The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-11-27
THE NEW CHURCH.

Leading UD to the Present BUILDING of
RGrand Sanctuary OF worship. - Resume
OF the Work-Descriptlon of the Interior,
Etc, Etc.
The BANNER has, on two prior occa-
siOns, given brief historic sketches of the
church of st. Francis de Sales, in this
town; but, in. connection with the ap-
preaching occupancy by its people of the
Cathedral structure on West Main street,
it seems proper to restate portion and
to add such facts as were omitted in our
previous articles. Like almost all Roman
Catholic parishes in the New World, es-
pecially in country places, the present
prosperous and satisfactory proportions
began with very small encouragement at
the first. The people generally, were
poor and widely scattered. The great
majority of Catholic families had Just
not, as now, possessed of comfortable
means; and did not, as now, occupy
cheerful homes and rank among the
thrifty citizens of their respective towns.
All this, then, was matter of future
| history. The writer has lived to see all
these changes for the better in the life
of MANY New England parishes of the
Roman communion.
For instance, what would the few fam
lilies at the ore beds near the Shields
place in the east part of Bennington,
who were visited by FIR. Shanahan of
Troy, Y. Y, a few times between 1884
'36, have said, had it then been predicted
that in 1S90-'91 the successors of that
remnant of a flock would build the
present imposing church These few
visits by FIR. Shanahan were the first
ministrations by clergyman of this
church in our town. These visits were
the beginnings of the large, influential
and prosperous congregations of to-day.
Between the years 1S36-'3S FIR .O' Gala
CHAN came from Burlington and admins.
tered the offices of the church. Like the
services of the pioneer priest, Fir. Shana-
han, little is known of either the work
OF FIR. O'Callaghan or the numbers and
circumstances of the people. The num-
Der had, evidently, increased. for, in
1888, it is recorded that FIR Daley (of
Middlebury), began and made regular
visits, and his ministrations continued
up to the year 1854. Services were held
in private houses for many years, and
until, during the latter part of this pas
tOrate, permission was granted to off
ciate in the audience room of the old
brick academy of Bennington Center.
This may account for the location of the
first church edifice as the services afore-
said, other than these latter, were held
largely in dwellings situated in the pres
ent village of Bennington. In 1854 Fir.
Druon of Rutland, succeeded to this
charge; and, like his predecessors, fur
thered the work of the mission. He
made the first purchase of land at the
fork of the highways, upon which stands
the old stone edifice, of the Church of st.
Francis de Sales. Under his supervision
and by reason of his efforts the 'old"
part or first half of the building was
erected thereon. The lines of this early
effort are plainly discernablo i'll the en-
larged building now called the "old
church." Not only can the west line be
seen, but the windows were square tops
(also marked)-the gothic form coming
in as an improvement, later, when the
edifice was enlarged. The parish then
(lS5D comprised about twenty-five fam
lilies, counting its limits as the Benning-
ton three villages, Pownal and Shafts
bury.
Fir. Druon was replaced by the Rev. G.
Boylan about 1857, and the latter had
charge of the parish until January, 1859.
Then the Rt. Rev. Bishop sent a per-
nanent pastor in the person of the Rev.
j. NJ. Cloarec, who bought house and
became a resident of this village. This
Duse was situated on School street.-the
property on the west side of the street
mw owned by Leon Lamarre. The
DWELLING itself is the house now moved
a'ross the way and was fitted up as
tenement when Mr.. Lamarre built his
residence few years ago, BY the terms
o FIR. ClOarec's settlement he had charge
Oiall Catholics south of Rutland to the
Massachusetts, line" He officiated in
this somewhat extensive parish until he
wis succeeded, in September. 1861, by
TIN Rev. James Quinn. FIR. Quinn's par
isl limits we're identical with those of
hispredecessor. 1t is remarkable that
Notwithstanding the widely scattered To-
cations of their people these compare
tivly pioneer priests found time occa-
siUally to visit all parts of their ex-
tcIaed parish and thus keep alive the
loylty of their people to Holy Church;
the, baptized their children. married
ther young men and maidens, said Mass,
buried the dead-it must have involved a
prJigious amount of labor.
InNovember, 1862, FIR. Quinn was fol-
lowd by the Rev. W. Fitzgerald, who
bull the extension west, also of stone.
on tie old church. Retiring in Novem-
Der, S64, he was succeeded for part of
year Tor until 1861 by the Rev. p. j.
O'Caroll. As intimated above, all the
first ervices were held in this village, so
that the site of the new house of wor-
ships return to the early location of
this pople. Just what will be done
with he old edifice when the new one
shall have been occupied, finished and