Monroe's hospital was ready to admit its first patients on November 18, 1906, filling 35 of the 40 beds.

An article appearing in Jessen's Weekly, July 8, 1954, recounted the cost of building: “Following the discovery of gold by Felix Pedro, several thousand people rushed into the promising area and among them were many Catholics.

The price of real estate and labor was beyond the means of the Jesuits, so a group of local men organized for the purpose of raising the necessary finances for a church.

Father Monroe traveled all over the mining camps and around in Interior Alaska soliciting help and finally raised $4, 795.

This, added to the $3, 051 the committee of men had collected, enabled the missionary to pay off the debt and decorate the church and also install a small library along with his living quarters.

Not a few people in the camp criticized Father severely for what they thought was too large a building, saying there would never be enough Catholics in Fairbanks to justify the size.