Wishart Town – Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 Church of the Assumption of the B.V.M. constructed 1958 in south-westerly Wishart; R.M. 277.

WISHART — The church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the first church of the parish.

The church, constructed in 1958, is located in the north-west part of Wishart on a level and partially treed site. Rev. M. Schudio, CSSR, served the first holy service, a Moleben to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the first Divine Liturgy in the uncompleted structure on August 14 and 15, 1958 respectively. Bishop Andrew Roborecki blessed the cornerstone of the church on August 26, 1962.

The rectangular church structure, 80 x 36 feet, has a shingled gable roof, two blind frontal cupolas covered with white sheet metal, exterior wood siding and rectangular windows. The church interior contains a rectangular sanctuary, two sacristies, a choir loft above the vestibule and the nave with wooden pews seating approx. 200 persons. The church basement serves as a parish hall with kitchen facilities. The entire structure has electricity, central oil heating and plumbing facilities. The church was constructed by the contractor Masden of Ituna. The parishioners purchased the site for $200 and covered the construction costs, $18,000, through generous donations and voluntary labour.

Ukrainian settlers arrived in this area in 1907 from the Husiatyn and Rava Rus’ka counties. The settlers who moved from the neighbouring countryside into the village of Wishart were served by the Redemptorist Fathers of Yorkton and holy services were held at a local Roman Catholic church.

On January 22, 1950, at a meeting held at the home of Peter Ewanski, the parishioners decided to construct a church and selected the construction committee with: Alex Federko, president; Michael Wasylenko, vice-president; David Moleski, secretary; Michael Yan-eshewski, treasurer; Peter Ewanski, John Pasternak and Olena Moleski, auditors. Also present at this meeting were: Joseph Pasternak, John Humeniuk, Alex Dublan-ica, William Latoski and Josephine Yurchak.

At the time of church construction, the parish consisted of 15 members. In 1961 there were 130 individuals and in 1975, 41 families were registered from Wishart and surrounding area in a radius of approximately fifteen miles. In 1976 the parish was under the directorship of: Rev. Leonard Ratushniak, CSSR, pastor, John Bashutski, David Moleski, and Mac Kucey.

The Ukrainian Catholic parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Wishart is under the pastoral charge of Wynyard.