Historic Lorette cross back in place

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This article was published 21/06/2025 (286 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With the base blessed with holy water, oil from Loreto, Italy poured in, and the scapular baring the visage of Jesus Christ, it was time to finally put the fourth cross of Taché back in its place beside Dawson Road in Lorette.

With Notre-Dame-de-Lorette Colette Rozière serenading those gathered, the 300-pound cross built by her husband Michel in their garage was lowered into place at its place in history on June 16.

“It’s an exciting day today here in Notre-Dame-de-Lorette parish to reinstall the cross that was originally on the north side of river lot 58 on the (Jean-Baptiste and Rosalie) Gauthier family residence, which was the original church, rectory, post office, school and municipal council,” said Colette’s sister and fellow committee member Lucille Brunette.

The cross first went up on June 17, 1934 following the 50th anniversary of the parish. After decades of standing in the harsh Manitoba elements, it was taken down. The committee was not sure when exactly the landmark left its roadside home between the arena and dog park.

The new cross included the oil and scapular brought over from Italy by Father Jorge Mario de los Rios from the Lorette’s namesake Loreto, Italy after his visit to Basilica della Santa Casa, believed by Catholics to be the location of mother Mary’s birthplace and where she raised her young son Jesus.

The cross was put up as the June 21 to 22 anniversary celebrations approach.

It is 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.

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.

Public 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.

Saturday’s banquet 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.

André Rozière, Darren Campbell and Gilles Brunette helped put up the new foundation and plaque, which the RM of Taché put funds towards due to its historic significance as the founding of the community and first home of council. To Émile Dubois provided the machinery required to lift the massive cross.

The cross will be blessed on Sept. 14, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. River rock will be added to the base.

There are three other historic roadside crosses marking places of significance in Taché’s past at the corner of McDougall Road and Dawson Road, along Dawson Road East in Dufresne, and at the corner of PR 206 and River Road.