Established in 1885, the first wood frame church burned to the ground in 1902.  This beautiful brick church was built in 1903. The photo is circa 1915.

Father Isidore Robot

Like John the Baptist, the bell has indeed “cried in the wilderness.” For over 130 years it has summoned its people to Mass, chimed at feasts and joyous occasions, and toiled at countless funerals, among them, the Rev. Robot himself on February 15, 1887.

James McAlester opened the first mines in 1872, with the Katy railroad as his main customer.  By 1874 the english-speaking miners had set up a camp three miles east of McAlester.  This camp was eventually named for a prominent Choctaw judge, Edmond Krebs.

In 1885, two Benedictine priests took up permanent residence in the area; Fr. Isidore Robot and Brother Dominic Lambert.  They had already been in the Territory for 10 years, and had founded Sacred Heart monastery in 1887, which today is St. Gregory’s Abbey.  They built a small house and chapel where St. Joseph’s Cemetery is today. Sometime around October 1885, Fr. Isidore offered Mass in the North McAlester home of Louis Roth. This was thought to be the first Mass offered in Krebs. Following that Mass, a building committee was soon formed and plans were made to build a church and school. Due to the generosity and hard work of the locals, the simple wooden frame church was completed in 1886, as well as a two-room school later in the year, run by the Sisters of Mercy. This was the first parochial school in Oklahoma.

The local towns-people and parishioners were made up of mostly immigrants from all over the world, including Italy, Scotland, Lithuania, Germany, France, Belgium, England, Wales, Syria, Lebanon, and Ireland. These hardworking people came here to work in the mines and provide their families with a better way of life. In 1886 the first pastor was appointed, Fr. Bernard Murphy, an American-born Benedictine. This made Krebs the third oldest Catholic Parish in what is today, Oklahoma.  Fr. Bernard would serve at Krebs for almost 20 years, and during his time, Krebs would be the center of Catholic mission work for this whole area.

A man by the name of John E. Rex, married Mary Hooper in 1852.  They became the parents of nine children, all raised Catholic.  John was a salesman who worked for a wholesale dry goods firm, and traveled extensively in the Indian Territory, supplying goods to various trading posts.  He soon became good friends with Fr. Isidore Robot.  John Rex donated the bell to Fr. Robot’s church.  He had the bell inscribed in the name of his daughter Sybil Rex, which reads:  “I am Sybil.  I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness.”

On December 13, 1902, a fire destroyed the church and rectory. The only thing salvaged from the fire was the bell, which remains in the belfry to this day. Construction on the present-day church began in 1903, but was not fully completed until 1906.   Even though there were no modern machines in those times, these people built it with their hands.  St. Joseph’s is the oldest church in the Diocese of Tulsa and was officially dedicated as a registered historic landmark on February 13, 1983.  In 1905, Fr. Murphy left Krebs and was succeeded by Fr. Germanus Guillaume. When the church was nearly paid for, Fr. Germanus wanted to build a new rectory.  Construction was started on a new rectory, which was completed around 1905 and is one of the oldest rectories in the diocese.

Renovations over the years have included a massive renovation in 1965 to conform to the new liturgical norms of the Second Vatican Council, with a chapel being added in 1978. However, after over 100 years of wear and tear, the walls of the church were caving in, forcing the parish to begin new renovations in 2003. During renovations, the parish council and renovation committee were diligent to not destroy the historical value of the church. In mid-2009, all the major renovations were completed, all paid for by donations from the parishioners.

Across the street from the church is the Trinity Gardens.  At the center of the garden is a sculpture of the Holy Trinity, created by Gene DeFrange, with the help of Kiamichi Vo-Tech Drafting Instructor, Ted Welch, who drew up the plans from DeFrange’s idea.  According to Mr. DeFrange, there had to be no faces, because nobody knows what the Trinity looks like.  Mr. DeFrange created this space as a place to meditate, read and pray.  On June 10, 1990, the garden was “unveiled” by Fr. Jake Males, who said, “If we are close to nature, we are closer to God.”

For many years, the holy sacrifice of Mass has been offered in this church, and today, St. Joseph stands as a living testimonial to the faith and hard work of all the people who have walked through its doors over the years. Without question, St. Joseph has enjoyed a long and beautiful history. But its beauty extends beyond the high arched ceiling, the stoic statues, the ancient altars, and the picturesque stained glass windows. Its real beauty resides in the hearts and souls of its people who breathe life into it.