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weeklies in the United States—“The Southwest Courier”. For “The Orphans’ Record” Father Dudek wrote not only the snappy editorials, but a noteworthy series of apologetic articles, which, however, he published under a pen name.

The fall and winter of 1918 was a trying season for the only Bohemian-speaking priest in Oklahoma. The Spanish influenza was raging, and there were frequent sick calls, not only from Yukon and Prague, but from other towns in the state having a small Bohemian population. To make matters worse, a cyclone demolished the frame church at Prague, and, in the midst of preparations for rebuilding, Father Dudek took ill and was obliged to go to the hospital. Immediately upon recovering, he began to build a brick church at Prague, which was brought to completion in 1919. In June of that year, just as Bishop Meerschaert had left for Europe, the director of the Orphanage died. The Administrator of the Diocese appointed Father Dudek to take charge of the Orphanage and of the parishes of Yukon and Prague. To these duties Father Dudek attended as best he could, continuing the publication of “The Orphans’ Record” without interruption. In December, when the Bishop returned, Father Dudek was appointed resident pastor of Yukon, with the mission of Prague attached. There having been no resident pastor at Yukon for more than eight years, the old rectory had fallen into decay, and a new one was imperative. Work on the building began at once, but, owing to post-wartime conditions, the house was not ready for occupancy until August, 1920, when Father Dudek finally took up his residence in the rectory of St. John Nepomuk. On occasion, meanwhile, his services in an official capacity were demanded by the Bishop, and Father Dudek frequently acted as diocesan notary or performed other clerical work for the diocese. In 1921 he was secretary of the Committee in charge of the Golden Jubilee of Bishop Meerschaert, one of the most imposing celebrations ever staged in Oklahoma. He also made, for five or more years, periodical missionary visits to scattered Bohemian settlements of Oklahoma in order to give the Czechs an opportunity to hear the word of God in their own language and to receive the sacraments.

Bishop Meerschaert departed this life in February 1924, and, during the summer, was succeeded by the Right Reverend Francis C. Kelley, former president of the Catholic Church Extension Society, who was not long in discovering the usefulness of the “little pastor of Yukon”. Before the end of the year he was offered the Chancellorship of the Diocese, but, as other necessary changes could not be immediately accomplished, he was not regularly appointed until September 1925. He retained the pastorate of Yukon, and residence there, inasmuch as the town is connected with the City by electric interurban, permitting this arrangement.