The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1920-09-30
HISTORY OF NOTRE
DAME CHURCH IS
INTERESTING ONE
First Catholic Here In 1881
STEADY Growth of
Church

The history of Notrc Dame des
Victories church is very interesting
dating from 1881, when the first Cath
olic made his home in st. Johnsbury
There were no traces of any Cath
olicS living in this town prior to 1881
In this year, the records of the town
and parish show names that savoi
OF Catholicity, such as, Joseph Le-
maire, Narcisse Moreau- Ignace Ira
hau, Benjamin Blondin. Peter Lon
ergan, Michael Bray, Joseph Trudel
etc, etc. Ever faithful Ireland and
the neighboring country of Canada
furnished the first Catholic residents
OF St. Johnsbury.
The first priests to visit St. Johns
bury were Father O'Callaghan OF
Burlington, Father Drolet of Mont
pelier and Father Harpar of Canada
The said Mass in the homes of the
Catholics, principally in those OF
Joseph Lemaire, Joseph Trudel and
Owen Donagan.
The visitations of these priests ex-
tended over a period of 90 years,
from 1881 to 1854.
The little band of Catholics were
gladdened by the visit of the first
Catholic bishop of Burlington in
1854. He was heartily welcomed by
the Catholics He was the guest of
and said Mass in the houe of Joeph
Lemaire.
This Catholic gentleman made the
bishop present of a considerable
sum of money which he had saved for
the purpose of aiding in the building
of a Catholic church.
The bishop promised to send them
soon priest of his own diocese to
attend them at regular periods. Ac-
cordingly Fathers Drolet Of Mont
pelier, Malaoney, an Oblate Father
from Burlington, and O'Reilly from
Brattleboro, visited St. Johnsbury
from time to time. On Feb. 27, 1856,
Father O'Reilly purchased land and
beoan the foundation of the first
church In 1858, st. Johrsbury re-
ceived its first resident pastor. He
was Rev. Stanislaus Danielon, a
French priest recently ordained in
Burlington. After his arrival, the
first care of the pastor was to cor
tinue the work on the church edifice
begun by Father O'Reilly. After long
and strenuous efforts, he succeeded
in building the brick church which
is now known as st. Agnes Hall.
Father Danielon's pastorate eX-
tended over a period Of fourteen
years, from 1858 to 1874, He then
removed to New Jersey where he ex-
ercised the ministry until his death
in 1896 In 1874, Father Boisson-
nault of Farhavcn, arrived in St.
Johnsbury.
The principal events of this pas
torate was the induction of re-
ligious men and women as teach
ers of the schools, the building
of school houses, of a convent, Of
a hospital, the purchase of new
cemetery, of chime of bells, and the
most prominent of all, the building
of new, large and beautiful church.
These were the results and monu-
ments of the zeal, good will and gen
erosity of the pastor and people. No
record has been kept of the date of
the ceremonies pertaining to the
of the first church.
The new church is fine and i'm
posing structure of stone, situated on
an eminence and commanding a view
Of the village and the valley of the
PassumpSic. The cornerstone was
laid by Bishop de Goesbriand, and
July 4, 1897 The sermon in French
was preached by Rev. Martin Cal
aghan, of the order OF st. Sulpice,
Montreal.
On January 6, 1889, the edificc was
blessed bv the pastor. The bishop
was present and was the English and
French orator of the occasion. The
Mass was sung hv Rev. ]. l.. Roy,
of the college Of Sheybrooke. /
This was memorable and pleasing
went for the Catholics of St. !,
Tohnshury. A marked charge was no
.iceable since tho carly davs. Manv
'f the. non-Catholics manifested
heir interest in this work hv their
presence in the church at the cere-
nonv of dedication.
The buildings erected bv Father
2oissonnault necessitatcd the cx