The first Catholic family came to Lake City in 1856, followed by three more families in 1857. Thus, the Catholic church community in Lake City had begun. The first recorded Catholic service ever held
in the fledgling town was in the house of John Moran in 1857, conducted by Father Auster (also spelled Oster). Having exclusive charge of an 150,000 square-mile territory that included Mendota, St. Paul, St. Anthony and Wabasha, Father Ravoux would visit these families in passing through LakeCity. Father Ravoux and Father Oster came to visit in 1858, staying two days. While the mission church, represented by Father Auster, regularly visited from ‘Wabashaw’, Father Ravoux repeatedly urged his superior (Bishop Henni, Milwaukee’s first bishop) to send additional workers into the mission of the
Northwest. Bishop Henni complied, and in July 1850, St. Paul was made an episcopal see under the guidance of Rev. James Cretin. Following the death of Bishop Cretin, Father Ravoux became administrator of the young St. Paul diocese, and realizing the need for a resident pastor in the rapidly growing Wabasha and Goodhue counties, appointed Father Felix Tissot in charge of the Catholics of these two counties in October 1858. His missionary labors included about 25 places, including Lake City, Oakwood, Red Wing, Goodhue and Belvidere. Father Tissot’s baptism and marriage records show that between May 8th and November 13th of 1859, he paid four visits to Lake City, baptizing nine infants and marrying one couple. In 1860, Father Tissot again paid four visits and baptized nine infants.
