Coeur d’Alene, Idaho: Cataldo Mission State Park
History of the Cataldo the Mission:
The Coeur d’Alene Indians asked that the Francsicans from Saint Louis come here back in the 19th Century. Originally a Mission was built along the Saint Jo River, but due to flooding, the Mission was moved to its current location. A priest from Italy, Father Joseph Cataldo, designed the Mission.
About the Cataldo Mission:
Father Cataldo designed the mission after the grand Cathedrals of Italy. Built by the Indians, and using only simple tools and materials, the Mission does not contain a single nail. Yet it has survived years of neglect and is a favorite spot for visitors. There is a $5 per car admission fee.
Masses are occasionally offered here, as well as weddings. Each fall, a few hundred Gonzaga University students and faculty members make a religious pilgrimage to the Mission. They ride buses to a valley just beyond the Coeur d’Alene Mountains in north Idaho. And then, they walk nine miles to the Mission.
When there, be sure to see the exhibit “Sacred Encounters: Father De Smet & the Indians of the Rocky Mountain West”. Click here for a Youtube video of the exhibit.
Traveling to the Cataldo Mission in Coeur d’Alene Mission State Park :
The park is located just West of the town of Coeur d’Alene.
Address:Exit 39 I-90
GPS coordinates:47° 32′ 55.0428” N, 116° 21′ 29.3148” W
Tel:+1 (208) 682-3814
e-mail: OLD@idpr.idaho.gov
Click here for the official website of the Coeur d’Alene Mission State Park.