HANDS UP! Here is my recollection of an evil event that happened at the Happy Host Inn, Grand Forks, North Dakota. I wish I had the exact dates, but if someone in Grand Forks, ND has access to the Grand Forks Herald archive, it could be researched. The initial cause was reported in that newspaper, on the FRONT PAGE: Headline, photo, and article..
Timeline:
Around 1985 A.D. the SSPX in Winnipeg, Canada would occasionally offer Holy Mass at this motel 3 hours South, across the border. “H.... HOST” What a suitable name for Catholics! The owners of the Inn were fervent Catholics, and exceptionally kind and generous. Super nice mature couple: Edmond and his wife Marie -Louise. are extremely fond of Tradition. So the mission is growing quite fast, thanks to the apostolate of Mr. Steve H., who strongly opposed the Novus Ordo. I drove the priests there many times. Mass was at first celebrated in the lobby of the motel, confessions etc. in a room.
1987 ? Mr. Lafrenière offered a wing of the building for Ignatian retreats. One month it was the men's retreat, and sometime later the women's retreat. The faithful in Grand Forks area were also serviced by the U.S.A SSPX district. Winnipeg was basically a substitute.
1988 ? The Lafrenières developed a basement area into a permanent “chapel”. Customs' officers don't like to see Canadian priests celebrating mass in North Dakota. "How much money have you received?" they would ask.
I remember Fr. B. remarking that it was increasingly getting risky to visit the faithful in Grand Forks...pressure was on. Remember, that part of the State, people know each other and talk gets around. There are no cities between Winnipeg and Grand Forks, ND.
1989 ? A woman reporter from Grand Forks Herald (?) wants to write an article about this latest development of the 'chapel' ie. the basement used for religious service. That is big news for the local N.O. diocese. She gets the OK to take pictures and interviews the owners Ed and Marie.
1989 ? The next edition of the newspaper naturally featured, on the FRONT page, a photo of this 'chapel', complete with an article (which was very positive BTW). Within 30 hours, police officers, about 21 strong, besieged the Happy Host Inn at 1:30 A.M., pistols drawn, ordering all the guests to immediately leave!!! Can you imagine? What is going on here?? You read it correctly: 1:30 A.M. ! Twenty one law enforcement officers. ...shouting "HANDS UP!!"
Well, the banks saw that article in the local paper, and suddenly asked for the complete Mortgage payment. Pay immediately or we foreclose. Banks have a clause where it warns that, if conditions warrant it, they can make what you would call a "DEMAND PAYMENT." I wasn't in the country at the time so I lost track of our dear friends for a few years. Mr. Ed had to find work doing clerical/maintenance at some living complex etc...So their lives were in an upheaval, to say the least.
1992 June 2. Mr. Edmond Lafreniere was returning that evening from a fishing outing and was following a semi truck. Pouring rain. He attempts to pass the truck and collided head on with another vehicle and died instantly. Soon after three SSPX priests (maybe even a bishop?) prayed the Requiem Mass for the repose of his soul.
His wife Marie Louise probably died of a broken heart. Six weeks later she also passed from this vale of tears.
Mr and Mrs. were very well liked. They had focused on the important activity of life: Our salvation. The nicest people you could meet. R.I.P. +:pray:
2016 Happy Host Inn is done in.
Attachments: Short Obits from : Findagrave web page.
Photo of the Tombstone at the Sacred Heart Cemetery, ND. USA
Link to a very short Youtub of the Demolition, Sept 12, 2016
You can actually see the basement area that had the "chapel" at the TIMESTAMP 0:20
https://www.grandforksherald.com/business/happy-host-motel-in-grand-forks-demoedDemolition of the Happy Host Inn, Youtub
...Pretty blunt persecution of good Catholics faithful to the TRUE Mass.
Topic: Happy Host Inn, Grand Forks, ND. The shocking end. Bank$ters did it. (Read 11409 times)