Did you know that there has been a Catholic presence here since 1792?
The evolution of the Church in Petawawa began with the arrival of Gabriel de Bellefeuille, trader and prospector, born in 1792 in Lower Canada, who settled somewhere near Petawawa Point in the nineteenth century. His home became the chapel for itinerant missionaries traveling up and down the Ottawa River. Across the four miles of this great river stood the ancient mission of Fort William. Bishop Lorrain and Father Nedelec were the most notable missionaries to Gabriel’s home.
A story is told about Thomas and John Clout(h)ier, original residents of the district, who, at the ages of 10 and 12 respectively, having received some catechetical instruction from Alexina Charette, daughter of Marcel Charette, journeyed six miles from Black Bay to Petawawa Point and crossed the river to Fort William. The purpose was to attend a ten-day mission by Father Nedelec.
For many years, Petawawa Point continued as the Mission Station for Catholic settlers in the district. Missionaries came regularly after their visits to the lumber camps on the Petawawa River.
In 1885, Mass was also said at MacInerney’s brick house. This house was often the scene of the Sacred Mysteries. Around 1885, Mrs. Catherine (Murphy) Smith was baptized by Father Nedelec. Barney Brindle, an Englishman, owned the house at the time.
At the same time, Marcel Charette kept a stopping place at Black Bay where the clergy were always welcome. Black Bay, at that time, consisted of 14 families. Among the family names we find Charette, Paquette, Clouther, Turcotte, Chartrand, Sylvestre, Ignace, Wickworth, Murphy and Egan.
In 1899, Reverend E. A. Latulippe, Rector of the Pembroke Cathedral and in charge of Black Bay, presided over the erection of a chapel. It was completed the followed year and named “Notre Dame de la Baie”. The dedication took place in July, the Stations of the Cross were erected in December, and the following year the bell was blessed. Among the donors on this occasion we find the names of Mrs. Murray, Mrs. P.M. McCool, Mrs. Gape Stuart and Mrs. M.J. O’Gorman. For the next 15 years, Mass was said regularly by priests from the Cathedral.
As the population of the village of Petawawa increased, provision had to be made to serve the spiritual needs of the people. In 1905, Dixon’s home was secured for this purpose. In 1915, the whole property was purchased from a John Casoof, an Assyrian Catholic. A large bungalow on the property was renovated to form a chapel.
In 1920, with the organization of Saint John the Baptist Parish in Pembroke, the Missions of Black Bay and Petawawa were united.
In 1927, Alex Paquette, Edward Charette and Tom Clouthier dismantled the church at Black Bay and reconstructed it with added length at Petawawa on the property formerly owned by John Casoof. The rebuilt church was named St. Luke and dedicated on July 29, 1928 by Bishop Ryan. Father Sloan and his assistant served St. Luke’s until 1932. The mission then reverted to the Cathedral remaining in the charge of Right Reverend W.P. Breen and his curates until 1940.
Reverend T.P. Holly, for many years attached to the Cathedral, was named the first resident pastor. St. Luke’s original site is now inhabited by Mac’s Convenience Store, at the corner of Mohns Ave and Petawawa Blvd.
After World War II, the village experienced a period of growth. Father Holly, in conjunction with the Parish Council, made a decision to build a new church and rectory.
It was decided to construct these buildings from stone, as there was a readily available source from the Petawawa River. And so it was that parishioners - men, women and children united to locate, dig and haul a mountain of stone to the building site.
Everyone in the parish became involved in fund raising to finance this ambitious project. At that time, the weekly donations to the church were $5.00 per family, with the occasional family able to contribute $10. Some of the many ideas for fund raising were the installation of an outdoor skating rink, movies and bingos in the church hall. The rink, originally at St. Luke’s School, was moved to the ball park located right behind the former fire hall on Victoria Street. It was moved owing to the scarcity of water for ice making and flooding at the school. A canteen was set up at the rink to generate building funds. It was operated by Jake and Kay Charette. As well, Jake, and his son Larry, along with Sam Aubrey, acted as projectionists for the movies. Sam and Leda Aubrey also assisted with the rink and movie canteens. Sam was well known for always having a stub of a cigar in his mouth. Woe to the child who created any problems at the movies or the odd teenager who thought the movie house was a good place to add a bit of romance by putting an arm around a member of the opposite sex! It has been reported that Sam was quick to spot any mischief and the culprits faced exposure under the bright light of the large flashlight he carried. Sam Aubrey, Roy Richards and Fred Arsenault shared the duty of calling the bingo games for many years. Additional funds were generated through the profits from the bingo games and the canteen.
Other social events that raised money for the church were parish dinners, bean suppers, bazaars and corn roasts. Organizers in the kitchen during this period were Leda Aubrey, Valerie Charette and a Mrs. Vaudry. Leda prided herself not only in remembering the attendance figures of previous dinners but the number of pies that were consumed. She was also well known for her ability to know how much food to prepare so that no one went away hungry. Corn roasts were held on the lawn of the church. Ladies of the parish provided items, such as crocheting, sewing, candles and preserves, for sale at the bazaars.