December 1, 2002

Remembering 150 Years...

1852 St. Francis Xavier Parish 2002

Our
stories.
Our
people.
Our
history.

Church and House

May1927 Expenses Accounts
Linoleum Decorating Paint Scaffolding War Memorial
Wallpaper $10,070.85 $97.35 $1,000.00 Frame
$924.75 $276.96

Literary
Society
A meeting of the High
School Literary Society
Executive takes place in
this 1948 photograph.
From left to right are
Jimmy Brown, Tuck
Morglan, Father Henry
Maloney, C.J. Shannon,
and Bill Bolger.
This photograph, from the
November 30, 1988 edition
of the Renfrew Mercury,
shows the unveiling of a
sign on the site of the
proposed new Catholic high
school. Present for the
ceremony were, in the back
row from left to right, Bill
Winters, Frank Turner,
Doug Burns, Andy Bray,
Michael Laverty, Katherine
Timm, Father Coulas, and
Harold Bolger. In front are
St. Thomas the Apostle
students Jeremy Sauve ,
Andy Brisson, Johnathan
Guest, Michael McLaughlin,
Lenny Victor, Cory Bennett,
Danny Cobus, and Mark
Donohue.

“This parish was founded in 1852. This year is its

75th Anniversary. To commemorate this event, the
Diamond Jubilee of the Parish, and to assist in paying
for decorations and pipe organ, we shall ask all to join
in the $1.00 a month club for this one year.”
Announcement Book: January 30, 1927.

In 1968-69, the Sisters of the Holy Cross and the

Sisters of St. Joseph started to wear street clothes
Pastor instead of the more traditional habits.
St. Francis Xavier The Sisters of the Holy Cross purchased their first
car, a Meteor, on September 14, 1966. The Sisters
Church of St. Joseph purchased their first vehicle in the late
2000 to Present 1960's as well.
 December 8, 2002
Remembering 150 Years...
1852 St. Francis Xavier Parish 2002

Our
stories.
Our
people.
Our
history.

Announcement
Book

February 2, 1936
“Your prayers are requested
for the repose of the Soul of
the beloved Pastor of this
parish, Rt. Rev. Msgr.
French. Msgr. French’s
body will be removed to the
church tomorrow at 10 a.m.
Any man wishing to join the
Guard of Honour for the night
hours, Monday, please give
name. Msgr. French died
February 1, 1936.”

This photograph gives us a look at the 1995-97 St. Francis

Xavier Parish Pastoral Council. Seated, from left to right
March 15, 1936
are Brian Long, Pat Rusheleau, Broyden Bennett, Earl “We are pleased to announce
Bennett, Father Murray Tardiff, John Freemark, and that His Excellency Bishop
Sandra McGregor. Standing at back are Andre Volpe, Bill Ryan has appointed Rt. Rev.
W.H. Dooner, Parish Priest of
Ringrose, Sister Emma Castonguay, and Kelly Hunt. Osceola, as the new Pastor
Missing from the picture is Father Steven Ballard. of this Parish.”
 A former principal of St. Joseph’s High
School, Sister Marcella Virkus, CSJ,
passed away at the Motherhouse in
Pembroke on August 7, 1984.

Sister Marcella was a member of the

Sisters of St. Joseph and in the 26th year
of her religious commitment.
A native of Renfrew, Sister Marcella served seven years as a teacher and ten years as principal
at St. Joseph’s High School. She was also active at The University of St. Paul in Ottawa where she
was pursuing Pastoral studies in the three years prior to her death.
The funeral liturgy was celebrated at Holy Name Church in Pembroke and was officiated by Rev.
L.M. Ethier and assisted by Rev. H.L. Chabot. The Most Rev. J.R. Windle offered the final blessing
while Rev. F.M. Kennedy said the graveside prayers.
Pallbearers were Robert Blanchette, Bernie Mask, Donald Sharpe, Bill Keon, Peter Brotherhood,
and Gary Hickey. Honorary pallbearers were Sister Loretta Rice, Sister Marilyn Conroy, Sister
Evelyn Stufko, Sister Mary Keizer, Sister Justina Graham, and Sister Marjory McGuire.

Entered in the EOSSA “C” group, the team pictured above played with Cobden, St.
Columba’s of Pembroke, and Deep River winning three games and losing an equal
number in the season’s play. They are, front row left to right, Henry Imbleau, Alex
Morin, Jim Letang, Gary Mackin, Terry Ruddy, Brian Ruddy, Vincent Blimkie, and Bill
Inglis. In the back row are Brother Daniel (coach), Mike Culligan, Pat McMahon, Jim
Ruddick, Louis Hebert, Gary Gerritse, Jack Laporte, Paul Tanguay, Gabriel Tanguay,
and Jim McMahon. Absent when the photo was taken were M.J. Blimkie,
T. McManus, Murray McManus, Garry Hickey, and Alex Gavinski.
 December 15, 2002
Remembering 150 Years...
1852 St. Francis Xavier Parish 2002

Our
stories.
Our
people.
Our
history.

St. Francis Xavier Graduation

1966

Two top academic students were honoured during
graduation exercises at St. Francis Xavier School in
June of 1966. Pictured above are Elaine Windle
and Edward Loziuk with Rev. Murray Tardiff, guest
speaker, and Sister Mary Dorothea, principal.
The world-renowned St. Michael’s
Boys’ Choir presented a Christmas
Concert at St. Francis Xavier on
November 27, 1995. Pictured
above is the program from that
evening’s presentation.
 The Grade 9 class of St.
Francis Xavier Boys’ High
School is pictured on the
front steps of the school in
this 1948 photograph. In the
front from left to right are
Jerome Utronki, Gerry
Lemenchick, Bert Bennett,
Bob Nesbitt, and a gentleman
who remains unidentified. In
the second row, Jim Pulcine,
Paul Reitz, and John Joe
Kedroski. Third row, Gerry
O’Donahue, Norman Hebert,
Bob Kobus, Fr. Maloney, A.
Baderski, Bill Kobus.

P June 1, 1922: Paid to P.J. Daly the sum of $221.27, for two cement posts and
electric lights.
P August 30, 1922: Paid to Mrs. Clifford Williams, the sum of $560.00
representing half the cost of a concrete boundary wall, possibly between two
churches.

“The Aostolic Delegate arrives here Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

There will be Benediction, and a reception afterwards on the
lawn with a serenade by a band. The next morning there will
be a dialogue Mass followed by a visit to the school and
convent.”

“The Apostolic Delegate His Excellency Most Rev. Andrea

Cassulo is on tour of the Upper Ottawa Valley and will visit
Renfrew today, June 11th.”

Remembering 150 Years...
1852 St. Francis Xavier Parish
Our
stories.
Our
people.
Our
history.
Bishop Emeritus Joseph R. Windle is shown
with Montreal artist Philippe Bilodeau. Mr.
Bilodeau created the wall sculpture of St.
Joseph that was commissioned by the St.
Francis Xavier Parish Council as a gift to
Bishop Windle. The sculpture currently hangs
at St. Joseph’s High School.
December 22, 2002
2002
Ottawa Journal
Salutes
St. Francis Xavier
Centennial: 1952
“The common ideal of all these sturdy
pioneers of different nationalities was
to earn a living and practice their
religion in peace. These ideals have
endured in their descendants down
through the century.”
“On October 26 and 27 the sons and
daughters of St. Francis Xavier will
fittingly celebrate the 100th
anniversary of their parish. In their fine
old stone church, in modern well-
equipped schools and convents,
emphasis will be placed on the
progress in things of the spirit; of the
contribution made to the cause of
education.”
“Mention too will be made of the
significant part Roman Catholic people
of Renfrew have played in the social
and economic progress of the
community, province, and country.”
 Writing History With
Each Passing Day

Andrew Smaggus was

recognized for his
outstanding academic
achievement during the
graduation exercises for St.
Joseph’s High School in
June of 1998. Andrew was
also a graduate of St.
Thomas the Apostle
School.

“Sure, history was written in the beautiful old stones themselves. They spoke of the men
who cut and shaped them. It was seen in the work of the woodworkers and craftsmen, the
laborers (sic) and donors of time and money. But history is always being written, and now
it’s your turn to write it.”
Rev. T.J. Raby, in a letter to Msgr. R.M. Clarke, following the 1964 fire that destroyed St. Francis Xavier Church.
 Remembering 150 Years... December 29, 2002

1852 St. Francis Xavier Parish 2002

Our
stories.
Our
people.
Our
history.

St. Francis Xavier, Patron of Foreign Missions and Apostle of the Indies, was born of noble
descent at the castle of Xavier in Navarre, Spain in 1506. At the age of 18 he went to Paris to study
philosophy and it was at the College of St. Barbara that he met St. Ignatius Loyola four years later.
This association had such an influence upon him that he became one of the first disciples of the
saint.
In 1536 he went to Venice and was there ordained a priest in 1537, becoming among the first to
belong to the new order known as the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits. He went to Portugal and
from there set sail to India in 1541, landing at Goa. From this city he set out to bring Christianity to
converts in Malabar, Travancor, Malacca, the Moluccas, and Ceylon. In 1549, he became the first
missionary to travel to Japan and was successful at developing a small but enduring Christian
community there. After two years, he returned to India before setting out on a new mission to China.
Twenty-three days after his departure from Malacca he arrived at Sancian. Here, on November
20th, he was siezed by a fever. On Friday, December 2, 1552, St. Francis Xavier took his last
earthly breath. He was forty-six years old.
Three hundred years after his death, a faith community in a small Ottawa Valley town would
choose to identify themselves in honour of his memory. And thus began the story of St. Francis
Xavier Parish.
 Rev. R. Murray
Tardiff
Pastor
St. Francis Xavier Church
1987-1998

The staff of St. Thomas the Apostle School pose for this photograph in the spring of
1991. In the back row, from left to right, are Vince Windle, Nancy Gagne, Dick
Hastings, Doug Miller, Pat Watters, Dave Sulpher, Phil Sauve, and Steve Jones. In
the middle are Harold Bolger (principal), Kathy Windle (vice-principal), Bev Moran,
Sandra McGregor, Mary McCann, Nancy Cameron, Liz Cox, Judy Drouillard, Frank
Doyle, and Ken Costello. In the front row are Bertha Towey, Fran Hogue, Marilyn
Leclaire, Lyla Prince, Fran Bennett, Anne Fuisz, Doris Mooney, Helene Kelly, and
Roselle Ducasse.