(excerpt from St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church "Celebrating 100 Years")
The majestic St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church stands where once only a deep gully marked the spot chosen as the site of the second Catholic Church in Fargo. Prior to the construction of St. Anthony's, this territory had been an integral part of St. Mary's Cathedral Parish. St. Anthony of Padua Church was named as a tribute to the Most Rev. James O'Reilly of the Fargo Diocese, whose home parish as a child in Minneapolis bore the title of this great saint. On November 18, 1917, St. Anthony's Catholic Church was dedicated on the feast of the Basilicas of Sts. Peter and Paul.
St. Anthony's School was completed in the summer of 1922, and on September 5, the school opened with an enrollment of 157 students. Teachers were Sisters of the Presentation from Sacred Heart Academy. In 1988, St. Anthony's transitioned to become the Fargo Catholic Schools Network Junior High (grades 6-8). Parish students in grades K-5 began attending school at Nativity. In 1998, St. Anthony's Middle School closed. It was the end of an era for the parish. From 1922-1988, St. Anthony's School saw more than 20,000 studetns moving through its halls and classrooms. Currently, the school classrooms have been renovated and are used as meeting rooms and Religious Education classrooms.
In 2017, St. Anthony's celebrated 100 years as a parish, and continues to serve as a spiritual powerhouse, with a devout parish of believers.