According to an article by Father Albert Burns SJ, a Chapleau native who was an altar boy at the December 24, 1919 Midnight Mass, the first church was built in 1885, on the site of what is today Collins Hardware. This church had become too small, and a larger one was built in 1891 with its final touch in 1898 on the site of the present church. Unfortunately it was destroyed by fire on December 18, 1918 just before Christmas.
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| Father Albert Burns SJ |
The new church was built under the guidance of Mgr Roméo Gascon, Pastor at that time. The first Mass was Midnight
Mass December 24, 1919.
Father Burns added, quoting from a book by Gemma Gagnon that the Jesuit Fathers on October 19th 1911, transferred the parish to a zealous priest, who had been two years pastor of Cochrane, Father Roméo Gascon. Later made Mgr Gascon, he was pastor 47 years in Chapleau. He died on January 25th 1958.
To my many Roman Catholic friends in and from Chapleau, I extend my most sincere congratulations to you on the 100th anniversary of the present Sacred Heart Church. As a young person in Chapleau I was privileged to attend Midnight Mass at Christmas in your church with my good friend Louis Fortin and members of his family. One year I ran between your church and St. John's Anglican Church to attend both services. The Mass was celebrated in Latin at that time, and I still vividly recall the choir singing Adestes Fideles (O Come all Ye Faithful.). My life was made better from knowing so many of you. Thank you.
Turning to St John's Church for a moment, my aunt, Marion (Morris) Kennedy who died in 2007 once sent me a piece of writing she had done which captured Christmas at St. John's Anglican Church. when she was a child growing up in Chapleau. Aunt Marion wrote in part: "The bellows were worked by boys given the honour in a cupboard below the organ. There was many a tale of the organist wildly pumping the footpedals and calling for air. The boys carved or wrote their initials on the walls - one set belonging to the brother of the narrator (my father James E. Morris), and in times of refurbishing the church the initials were always left as is.
"At one of the Christmas services, a young girl sat with her mother (my grandmother, Lil (Mulligan) Morris), third pew from the chancel steps and below the pulpit, watching through her fingers, the parishioners partaking the Holy Communion Rite. So many came forward and at the end of the procession one native gentleman came slowly up the aisle on moccasined feet -- one could feel the pain,
"He was helped up the chancel steps by a choir member to the waiting respectful minister holding chalice and bread. The repast over. the gentleman made his way slowly back to his pew. The choir and congregation in awe, joined in humble reunion. As the church members exited, Christmas greetings were exchanged quietly. Everyone was moved by the devotion and faith of the native gentleman who had walked a long distance to attend." Aunt Marion added that she recalled this particular service every Christmas thereafter no matter where she was living.
I recall Christmas Eve in Chapleau so well as citizens of all denominations would meet and greet each other as they went to and from their respective churches. It was usually a bitterly cold clear night with the temperature at times reaching minus 50 below Fahrenheit, the smoke from chimneys going straight up to the heavens, lots and lots of snow, and everyone bundled up in their Christmas finery. But people greeted each other and the sounds of "Merry Christmas" and "Joyeux Noel" could be heard from all sections of the town as people took time from their other festivities to attend church.This also included parishioners from Trinity United Church.
Father Burns added, quoting from a book by Gemma Gagnon that the Jesuit Fathers on October 19th 1911, transferred the parish to a zealous priest, who had been two years pastor of Cochrane, Father Roméo Gascon. Later made Mgr Gascon, he was pastor 47 years in Chapleau. He died on January 25th 1958.
To my many Roman Catholic friends in and from Chapleau, I extend my most sincere congratulations to you on the 100th anniversary of the present Sacred Heart Church. As a young person in Chapleau I was privileged to attend Midnight Mass at Christmas in your church with my good friend Louis Fortin and members of his family. One year I ran between your church and St. John's Anglican Church to attend both services. The Mass was celebrated in Latin at that time, and I still vividly recall the choir singing Adestes Fideles (O Come all Ye Faithful.). My life was made better from knowing so many of you. Thank you.
Turning to St John's Church for a moment, my aunt, Marion (Morris) Kennedy who died in 2007 once sent me a piece of writing she had done which captured Christmas at St. John's Anglican Church. when she was a child growing up in Chapleau. Aunt Marion wrote in part: "The bellows were worked by boys given the honour in a cupboard below the organ. There was many a tale of the organist wildly pumping the footpedals and calling for air. The boys carved or wrote their initials on the walls - one set belonging to the brother of the narrator (my father James E. Morris), and in times of refurbishing the church the initials were always left as is.
"At one of the Christmas services, a young girl sat with her mother (my grandmother, Lil (Mulligan) Morris), third pew from the chancel steps and below the pulpit, watching through her fingers, the parishioners partaking the Holy Communion Rite. So many came forward and at the end of the procession one native gentleman came slowly up the aisle on moccasined feet -- one could feel the pain,
"He was helped up the chancel steps by a choir member to the waiting respectful minister holding chalice and bread. The repast over. the gentleman made his way slowly back to his pew. The choir and congregation in awe, joined in humble reunion. As the church members exited, Christmas greetings were exchanged quietly. Everyone was moved by the devotion and faith of the native gentleman who had walked a long distance to attend." Aunt Marion added that she recalled this particular service every Christmas thereafter no matter where she was living.
I recall Christmas Eve in Chapleau so well as citizens of all denominations would meet and greet each other as they went to and from their respective churches. It was usually a bitterly cold clear night with the temperature at times reaching minus 50 below Fahrenheit, the smoke from chimneys going straight up to the heavens, lots and lots of snow, and everyone bundled up in their Christmas finery. But people greeted each other and the sounds of "Merry Christmas" and "Joyeux Noel" could be heard from all sections of the town as people took time from their other festivities to attend church.This also included parishioners from Trinity United Church.
The display at Dr Young's building at Beech and Lorne Streets was also a special attraction.
To all readers, my very best wishes for Christmas and 2020 as we start another decade of the 21st century. God bless.
NOTE --This column appears in a bit different way in the December 19, 2001 edition of the Chapleau Express as my Chapleau Moments column. I wanted to mark the 100th anniversary of the present Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church. My email is mj.morris@live.ca
To all readers, my very best wishes for Christmas and 2020 as we start another decade of the 21st century. God bless.
NOTE --This column appears in a bit different way in the December 19, 2001 edition of the Chapleau Express as my Chapleau Moments column. I wanted to mark the 100th anniversary of the present Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church. My email is mj.morris@live.ca
