History of Immaculate Conception

The first Holy Mass offered for the early settlers of the Catholic faith in the Max, ND area was celebrated at the home of Mr. and Mrs. P. D. Podohla.  The Reverend Bonaventure Hanson officiated with the following families in attendance:  Frank Kohoutek, Frank Timaskevich, Theodore Wasdatsky, Leopold Paul, P. D. Podohla, Frank Malloy, Margaret Reese and Bartoskevick.  Due to the large number of congregations served by Father Hanson, the Mass was offered only twice monthly and that was during the mid-week.

The Most Reverend Vincent Wehrle [OSB], the first Bishop of the Bismarck, ND Diocese, administered Confirmation to the first class which consisted of Lucia Louise and Aloys Huettl, Margaret Alvina and Frank Kohoutek and Potentia Sophie and Joseph Timoskevich.

The first church was built on the site of the present church in 1913.  Margaret Reese donated two lots and one lot was purchased from A. A. Zethren.

The first baptisms in Max were Helen, Carl and Eva Kohoutek on March 7, 1910.  The first funeral was that of Frank Timoskevich held on August 29, 1914.

Potentia Timoskevich and Lucian Samulenok were the first to be united in marriage in the new church on November 20, 1915.

For many years the Max congregation was served as a mission from the Douglas, ND parish with Mass offered twice monthly and later weekly. Largely through the efforts of Father Eugene LaMeres, then the pastor of Holy Cross in Douglas, the Max congregation was changed from a mission to an independent parish in 1952.  The first resident pastor was Father John Lukach.

In 1953 a rectory was built under the supervision of Archie Litvinenko with labor donated by the members of the parish.  When the bishop saw fit to close the mission church of St. Adolph at Endres (southeast of Max) in order to take care of the needs of a growing membership, it was necessary to build a larger church.  This new church building was built under the supervision of Ole Hanson of Ruso, ND.  Mathias Lies of Douglas completed the finishing work and built the new alter.

Because of the imminent inundation of the Catholic Church at Elbowoods, ND by the Garrison Dam, the parish was able to purchase the church for a nominal fee and dismantle it.  Through the efforts of the parishioners, the lumber was transported by truck and used in the construction of the present building.  Bishop Lambert A. Hoch, then Bishop of the Bismarck Diocese, dedication the new church on December 6, 1954.

Father John Lukach continued to serve as pastor until the summer of 1960 when he was transferred to New Town, ND.  After Father Luckach’s departure, the parish was served by the following pastors: 

[Father Bonaventure Hanson
Father Eugene LaMeres
Father John Lukach (1952-1960)]
Father John Dubsky (1960-1961),
Father Pommier (1961-1962),
Father Raymond Bakes (1962-1963),
Father Valerian Saboutas (1963-1967),
Father Paul Cervinski (1967-1974),
Father Charles Heidt (1974-19760,
Father Robert Williams (1976-1987),
Father Robert Kaveny (1987-1989),
Father. Jerome Shommer (1989-1994),
Father John Malpuran from India (April 1994-October 1994),
Father Francis Remededios [OSB] (1994-1995),
Father Gene Lindemann (1995-1996),
Father Hugo Blotsky [OSB] (1996-2002),
Father James Ryan (July 2002 -January 2003),
and Father Francis Kalathiveettil (February 2003 ... [2007]),
[Father John 2008-2016),
and Father Basil Atwell, OSB (2016 to Present).]

Max became a mission of Garrison on October 5, 1995.  The historical highlights of the Max Parish are as follows.  The first baptism Father Lukach came to serve the parish was that of Marlys (Huettl) Hummel.  The first baptism present church was that of Susan (Huettl) Halvorson.  Since the new church, there have been 12 baptisms, 114 received Holy Communion, 50 couples were married and 121 have been confirmed.

The first trustees in the new parish were Clem Huettl and Robert Berg. 

Written by Clarence Jacobson deceased
Submitted by Karen Huesers
Garrison Centennial History Book Through the Years 1905-2005, 80.