Parish History of Church of St. Peter-in-Chains, Trenton ... - Cogeco

CCORDING TO THE RECORDS inscribed by the ReverendEdmund J. Walsh during his pastorate at Trenton, the HolySacrifice of the Mass was first offered in Trenton early in theyear 1832. The celebrant was Rev. Michael Brennan, andthe place, the private residence of the late J. V. Murphy.Preparations were made for the acquisition of land and thefirst church was completed in the following year, 1833. The church, aframe structure, said to be the first church erected in Trenton by anydenomination, stood until the year 1874. From 1832 to 1847, Trentonformed a part of the mission of Belleville.In the year 1847, by appointment of the Right Reverend DoctorPhelan, Trenton became a separate mission, with Rev. F. P. McEvoy thefirst pastor. Father McEvoy remained in Trenton until 1850, when he wasappointed to the mission of Loughboro (Railton). He was succeeded bythe Rev. P. J. Madden, D. D., who built the first presbytery. At this timethe mission of Trenton included Frankford, Brighton and Codrington.Father Madden having met with an accident, Rev. J. D. O’Connorassumed temporary charge for a few months prior to the appointment in1854 of the next pastor, Rev. Henry Brettargh.The first Separate School was established in 1860. The presentchurch was built in 1874 and dedicated by the Right Reverend DoctorO’Brien, then Bishop of Kingston. Father Brettargh resigned in 1882 andreturned to England. Rev. Morgan O’Brien was given temporary chargeof Trenton pending the appointment of the next pastor, Rev. Edmund J.Walsh, in 1882.The Right Reverend James Vincent Cleary took possession of theSee of Kingston in 1881. In the following year, the Diocese ofPeterborough was established. Brighton and Codrington became a part ofthe new diocese, and Frankford a separate mission, thus confining theparish of Trenton to the corporation boundaries.The year 1883 witnessed the erection of the Stations of theCross, donated by fourteen members of the congregation: Donald

ST. PETER’S SCHOOLTurley, John Finlan, Martin Moran, D. R. Murphy, J. D. Macaulay,William Canfield, James O’Halloran, Edward Lynch, Arthur Murphy,F. McGuire, Hugh O’Rourke, John Clune, T. McCabe and L. Paquet.In the year 1884 the second Separate School was built and equippedand four teachers engaged for the instruction of 214 pupils. A new bellwas presented to the church in 1885 by twenty-five members of thecongregation: Patrick Kenefick, Mrs. P. Kenefick, Thomas Beary, Mrs.Thomas Beary, Joseph Foltz, Peter Cooley, D. B. Macaulay, Patrick Kelly,Mrs. P. Turley, Mrs. A. Parent, Margaret Lane, Mrs. John Walsh, Mrs. K.McKinnon, James Walsh, P. J. O’Rourke, Mrs. Thomas Somers, JohnMcDonald, Mrs. John McDonald, James McDonald, Elizabeth Somers,William Hulsey and Mrs. Charles O’Neil. The bell was christened“Patrick” and placed in the new church tower erected in 1884.The convent was erected in 1885, and placed in charge of theReverend Sisters of The Congregation de Notre Dame, who weresucceeded in 1902 by the Reverend Sisters of Charity of Kingston. Theerection of this building necessitated the purchase of a new cemetery andthe evacuation of a portion of the old cemetery, in the church grounds.The installation of a new organ completed the list of improvementsaccomplished by the parish during the pastorate of Father Walsh, who diedin 1889. The parishioners erected to his memory a brass tablet on thegospel side of the sanctuary, near the place of his interment.Reverend Morgan O’Brien was transferred from Morrisburg to theparish of Trenton.Two years later Reverend Charles Murray was appointed parishpriest of Trenton. Father Murray’s fruitful pastorate of ten years wasclosed by his appointment to the parish of Brockville in 1901. He

ST. PETER’S CONVENTwas succeeded by Reverend P. A. Twohey, who was called to his eternalreward in 1904.The Reverend M. J. Spratt came from Elgin to assume charge of thisparish. Father Spratt was appointed parish priest of Belleville in 1909 andconsecrated Archbishop of Kingston November 30th, 1911.The Reverend J. J. Connelly was the next parish priest. During theearly years of his pastorate the present Rectory was built. His deathoccurred in 1924.Father Connelly was succeeded by Reverend M. McDonald. A newSeparate School was built and formally opened by the Most ReverendM. J. Spratt, Archbishop of Kingston. The sermon on this occasion wasdelivered by the Right Reverend Monsignor O’Sullivan, now Bishop ofCharlottetown, P.E.I. Pupils are now prepared for admission to the thirdform of High School.Father McDonald’s appointment to Napanee in the year 1928necessitated the removal of Reverend M.E. Crawley from Picton toTrenton, where he died June 16th, 1929, and was succeededSeptember 7th, 1930, by Reverend J. J. O’Reilly as pastor, withReverend W. J. Buckley, assistant.

ARLY IN THE YEAR 1931, the parishioners were advised ofthe approaching anniversary of the first recorded offering ofThe Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in Trenton, and plans weremade for a fitting commemoration.The church grounds were graded and seeded, at a cost of$550.00. The funds were raised by the Holy Name Societyand the Children of Mary, assisted by a $50.00 donation from the Knightsof Columbus, who had opened club rooms in the old school. Protectionagainst lightning was placed on the church at a cost of $530.00.The pews were repaired and refinished together with the interiorwoodwork of the church. The sanctuary was enlarged.A new altar was installed, through the generosity of benefactors,among them, Very Reverend M. E. Crawley, Mrs. M. Burns and Mrs. J.Nulty, who bequeathed legacies of $500 each for this purpose. Mrs. W.A.Fraser donated $300.00 for the purchase of the Tabernacle safe with goldleafeddoor, which was built into the new altar.Votive Stands at a cost of $65.00 each were donated in honour of theSacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Mother of God, by Mrs. O. E.Fortune and the Children of Mary respectively.The Holy Name Society placed on the steeple of the Church, at a costof $200.00, a gold-leafed metal cross.Mrs. O.E. Fortune donated $240.00 for a new statue of the SacredHeart of Jesus. The statue of the Blessed Virgin, presented by Mr. and Mrs.William Dion, was exchanged for a new statue, more in harmony with thestatuary of the church.A new lighting system was installed, through the donation of $100.00each by nine families, and three of the parish societies, viz: Miss SarahCathcart, The Carroll Family, J.J. and J.S. Coleman, Bernard P. Connolly,Mrs. Bernard G. Connolly, Mrs. Arthur White, The LaMorre Family,Mrs. J.J. Macnab, Mr. and Mrs. T.E. Murphy, The Children of Mary,The Catholic Women’s League and The Knights of Columbus.Land purchased for cemetery purposes on the Highway west of theCorporation boundary was cleaned and graded at a cost of $375.00.Mount Calvary Cemetery, the second cemetery, which was opened byFather Walsh, was fenced and graded and a new road built at a cost of$1600.00. It may be noted here, that the first cemetery is the present churchgrounds and this land enjoys the tax exemption granted to such property.The week commencing Sunday, August 21st, 1932, was appointed fora special commemoration of the Centennial.At the entrance to the church, the parishioners were met by a band

ST . PETER’S RECTORYof ladies who pinned upon each one of them the Papal Colours. Thedonations on this occasion amounted to $106.50. In the course of theweek, a Garden Party and Bridge was held in the church grounds, with netproceeds $105.30. The “Old Time Party” in the auditorium of the School,gave returns amounting to $54.00 and the Holy Name Society staged aconcert, which netted $32.00. At a later date, the Children of Mary,through their entertainments, raised $100.00. Finally, the Children ofSt. Peter’s School presented Operettas for two nights to a large andappreciative audience, making a further contribution to the CentennialFund of $150.00.Many families of the parish made substantial cash donations to thefund.On Thursday, Requiem Mass was offered for the deceased priestsand people of St. Peter-in-Chains. The week closed on Sunday,August 28th. At the first Mass, practically the whole congregationreceived Holy Communion. High Mass was sung in the presence of TheMost Reverend M.J. O’Brien, D.D., Co-adjutor Archbishop of Kingston,who delivered the Centennial Sermon. In the afternoon, priests and peoplevisited Mount Calvary Cemetery, where prayers were offered for therepose of the souls of the deceased members of the parish. In the eveningRight Reverend J.F. Nicholson, V.G., M.C., gave Benediction of theBlessed Sacrament and intoned the Te Deum.