The Religious Life of the Communities
By Tanya White

Roman Catholic priests in Placentia

Father Kane (also spelled Kean or Caine) O.S.A., the first Irish missionary whose name is recorded as working in Placentia, was an Augustine Friar from New Ross, Wexford. He came to Placentia in 1770 and remained six years.

Father Lundrigan or Landergan, also of the Augustine order, followed Father Kane and spent the next ten years at Placentia (1776-1786). During Father Lundrigan's stay at Placentia, the Most Rev. J.L. O'Donnell (or Donel) was appointed (1784) the first Bishop of Newfoundland. The necessary jurisdiction was transferred to him by the Bishop of London, Most Rev. James Talbot. Bishop O'Donnell divided the country into four ecclesiastical districts of which Placentia was one. The Placentia district extended from Cape Ray and thence to the Straits of Belle Isle. Priests who came were told, when they asked what were the boundaries of their parish,to "go as far west as they liked, and as far east as they were able".

Rev. Edmond Burke (or Bourke) a Dominican Friar from Tipperary succeeded Fr. Lundrigan and was the first regularly authorized missionary and stayed until 1798. He built the first church in Placentia since the French occupation; it was a small chapel with a cottage roof and was taken down in 1880. A new graveyard was open at the same time on the beach where the church now stands, and served until the opening of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery on Dixon's Hill.

Rev. John Phalen, O.S.A. (or Whalen) succeeded Father Burke when he went to Halifax in 1798, and he served at Placentia until 1810. Following him came Rev. Andrew Cleary, who died there in 1829.

Father Hearn (1829-1838) succeeded Fr. Cleary. He travelled on his missionary labours over the whole south coast to Cape Ray and was known as the Apostle of the Micmacs. Father Hearn was said to have crossed the Island on foot with an Indian guide from Pipers Hole near Swift Current at St. George's Bay. The Chapel built by Father Burke in 1786 was replaced in 1880 by a new church as it had become too small to accommodate the growing population.

Father Forristal secured a site for the present cemetery, and it was consecrated on August 12, 1859, by Right Rev. Dr. Mullock.

Father Edward Condon who succeeded Father Forristal died at Placentia in 1870. The Convent was built in his time as a home for the Presentation sisters who went to Placentia Parish in August 1864. It was known as the Convent of Our Lady of the Angels.

Other priests who ministered at Placentia were :

Father Michael Walsh (1870-71)
Rev. C.H. Irwin (1872-83) who built the presbytery and established the Star Society in 1876.
Rev. Michael A. Clancy, (1883-97) who erected the Star of the Sea Hall.
Rev. Msgr. V.F. Reardon (1897-1920) Msgr Reardon completed the church, renovated the presbytery, and added a chapel to the convent. The church was first lighted by oil lamps, then an acetylene plant was installed and later, electricity.
Rev. Father Wm. O'Flaherty (1920-41)
Msgr. Maher (1941-51)
Father Hunt (1951-61)
Father Moakler (1961- ).

Catholics in Dunville - St. Anne's Church (1954)

Catholics in the area of Dunville so out numbered the Protestants that at one time there was only one Protestant family there. Dunville Catholics attended the Placentia Church, gathered in homes for wakes and weddings, or worshipped at the small red school at Jordans Head. New-born infants and brides-to-be were sent by dory or sled to Argentia from Fox Harbour. Rev. Lewis Anspach states that very early Newfoundland marriages and christening usually took place in the fall when the fishing concerns were settled or sometimes in the spring previous to resuming these occupations. In Dunville at one time the priest would come to the home and marry the couple. Then friends and family would gather at the "Head school house" to dance by lantern light. Babies were carried by horse or dory to Jerseyside and by ferry to Placentia to be christened soon after they were born. Another old custom mentioned by Rev. Anspach was the firing of guns. Because there was such difficulty in transportation, people would gather in homes to pray and say their rosaries when they were not able to attend services, and occasionally the priests would visit the communities. St. Anne's Church in Dunville was built in 1954 under the parish priest, Rev. Father Hunt. There were about 100 families in the community at the time and through joint effort and donations the work was done. The building land was donated by Thomas Barron Sr.

Fox Harbour
Fox Harbour, which was also Roman Catholic, became a parish in 1945. Father O'Brien from Argentia was the visiting parish priest. In 1946 Father Penny was appointed the first parish priest.

Other Religions
One of the main reasons that additional Protestant denominations developed was the influx of people coming to work on the military base at Argentia and United States Military personnel living in Dunville. Many people who worked on the base attended the Argentia Chapel, which served both Protestant and Jewish as well as Roman Catholic, while others attended in various communities.

The Baptists

The Baptists came to this province, in an organized way, in 1955 under the auspices of the Baptist Federation of Canada. The first meeting of Baptists in Dunville was held on August 4, 1958 in the United School. On September 8th, the group organized into the Placentia Bay Baptist Church in a meeting held in the Chapel on the U.S. Naval Base.

In 1959, a Quonset Hut was put on a lot of land at the junction of the Lower and Main roads in Dunville and prepared for worship services. In 1960 a summer student from Acadia University, Laurie Fenerty, provided leadership for the summer. In 1961 the property was purchased and the Quonset hut moved to a new location. In 1962 the house on the property was moved to the rear of the land and the first section of the building was used for worship on Easter Sunday, 1963.
June, 1961 saw the arrival of the Rev. Daniel A. Dryer as the first ordained pastor. Mr. Dryer remained until December 31, 1966. Rev. W.S. Barker arrived on March 2nd, 1967. The congregation and Sunday School enrolment varied, as there were many folks from the Base as well as local people who we interested . The group is part of the Atlantic Baptist Convention which is part of the Baptist Federation of Canada, which in turn is part of the Baptist World Alliance.

United and Anglican Churches

The first United Church in this area was formed in 1956. Rev. I. Davis, minister from the Clarke's Beach Charge, met with 57 families at that time. Things were organized and the first services were held in the two room United Church School. To prepare for the services, each Sunday the sliding doors separating the two rooms had to be removed. This small building served this dual purpose for approximately four years. Rev. Boyd Hiscock was the first minister appointed to this charge; under his leadership the school basement was finished and a chapel was made there. It was dedicated on October 28, 1960. This chapel was to serve the people for another four years.
In 1964, plans were completed and work began on a new church building. On October 4th the corner-stone was laid by Rev. Reynolds. The building was finished by the end of the year. On May 2nd, 1965 it was dedicated and named Grace United Church. Grace United Church ministers: Mr. Boyd Hiscock, 1956-57; Mr. James Downey, 1957-59; Mr. Roy Tillen, 1959-60; Mr. Bert Goodyear 1965-66; Mr. Arthur King, 1965-66; Mr. Boyd Vincent, 1966-67; Mr. Roy Hawkins, 1960-62; Mr. Joseph Burke, 1962-63; Mr. George Senour, 1963-65; Mr. Bobby Fillier 1967-68; Mr. Eric Hillier, 1968-69; Mr. Gerald Sacrey, 1969 -
In 1951 the population of Dunville was 563; 15% was Anglican (16 families). When the American Military base had opened in 1941 there was much community growth. February 12, 1961 a new Anglican church was opened. Holy Communion was celebrated by Rev. Morley Boutcher. Anglican Ministers of Dunville: Rev. G. Camp, 1952-59; Rev. M. Boutcher, 1959-61; Rev. A.E. Bennett, 1961-67; Rev. H. Hinton, 1966 (summer); Rev. G. White, 1967- .

Placentia Anglican Ministers
Placentia Anglican Ministers were: Rev. Robert Killpatrick, 1729, Rev. Robert Longman 1759; Rev. Harris 1787; Rev. Evans 1790; Rev. G.A. Spencer 1819. There were approximately 15 Anglican families in Placentia in 1845 when Bishop Field visited, and there was much discord. This discord had risen from the restoration of the church on a grant from Queen Adelaide wife of William IV. In 1787, when Rev. Harris took charge there had been 100 families.

The Pentecostal Church in Dunville

The Pentecostal Church of Dunville had its beginnings in 1968. The first service was held at the home of Sergeant and Mrs. Crewelle at the U.S. Naval Station, Argentia. Following this period a desire for a more permanent home prevailed, and on January, 1969 the first organizational meeting with Pastor S.C. Johnstone was held. Family representatives to this meeting were from Dunville and Argentia. The Sparrows apartment became their first home, with one section used for a parsonage and the other section for a church. Interest began to rise, so much so, that it was finally decided to erect a permanent church home with an evangelistic ministry. In August, 1969, property was secured next to the East Coast Trailer Park, which provided a home for the minister as well as property for a church building.

¹Women's Institute. (1970). Home Of Wooden Boats And Iron Men. Dunville: Women's Institute.

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