About

In 1943 the government took possession of the area that included the small communities of Richland, Hanford, and White Bluffs for the construction of nuclear facilities. The project was initially called the Hanford Engineering Works. The Catholics in these communities at that time depended on services provided by the Kennewick parish. Father William J. Sweeney was the pastor at that time. The government gave the Kennewick parish permission to continue using the existing Lady of the Rosary Parish at White Bluffs for services. A security clearance and badge had to be issued to Father Sweeney for him to have access to the restricted area. Beginning in July 1943, Mass was celebrated every Sunday in White Bluffs for the construction workers. Because of the rapidly increasing attendance, Catholic services were transfered in August from White Bluffs to a small white tent at the construction workers camp being built at the old town of Hanford. The tent could seat only about 150 people. As the congregation continued to grow rapidly, a section was added to the tent.

In October 1943, a much larger tent was provided for services, which was used as a theater for the workers on weekdays. Mass was also celebrated t the Grange Hall in Richland. To assist in handling the rapidly increasing workload, Father Bernard Schiller was assigned to the Kennewick parish as Father Sweeney's assistant in May 1944. In June 1944, church services were moved again into a newly constructed large auditorium and theater in the Hanford construction camp as the congregation attending church had grown to more than 1500. At the peak of construction at the nuclear facilities, there were more than 50,000 people housed at the Hanford site. The last Mass in the new auditorium was held in February 1945, as a new church for Catholics had been completed in Richland. Mass in the new church was celebrated for the first time on Christmas of 1944.