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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-06-30, Page 141Page 101 n 1904, only 93 families in all..... In page 100 years, and leaving only to be paid on the new ch when he left .for St. mas. 1 found that the gregation had greatly eased from the time of curacy 23 years before. taking my first census in ,I found only 93 families told, 13 of whom were ers, nearly all the rest nig labourers. rovement was necessary idence, that is putting in water boiler, including ation, new stove, and, ssary utensils in kitchen, tailing electric lights, proving bathroom and etconveniences. The furnace in the church g burned out, I had to 11 two new ones, as well increase the size of hot and' air ducts and registers. I to paint the church ex- nally as well as the stroughs and gutters. On ch 12, 1910. the church seriously damaged by inside. The fire nated near the main ar which was totally troyed, the ceiling and f of the sanctuary greatly aged, all the interior Ming blistered, the ons of the Cross were ckened with smoke, and, altar rails, side altars, pews needed rhauling, "So I gave Mr, Von Mak roit the contract of rating the church in oil, doing the necessary ting, 1 secured a new high from Mr. Rosenblatt St. ent which with the other k cost $5,850. The in- ance received was $3,300. ng that the vestry was inkeeping with the rest of building I removed the from one side, removed side wall, rebuilt this wall feet farther out, rebuilt on that side and thus the vestry more in mg with the church. This ether with a cement ment under vestry and timing it with the ment of the church cost 00 At the request of my H Bishop M. F. Fallon D.D. in 1913 I prepared to build a new parochial residence, and this was accomplished in 1914. The old house which•stood for 50 years was torn down, and the new built on the same ground on cement foundation. "I supervised the tearing down of the old house so as to save brick, lumber and timbers as far as possible to serve in the new building. Hence all the new brick required - Milton pressed brick - was 20,000 for facing, the old brick serving for the rest of the walls. In the same way the other suitable materials from the old building were utilized. Hence the complete cost was only $7,000 in cash. "The North Street Methodist parsonage was built the same year at a cost of $10,000 and yet the verdict of the public is that the Catholic parsonage is a better model, more spacious, and superior in every respect. During my pastorate in St. Peter's parish, Goderich, I collected and paid out for building improvements, insurance, and interest about $21;180 and left the parish without debt as well as leaving $450.00 cash in the bank to the credit of the church and $250 for cemetery in care of my successor Father Gnam - July 15, 1921. "I may say here that in all my parochial works have found the experience gained in connection with my. dif- ferent works in the world before studying for the priesthood most useful to me as parish priest, especially in building and improving." As stated, Father McRae retired in 1921, respected by Catholic and non-Catholic alike. He was succeeded by Father P. J. Gnam who continued as pastor until his death in 1926. Father Gnam was noted for his solicitude for the sick. During his pastorate he beautified the Catholic Cemetery, and witnessed the fiftieth an- niversary of the arrival of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Goderich in 1923 - Mother Ingatia, the original superior Best Wishes to Goderich on your SesqujcenennjaI Arthur Fuels ltd. 122 Maitland St. Goderich 521-9232 Serving Goderich forover 27 years in the Heating Industry of the convent when it was founded in 1873 being present for the event. Father J. N. Campian succeeded Father Gnam, and he in turn was followed by Father L. P. Lowry in 1929. He is remembered as a "real priest" and a consoler of the needy and the unfortunate. In 1934 Father Charles F. Nagle was named to replace Father Lowry, and almost immediately suffered a great impairment in health and was confined to the rectory almost continually until his death in 1947. In June of 1935 Father Hubert Fallon, a saintly priest, was assigned as his assistant. Father Fallon was a human saint, however, and once said that it was hard to live with a man who neither smoked, drank nor played cards. Both before coming to Goderich and after he left in 1947 Father Fallon devoted some 25 years of his priesthood as assistant to sickly priests. During Father Nagle's pastorate, the war broke out, and the establishment of the Sky Harbour Training Centre near Goderich and the R.C.A.F. Station near Clinton brought a large number of instructors and their families into the Parish. Father Jeremiah Gleeson became pastor in 1947 and continued so until. 1959. Father Gleeson was a con- tributor to the Catholic Press, and an outspoken but kindly man. Father Gleeson, like St. Francis, loved animals. He had a police dog which he called "Rip", but many of the tradespeople who -ealled at the 'Rectory considered it a ripper. _Fai'her Raymond Moynahan, the present pastor, succeeded Father Gleeson in June, 1959. Shortly after, in September 1960, the new St. Mary's School was opened with Bishop Thomas J. McCarthy, a student of the old separate school on North Street, officiating. Under Father Moynahan, a parish hall was excavated under the church, a feat whichsome years before an engineering firm, advised to be impossible. The beautiful wood carved Crucifix and the wood carved stations of the Cross were also added to the church and a new convent for the sisters, the former residence of Judge Philip Holt, was acquired during Father Moynahan's stewardship. To him also fell the difficult task of refitting the church to conform with the new liturgy introduced by the Second Vatican Council and the establishment of the Parish Council. A constant visitor to the Alexandra Marine and General Hospital and to the Goderich Psychiatric Hospital, Father Moynahan, a lover of Latin, possesses a keen theological mind, and his austere appearance hides a kindly heart. Such then is the history of the Catholic Church in Goderich. Of necessity it deals mainly with its pastors, but through them the or- dinary Catholic people of Goderich have, along with their fellow citizens of other faiths, endeavoured to con- tribute to the community and make it an oasis of good neighbourliness in a very troubled world. 36 West Street Goderich; Ont. 4 PAINTS - WALLPAPER - FLOOR COVERINGS - CUSTOM DRAPERIES - EXPERT INSTALLATION Phone 524-8532 Congratulations to our Neighbours in Goderich from the Staff of "YOGI BEAR'S" JELLYSTONE PARK CAMP -RESORT Bayfield, Ontario