Parish History

The History of the Catholic Church

in Globe, Arizona

1879 to 1918

The Diocesan archives tell us that traveling missionary Priests were visiting Globe on Horseback from Florence around 1879. The archives tell us that Father Edward Gerard visited Globe City on January 12, 1879 and baptized five children and conducted Masses in an adobe home on Hill Street.

In June of 1890 Father Monfort was instructed by Bishop Bourgade to purchase the Globe Baptist Church, which had closed due to lack of local support. The Globe Baptist Church was a barnlike woodframe building, which stood where the present day rectory now sits. Bishop Bourgade referenced the purchased church as the Mission at Globe.

In 1891 Bishop Bourgade transferred authority of the Mission to Father Vandermasen at Solomville. Solomville is where the towns of Pima and Thatcher are now. 

In March 1988 Father Barrette was assigned as the pastor of Solomville. Bishop Bourgade was made Archbishop of Santa Fe, and Henry Granjon was elevated to the episcopate at Tucson in April 1900.

In April 1901, Bishop Granjon and Father Barrette took a train ride to visit the Catholics of Globe. Father Barrette argued that a change was needed for the Catholics of Globe and a new church was needed. Bishop Granjon agreed that a new church could be constructed once adequate subscription could be raised, to replace the decade old Baptist Church being used.

In May 1901, the old church was torn down and a foundation for the new church was laid. The new church was a simple but impressive adobe structure, thirty-five feet wide by fifty-five feet long. A stone veneer was applied to the façade and the sides were stuccoed. The entrance faced Sycamore Street. On November 24, 1901, Bishop Granjor officially dedicated the new church the “Sacred Heart of Jesus”.

In 1905 a building boom came to Globe. Father Barrette urged Bishop Granjon to change the status of the the Globe Mission to a Parish. Bishop Granjon declared the Globe Mission a Parish in 1905 and named Father Joseph Barrette its first pastor.

By 1909 a new mining settlement was formed six miles West of Globe. By 1914 the town of Miami had exceeded Globes population. Bishop Granjon established the parish of “Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament” in 1915. Father Barrette was named its first Pastor. Father Virgil Genevrier replaced Father Barrette at the Sacred Heart Parish in Globe.

Although the Sacred Heart church was only fifteen years old at the time, Father Genevrier believed it was inadequate for the largest Catholic congregation in the state. With the assistance of his trusties, he set out to raise the $15,000 dollars, he estimated it would cost to complete the new building.

By May 1916 Father Genevrier had plans in hand, drawn by architect James S. Pigott of Newark. Father Genevrier acting as his own general contractor broke ground on September 20, 1916. Father Genevrier acquired the lot next door and removed twenty feet of the Sacred Heart Church to accommodate the new building and so services could be continued in the front portion of the Sacred Heart Church. Father Genevrier worked diligently on the new building, but was about five thousand dollars short of completing the building and ended up have to take a loan out from the Fire Association of Philadelphia. Father Genevrier solicited everyone and anybody to make the mortgage payments. All payments were made on time, and the loan paid in full, in 1926.

The Church was dedicated Holy Angels of Globe on September 29, 1918, the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel. Father Gerade who had celebrated masses in an adobe house on Hill Street thirty-nine years before, celebrated the Mass and Father Genevrier played the organ.