6/30/2009:
Parishioners at the Powers Lake Catholic Church were bewildered this week in 1970 regarding the whereabouts of their pastor. Church members waited in vain for the Reverend Frederic Nelson to arrive for Sunday's Mass. By noon, the worshippers gave up on the service and began to file out of the church.
Some went to the home of the reverend, but he was not found. They then contacted The Reverend Hilary Hacker, the bishop of the Bismarck diocese, but Hacker was also befuddled. Strangely, that afternoon a note appeared on the door of the church, reading, "by order of the pastor and bishop, this parish is under interdict and closed until further notice." "Interdict" in the church usually refers to the refusal of sacraments, normally due to some misdeed. The bishop in Bismarck, however, knew nothing about this note and claimed the church had not been closed.
To understand the situation, a brief history of the relationship between the church and its priest is necessary. When the Reverend Nelson arrived in the small town of Powers Lake, the conservative pastor launched a campaign against the local movie theater. Garnering support within the region, the Reverend was successful in banning all adult-type films. Next, he hoped to reform the community's "morality" by campaigning against short skirts and women with uncovered heads. However, few among his flock agreed with the pastor. The Reverend refused to let the matter fade, though, and eventually refused to give Mass to those refusing to comply. This tactic also failed, however, as many parishioners arrived to mass in just such apparel.
Eventually, the Bismarck diocese issued a notice claiming that the pastor had left "on vacation to the West Coast." Few in the community believed this, however, as the note left on the church door the previous Sunday afternoon was signed with the pastor's initials. It appeared that the pastor's disappearance was simply the climax of previous events, and that his frustration over "uncovered heads" had led to his departure.
Dakota Datebook written by Jayme L. Job
Sources:
The Fargo Forum. Tuesday, June 30, 1970: p. 15.