by: Lorraine Freeman

Nestled in the Sullivan Valley, west of the Missouri River and south of Sun River, sits St. Peter's Mission. The lovely white washed wood mission still stands, somewhat forgotten by the people of Canada and the U.S.

There is no road that leads right to the small church, now, surrounded by Montana ranch houses. Walking towards the doors of St. Peter's, one senses it has a special place in the history of the Metis of North America.

As the front doors swing open your eyes focus on the sanctuary trimmed in gold paint, two rows of wooden pews and the wood burning heater & the piano. The wood beamed church arches are trimmed with a bright sky blue. The beamed walls have been covered with modern wall board, which is out of character for the historic mission. Taking a moment, any visitor could visualize Father Joseph Damiani holding a mass in 1873.

As you leave the church you pause to view the Montana buttes. One butte to the right is shaped in the form of a buffalo lying down facing away from the mission, like a sentinel guarding the mission. To the left are the ruins of the boys school and across from it, separated by a road lays a row of bricks, remnants of the girls' school. Nearby the mission's graveyard sits unattended on a small hill. Our respects are paid as we read the headstones, as many family names are familiar to us.

As the tour was ending a few people murmured how they would like to hear the mission's bell ring, as there were Metis visiting from other places. Two of us, a male and a female walked back to the mission to do the non-conformist act of ringing the church bell.

The sound of the bell ringing through the valley is indescribable! As we loaded the bus to return some couldn't help but have the image of four riders Gabriel Dumont, James Isbister, Moise Ouellette and Michelle Dumas coming between the buttes towards St. Peter's Mission to seek out louis-david-riel's help for the Metis at Batoche.