Notre-Dame-de-Lorette seeks descendants of 19th century settlers

The early settlers who built the first church in Lorette were also building a community. Notre-Dame-de-Lorette is seeking the descendants of those early builders and parishioners to bridge the historical gap as it celebrates its story that stretches back to 1865.

Generations will gather in Lorette June 21-22 for the 125th year of the current building with the painted ceilings and murals that give it a Sistine Chapel of the Prairies look. The celebration will also acknowledge the first residential pastor Father Joseph Thomas Quévillon in 1877, the first to visit regularly to hold mass in 1873 Father David Fillion with help from Fathers Laurent LeFloch and Raymond Giroux, and the first missionaries arriving in 1865.

The committee putting together the June celebrations has already connected with families of early settlers and parishioners. They would like to connect with more, especially those whose lineage connects with Auguste Gauthier. He was the parishioner who was the architect and contractor who built the Notre-Dame-de-Lorette.

“We really want them involved, to honour their ancestors who gave so much for this church and this community,” said committee member Lucille Brunette.

Brunette and her sister and fellow committee member Colette Rozière said descendants of Jean-Baptiste Gauthier’s family had no idea they were so connected to the home that played such a role in Lorette’s founding.

“They had no clue at all,” said Rozière.

Jean-Baptiste Gauthier’s great granddaughter told them it made sense.

“She said it makes sense because her grandmother was very similar. Her house was always open to helping the community and her neighbours. That’s what her great grandmother had done here, because that’s where they had the first masses, they had the first school, they had the first post office, and they had the first (Tache) council meetings (in 1880),” said Brunette.

“Their house was open to anything to develop this community.”

Jean-Baptiste Gauthier’s family moved there in 1861, nine years before Manitoba was a province and six years before Canada was a country. The first Métis families also arrived in or before 1860, including the Bériaus, Vaudrys, Gaudrys, Dumais, and Romain and Elzear Lagimodiére.

Rozière’s husband Michel is rebuilding the cross that stood at the Gauthier home that was the hub of the community. What is known as the fourth cross was erected following the 50th anniversary of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette Parish, on June 17, 1934, but was later taken down.

It will be brought back to its home between the Tache Community Centre and dog park on Dawson Road when completed. The RM of Tache paid for bilingual plaques to describe each of the four historic crosses in the area that mark places of worship that also served as schools.

Anniversary celebrations

Archbishop Murray Chatlain is set to be in Lorette for the celebrations. Mgr. Albert LeGatt & Father J. Mario de los Rios Londono are holding a special 4 p.m. bilingual anniversary mass Saturday, June 21. Father de los Rios Londono has promised a surprise from his trip to the Lorette’s namesake in Loreto, Italy.

Church tours will be held 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with some traditional garb pulled out of the cabinets and worn for the first time in a while.

Father Charles Fillion, whose great-great uncle was Lorette’s first regular priest David Fillion, will be at the church dressed in an antique vestment. Father David Fillion also helped collect the wood that would go towards building the Lorette church he never got to see completed.

Others will also be in dress similar to those worn at the turn of the 20th century as they describe the many murals, statues and artifacts held in the historic church. It is also hoped all the church bells will be replaced and ringing in time for the anniversary.

The main event is Saturday’s banquet that starts at 6 p.m. Stories from the past and present will be shared, and a new documentary video by parishioner Trevor Chilton shared. Tickets are $60 and available at the parish office.

There is another bilingual mass Sunday morning. A picnic at Community Spirit Park on Station Road will follow. Kid’s games and more will be going on until 4 p.m.

Lorette parish is getting help from churches and people lending artifacts from Saint Joseph, Richer and Ste Genevieve.

“The cooperation has been awesome from the surrounding parishes,” said Rozière.

The committee invites anyone who wants to help with anniversary events to contact the parish office by calling 204-878-2221.