of Sr Rose are all at the St Elizabeth Nurisng Home.
(click on each photo to enlarge)
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
This set is taken in 2007 and shows a panoramic view of Baker City in the winter, and each picture can be enlarged by clicking on it.
Photos by Fr Julian
More historical photos further down
 |
 |
 |
 |
The year of Saint Paul
The Pauline Year – Pope Benedict has declared the coming year as “the Year of St Paul,” and I would like to share with you from time to time a few reflections on the person, the message and the letters of St Paul. Originally named Saul, he was a Pharisee born in Tarsus (present-day Turkey) sometime between 5 and 10 AD. Saul hated the new Christian Church and sought permission to go to Damascus and arrest every believer in his path. On the way, however, he was knocked from his horse by a blinding light and the voice of the Lord asking, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” When his sight returned, the transformed Paul traveled the world, preaching about his new found faith. Paul financed his extensive travels by working as a tentmaker. The communities of Corinth, Philippi, Thessalonica, Colossae, Galatia and others not only received him, but also received letters that he wrote afterwards, letters recorded in the New Testament.
The people of Malta are privileged to have received St Paul during one of his missionary journeys, even though it was by accident that he ended up on the shores of the Maltese Islands in the year 60 AD. He was on his way to Rome to be tried and eventually be martyred there, but a fierce storm saw them being shipwrecked on two large rocks on the northeast of Malta, which have become known as the St Paul’s Islands. The whole account of the shipwreck is found in the Acts of the Apostles chapters 27 and 28. St Luke describes the people of Malta as kind, hospitable and welcoming, a tribute which still exists among the people of Malta. I will be preparing a talk on the Catholic heritage of Malta with a variety of photos I took recently, adapted to form a talk on the influence St Paul has had on Malta throughout the centuries.
Here are some historical photos of Saint Paul to help you prepare for this Pauline Year. The first one shows the official logo of the Pauline Year, others are from Maltese Churches, two Rembrandt paintings, some statues, a first-day cover of a Malta stamp, and the stained-glass windows are from a church in Mowbray, England. (click on each photo to enlarge)
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
A very rare and old picture of Baker City, dated 1868
A view of Baker City with the Elkhorns in the distance, and our Cathedral on the right. This photo is dated 1920.
And here's a modern picture of Baker City as it is seen from Interstate 84. Baker City is nestled beneath the Elkhorn Mountains, which are snow-capped every year between October and June. This picture was taken in November 2005
The Horses market in a postcard Main Street in Baker City, a postcard
dated 1900 dated around 1920
In both pictures the spire of the Cathedral is visible in the distance
The old St Elizabeth's Hospital was built where the present YMCA building stands now. This undated photo is probably from the 1930s.
The Cathedral of St Francis de Sales The Cathedral in a photo
with the Academy on the side, dated 1930
in a photo dated around 1920
The interior of the Cathedral in a photo from 1908, the year the Cathedral was opened. The main altar and the altar rail was incorporated in what is the present tabernacle on the side after the restoration took place in 1958 and 1976.
St Francis Academy in two photos dated 1920 and 1930
Our Cathedral as a back-drop to the
Elkhorn Classic Bike race - June 2006
