St. Charles Borromeo Parish (Warburg, Alta.)

As early as 1929, a priest would come from Edmonton to say Mass in the school on Sundays. Father Rolheiser was one of the priests who came out a number of times. On November 22, 1929 the Catholic Church Extension Society in Toronto forwarded a donation of $500.00 from the estate of Catherine O’Donnell for a church to be built at Warburg in honour of St. Charles. Between 1931 and 1934 Rev. Patrick McQuaide, pastor at Leduc, said mass in the Valleyview Hall for the residences of Warburg while the community raised the additional funds to purchase land for a church.
On October 29, 1934, a church site was purchased from the C. P. R. and construction began shortly thereafter. On September 4, 1938, Archbishop J. H. MacDonald blessed the new church and dedicated it to St. Charles Borromeo. Father Kennedy MacLean was the first priest residing at Warburg (1934-1940) and assumed responsibility of the parishioners in the area. In addition to serving Warburg he also served Thorsby, Brenton, Lindale, Carnwood, Winfiled, Fern Creek and Genesee.
In 1940 Father MacLean moved to Thorsby and continued to serve Warburg as a mission of Thorsby. Due to decreased parish population and declining membership regular masses ceased in 1999 and in 2006 the Church was sold.