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Ste-Anne Parish
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History
This year where we will be celebrating the 150th
Anniversary of Sainte-Anne’s Parish, our beautiful community
which has had the joy of worshipping here in Tecumseh since
1859. What an amazing milestone for our parish and for the
greater community of Tecumseh and the Essex-Windsor Region.
150 years of Catholics gathering to celebrate their faith in
both French and English {and for a good portion of that time
in Latin}. Thousands of weddings, baptisms, First Communions,
Confirmation and even the Ordinations of priests and a bishop
{Most Rev. Eugene LaRocque} have taken place inside these
walls. This community has journeyed through many highs and
lows: two World Wars and other conflicts where its sons and
daughters gave their lives for freedom. It lived through the
Great Depression and several recessions. Our facilities have
been through many restoration projects and are in the midst of
one right now. While there is no doubt it is by far the
largest undertaking in the parish’s history, we will get
through it even if it takes a few years.
People have asked how we intend to celebrate this milestone in
our parish. Since this is a very busy parish, it is very
challenging to do this right without making it too difficult
on the rest of it. I propose to you three events with the last
one by far the most important one. In February, we will be
having a pre-Lent Parish Mission, once again led by Father
John Graden, an Oblate of St. Francis de Sales who hails from
Stella Niagara, New York. He will be with us from February
14th to 18th. The theme for this year’s Parish Mission will
be: “Finding God wherever you are.” This July will be the
Annual Novena to our patron saint, Ste-Anne. However, this
year, July 26th which is her Feast Day is on a Sunday so our
intent is to make this a Feast Weekend and Bishop Ronald P.
Fabbro, CSB, Bishop of London will be with us for the whole
weekend to celebrate our patron saint on this special year.
And finally, I am asking you to mark your calendars for
Sunday, October 18th, 2009 for a special afternoon Mass and
Banquet where Bishop Fabbro will once again grace us with his
presence so that we may cap this moment in a joyful and
life-giving celebration of our parish. I know that it will be
an event that you will not want to miss. Obviously, more
details will be forthcoming for each of these events.
One of the ideas that we will be working on for the next
couple of months is a history book in order to mark the 150th
Anniversary with a tangible souvenir that will serve as a
keepsake for years to come. I would like to invite the
parishioners to start looking into their archives for pictures
that would help us bring some of that history to life in this
book. I promise you will get your pictures back. We anticipate
having the book ready for the October grand celebration. |
| This church was organized in 1859
by Rev. Peter Fauteux, and he remained with the congregation until 1872.
The Rev. Paul Andrieux succeeded him; he completed the church and
erected the presbytery. He had charge of the parish until 1888, when
Rev. Philias Villeneuve assumed control; he built the convents and the
school, and was the pastor until his death in 1905...
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St. Anne's Parish, Tecumseh, Ontario 1910 |
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View Some Historical Photos
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