Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1920-12-03
YERGENNES PASTOR
GOES TO RUTLAND
Rev. Fir. Vezina Transferred After
IA Years at St. Peters

Alter fourteen years of devoted paro-
chlal and civic service Rev. /. A. We
ziua, pastor of ST. Peters Catholic
church of Vergennes, has been trans
ierred by his ecclesiastical superiors to
a larger field, that of the pastorshin Of
the Church of the Sacred Heart in
Rutland Father Vezina announced
his change at the services in Vergennes
last Sunday morning.
Rev. L. A. Vezina was appointed
pastor in Vergennes in January 1907, to
succeed the Rev FIR Turcotte who had
been pastor but a short time after the
transfer of Rev P A. Campeau to
Shelburne
Father Vezina leaves the Vergennes
church in excellent financial condi-
ton. Before his assuming its direction
its pew rent amounted to less than
SlOOO. During his pastorate he had so
increased the membership of his church
that the annual seat rental now
amounts to $4,000 He was first bur
dened with a church debt of $1,000 and
during the past year was able to
liquidate it entirely
Father Vezina's interest was not con
fined to his parish. He early became
leader in things civic He was presi.
dent OF the Champlain Tercentenarv
Association and was one of the fo"rd.
ers of the Nergennes Board of Trad.
serving as its president for several
years Owing to his active partic!nation
in these and many other community
enterprises his departure will be deeply
regretted by the city in genera, as well
as by his parishioners.
Rev. Lewis Albert Vezina was born
in Danville, P. O., Dec. 10, 1875, the
son of Regis and Zoe LaFrancis We
zina, who moved to Salem, Mass. in
1873 and to Fall River in 1879. He
was educated in the Fall River paro-
chial schools and in 1889 entered col
leg at Quebec graduating in 1895.
Ordained in 1900
He entered the seminary connected
with Laval university and after four
years study of theology, he was or
dained a priest by the Archbishop of
Quebec in the cathedral of that city,
February IS, 1909 In March of that
year, he was appointed pastor at Nor
tons Mills. with missions at Wallace
Pond and Bloomfield.
In July 1901 he organized a parish
III Shoreham where many improve
ments were added to the church prof.
perty during his six years Dastorate.
From Shoreham he went to Vergenres
in 1907
AS testimonial of the high esteem
in which the devoted priest was held
he was given a public farewell recep-
ion in the city hall Tuesday evening,
the eve Of his departure for Rutland
The auditorium was filled with his own
and representatives of
every denomination. DR.. John NJ
IaisSc presided over the meeting as
Hartman and introduced the following
speakers. Rev John B. McGarry of
Winooski. Rev. f A. Welch of Orwell
who brought greetings from Father
Vezina's former parishioners in Shore
nam; Rev Thomas Leonard of Middle
)ury, Rev. Father Deagan of Burling
on. who when a member of the Spring
ield, Mass, band of missionaries con-
iucted several missions in that city
lnder Father Nezina's pastorate; At
orney Robert w McCuen of Vergen-
les and States Attorney-elect G.. W.
stone of Vergennes, both personal
riends of Father Vezina. A purse of
money, the gift of parishioners, was
hen presented by DR.. Caisse. Father
Iezina thanked his friends for the de-
nonstration of regard for him in a
ew well chosen words and assuring
hem of his permanent interest in Yer
ennes and his former parish he bade
me and all farewell.