Catholic Parishes in PEI (c. 1885) by Rev. Alfred E. Burke
Please see the Contents page for information on this and other historical sketches of PEI Roman Catholic parishes, as compiled by Father Alfred Burke circa 1885.
The Mission of St. Michael, Montague West
The mission of St. Michael, Montague West, comprises three districts, Newton, Montague, and the Valley, which latter is of recent settlement, it being an outgrowth of Newton and Montague.
The first Catholic settler of Newton built himself a log house there in 1820, the pioneer of Montague came there in 1826. These two farmers were respectively from the counties of Waterford and Wexford, Ireland.
They were shortly followed by others from the same two counties, together with a few men from Kilkenny. About that period a number of Irishmen left their native land to take work on the Newfoundland fishing grounds. They obtained a free passage by signing a written agreement which bound them to serve for a term of years, the companies who brought them out.
The term stipulated was usually two years, during which time the bondmen received only their food, clothing and lodging. At the expiration of the two years, a number of these men drifted over to Prince Edward Island, and some of them settled in the districts of Newton, and Montague. Others again who came had paid their own way from Ireland and been landed at Mirimachi, Halifax or Charlottetown, but their pockets were in most cases empty and they were obliged to work for several years, in order to earn sufficient money to bring out their wives and families. In and after the year 1839 and 1840 a number of emigrants from Monaghan, Armagh and Tyrone came out to Prince Edward Island, many of these also found their way to what is now St. Michael's Mission.
In old times the settlers in Montague and Newton heard mass in Vernon River Chapel, situate nine miles from their homes, a long distance to travel in stormy weather and over bad roads.
About thirty six years ago, the late Patrick Stevens Esq, of Orwell, an Irish Catholic gentleman took up the cause of his country men and interested himself in the erection of a church in their locality.
He first obtained permission from the late Bishop McDonald, for them to separate themselves from Vernon River Parish and form a distinct mission. When after considerable debate a site for the proposed church was determined upon, Mr. Stephens procured from the proprietor of the township, the late Earl of Selkirk, a grant of the land selected.
Gatherings of the parishioners, called "frolics," were then instituted. These frolics were in truth sessions of very hard work, in which the men felled the forest trees and prepared them for the builders hands. Lotteries were held and subscription lists opened; to these all the parishioners contributed, but none so generously as Mr. Stephens, who also gathered contributions from wealthy friends of his who resided at a distance. Encouraged, aided and spurred on by Mr. Stephens, the parishioners kept at work until the church was framed, rough-boarded, shingled, and in fact, completely finished exteriorly. A temporary altar was then erected and mass offered in St. Michael's church. At this mass, Mr. Stephen's assisted; then, having had the pleasure of seeing his poor countrymen worship God in their own church he withdrew from any further responsibility in connection with the building. Foremost in contributing towards the erection of this church were the late William Cody, Patrick Power, John Roach, and Richard Curran of Newton, the late Patrick O'Connell of Montague, the late A. McMillan of Belfast, and Owen McKenna, now of Singy in Vernon River Parish.
The church of St. Michael was blessed and formally opened in 1852 by his Lordship Bishop McIntyre.
It was for many years attended from Vernon River, the first pastor being the late Rev. James Brady, the second Rev. F.X. deLangie, the third, the Rev. James Phelan who had the church plastered and built a parochial house. The first resident pastor was the Rev. William Phelan, he resided at Montague West for two years and then was transferred to St. Mary's, Montague Bridge.
During Father William's incumbency a spire was added to the tower of the church; the church was painted and furnished with pews and a parochial library purchased. Father William Phelan was succeeded in 1884 by Rev. John Corbett, the present pastor.
St. Michael's though only boasting sixty families in the days of its first existance as a mission, has rapidly increased in size and importance. The parish limits are defined, but outside of those limits, any catholic residing in Murray Harbour, Point Prim, Ronna, Rossa, and Wood Islands, would naturally, belong to St. Michael's parish which now numbers one hundred and fifty families.
The church is well situated, commanding a fine view of the surrounding country, and of the gulf from Point Prim to Pictou Island. It measures sixty feet in length by thrity six in breadth and has a wall twenty two feet high. The tower is twelve feet square, and is surmounted by a spire which rises in a height of ninety two feet, and is finished by a golden ball and cross. The interior of the church is very plainly furnished; the altar which is small, is gothic in style. As an evidence of their gratitude to the benefactor of the parish, the late Patrick Stephens Esq, the trustees have set apart a front pew for the exclusive use of his widow and family.
We are told that in Ireland relief of destitution was always regarded as a "sort of religious duty or fraternal succor," and we have evidence that this spirit of true Christian charity is not wanting, in the celts who have come thither. It is related that when one of the first settlers of Montague, James Maddick, in his old age, became stone blind, and was, as a natural consequence, very poor, he was supported and kindly cared for by the generosity of his neighbours who kept him week about at their houses. It would frequently happen that when the poor blind man's week was up in one house, the person whose turn it was to have him the next week, would come and carry him home on his back.
Patrick Morrisey, the first settler in Newton arrived with a wife and large family, and five shillings in his pocket; this sum his wife invested in the purchase of some barn door fowl. Among this feathered tribe, there must have been a goose who laid golden eggs, for Morrisey prospered exceedingly and his house was one in which new comers to the settlement, ever found a lodging and a warm Irish welcome. He owned the first horse in Newton, which animal, strange to say, was indirectly the cause of his sudden death. While returning from a meeting of the parishioners of Vernon River at their chapel in the year 1835, he fell from his saddle and was killed.
The first horse in Montague settlement was owned by one Martin Daly who was the earliest Catholic settler in Montague. At his house the priest from Vernon River usually held his station prior to the building of St. Michael's church. The second horse in Montague was owned by one John O'Shea. This poor old animal "Dick" was a much imposed upon quadraped and performed many services for the settlers, often trotting backwards and forwards to Charlottetown, attached to the rough shafts of a "slide car," still he lived to a good round age and has yet a place in the memory of the people of Montague.
First Catholic Settlers of the Mission
of St. Michael
Montague West
| Patrick Morrisey | from Waterford |
| Thomas Power | from Waterford |
| Michael Marrah | from Waterford |
| James Maddick | from Waterford |
| Gregory O'Brien | from Waterford |
| Patrick Guinness | from Waterford |
| Richard Curran | from Waterford |
| John Cody | from Kilkenny |
| Edward Kelly | from Kilkenny |
| John Roach | from Kilkenny |
| William Cody | from Kilkenny |
| Martin Daly | from Kilkenny |
| Patrick Fermel | from Kilkenny |
| John Shea | from Kilkenny |
| Peter Brennick | from Kilkenny |
| Patrick Callaghan | from Kilkenny |
| Patrick O'Connell | from Kilkenny |
| Thomas Ryan | from Kilkenny |
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