Scammon Bay - Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church
Scammon Bay is a Central Yup'ik Eskimo village located one mile from the Bering Sea on the south bank of the Kun River. Its position is at the northern base of the Askinuk mountains.
Scammon Bay was first touched by Roman Catholicism around the turn of the twentieth century, but the parish of Blessed Sacrament Mission was not founded until the mid 1930's. Records mention that Fr. Francis Menager, S.J., visited the village in 1929. Fr. John Fox, S.J., built a small chapel there in 1932. During the 1930's catechist, George Aluska assisted the clergy in evangelizing the people. A small Catholic school was run at Scammon Bay by the Sisters of Our Lady of the Snows (founded by Fr. Fox in the 1930's to help evangelize villages around the Hooper Bay area). Fr. Norman Donohue, S.J., built a 24x12 church-residence in 1946. That building was enlarged to 20x24 in 1955. A new foundation was replaced by diocesan priest, Fr. John Hinsvark in the mid 1980's.
Scammon Bay never had a resident priest. It was mainly served by priests headquartered at Hooper Bay, Kashunuk, Akulurak and Chevak.
Other early visiting Jesuit priests at Scammon Bay were: Frs. Norman Donohue, Bernard McMeel, Daniel Tainter, Francis Nawn, James Jacobson and James Laudwein. Diocesan priest Fr. John Hinsvark served the Scammon Bay community form 1987-1990. He was followed by Jesuit Frs. Thomas Gallagher (1990-1991), Mark Hoelsken (1991-1996), and Fr. Gregg Wood (1996-present).