St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-03-10

Rev. John A. Boissonnault, who for
nearly thirty-fve years has stood in St.
Johnsbury for all that is finest in the
church he represented, passed to the rest
for which he had SO long prayed on
Monday morning at st. Johnsbury Hos
pital where he had been a patient since
last October Is. He had been suffering
from Bright's disease for some time
previous and had been gradually relax
ing the reins of church management
The history of his life is largely the his
tory of Notre Dame parish, for here the
best years OF his life were spent and the
results Of his years of devotion are well
manifested in the strong condition of
that parish.
Born at St. Valentine, P. O., May 16,
1841, he attended school in that town.
In 1868 he was graduated from Mon
treal College and began his theological
studies, which he finished three years
latef. He was ordained priest in 1866
and made assistant at Sault au Recoilet,
near Montreal. In 1869 he came to YER
mont to take charge of new church at
Rutland. The next year he became
rector at Fair Haven with missions at
Castleton, Orwell, Shoreham and Proc
torsville, and during that time con-
structed churches at Fair Haven and
Shoreham. In 1874 he came to St.
Johnsbury to take the place of Rev. S.
Danelou, who had gone to New Jersey.
His first care was to repair the school
foundation and make extensive repairs
on the church on Cherry street. In April,
1876, the new cemetery of eight acres
was bought and since that time it has
been increased in area. In this same
year the chimes were bought and dedi-
Gated on July 4. This was the first
Catholic church in the state to have a
chime of three bells.
In June, 1878, house for the nuns
was purchased and on Sept. 3, 1879, the
charge of the girls school was confded
to the sisters of the Congregation of
Notre Dame, who have remained here
since. In 1882 Fr. Boissonnault bought
land and the following year the present
convent was built. This building has
now been outgrown, and would prob
ably have been enlarged ere this, had
Fr Boissonnault's health allowed him
to attend to such matters. The par
ochial residence was purchased in 1884
and has been the home of Fr. Boisson-
nault and his assistants ever since. The
crowning labor of FIR. Boissonnault's
years as parish priest here was the erec-
tion of the present church ediice, Notre
Dame des VICTORIES, at cost of $37 900.
The cornerstone was laid on June 1,
1887, and the church was dedicated
Sunday, January 6, 1889, with an
of 1900 people. The boys
school was established in 1874, and
since 1902 has been in charge of the
Brothers of st. Gabriel. In 1894 the st. |
Johnsbury hospital was built the first
and for some time the only hospital in
this section. 1t is in charge of the Sisters
of Providence. In 1896 the English
speaking portion of the congregation
was made a separate congregation and
the following year St. Aloysius church
was built, and dedicated in Nov. 1898.
When he came here his parish included
Lyndonville, Victory, CRANKY and
and all these places now
have churches of their own. During his
ong pastorate here, over $250,00O has
oeen expended, but the extent of his
influence cannot be estimated in dollars
and cents.
With one exception he was the oldest
priest in the diocese in length of con-
.inuous service and was president of
he ecclesiastical conference of the district
IF st. Johnsbury. He has been very in
luential in the affairs of the diocese,
out it was in the management of his
own parish that he was strongest, and
he community as whole had come to
egard him as one who would always
Use all his influence for personal and
ivic uprightness.
FIR. Boissonnault is survived by one
brother, Lucien, of ST. Blaise, P. O., and
me sister, and four half sisters and one
lalf brother.
The funeral will be held Thursday
morning at $50 at Notre Dame church
when requiem mass will be sung. The
elebrant will be the administrator of
he diocese, Monsignor Cloarec of Bur
inptOn. the deacon Father prOulx of