Father Romeo Gascon 'a whirlwind' coached Young Elephants baseball team in Chapleau in 1916

Romeo Gascon, who served as the pastor of Sacred Heart Church for 47 years was active in Chapleau life far beyond his duties to the Roman Catholic community.


Father Gascon, was elevated to Monsignor in a service at Sacred Heart Church on February 9, 1949 by His Excellency Most Rev. George Leo Landry, Bishop of the Diocese of Hearst. His Holiness Pope Pius XII had made him Monsignor on September 11, 1948, and this was the official induction ceremony conducted by the Bishop.

Referring to research by Gemma Gagnon, Father Albert Burns SJ, noted 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. He died on January 25, 1958.

By 1916 he had become involved in Chapleau sports and was the coach of the Young Elephants, a baseball team that played on a ballfield located at about the present site of the golf course. My grandfather Harry Morris was a member of the team.

In his book "Waking Nanabijou: Uncovering a Secret Past", Jim Poling Sr. notes that he was a "miniature whirlwind" interested and active in everything from architecture to painting to golf as well as hunting and fishing. Mr. Poling, who was at one time the general manager of the Canadian Press came to know about the Chapleau priest as he was researching a history of his family.

He also enjoyed woodworking and had a printing press in the rectory.

Just before Christmas, on December 18, 1918, Sacred Heart Church was destroyed by fire, but Father Gascon went to work right away and within a year a new beautiful church had been built on the same location and its 90th anniversary was celebrated on December 24, 2009 at Christmas Midnight Mass. Father Gascon had sketched out the design for the new church and celebrated the first mass in it.

He was also president of the Kebsquasheshing Gold Club at one time, and enjoyed playing a round of golf with his friends from all denominations, including his good friend George Fife, the manager of the Chapleau Electric Light and Power Company who was also reeve of Chapleau from 1938 to 1942. I can recall saying good morning to both of them as they visited either on the front verandah of the Fife home on Lorne Street or the steps of the power company office on the site of the present Bargain Shop.

As an aside Mr. Fife was the grandfather of Robert Fife, now the Ottawa Bureau Chief of CTV News.

At the service elevating him to Monsignor, the Chapleau Post reported that most of the priests in the Diocese of Hearst attended with the bishop to offer their congratulations. The church was filled to capacity for the occasion, followed by a Civic Reception at the Town Hall which was also packed with wellwishers.

The Chapleau Post also noted that never before in the history of Chapleau had so many priests been present at the same time. Everyone wanted to show their appreciation of the work of Monsignor Gascon in Chapleau and of his work as advisor and counsellor to various bishops and his friendship to every priest in the diocese. Father Regent Marchand of Sacred Heart parish organized the event.