St. Charles Garnier Parish 3645 Benvoulin Rd., Kelowna, BC V1W 4M7 250 860-6776
(Dedicated to the memory of Father Charles Pandosy, OMI)
It was in October of 1858 that Father Pandosy established the first white settlement in the Okanagan Valley, adjacent to our Parish Church. Our church is dedicated to the Memory of Father Pandosy, but named for a great Canadian martyr, Jesuit St. Charles Garnier. Church law requires that churches can only be named after confirmed saints, an honour not yet reached by Father Pandosy.
Father Pandosy served whites and natives of this valley for over 30 years. Some credit him with bringing the first fruit trees to the Okanagan. A few years ago, Father’s grave site was found by archeologists, approximately 400 meters west of our church, on the land of Valentine Rampone. There is a miniature chapel there in honor of Father Pandosy.
St. Charles Garnier was established as a parish in 1980, and for two years Mass was celebrated in Dorothea Walker School, until the present church was built.
