Remembering 150 Years...

Remembering 150 Years... 1852

St. Francis Xavier Parish

October 6, 2002

2002

Our stories. Our people. Our history. The Beginning of the Renfrew Separate School

Aniela Sklepowicz takes possession of a letter delivered personally by the Most Rev. Brendan O’Brien, Bishop of Pembroke. The letter, concerning justice and peace, was sent out to all secondary school students in the province. Bishop O’Brien was visiting a class at St. Joseph’s High School when this photograph was taken in 1996.

Pictured is the Renfrew Separate School, the educational facility built and opened in 1912 to serve the needs of Catholic elementary students in the Renfrew area. Prior to this, boys were educated at a school on Lochiel Street while the girls attended school at the convent school on the corner of Barr and Quarry Streets. The new school, to be run by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, was a three-story building containing eight large classrooms, four on each of the first and second floors. On the third floor was a large room with an eighteen foot stage at one end. In 1931, eight additional classrooms were added to the Separate School with a large, modern auditorium being added in 1932 that would also serve as the St. Francis Xavier Parish Hall. This latter arrangement came about as a result of a promise made by the pastor. Rev. Francis L. French pledged to pay out $2000.00 annually from parish funds for a period of thirty years.

There’s a definite parish influence to be seen in this photograph of the 1956-57 Barker’s Motors Bantam hockey team. Pictured are, in the back row from left to right, Carl Reitz, George Hill, Andy Vanderande, Bill Kuseler, Ken Crozier, Kevin Crozier, and Brother Daniel, coach of the team. In the front row are Garry Ferguson, Garnet LeClaire, Ron Ferguson, Mickey McArthur, and Frank Schutt.

PARISH STATISTICS 1987-89

BAPTISM

MARRIAGES

FUNERALS

FIRST COMMUNION

CONFIRMATIONS

1987

1987

1987

1987

1987

36

19

35

38

46

1988

1988

1988

1988

1988

32

14

42

53

49

1989

1989

1989

1989

1989

40

21

50

29

NA

The Summer of 1948 Pictured at right are the wedding party and the families of a parish bride and groom after their wedding ceremony on July 14, 1948. St. Francis Xavier Church can be seen in the background.

Remembering 150 Years... 1852

St. Francis Xavier Parish

October 13, 2002

2002

Our stories. Our people. Our history.

During the years 1947-57, the former St. Joseph’s Academy building served as the local Catholic High School for boys belonging to the two Renfrew parishes. It was Rev. T.J. Sloan that initially made a request to the Motherhouse in Pembroke for someone to come to Renfrew and and set up a classroom for Grade 9 boys. In response, Sister St. Philip was dispatched in 1947 and followed the next year by Sister Alexis and in 1949 by Sister St. Peter. This fledgling staff was augmented by the contributions of Rev. H.J. Maloney in the first two years, and Rev. Lorrain Gauthier, who worked tirelessly with the boys to develop a legitimate athletics program. In 1950, the Christian Brothers assumed the operation of the Boys’ School and they were to remain in Renfrew for the next sixteen years. Through the years 1951-56, boys in Grade 13 were taught in St. Joseph’s Academy, but after 1956 the Brothers assumed that role as well. The former Bishop Ryan School, which was dedicated in 1957, was built for the boys under the guidance of Rev. R.J. Roney and Msgr. R.M. Clarke, the two parish priests of Renfrew at that time. The old Stewart residence, which at various points in its history had served as a private home, hospital, school, orphanage, and school again, was eventually demolished a few years after the establishment of Bishop Ryan High School. In 1966, St. Joseph’s Academy and the Boys’ School were amalgamated to form the first St. Joseph’s High School, with Sister Eileen Allison as principal. This would remain the Catholic high school for the Renfrew area until the completion of the modern St. Joseph’s High School in the early 1990's.

Year of the Family Recognized Following a Sunday Mass in February of 1994, Bishop Brendan O’Brien presented a calendar in recognition of the Year of the Family. Accepting on behalf of St. Francis Xavier were the Bennett family. From left to right are Bryce, Broyden, Bishop O’Brien, Earl, Norma, and Bryan. Rev. Henry J. Maloney as he appeared in a 1948 photograph. Father Maloney was instrumental in assisting with the development of the local Catholic Boys’ High School in its first two years. Rev. Lorrain (Lornie) Gauthier in a 1949 photo. As the background of the picture suggests, Father Gauthier spent countless hours at the local rink and other athletic venues. Through his work, a small, fledgling Catholic high school was able to compete successfully against much larger rivals.

“Msgr. Narcisse Zephris Lorrain, for the past two years the Vicar-General of Montreal, was consecrated in the Church of Notre Dame, Montreal on Thursday last. The ceremony was performed by Bishop Fabre of Montreal, assisted by Bishop Duhamel of Ottawa and Bishop Waddens of Ogdensburg. There was an attendance of 15,000 people to witness the ceremony, ten bishops independently of the newly consecrated one, and 500 clergymen were present. Mrs. Josie Villemaire, a former parishioner, donated a piano to be used in On Friday, Bishop Lorrain left for Pembroke as the the Small Hall. Bishop of the new Vicariate-Apostolic.”

May of 1988

Remembering 150 Years... 1852

St. Francis Xavier Parish

October 20, 2002

2002

Our stories. Our people. Our history.

Harold Bolger, principal of St. Thomas the Apostle School, retired in June of 1995 after serving for 26 years. On May 28, 1995, Mr. Bolger was honoured with a parish luncheon following the 11 a.m. Mass. In the picture above, Harold poses with two special guests, his aunt, Sister Claire Gallagher, and Sister St. Stephen.

A Monument To The Unborn

Bishop Brendan O’Brien looks on as a monument is unveiled dedicated to the unborn children killed by abortion. Revealing the monument is Knights of Columbus Grand Knight Bruce Rev. Joseph Bouvier, the first parish priest of St. Golden and Master of Francis Xavier Church, was also responsible for Ceremonies Earl Bennett. the building of a stone church in Springtown. The Many members and supporters church was blessed and the Stations of the Cross of the Pro-Life Association erected on January 20, 1854. Springtown was a attended the ceremony at St. mission of St. Francis Xavier until 1913, when it Francis Xavier Cemetery. became a mission of Calabogie.

Pictured above is the Grade 9 Choir of the former Boys’ School as they appeared in a 1949 performance. From left to right are C.J. Shannon, Hubert Vice, Jack Roberts, Benny Malloy, Norman Rousselle, Michael LeClaire, Herb Kluke, Danny Roach, Tuck Morglan, Donny Pulcine, Bill Becket Jimmy Brown, Ed Moran, and Ron Asselin.

Le Theatre Bel Espoir Presents Henri Gheon’s

The pain and suffering of Jesus Christ was relived on the altar of St. Francis Xavier Church during a presentation of Henri Gheon’s The Way of the Cross, a production of Le Theatre Bel Espoir. In this photograph, Andre Gauvreau portrays Jesus.

From The Parish Accounts...

Book 51 April 20, 1892

It was agreed that the parish would fund half the cost of a mural tablet honouring the memory of Rev. James Burns, Curate of St. Francis Xavier who died in 1884, and Rev. Paul Agnel, a former Curate who died in 1888. The tablet was obtained for $100.00 but cartage and installation costs pushed the total to $104.85. The parish, therefore, would be responsible for $52.42 of this amount.

Remembering 150 Years... 1852

St. Francis Xavier Parish

October 27, 2002

2002

Our stories. Our people. Our history.

Accounts St. Thomas the Apostle School honoured its graduating class of 1998 with a ceremony at St. Joseph’s High School. Recognized for their outstanding achievements were, from left, Lucy Wade (Esther H all Memorial Award), Curtis Shepherd (General Excellence Award), and Bryan Lemenchick (Catherine Gollinger-Lorente Award).

Corpus Christi Procession 1948 Father H.J. Maloney leads the Corpus Christi Procession as it makes its way from St. Francis Xavier Church to St. Joseph’s Academy.

P July 24, 1881: A bill of $7.00 is paid for roof repairs and the taking down of the old sacristy. P April 3, 1882: A bill is paid to J. Beauvet and A. Giroux for taking down the old church. This work was done for $9.50.

Members of the St. Joseph’s Boys’ High School Choir entertain an audience sometime around 1950. Unfortunately, not all of the participants have been identified as yet. Those we know are as follows: In the front row, from left to right are, Emmit Gray, Ronny Vincent, Oscar Pigeon, Louis Rousselle, Tom Fisher, Bert Bennet, and Not Sure. Second row, George Moran, Not Sure, Bob Nesbitt, Gerry Lemenchick, Raymond Blimkie, Not Sure, Gerry Mosco, Zyvitski, and Jack Finn. Back row, Hubert Vice, Terry McManus, Ray McMahon, Gerrard LeClaire, Not Sure, Frank Prudhomme, Mickey LeClaire, Gerry O’Donahue, Jimmy Donahue, and Reitz. The Knights of Columbus held a Clergy Night in 1954 to honour past and present clergy serving at St. Francis Xavier Church. In front, Fr. T.P. Brady, Tom Bowes, Msgr. Clarke, Jim Foy, Not Sure. Second, James A. Maloney, Brother Claudius, Brother Daniel, Fr. Hass, James Preen, Fr. Stan Flynn, Phil Bolger, Fr. Maloney, Not Sure (Wingle?), Brother Hilarian, Dr. Brown. Third row,Not Sure (McNamara?), Father Lynch, Fr. Adrian Flynn, Not Sure, Not Sure, Fr. Dennny Harrington, Not Sure (Legris?), Not Sure, Not Sure, Rene Newman