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. Mary of the Brae
This mission was settled by Highland Catholic Families about the year 1826-7. These good people began their first church in 1848, under the direction of Bishop McIntyre, at that time parish priest of Tignish. The church is forty feet in length by thrity in breadth, with a wall of eighteen feet. A steeple has lately been added to it, also a new altar built on the same plan as that of St. Anne, Township Sixty Five. The stations of the cross were given to the mission by the parish of Charlottetown, and originally hung in old St. Dunstans. The church of St. Mary is well provided with everything necessary for the service of the altar.
In the old times when St. Mary's was built, it was very difficult to get work men to do carpentering, plastering and such like, so that the parishioners after being disappointed by plasterers once or twice, decided to do their own work. A difficulty presented itself in the matter of trowels - they had none and none were for sale nearer than St. Eleanors, a distance of twenty five miles. However, one vigorious young man bethought himself of his father's new cross cut saw, and proffered it. The offer was eagerly accepted, the saw was taken to the blacksmith, who cut it up into pieces resembling trowels, and the amateur plasters went to work with a will.
When the walls were finished they bore traces of miskilled hands and the pastor suggested that the inequalities of the surface should be concealed by wall paper. A marbled paper made to imitate bird eye maple was accordingly hung, it was well varnished and has lasted up to the present time. The parochial house at the Brae was built by the Bishop in 1856.
First Catholic Settlers of
St. Mary's Mission
at the Brae
Neil McKinnon
John McKellar
Neil McDonald
Alexander McDonald
Archibald McDonald
James McDonald
Alexander McDonald
Donald McNeil
Donald McIsaac
John McIsaac (Pierre Jacques)
James Hickey
Donald Stewart (West Point)
Malcolm Stewart (West Point)
John Stewart (West Point)
John Beaton (West Point)
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