Parish History

Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God [1 Peter 2:4]

Almonte’s (then Shipman’s Mills’) first church.

Important Parish Events in Recent Years

Shipman’s Mills’ First Church – 1842

The physical site of the present Holy Name of Mary Church was established in 1842. Daniel Shipman made this gift of one and a half acres of land to Fr. John Hugh McDunagh to enable the building of St Mary’s Mission church in the community then known as Shipman’s Mills. The 10m x 15m frame church was constructed in 1842.

A quarter of a century earlier, amid an influx of immigrants from Scotland and Ireland, Father John Macdonald regularly visited the settlement of “Sheppard’s Falls,” a hearty walk through the woods from Perth – for his parish was all of Lanark County.

The small community of mills on the Mississippi River started to flourish in the mid-1850’s, and in 1856 the town was officially (and quizzically) named Almonte. The famous Mexican general and diplomat who said “No” to los Yanquis was probably never aware of the honour paid him.

Holy Name of Mary in 1875 -CLICK TO VIEW IN SEPARATE WINDOW

1868 Christmas Fire and a “re-birth”

On Christmas night, 1868 fire claimed the old wooden church. Immediately the faithful of the parish joined to raise a new stone church.

One parishioner, William Madden, even mortgaged his farm and home for $2000 to get the work started. The new stone church was almost twice as large as the old one. On Christmas Day, 1869 parishioners gathered for Mass at dawn. As was the custom, the letters A.M.D.G. were carved into the arch of the entrance. Those letters signal the banner of faith: Ad Majorem Dei Glorian, To the Glory of God! Three years later St. Mary’s became a parish in the Diocese of Bytown.

Other historic Catholic references: The Union Almonte and Ramsay Contagious Hospital was also known as the Pest [Pestilence] House, or sometimes the Isolation Hospital. The two acres of land was bought in 1902 from a Roman Catholic farmer, Thomas McDonell for $100. [Located]on the hill behind the Catholic cemetery…” (Source: “lindaseccaspina” Blog)

Consecration of the Church, 1875

On October 7, 1875 the church was consecrated by Bishop J. T. Duhamel. Read this fascinating, historical account of our parish, entitled “Sketch of the Parish of St. Mary, Almonte, Ontario, 1823-1885 by a Priest of the Diocese of Ottawa”

Although the parish has historically and formally been called Holy Name of Mary, with references to such in diocesan material dating to the 1930’s, the sign on the front of the church was not changed from “St. Mary’s” to “Holy Name of Mary” until after Fr. William Penney (1996-2002) took over as pastor. He engaged in a dynamic renewal of the parish and the church. Renovations to the bell-tower and restoration of heritage details in the interior of the church began under him in 2002.

Changing Times

1967: Centennial Year. A Centennial Year Committee was formed to celebrate 100 years since the erection of the current stone church. Decades later our Parish was gifted a string of black and white photographs of the church exterior, dating to about 1967-1969. These form an important visual record. The shelters over the three front doors did not appear in the Centennial Booklet’s cover picture, so it is possible these photographs were taken prior to 1967/69. The Centennial Booklet, describing the first 100 years of “Old St. Mary’s church” in Almonte, was published in 1969.

Views of the Church exterior circa 1969 (Click to enlarge)

1998: Holy Name of Mary elementary school. The small elementary school building had served generations of Catholic students in its location behind the church. By 1998, however, the growth of the town required the construction of a new school. Holy Name of Mary Elementary School on Paterson Street was opened to provide a testament to Catholic education. Hundreds of students have graduated with hearts full of good memories and souls nourished by Catholic spirituality. 1998 also saw municipal amalgamation when the Town of Almonte (along with Ramsay Township and Pakenham) became part of the larger, consolidated municipality of Mississippi Mills, Ontario.

2002 Restoration: A Restoration Committee had been formed to restore and refresh the church building. The Committee carefully and diligently examined an old photograph of the church interior taken in 1913. The Committee’s examination of the photo listed 22 detailed changes since 1913. The changes were listed in this document (click to read).

Pastors Then to Now

Brass plaques at the back of the Church proudly display Pastors who have served at Holy Name of Mary over the years

1956-Fr. Eagan, Dr. J. Dunn, J. Lyons (Click to enlarge)

1953: Three significant members of the parish pose in this picture, taken circa 1953-1956. Pastor Fr. W. Maurice Egan, Dr. J. Dunn and Joseph Brunette (d. Apr 3, 1956). Joseph Brunette was the father of Mrs. John Lyons , hence the erroneous notation of “J. Lynns” on the photo. (Thanks to former parishioner Judith Scott Maloney for the correction.).