Kalskag - Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
Kalskag is a Central Yup'ik Eskimo village located on the right bank of the Kuskokwim River, 24 miles west of Aniak.
Roman Catholic Church activity began at Kalskag in the early part of the 20th century when visiting misionaries baptized and Christianized the people in the region. These early missionaries visited Kalskag from Holy Cross Mission.
One such early missionary was Fr. Philip Delon, S.J., who, in 1926 built a church at Kalskag. Another was Fr. Francis Menager, S.J., who served Immaculate Conception mission from 1943 until 1948. The Society of Jesus continued to serve this Catholic community as visiting priests from such villages as Bethel, Aniak, McGrath and Holy Cross beginning in the late 1940's.
As late as 1954, the mission was dedicated to the Sacred Heart. Recently, it has been dedicated to Immaculate Conception.
Lately, Catholic Sisters have been in residence in the village. Some of these are: Susan Dubec, S.S.N.D., who served from 1990 until 1993 and, Sister Linda Hogan, S.S.J., who served the Kalskag mission from 1993 to 1995.