Sources: The names of clergy up to 1941, as they appear in the Argentia Parish Register, were retrieved from data compiled by Brian Hennessey, “Argentia RC Records”. [sic]

Repudiation of Misconceptions and Fabrications on Red Island Website

• Contrary to Power's statement, documentation of the exact date of the establishment of Holy Rosary Parish does exist. Also there is plenty of evidence of Father Nowlan being in Little Placentia long before 1835. A check of parish records at Placentia, St. John's, and BIS files at Harbour Grace and Carbonear will verify that fact.

•  Holy Rosary Parish was not established in 1935, as claimed by Olive Power. Unfortunately the same incorrect information is posted on the website maintained by the Archdiocese of St. John's where it lists Mass times for its member parishes. The entry for Holy Rosary Parish reads “Most [sic] Holy Rosary Parish, Freshwater (1835).” Instead of researching the archdiocese records, the person making that entry obviously took the incorrect information from the booklet produced by Father Peter Golden in 1984.

•  Father Nowlan was not a curate in Harbour Grace for four years.

•  The term “lately” was widely used in Newfoundland for any period less than ten years, depending on the point that was being made. Even today, there are people living in the Placentia area for much more than ten years and they are still referred as “not from here” or “came here lately.”

•  Not all of the communities that were part of Holy Rosary Parish were listed.

•  The gravesite at Freshwater was not initially laid out in a “cruciform arrangement.”

•  All the misconceptions in the section written by Brother Foran are repudiated in the section Misconceptions and Fabrications of Brother Foran. Refer to that section for the correct information.

•  Father Dee's age at the time of death was 56 according to Brother Foran and 55 according to Olive Power. It is unusual to have one writer contradicting another in the same article without the primary writer making reference as to the reason why. Otherwise, it leaves the reader confused.

•  Father Dee was not born in 1896, and that can be verified in the Archdiocese of St. John's records and Department of Vital Statistics.

•  Michael Thomas Fleming was Vicar-Apostolic of Newfoundland, not bishop, when he first went to Ireland in 1830 to recruit priests for Newfoundland.

•  Further proof of Pelagius Nowlan's time of ordination is located in an archdiocese entry on Reverend James McKenna. It reads"

He was one of the five young men who volunteered for the North American Missions; more specifically, Newfoundland. He was one of five priests ordained by Bishop [sic] Fleming while he was on his second recruiting trip to Ireland in 1833. The first one was just after he became bishop [sic] in 1830, at which time he recruited Father Pelagius Nowlan and Father Edward Troy.

Whoever recorded the preceding entry was in error by referring to Fleming as “bishop” when his title at the time was vicar apostolic.

•  Father Pelagius Nowlan was not born in 1792.

•  Father Nowlan was not “unusually old (being almost forty)” when he was ordained to the priesthood.

•  The statement that Father Nowlan “steered well clear of the political and denominational broils in which some of his colleagues immersed themselves” is not true and there are a significant number of government and court records to prove it.

•  Although Father Dee's appointment to Holy Rosary Parish was announced on January 1, 1922, he did not occupy the position at that time.

•  Father Nowlan was in Argentia more than 35 years and there is plenty of documentation to prove it.

•  The erroneous information contained in Brother Foran's story quoted from the booklet Holy Rosary Parish, Freshwater July, 1984 were listed and repudiated in the section Misconceptions and Fabrications of Brother Francis Foran.

•  When he tried to change the name of Freshwater, Father Dee put forth more names than “New Argentia.” Here is how that scenario unfolded:

Before re-settlement had been completed, Father Dee asked officials in the Department of Public Works to change the name of Freshwater to either “New Argentia” or "Argentia South.” The original residents of Freshwater, the Kellys and O'Reillys, let it be known in a very vocal fashion that nobody was going to arbitrarily change the name of their little settlement. One Freshwater resident even went as far as threatening Father Dee with physical violence if he did not stop his dictatorial ways.

It is obvious from Holy Rosary Parish records, after its re-establishment in Freshwater, that Father Dee preferred the name “New Argentia.” He referred to Freshwater by that name in several entries he made in the parish records during 1942.

Father Dee dropped the idea when he realized there was such strong opposition to his plan, but he did not abandon the thought of changing the name of Freshwater. He believed that once there were enough former Argentia residents living in Freshwater he would be able to convince them to support his idea. He made another attempt to change the name of Freshwater during the summer of 1943. At that time, he had a petition circulated under the supervision of his close friend, Mary McCarthy, the schoolteacher who boarded with him at the presbytery in Argentia. The names “Argentia South,” “Castle Lee,” “New Argentia,” and “Silver Springs” were suggested as alternatives to “Freshwater” on that petition.

Father Dee's second attempt to change the name of Freshwater met with even more opposition than his first. There were heated confrontations over the issue and several Freshwater residents threatened Father Dee with violence. Consequently, the idea was abandoned and he never brought it up again.

Olive Power had Father Dee's middle name correct. It was Joyce and not John, as often stated by Brother Francis Foran and Eileen Houlihan. The details as to how he got that name are presented in the text that follows.

Now, having made the preceding 17 statements — including an explanation of Father Dee's attempts to change the name of Freshwater — the ensuing presentation contains the complete history of Holy Rosary Parish as it existed in Argentia and Freshwater. It also contains a mini biography on all the priests who were associated with Holy Rosary Parish.

Holy Rosary Parish in Argentia (formerly Little Placentia )

It would be impossible to record the history of any Newfoundland community without including the history of the Church. Religion was such an integral part of people's lives that quite often the history of the Church was also the history of the community.

The Roman Catholic Church in Argentia had a life span of 110 years. Stories passed down from the pre-Church era in Little Placentia indicated that most people were religious and prayed the rosary on a regular basis. However, the majority of settlers wanted something extra; they wanted a priest to say Mass for them and to conduct their baptisms and marriages. During the spring of 1830, they decided to do something about having a parish established in their community. Several people got together and took up a petition asking the new vicar apostolic of St. John's to send a priest to Little Placentia.

In September (exact date not recorded or remembered) of that same year, Michael Brady (1794–1881), Denis Kelly (1788–1857), James Furlong (1788–1865), and John Reily (1779–1854) sailed to St. John's aboard Kelly's schooner, the Mary Margaret, and presented the petition to the new Vicar Apostolic of Newfoundland in St. John's.

Michael Anthony Fleming, O.S.F. had been elevated in status when Vicar Apostolic Thomas Scallan died on May 29, 1830. He was known by that title until 1847, at which time the Diocese of St. John's was established and he became the first man to bear the title of “Bishop” in Newfoundland.

In the fall of 1830 — just five months after being installed as Vicar Apostolic of Newfoundland — Fleming went to Ireland looking to recruit priests for “the mission” in Newfoundland. Father Pelagius J. Nowlan and Father Edward Troy were the two who responded to his appeal. After serving the people of various parishes throughout County Wexford for 11 years, Father Nowlan was open to new ideas. The idea of ministering to settlers in a new frontier appealed to him. When he arrived at St. John's in March 1831, Father Nowlan was temporarily assigned as curate to Father Thomas Anthony Ewer at Immaculate Conception Parish in Harbour Grace. Contrary to what others have written, Father Nowlan did not spend four years as curate to Father Ewer. He was in Harbour Grace for only five months.

Eleven months after receiving the petition from the Little Placentia residents, Vicar Apostolic Fleming acted on their request. In August 1831, he transferred Father Pelagius Nowlan to Little Placentia from Harbour Grace and gave him the task of establishing a parish there.

Much of the information that has been written in local articles and posted on the Internet about Father Nowlan is very conflicting and erroneous. For example, the dates of his birth, ordination, arrival at Little Placentia, and death are not in keeping with the information on his headstone, in official church records, papers belonging to the bishops in the early stages of the St. John's Diocese, or in Irish archives.

Born in 1787 (exact date not in records) — and not in 1784, 1786, 1790, or 1792, as it states in three different locally written articles and on four websites — Father Nowlan was reared at Kilrush in County Wexford, Ireland. His very religious parents gave him the unusual first name in honor of Pope Pelagius I, the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church from 556 to 561. At age 26, Nowlan was older than most young men who entered the seminary at the average age of 17. In 1813, he began his ecclesiastical education at St. Peter's College in Wexford under the tutelage of Father John Sinnott, but he completed it at Birchfield College in Kilkenny. Pelagius Knowlan was ordained as a priest at Carrick-on-Suir on Friday, June 16, 1820, not in 1831 as indicated on the Red Island website. He was 33 years old at the time.

Contrary to what some other authors have written, a parish of the Roman Catholic Church was not established at Little Placentia in 1835 or 1836. Although births and marriages at Little Placentia were not recorded until the summer of 1835, Holy Rosary Parish was well established by then.

Church history in Little Placentia began with the arrival of 44-year-old Father Nowlan on Wednesday, August 17, 1831. In consultation with Vicar-Apostolic Fleming, Father Nowlan named his first and only parish in Newfoundland Holy Rosary Parish … in honor of his mother who prayed the rosary every day of her life. Holy Rosary Parish was the second Roman Catholic parish in Placentia Bay; Sacred Heart Parish at Great Placentia was the first, having been established in 1785. There had been Roman Catholic priests at Great Placentia long before that year, but they acted more as chaplains for the military units and settlers; they did not formally establish a parish there.

Holy Rosary Parish covered a vast area and was the largest parish in Newfoundland at the time. It consisted of Little Placentia, Fox Harbour, Ship Harbour, Iona (Ram's Island), Long Harbour, Isle au Valen (now “Isle Valen” on official maps of Newfoundland), Marticot Island, Mussel Harbour (later Port Royal), Oderin, and Red Island.

In addition to establishing Holy Rosary Parish, Father Nowlan also acted as the parish priest for Sacred Heart Parish in Great Placentia for almost a year after his arrival in Little Placentia. Father Morrison (first name not in available records) had left Great Placentia in 1830 and his replacement, Father Denis McKim, did not arrive until September 1832. Between 1832 and 1840, Father Knowlan managed Sacred Heart Parish on several occasions during Father McKim's absence.

Vicar Apostolic Fleming, in an account of his visitation to Little Placentia in August 1832, wrote: “Monday 23rd. We got into Little Placentia ... where we had the pleasure of meeting the Reverend Mr. Nowlan, who had been lately appointed to that District and it afforded me the sincerest satisfaction to find that both here and in Great Placentia his congregation were loud in praise of his exertions to afford them the comforts of religion.”

When Vicar Apostolic Fleming told them in 1830 that he would send a priest to their community, the residents of Little Placentia set about converting an old meeting hall into a temporary church. They also renovated a small vacant house that had been donated to the cause by William Power of Pond Head. Power had inherited the house when his aunt Johanna Lynch died, but he never used it because he had a home of his own. The people had plenty of time to work on the project because it would be almost a year before Vicar Apostolic Fleming was able to follow through on his promise. When Father Nowlan arrived at Little Placentia, he lived in the former Lynch house that the people had renovated. He said Mass and conducted other ceremonies in the temporary church that the people had prepared.

Father Nowlan was one of those Irish immigrants who believed that education was very important. His experience in the various Wexford parishes taught him that educated people usually garnered the higher-paying and more prestigious jobs. Within a year after his arrival in Little Placentia — in September 1832 — he convinced the British North American School Society to open a school in Little Placentia. He had a small two-room school hastily constructed near the foot of Power's Hill, in the area known as The Harbour. Named Holy Rosary Parish School, it was the first formally established school in Placentia Bay.

Located near the temporary church, that first school consisted of two classrooms. Each classroom was heated with a potbelly stove. Kerosene oil lamps provided light on dull days and in the late afternoons. Toilet facilities consisted of an outhouse that was located a short distance from the school. Desks were long structures, each of which accommodated 10 students. You can imagine exactly what those desks looked like if you think of a picnic table that has been cut in half lengthwise. Lessons were conducted in reading, writing, arithmetic, history, geography, and catechism.

Enrollment records show that 85 students attended Placentia Bay 's first school. Holy Rosary Parish School had two teachers … John Kane and Anne Walsh. Wage discrimination between men and women was quite evident; John Kane was paid £30 per annum, while Anne Walsh received £20 per annum.

Holy Rosary School was operated by the British North American School Society for four years. In August 1836, its operation was taken over by Department of Education, a division of the Representative Government under Governor Sir Henry Prescott. The government then appointed a board of directors to manage the school at Little Placentia, as well as the ones that had been established at Great Placentia and St. Mary's. The school system at that time was a non-denominational one. The first local school board had 13 members. The chairman was the parish priest of Little Placentia and the other 12 appointments were divided equally between Protestants and Roman Catholics.

Father Pelagius Nowlan (R.C.) Chairman
Roger Sweetman, MHA (Ang.)	John Murphy, Esq. (R.C.) Secretary
Francis L. Bradshaw, MD (Ang.)	John Cozens, Esq. (R.C.)
William G. Bradshaw, JP (Ang.)	Alexander Chambers, Esq. (R.C.)
Joseph Toucher, esq. (Ang.)	Thomas Keough, Esq. (R.C.)
Josiah Blackburn, JP (Ang.)	John O'Rielly, Esq. (R.C.)
William Sweetland, Esq. (Ang.)	Nicholas Hayes, Esq. (R.C.)

The new school board held its first official meeting at Great Placentia and made the following decisions:

•  The headquarters for the new board of education would be located at Great Placentia.

•  School fees would be set at five shillings for the entrance fee and two shillings per quarter thereafter.

•  Children could not attend school unless the fees were paid, or were waived by the board.

•  The school would operate for five and one half days per week, 12 months of the year. The half-day was on Saturday and there was no school on Sundays.

•  The daily hours of operation would be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. from November to March and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April to October. There would be a meal break from noon to 2 p.m. each day from April to October.

Lessons were conducted from grades one through eleven. Right up to the time that Argentia was expropriated to make way for the American bases, grades one to six were referred to as “low school,” while grades seven to eleven were known as “high school.” Students from grades one to eight were tested and graded by the local teachers. Beyond grade eight, students had to meet examination standards as set out by the English education system. The tests were designed and printed in London. Student examination answer sheets were sent to London for marking and grading.

In 1833, Father Nowlan acquired a large section of land in the same area where his little school was located. It was there that all parish buildings would eventually be constructed. He also obtained several acres of land in the same area for a new cemetery. Once the parishioners — many of whom were successful businessmen — were aware of Father Nowlan's plans, they eagerly contributed both their time and money to transform Holy Rosary Parish into a more tangible reality.

In May of 1835, construction began on a new church, presbytery, and community hall. Perhaps it is because of that fact some people such as Olive Power have taken the year 1835 to be the one that Holy Rosary Parish was established! The hall was a two-story structure with a stage and seating area on the first level and a large meeting room and a recreational area on the second level. All three buildings were completed by October 1836.

John Hunt standing next to Post Master James McGrath on the lower end of Power's Hill in 1901. Holy Rosary Parish Church, with the two small white steeples, can be seen at the left of the photograph. The two hills behind the church are The Isaacs, which were on the other side of the entrance to Little Placentia harbour. The presbytery (only one corner showing) is to the immediate right of the church. The building to the left and in front of the church in the photo was the first Holy Rosary School. The two-story community hall, which was in poor condition by then, is in front of the presbytery. The new cemetery that Father Nowlan opened was located in front of and to the left of the school, but cannot be seen in the photo. The property on the hill to the right of the horse's head belonged to Thomas F. Kelly. Photo courtesy of Margaret, Kit, Ann, and Jim McGrath of Freshwater.

In July 1835, Vicar Apostolic Fleming boarded the schooner Madonna and started on an extended trip to various outport parishes to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Madonna, by the way, was a schooner that had been built specifically for carrying the Vicar Apostolic to outports to conduct ceremonies that could not be performed by priests. He confirmed 80 people at Sacred Heart Parish on Sunday August 23. The next morning, he confirmed 29 more who had sailed to Great Placentia on Sunday, but had arrived after the ceremony had been completed. After finishing the confirmation ceremony and concelebrating Mass with Father Nowlan on Monday afternoon, Vicar Apostolic Fleming and Father Nowlan sailed to Little Placentia. Right Reverend Michael A. Fleming, O.S.F. was the first high-ranking Roman Catholic official to visit Holy Rosary Parish, and Little Placentia.

Vicar Apostolic Fleming spent five days hearing confessions at Little Placentia and instructing the congregation in religious matters with Father Nowlan. After concelebrating Mass with Father Nowlan on Sunday, August 30, Vicar Apostolic Fleming boarded the Madonna once again and sailed back to St. John's. He was quite impressed with the progress Father Nowlan had made at Little Placentia in only four years. He was also very impressed with the knowledge of the parishioners in religious matters … so much so, that he mentioned it in his official written account of his first visit to Holy Rosary Parish. In that record pertaining to Little Placentia, Vicar Apostolic Fleming wrote:

Here we remained til [sic] Sunday, the 30th. These five days we passed hearing confessions and instructing the congregation, whom we found well prepared by that reverend gentleman; and never did I meet a people more attached to their religion, or more devoted to its ministers, than the people of this entire district, and on Sunday, I had no fewer than ninety-four to whom to administer Confirmation.

Father Nowlan traveled extensively through Placentia Bay while servicing his flock. He did not need a boat for traveling because several men in the community donated their time and schooners specifically for that purpose. He also spent a fair amount of time visiting the Conception Bay North area. He was an associate of Benevolent Irish Society (BIS) in Harbour Grace and a member of the Board of Health for Carbonear. He was also one of the co-founders of the BIS at Carbonear in 1835. Father Nowlan celebrated two major milestones while serving as parish priest at Holy Rosary Parish in Little Placentia.

On Monday, June 16, 1845, he marked his Silver Jubilee with a high Mass and a reception that was sponsored by his parishioners. Vicar Apostolic Fleming went to Little Placentia especially for the occasion. The priest he recruited in Ireland a fifteen years earlier had become a personal friend, so he concelebrated Mass with him to mark the special occasion.

Father Nowlan celebrated his Golden Jubilee by concelebrating a high Mass with Father Richard Condon of Sacred Heart Parish in Great Placentia on Thursday, June 16, 1870. Normally, the bishop of St. John's Diocese would have attended the ceremony for such an important event in a priest's life, but there was no bishop in St. John's at that time. Bishop John T. Mullock had died on April 29, 1869 and his successor, Right Reverend Bishop Thomas J. Power, did not arrive in St. John's until September 9, 1870. According to stories that were passed down through Holy Rosary parishioners, Father Nowlan was weak and had to sit through much of that special Mass. His parishioners arranged a reception in the parish hall immediately after Mass so that everyone could convey his/her congratulations and best wishes.

Other highlights in Father Nowlan's life included attending the Benevolent Irish Society's (BIS) gala at Harbour Grace in 1832; maintaining membership in the BIS at Carbonear after he joined in 1835; serving on the Carbonear Board of Health in 1834; signing the foundation document for the cathedral at St. John's in 1841; attending the consecration of the new cathedral at St. John's in 1855; and having the title “Very Reverend” bestowed upon him by Vicar Apostolic Fleming during his Silver Jubilee Mass in June 1845.

Father Nowlan spent 40 years in Little Placentia, and he actively administered the parish until he was 82 years old. The saddest part of his longevity as a priest at Little Placentia was the fact that he never got the opportunity to visit his homeland or see his parents after he left Ireland in 1831. By the time he reached the age of 82, Father Nowlan was becoming quite frail, as well as more and more forgetful. After spending so many years catering to the spiritual needs of his parishioners, people overlooked their pastor's frailty and memory shortcomings. For two years, they all contributed to the physical well being of their first priest. In addition to that, the bishop sent curates to Little Placentia whenever he had one available.

After being ill and bed-ridden for several weeks, 84-year-old Father Nowlan died on the afternoon of Friday, January 6, 1871 … Old Christmas Day. His Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by Right Reverend Thomas J. Power, D.D., Bishop of the Dioceses of St. John's on Monday, January 9. According to accounts passed down through several former Argentia families, Holy Rosary Church was “blocked,” and some people had to wait outside on the day of the funeral. Father Nowlan's body was buried just inside the main gate to Holy Rosary Cemetery, which he had started at The Harbour 40 years earlier. He had been a priest for 51 years.

The inscription on Father Nowlan's white marble headstone read:

SACRED

TO

THE MEMORY OF THE

REV PELAGIUS NOWLAN

LATE P. P. of L. PLACENTIA

HE DEPARTED THIS LIFE

6TH JAN, 1871

AGED 84 YEARS

Father Nowlan's remains and headstone were transferred to Holy Rosary Cemetery in 1942. That headstone eventually disintegrated in and, in 1993, Holy Rosary parishioners erected a new one — the same size and design as the one that was on Father Dee's grave. For some unexplained reason, they did not replace the entire original inscription. Instead, they had the following inscription etched onto the white marble headstone:

ERECTED BY MOST HOLY ROSARY PARISH AT FRESHWATER, P. B.

TO THE MEMORY OF

VERY REV. PELAGIUS NOWLAN, FIRST

PARISH PRIEST OF ARGENTIA, P.B.

WHO DIED JAN 6TH, 1871

IN HIS 84TH YEAR

MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE

When that headstone was erected, the name of the parish was Holy Rosary Parish, not “Most Holy Rosary Parish.” It was known by that name from September 1954 to September 1969 because of Father McDermott Penney's eccentricity and belief that his parish was better than all others in the region. See details in Holy Rosary Parish in Freshwater, farther along in this section.

Olive Power listed eight names as being parish priests, nine as assistant priests, and five as alternate priests in Argentia. In reality, thirteen priests were assigned to Holy Rosary Parish as administrators during its 110-year history. Some assignments were brief, lasting only a few weeks or months, while others were quite extensive, forty years in the case of the first parish priest. In chronological order, the parish priests of Holy Rosary Parish were:

Parish Priest	Tenure
1. Father Pelagius Nowlan	•  August 17, 1831–January 6, 1871. From 1831 to 1832, he also served as the parish priest of Sacred Heart Parish in Great Placentia.
2. Father Robert Brennan	•  January 11, 1871­–September 18, 1895
3. Father John J. St. John	•  September 18, 1895–February 11, 1911
4. Father Joseph J. McDermott	•  December 1895–April 10, 1896.
5. Father John J. O'Reilly	•  April 10–June 1, 1896
6. Father James M. White	•  August 3, 1903–September 17, 1903
7. Father James J. McNamara	•  October 4, 1903–December 8, 1903
8. Father Thomas J. Gough	•  May 29, 1910–August 12, 1910
9. Father Francis Cacciola	•  January 1, 1911–February 23, 1911
10. Father John T. Ashley	•  February 11, 1911–May 6, 1918
11. Father Thomas J. Devereaux	•  June 2, 1918–September 22, 1918.
12. Father John D. Savin	•  October 20, 1918–October 10, 1921
13. Father Adrian J. Dee	•  January 12, 1922–May 23, 1941

The parish priest in Little Placentia-Argentia usually had a curate because of the size of Holy Rosary Parish. While nineteenth century dates of assignments included only the month and year, twentieth century dates were more specific. The curates who served at Holy Rosary Parish were:

Curate	Tenure
Father Denis O'Brien	— May 1864­–July 1865
Father Thomas McGrath	— July 1865­–October 1865
Father Thomas Maher	— October 1865–August 1866
Father Richard Dunphy	— August 1866–April 1871
Father John Ryan	— June 1871–September 1872
Father Francis McCullane	— June 1875–November 1875
Father Francis McCullow	— May–November 1877
Father Lawrence Verriker	— November 1880–June 1892
Father William P. Doutney	— Periodically between 1880 and 1892
Father Francis Jackman	— December 15, 1927–March 30, 1930
Father Albert P. Slattery	— March 30, 1933–April 9, 1935
Father John Hunt	— April 9, 1935–May 23, 1941
Father Paul O'Reilly	— December 20, 1940–May 23, 1941

The name of Father Anton Fyme, not “Fumed” of Merasheen also appeared in Holy Rosary Parish records, but he was not assigned to Holy Rosary Parish. He went there specifically to conduct marriages, burials, and baptisms in the brief absences of both the parish priest and curate.

Several other priests visited Holy Rosary Parish and concelebrated Mass with the parish priest of the day. Those priests included:

•  Father John Bennett, CSSR in 1890, while on leave from his Redemptorist duties in Australia.

•  Father Michael A. Conway of Sacred Heat Parish at Placentia in 1896. Actually, concelebrating Mass with Father Conway in Great Placentia and having Father Conway concelebrate Mass with him in Little Placentia — or Argentia, as he was then referring to the community — was Father John St. John's way of trying to heal the rift that existed between the two communities and parishes. Father St. John and Father Conway were trying to undo some of the animosity that had been created by Father St. John's predecessor.

•  Right Reverend William J. Browne of Sacred Heat Parish at St. Bernard's in 1900.

•  Archbishop Edward P. Roche, who celebrated an ordination Mass on Sunday, July 1, 1928.

•  Father Francis W. Bradshaw of St. Michael's Parish on Bell Island in 1936.

•  Very Reverend Alphonsus J. Chafe in 1937. He was a member of the Scarboro Foreign Missions and editor of the China Missions magazine. He was also a Newfoundlander who had been born and reared at St. Mary's, St. Mary's Bay.

There were four periods — a total of 154 days, or five months and three days — when Holy Rosary Parish was without the services of a full-time parish priest. Those periods were: a five-day gap between the death of Father Knowlan and the arrival of Father Brennan; a 27-day gap between the departure of Father Ashley and the arrival of Father Devereaux; a 28-day gap between the death of Father Devereaux and the arrival of Father Savin; and a 94-day gap between the departure of Father Savin and the arrival of Father Dee.

There were four periods when there was no curate at Holy Rosary Parish. They were between: 1872–1875; 1875–1880, except for the six months that Father McCullow was at Argentia in 1877; 1892–1927; and 1930–1933. During those times, and on the occasions when there was no parish priest in the community, priests from other parishes conducted Mass, marriages and baptisms at Holy Rosary Parish Church. Although the names of priests from other parishes appear in the parish's birth, marriage, and death records, they did not stay in the community any longer than they had to … usually a day or two at a time.

During the sixteen years that he was administrator of Holy Rosary Parish, Father St. John was away from the parish for extended periods on six occasions. During those times, Father Joseph J. McDermott, Father John J. O'Reilly, Father James M. White, Father James McNamara, Father Thomas J. Gough, and Father Francis Cacciola were appointed as temporary administrators.

After he became the administrator of Sacred Heart Parish at Placentia in 1920, Father William O'Flaherty performed baptisms, weddings and funerals at Holy Rosary Parish in the absence of Father Savin and Father Dee.

Father Robert Brennan was born in 1830 (exact date not in records). He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John Thomas Mullock in St. John's on Tuesday, June 24, 1856. After his ordination, Father Brennan remained in St. John's with the bishop for almost a year. The highlight of his first year as a priest was concelebrating the Mass of Consecration for the new Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. In February 1857, Bishop Mullock assigned Father Brennan to Holy Apostles Parish in Renews. For 11 of the 14 years he spent in Renews, Father Brennan also looked after the religious needs of the people of St. Bernard's.

Upon the death of Father Nowlan on Friday, January 6, 1871, Father Brennan was assigned to Holy Rosary Parish in Little Placentia. He arrived in Little Placentia five days after Father Nowlan's death. Father Brennan's tenure, which was one of maintenance and routine ministry, lasted for 24 years. When he moved to Little Placentia, Brennan brought “Molly,” a large chestnut-colored mare, with him. He was an avid rider and used his horse for traveling around the parish and to the communities of Jerseyside, Ferndale, Dunville, and Fox Harbour. He also traveled to Harbour Grace and St. John's by horseback. Father Brennan and his horse quickly became a familiar sight on the roads and paths throughout Little Placentia, as well as on the roads to the other communities.

Father Nowlan was a short, stout man, but Father Brennan was quite the opposite. At six feet, three inches tall, he was quite an imposing figure. His loud and boisterous manner made him all the more prominent. Even though he was a large and very animated man, Father Brennan was kind to his parishioners. People said he liked children and often gave them rides on his horse. He was generous to the poor, especially those in remote areas of the parish; he collected food and clothing for them when they were having difficult times.

During the summer of 1885, Father Brennan bought a large white stallion in Harbour Grace and named it “Prince.” As it was the only white horse in the entire region, the parishioners thought it was a novelty to have Prince in Little Placentia. As imposing as he looked on other horses he had owned, Father Brennan became an even more striking figure on Prince … his black suit in stark contrast to his horse's white hair.

During the last six months of 1894 and the first few months of 1895, more so than any other time in the previous century, there was a lot of social and political tension between the residents of Little Placentia and Great Placentia. It had been going on since the French had left, but the situation had grown more intense over the years. By June 1895, it appeared to be getting completely out of control.

The tension and animosity between the residents of both settlements spilled over into parish affairs and was manifested in religious practices, especially at Mass time. It was not uncommon for Father Brennan to berate the people of Sacred Heart Parish at Great Placentia from the pulpit of Holy Rosary Parish Church. He also started bullying many of his own parishioners who refused to act according to his directions. It was not uncommon for him to appear for Mass while intoxicated and have to be led off the altar.

Since his actions were completely opposite from what he was supposed to represent, Father Brennan had become more of a liability that an asset. His changed personality made him a great a hindrance to the promotion of good will between the parishes in Little Placentia and Great Placentia. At 64 years of age, he had become too biased and fixed in his ways to change. After receiving numerous complaints about Father Brennan's inappropriate conduct, the bishop knew that he could not ignore the situation.

Reverend Michael Francis Howley was relatively new in his position — having been installed as Bishop of the Diocese of St. John's on Friday, February 22, 1895 — and he did not want any portion of his diocese to be so adversely affected. To ignore the problem would have reflected poorly on him as a leader, so he had to do something to correct the problem as quickly as possible. Bishop Howley decided to assign a younger, strong-willed priest to Holy Rosary Parish in order to deal with the ever-increasing conflict. Bishop Howley transferred Father Brennan out of Little Placentia and he immediately appointed his personal friend — 47-year-old Father John St. John — as the new parish priest of Holy Rosary Parish.

Prior to moving away from Holy Rosary Parish, Father Brennan sold Prince to Patrick Sampson of Cooper's Cove. Sampson used Prince to haul firewood home from the hills behind Big Traverse's Cove for several years. One January morning (exact date not recorded or remembered) in 1901, he went to the stable and found that Prince was dead. Some of the residents said that “his heart gave out” because Prince was old and not used to hauling such heavy loads.

As a matter of interest, one of the place-names of Little Placentia was Father Brennan's Road.

Father Brennan left Little Placentia on the morning of Wednesday, September 18, 1895. Father St. John arrived that same afternoon. The bishop did not re-assign Father Brennan to another parish. He insisted that the troublesome priest retire. Father Brennan spent one year in retirement at St John's. He died on Thursday September 17, 1896, at the age of 66.

Right Reverend John St. John was born in St. John's on Monday, October 2, 1848. He attended St. Bonaventure's College from 1856 to 1860. In 1861, his parents sent him to Kilkenny, Ireland to finish his schooling at St. Kyran's. He studied for the priesthood at Propaganda College in Rome from 1868 to 1874. He was ordained as a priest in Rome on Saturday, April 4, 1874.

Upon his return to Newfoundland, Father St. John spent almost a year as curate of St. Joseph 's Parish, in the community of St. Joseph's, Salmonier in St. Mary's Bay. He was promoted to parish priest of the same parish in 1875, and he remained there for 20 years.

Father St. John began his tenure at Little Placentia in 1895 by observing the internal dynamics of the community as well as how the people related to residents of other communities. Within three months of being appointed to Holy Rosary Parish, Father St. John knew exactly what his plan of action would be. The first order of business was to change the name of the community to give it a new sense of identity. Also, by eliminating the name Little Placentia, he would be getting rid of the perception of inferiority that many people associated with the adjective “Little.”

After deciding that Little Placentia should have a new identity — and leadership by good example from the parish priest — Father St. John began initiating much-needed repairs to the 59-year-old parish buildings. On Friday, October 21, 1898, he had new “white wood” pews installed in the church. The artistically designed pews were built and elaborately finished by Nicholas Murphy of St. John's. They were brought to Little Placentia in the schooner Elizabeth, which was owned by Patrick Murphy of Sandy Cove. The presbytery and school were also renovated over the same two-year period.

Although he was a major contributor, Father Brennan was not the instigator of the animosity and tension that existed between the people of Little Placentia and those of Great Placentia. That distinction belonged to the priest who established Holy Rosary Parish.

Contrary to the information Olive Power placed on the Red Island website, Father Nowlan was a very prejudiced Irishman. Not only did he dislike the English, especially those in Great Placentia, he also had an aversion to any Irishmen who were not from his home county of Wexford. After taking up residence in Little Placentia he often created tension between the two settlements by openly expressing his biases. In addition to his duties at Little Placentia, Father Nowlan also served the people of Great Placentia when there was no priest at Sacred Heart Parish. However, when there was a resident priest at Great Placentia, Father Nowlan always seemed to be at odds with him.

“Faction Fights” occurred between the residents of Little Placentia and Great Placentia on a fairly regular basis from the time the French left the region. They also occurred among various groups within each settlement. There was not a lot of sustained peace in the region, as the Irish were against the English, the fishermen were against the merchants, fishermen were against other fishermen, permanent residents were against seasonal fishermen, and everyone was against those who tried to introduce law and order. Even the priests — the so-called peacemakers and men of God — were at odds with each other. For more than a decade after Father Nowlan arrived in Little Placentia that situation continued. Indeed, Father Nowlan and the priest at Great Placentia, if there was one there at the time, often got involved in the Faction Fights and made the situation worse.

The last of the Faction Fights in the Great Placentia area occurred during the fishing season of 1845. That particular one culminated in the court case of Hogan versus Walsh. It involved the agent for Saunders and Sweetman and the parish priests at Great Placentia and Little Placentia.

Father Nowlan was from Kilrush in County Wexford, and he and his supporters in Little Placentia were highly prejudiced against people from County Kilkenny. Father Michael Walsh (1830–1871) of Sacred Heart Parish in Great Placentia was from Mooncoin in County Kilkenny and he disliked people from County Wexford. Hogan (first name not in files) was from County Wexford, but neither of the two priests liked him because of his “tactlessness and ruthless business practices.”

Apparently, a group of men who worked for Hogan and a group of men who worked for Father Walsh had some sort of a disagreement that escalated into a melee in Great Placentia. Hogan took Father Walsh to court to answer for the way his men had acted against Hogan's workers. During the trial, all concerned parties testified. As much as Father Nowlan disliked Hogan, he disliked Father Walsh even more. Consequently, he testified in favor of Hogan. The members of the jury were not satisfied with the testimony that was presented by the complainant and they acquitted Father Walsh's men.

After the trial, it became unsafe for Hogan and his Wexford “Yellow Bellies” to walk the roads of Great Placentia. Even Father Nowlan, who was well known to the residents and had served as their parish priest from time to time, was not immune to the verbal and physical abuse. In spite of the way that Hogan and Father Nowlan were being treated, nobody in Great Placentia would agree to act as constable and enforce the peace.

Father Nowlan then took matters into his own hands. He started complaining to his friend, Vicar Apostolic Fleming, in St. John's about Father Walsh's behavior. His complaints were effective and the Fleming ordered that Father Walsh be transferred to Merasheen. “Out of sight, out of mind,” as the old adage went! Father Walsh was not receptive to the bishop's order because he suspected Father Nowlan was the reason why the vicar apostolic was transferring him out of Great Placentia.

When he heard about the unrest among Father Walsh's supporters in Great Placentia, Vicar Apostolic Fleming asked the government to send troops to Great Placentia from St. John's to keep the peace and enforce Father Walsh's transfer order. After that particular faction altercation, things seemed to settle down in the region and people got on with the business of daily life.

In 1901, Father St. John enhanced the presence of the Church in Argentia by having a bell and belfry installed. The bell was the best that money could buy. It was three feet, six inches high by three feet, eight inches wide at the rim. Including the mountings, it weighed 2000 pounds. The bell was made by, and purchased from, the Henry McShane Manufacturing Co. of Baltimore, Maryland for $550. That price included delivery to the railway station at Jerseyside. Moving the bell was a formidable task. Two double-axle drays were required to bear the weight. It took 38 men, and four horses pulling two drays that had been joined together, the better part of a day to move the bell over very rough terrain from Jerseyside to Argentia.

The new addition to Holy Rosary Parish was christened “Madonna” on Wednesday, December 18, 1901 … in an impressive ceremony presided over by Bishop Howley. Father St. John, Father Vincent P. Reardon of Great Placentia, Father W. P. Doutney of St. Kyran's, Father Joseph McDermott of St. John's, Father Edward P. Roche of Manuels, Conception Bay, and Bishop Howley concelebrated the Mass of Consecration. Besides the clergy, the guest list included government representatives, business people from various parts of the Avalon Peninsula, and most of the parishioners.

According to parish records, as written by Father St. John, the blessing of the bell ceremony took place as follows:

The ceremony commenced at 11o'clock when a large congregation assembled to see the new bell consecrated to Divine Worship. Before blessing the Bell, the Bishop, vested in cope and mitre, and holding the crosier, delivered from the altar a discourse explaining the meaning of the elaborate ceremonial [sic] which the ritual prescribes for the blessing of bells. At the conclusion of His Lordship's eloquent instructive discourse, the clergy, followed by the Bishop, proceeded in processional order to the place in the church, at the end of the nave near the front door where the great Bell, suspended on its own mountings, and decorated with flowers and surrounded with brilliant halo of wax candles, was prepared for the Blessing.

A throne was erected for the Bishop in the middle towards the Altar, and seats on either side for the clergy and choristers. The elaborate ritual was carried out in all its minutest details. Several psalms and appropriate prayers were chanted and recited. The Bell was washed within and without with water especially blessed for the purpose by the Bishop. It was incensed and perfumed with sweet spices and anointed with the holy oils of Chrism and Oleum Infirmorum. Two of the parishioners, Mr. Patrick Murray and Mrs. James Houlihan stood sponsors. When the Bell was thus solemnly consecrated and given over to Divine Worship, it was sounded first by the Bishop, then by the clergy and afterwards by the entire congregation. A silver salver was placed near the handle of the tolling hammer and each one in turn dropped his or her contribution on the plate and tolled the Bell. The sum accumulated on the plate amounted to more than a hundred dollars.

The function terminated with Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament imparted by the Bishops, the assistant clergy helping to chant the hymns.

The Bells which is one of the finest in Newfoundland is three feet six inches in hight [sic], and weighs, including mountings about 2000 pounds. The diameter of the perimeter measures three feet eight inches.

Father St. John mistakenly identified Maurice Murray as Patrick Murray as being one of the sponsors. The first name of the “Mrs. James Houlihan” he referred to was Johanna.

After the solemn blessing, the Madonna was first rung by Bishop Howley, and then by each priest. Every person in the church was invited to make a contribution and take a turn ringing the Madonna. At the end of the ceremony, the plate that had been placed near the bell contained $132, which would indicate that the vast majority of the congregation took a turn ringing the bell. It was quite a large donation for the standards of the day.

From then on, the bell was rung to signal times of prayer such as the Angelus or Mass. It was also rung on special occasions such as Christmas or New Year's Day. It was tolled at times of death and funerals. The Madonna became a means of communication between the Church and the parishioners.

Holy Rosary Parish headquarters existed at The Harbour for 75 years. By 1911, the buildings had deteriorated so significantly that repairs were practically impossible. Many major changes began in the parish that year. Father St. John was transferred to St. John's, where he became chancellor of the Cathedral Parish. The following year, he was elevated to the status of monsignor by the pope, and was assigned to Holy Trinity Parish in Torbay. Monsignor St. John died at Torbay on Wednesday, March 13, 1918. He was 70 years old.

Father Joseph McDermott was born in Roscommon, Ireland in 1872 (exact date not in records). He studied for the priesthood at Mount Mellerary and Carlow College from 1889 to 1895. He was ordained as a priest at Carlow on Sunday, June 9, 1895. He came to Newfoundland in December that same year. Bishop Howley immediately assigned him to Holy Rosary Parish in Little Placentia. Father McDermott had been scheduled to become curate to Father St. John, but the bishop temporarily promoted him to parish priest at Little Placentia.

Bishop Howley promoted Father McDermott because he was going to Rome on an official visit to meet with Pope Pius X and he was taking Father St. John — a cousin and very good friend — with him. It was the first of several visits that Father St. John made to Rome with Bishop Howley. During the second week of April 1896, Father McDermott had to go back to Ireland because his mother died. He left Little Placentia on April 10 and his replacement arrived the same day.

In 1915, Father McDermott became the administrator of the Cathedral Parish in St. John's. In keeping with that responsibility, he was promoted to Vicar General to Archbishop Roche. He celebrated his Silver Jubilee in June 1920.

In 1939, Father McDermott took a five-year leave of absence because of poor health and went back to his home in Ireland. He returned to his duties at St. John's in 1944. He celebrated his Golden Jubilee in June 1945. Father McDermott died in St. John's on Wednesday, April 30, 1947; he was 75 years old.

Father John Joseph O' Reilly of St. John's replaced Father McDermott at Holy Rosary Parish when he went back to Ireland for his mother's funeral. Of all the information that is available about the priests — especially those named O'Reilly — in the Archdiocese of St. John's, there is nothing pertaining to that particular Father O' Reilly. He may have been visiting from outside the country and agreed to help out. It was quite common for priests who were visiting from Ireland, Canada, and the United States to help out or relieve in outport parishes. It was all part of the “mission experience.”

Father James M. White acted as parish priest at Holy Rosary Parish from August 3 to September 17, 1903. He replaced Father St. John while he accompanied Bishop Howley on a trip outside the country. Like Father O'Reilly, there is very, very little information available on that priest. In some respects, it is as if he did not exist.

Father White was born somewhere in Newfoundland in 1872 (exact date and place of birth not in records). It is known that he attended St. Bonaventure's College from 1886 to 1890. It is also known that he studied for the priesthood at Carlow College in Ireland from 1893 to 1898. He was ordained to the priesthood at Carlow College sometime in 1898 (exact date not in records) and he was 26 years old at the time.

The only other information that is available about Father White is the fact that he attended the Silver Jubilee ceremony for Archdeacon O'Neill at St. John's in 1902. He wrote a letter to the Adelphian magazine in 1904, which is the last anyone knows about him. Even the time and place of his death are not known.

Father James McNamara acted as parish priest at Holy Rosary Parish from October 4, to December 8, 1903. Again, it was to relieve Father St. John who was traveling with Bishop Howley on diocese-related business. The information that is available in the archdiocese records about this priest is very scanty at best.

He was born somewhere in Newfoundland in 1876 (exact date and place of birth not in records). Although he was four years younger than Father White, it appears that the two men went to school together … at least the dates indicate that they did. Like Father White, he attended St. Bonaventure's College from 1886 to 1890. There is no information as to where he studied to be a priest, but he was ordained at St. John's in June 1902 (exact date not in records). He also attended the Silver Jubilee ceremony for Archdeacon O'Neill at St. John's in 1902.

Father McNamara served as curate at St. Patrick's Parish in Witless Bay from April 1902 to June 1903. For the next two years he acted as parish priest in various communities in the diocese. In July 1905, he was appointed curate to Father Patrick O'Connor at St. Patrick's Parish in Burin. Upon the death of Father O'Connor in 1906, Father McNamara became the parish priest and remained in Burin for seven years. In May of 1913, 37-year-old Father McNamara was transferred to St. John's because of “poor health,” but the cause of his poor health was not specified. He died in St. John's on Tuesday, June 3, 1913.

Father Thomas J. Gough acted as parish priest at Holy Rosary Parish from May 29 to August 12, 1910 because Father St. John was in St. John's assisting Bishop Howley with certain unspecified diocese business.

Thomas Gough was born in Salmonier, St. Mary's Bay on Friday May 12, 1876. He was the son of John and Bridget Gough. He obtained his primary education at St. Joseph's School in Salmonier and his high school education at St. Bonaventure's College in St. John's. After obtaining his certification as a teacher, Gough returned to Salmonier and taught school there from 1896 to 1903.

At the end of the school year in 1903, Gough entered the seminary at Mount Mellerary, Ireland. He studied there for three years before going to the Louvain Seminary in Belgium to complete his training. Bishop Howley ordained him to the priesthood in St. John's on August 24, 1908. He was 32 years old at the time.

Father Gough was curate to Monsignor McDermott at St. Patrick's Parish in St. John's from the time of his ordination until the second week of 1911. On Monday, January 9, 1911, Father Gough replaced Father Ashley at Holy Rosary Parish in Portugal Cove. He remained in Portugal Cove for 23 years. He celebrated his Silver Jubilee in 1933. In 1934, Father Gough replaced Father James Green as parish priest at St. Patrick's Parish in Witless Bay and he remained there for 20 years.

In 1964, seventy-eight-year-old Father Gough resigned as parish priest in Witless Bay because of increasingly poor health and retired to St. Patrick's Mercy Home in St. John's. He celebrated his Golden Jubilee on August 24, 1958. Father Gough died at St. Patrick's Mercy Home on November 15, 1966, at age 90. He was buried in the Priests' Plot at Belvedere Cemetery.

Father Francis Cacciola visited Argentia and helped out with religious services on many occasions. However, he acted as parish priest at Holy Rosary Parish only once … from January 1, to February 23, 1911.

Father Cacciola was born in Brooklyn , New York in 1870 (exact date not in records). There is no information available as to where he studied for the priesthood, but he was ordained in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on Sunday, August 2, 1903. He was 33 years old at the time. After his ordination, Father Cacciola returned to Brooklyn, New York.

In August 1911, Father Cacciola came to Newfoundland and was assigned as curate to Father William Doutney at St. Kyran's. He remained there for eight years. Between 1919 and 1932, he filled in for the parish priests at various communities in the Archdiocese. In 1932, he became parish priest at St. Francis Xavier in Long Harbour, thus making less work for the parish priest of Holy Rosary Parish in Argentia.

Father Cacciola celebrated his Silver Jubilee in August 1928, not in 1936 as some authors have written. He retired to Mount Cashel in July 1953, just one month before celebrating his Golden Jubilee. He was 83 years old at the time. Father Cacciola died at Mount Cashel on Sunday, December 22, 1957.

In 1904, the Cathedral Parish was elevated to the status of Archdiocese and Bishop Howley became an Archbishop. During his last few years in Argentia, Father St. John, in close association with Archbishop Howley, developed plans to construct new parish buildings at a new site. Since Father St. John felt that he was getting too old to undertake such an ambitious venture, Bishop Howley appointed a younger, and a more construction-minded priest, to manage the project. On Monday, January 9, 1911, Archbishop Howley transferred Father John Ashley from Holy Rosary Parish in Portugal Cove to Holy Rosary Parish in Argentia.

Father St. John remained in Argentia for a couple of extra days to orientate Father Ashley to the community, and to the new plans that he had developed for the parish. Father Ashley officially took over as parish priest on Wednesday, February 11.

Father John Ashley was born in St. John's on Thursday, January 27, 1876. After graduating from St. Bonaventure's College in 1890, he went to the Roman Catholic Seminary in Rome where he studied for the priesthood for nine years. He was ordained on Monday, December 25 — it was his desire to become a priest on Christmas Day — in 1899.

When Father Ashley returned to Newfoundland in 1900, Bishop Howley assigned him to Holy Rosary Parish in Portugal Cove … as a replacement for Father John Walsh who had died.

Father Ashley remained in Portugal Cove for 11 years.

During the first month of his new assignment in Argentia, Father Ashley procured 10 acres of land — the highest above sea level on the peninsula — for the R.C. Episcopal Corporation. The three acres on the eastern side of the main road were allotted for the various buildings, while the seven acres on the western side of the main road were allotted for a new cemetery. The area had been chosen because of the prominence the parish would have at such an elevation.

The contract for all architectural designs and supervision of the project was awarded to E. J. Doran of St. John's. On Thursday, June 22, 1911, Archbishop Howley, accompanied by Monsignor Reardon, Monsignor St. John, and E. J. Doran, arrived in Argentia. The archbishop and Monsignor St. John had personally chosen the site for the new buildings and they made the special trip to Argentia to christen the area “Mount Rosary.” A High Mass was celebrated by Monsignor St. John to mark the occasion. Work began on the foundation of the presbytery on Tuesday, June 27.

As work progressed on the presbytery, Father Ashley planned a “super garden party” to be held in August … to raise funds for the huge construction project. With the help of the archbishop, the event was advertised in other parishes throughout the archdiocese. An open invitation was issued to everyone. In anticipation of a large crowd, the use of a large meadow near Mount Rosary was arranged with the owner, John Kemp, at no cost to the parish.

The well-organized event took place on Sunday, August 20, 1911. There was something for everyone … card games, wheels of fortune, games of chance, sack races and eat-in or take-out meals. There was an elaborate display of food with catering by members of the Ladies' Altar Society. There was a tug-of-war between the “Bone and Sinew Team” of Argentia and the “Strongmen” of Fox Harbour. The Argentia team was victorious, winning two of the three matches. A great crowd pleaser was the music and precision marching of the C.C.C. (Catholic Cadet Corps) Band of Harbour Grace, which was under the direction of Major W. H. Kennedy. The highlight of the day was the men's football (soccer) league championship game, which had been re-scheduled to coincide with the garden party. The team finalists were Fox Harbour and Placentia. Fox Harbour won the game by a score of four to one. After supper, there was a dance that continued all through the night.

The attendance was estimated to have been between 1,200 and 1,500 people … very large for an outport parish during that period. There were visitors from Placentia, Conception Bay, Trinity Bay, the Cape Shore, the Southern Shore, Torbay, and the various islands in Placentia Bay. There were also several high-profile visitors from St. John's. Argentia harbour was described in the Daily News as being “very animated with hundreds of boats belonging to visitors.” Good manners and hospitality were the order of the day and the entire event was an unprecedented success, both socially and financially.

Father Ashley moved into his new home as soon as it was completed on Wednesday, October 18, 1911. By then, it was too late in the year to begin work on the other buildings. Since the old church at The Harbour was structurally unsafe, and it would be more than a year before it could be replaced, Father Ashley made immediate plans for a temporary church on Mount Rosary. That winter, three vacant houses, located near the old parish site, were purchased and hauled on skids to Mount Rosary. They were joined and weatherproofed to serve as a church. The bell and belfry were also hauled to Mount Rosary in the same manner, but the school remained in use at the old site.

When he decided to build a new church on Mount Rosary, Father Ashley chose to have the main entrance facing west. By having the church face that direction, the sacristy would be located to the east, and the windows would allow plenty of natural light during preparation for early-morning Masses. The rays of the setting sun shining through the large, round, stained-glass window above the choir loft would add an “aura of spirituality” to evening prayers and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

When the foundation was laid on Thursday, June 20, 1912, the main entrance was facing west by north instead of directly west. However, the sacristy and window in the choir loft were close enough to the preferred directions to eventually give Father Ashley the results he desired.

Construction of the new Holy Rosary Church did not progress according to plan. In September 1912, the work was brought to a temporary halt — one that would last four years — when the parish ran short of funds. Donations and fund-raising patronization were at an all-time low because of a poor fishery, which lasted until 1914. By then, World War I had broken out and new concerns arose. There were rumors throughout the region that fighting would break out on this side of the Atlantic Ocean and people had great trepidation about the future. Suddenly, donations for construction of any kind were no longer a priority with the Argentia residents.

In 1916, economic conditions turned around with a good fishery and plenty of employment. Once again, people were able to adequately provide financial support for the parish. Patrick J. Brennan of Placentia was engaged to oversee and direct the volunteer labor force that would construct the new church, hall, and school. The corner stone of Holy Rosary Parish Church was laid on Friday, October 7, 1916, the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary.

The second phase of construction was carried out over a two-year period that ended in 1918. The recreation hall was located on the second level of a new two-story structure, while a new three-room school was located on the ground level. The church was completed, and a harmonium — which was a reed organ — was installed in the choir loft. However, the poor pecuniary circumstances prevented the purchase of new pews. The pews in the old church were installed in the new church as a temporary measure.

The construction of Holy Rosary Parish School/Hall on Mount Rosary, as seen in June 1918. Photo from the Edward Lake Argentia Artifact Collection.

On Monday, May 6, 1918, Father Ashley was transferred to Holy Trinity Parish in Torbay. He had replaced Father St. John in Argentia and, ironically, he replaced him again after Father St. John died at Torbay in March 1918. Father Ashley remained in Torbay for nine years. He died suddenly on Friday, January 14, 1927 — just 21 days before his 51st birthday — while on a trip to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

On Sunday, June 2, 1918, Father Thomas Devereaux replaced Father Ashley at Holy Rosary Parish. Father Devereaux was born in Ferryland, Newfoundland in March 1887 (exact date not in records). He attended St. Bonaventure's College as a prefect from 1906 to 1909. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the National University in Dublin, Ireland in 1913. He studied for the priesthood at All Hallows Seminary in Ireland from 1913 to 1917. Bishop Coughlan of County Cork ordained him to the priesthood at All Hallows on Sunday, June 17, 1917. He was 30 years old at the time.

Normally, newly ordained priests were assigned as curates to experienced priests. At the time Father Devereaux was ordained, there was a shortage of priests in the Archdiocese, so he never served as a curate. Upon returning to Newfoundland in July 1917, Father Devereaux was assigned as parish priest at Sacred Heart Parish in St. Bride's on the Cape Shore. However, his stay there was less than one year. On Sunday, June 2, 1918, he was transferred to Argentia to replace Father Ashley.

Father Devereaux was in Argentia four months and 13 days when he became seriously ill with pneumonia. Only 31 years old at the time, he died suddenly on Tuesday, October 15, 1918. He had been unwell for only a few days. He had been a priest for only a little more than 16 months. Father John D. Savin replaced Father Devereaux five days later … on Sunday, October 20.

Father Savin was born at St. John's in 1890 (exact date not in records). He attended St. Bonaventure's College from 1901 to 1910. After graduating from Bonaventure's College, he went to work as a clerk in the Reid Newfoundland Company's office in St. John's. He was in that position for two years but was not content with his lot in life. In 1912, he decided to become a priest. He studied at Holy Heart Seminary in Halifax, Nova Scotia from 1912 to 1918. He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Edward P. Roche in St. John's on Saturday June 29, 1918. He was 28 years old at the time.

Father Savin's first assignment was as curate at St. Patrick's Parish in St. John's, but it lasted less than four months. On Sunday October 20, 1918, he was promoted to parish priest and assigned to Holy Rosary Parish in Argentia. Father Savin remained in Argentia for a few days short of three years … long enough to supervise the completion of the parish reconstruction that had been started by Father Ashley. Father Savin's tenure in Argentia was unremarkable, except for one attribute.

Traditionally, Roman Catholic priests were dour and somewhat detached from their flocks. Their primary concern was keeping that “priestly image.” Even when they were “friendly” with parishioners, there was still that aura of aloofness about them. They were generally quite reserved in public. Whether it was because of his two years working prior to entering a seminary or for some other reason, Father Savin did not fit into the mold of a dour and reserved priest. He was not above partying with his parishioners. Neither was he shy about donning a disguise at Christmas and going from house to house solely for the pleasure and good time that was to be had.

On Monday, October 10, 1921, Father Savin was assigned as parish priest to St. Patrick's Parish in St. John's. In June 1929, he was assigned to Christ the King Parish in Rushoon, Placentia Bay. He was in that community for only one year. On July 8, 1934, Father Savin was the chief celebrant at the inauguration of Father T. J. Flynn to the title of “Monsignor.”

Two months after celebrating his Silver Jubilee in June 1943, Father Savin left Newfoundland and was assigned to the Parish of St. Willibrord in the Archdiocese of Montreal, Quebec. He died in Verdun on Thursday, May 19, 1949, but was buried was buried in Montreal. He was 59 years old at the time of his death and had been a priest for almost 31 years.

Holy Rosary Parish was without a priest for three months after Father Savin's departure. On Thursday, January 12, 1922, Father Adrian J. Dee was transferred from Sacred Heart Parish in Oderin to Holy Rosary Parish in Argentia. It was during Father Dee's tenure that the most drastic changes in the history of Holy Rosary Parish occurred.

Adrian J. Dee was born in St. John's on Friday, May 24, 1895, and not in 1896, as several people have claimed. He was the son of Jeremiah H. Dee of Placentia and Theresa Ellen Cronan of St. John's. His father worked as a government customs inspector who patrolled the south coast of Newfoundland with Captain John Joseph Whelan (1887–1972) of Jerseyside in the government cutter Daisy.

Father Dee's middle name was Joyce … not John, as claimed by Brother Francis Foran and many others over the years. Father Dee's parents were “refined” people. In those days, that meant they were educated, well dressed, and they presented themselves as being a step above the ordinary folk. They both read literature, especially the poetic genre. His mother's favorite poet was Alfred Joyce Kilmer (1886–1918) who wrote under the name Joyce Kilmer. When their first son was born, they chose his middle name for his mother's favorite poet.

Father Dee's first assignment was as curate at Christ the King Parish in Rushoon, Placentia Bay. He remained in that parish for two years. In January 1921, he was assigned as assistant parish priest at Sacred Heart Parish in Oderin, Placentia Bay. He was in Oderin for only one year. Father Dee was appointed parish priest of Holy Rosary Parish in Argentia on January 1, 1922, but his replacement, Father M. J. Leamy, did not get to Oderin until January 3, 1922.

When Father Leamy took up his new duties, the archbishop gave Father Dee a nine-day break … to “get his things in order.” During that time, Father Dee went to St. John's and spent time with his parents. On the afternoon of Thursday, January 12, 1922, Father Dee became the administrator of Holy Rosary Parish in Argentia, the second of only three communities where he would ever serve as a priest.

It was during Father Dee's tenure that the entire community was expropriated to make way for an American military installation of imposing proportions. When the American takeover went from rumor to reality, most of the residents turned to Father Dee for guidance. By representing his parishioners in dealings with Newfoundland and American authorities he became one of the most prominent figures in the resettlement process. Indeed, he became the most controversial figure during those turbulent days, but the details are too lengthy to address on this website. Father Dee lobbied for government action, chaired meetings, interpreted documents for those who were illiterate, and advised people in matters pertaining to the choice of a re-settlement site.

Father Dee died on Friday, December 28, 1951. He was 56 years, seven months, and 18 days old, just six days short of 30 years of providing spiritual service to the people of Holy Rosary Parish. Fittingly, as the last parish priest in Argentia, he was buried next to Father Pelagius Nowlan, who had established Holy Rosary Parish in 1831.

Nine years after Father Ashley had the foundation laid, Holy Rosary Church was given the finishing touch … when new oak pews were installed in time for Christmas in 1921. The pews were manufactured by the Horwood Lumber Company of St. John's and shipped to Argentia by rail.

The Church and religion were an integral part of the people's lives. Daily private, family, and communal prayer was commonplace. One particular custom was the daily family gathering, usually after supper, to recite the rosary. That custom was common from the mid-1700s, long before the establishment of a parish, until the mid-1960s. There are, however, a few former Argentia residents who continue the practice to this day.

At nine o'clock every night throughout the month of November, people were required to pray the De Profundis for the “repose of the Holy Souls.” There were various versions of the De Profundis, depending on the way it was written in Latin and who translated it. In Holy Rosary Parish, the parishioners recited it as:

Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord;

Lord, hear my prayer.

Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

If Thou should mark our iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

But there is forgiveness in Thee, O Lord;

Because of Thy love I wait for Thee, O Lord.

My soul waits on His word: my soul hopeth in the Lord.

From the morning until evening, let us hope in the Lord:

For with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plentiful redemption.

And He shall redeem us, from all our iniquities. Amen.

Advent was the beginning of the Roman Catholic Church's “Liturgical Year.” People were encouraged to attend Mass on a daily basis. Wednesdays and Fridays were days of fast and abstinence, with only water allowed. Light meals were permissible for children younger than seven, which was considered to be the “age of reason,” people older than 65, and anyone who was sick, regardless of his/her age. Christmas Eve was also a day of fast. After midnight Mass, everyone rushed home to have a meal of rabbit stew or baked lamb. Even though it was eaten just prior to bedtime, the meal was followed by desert, usually a slice of boiled pudding or fruit cake with a cup of tea or a glass of fresh milk. Some people passed on those drinks and had a “hot toddy” or “straight rum” with their desert.

As in Lent, marriages were not permitted in Advent. Throughout the weeks of Advent, school children “made a crib for baby Jesus,” but not in the tangible sense. They made their “spiritual crib” by saying special prayers and performing acts of self denial such as giving up candy or some other kind of pleasure.

Christmas was always a time of joy and celebration. People fulfilled their “Christmas Duty” by making visits to the crib on the church altar, going to Confession, and receiving Holy Communion on a daily basis. All twelve days of Christmas were observed according to the laws of the Roman Catholic Church. The twelfth day of Christmas — also known as “Twelfth Night” and “Old Christmas Day” — was observed in the same kind of way as Christmas Eve. The priest conducted a midnight Mass and everyone rushed home to have the last special meal. People went to midnight Mass on Old Christmas Day because it was the common belief that animals, especially the kind that were in the stable at Bethlehem for the first Christmas, "prayed to the baby Jesus” at midnight on Twelfth Night.

Religion provided great comfort and satisfaction for the people. Quite often it provided a relief from the hardships and disappointments of life. There were always “special days” or “special seasons” to which they could look forward and in which they could participate.

Traditionally, the Roman Catholic Church set aside the months of May and June to honor Mary and Jesus, respectively. The schoolchildren and most adults wore blue ribbons in May and red ribbons in June as a sign of that honor. Special altars were set up in the church, in the school classrooms, and in homes for the same purpose.

Both men and women eagerly donated their time and talents to Holy Rosary Parish. The women cleaned the church on a regular basis and took responsibility for cleaning the priest's vestments and altar linens. They usually worked in small groups, with each group being responsible for a specific period of time. The men provided free labor for repairs, construction or maintenance whenever the priest requested it. In June 1921, under the direction of Father Savin, the men of Argentia formed a branch of the Holy Name Society, which provided a regular means of socializing, as well as a valuable service to the parish. They arranged card games, concerts and dances as fund-raisers. The women helped the men by providing catering services for such events.

One of the highlights in the history of Holy Rosary Parish was the first and only ordination to occur there. On Sunday, July 1, 1928, twenty-six-year old Paul O'Reilly, son of Albert and Theresa O'Reilly of Cooper's Cove, was ordained to the priesthood by Most Reverend Edward Patrick Roche, Archbishop of St. John's.

The Roman Catholic Church was the center of community life and the priest, as the overlord of its assets, was the most dominant and respected member of the community. As a sign of respect, all the men of the parish were expected to “tip their hats” and step aside whenever and wherever they met the priest. The central figure in parish life was always the priest; he usually officiated at public events such as concerts, school ceremonies, and other social gatherings. He was an integral part of the people's lives, as he baptized them, performed their marriage ceremonies, and conducted funeral services at the time of their deaths.

Although the priest was the most dominant member of the community, the people of Argentia were not “led blindly like sheep” as some would have you believe. They co-operated with their pastor, not out of blind subservience, but out of respect for what he represented. There were times, however, when the parishioners defied and challenged their pastor … when the public did not deem certain courses of action by their priest to be appropriate. The dominance of the priest was never more evident in Argentia than in the final months of the parish's existence.

Holy Rosary Parish ceased to exist in Argentia when the American military officially took possession of the property on Monday, May 26, 1941. Father Dee celebrated the last Mass on Friday, May 23, thus ending 110 years of Roman Catholic Church history. The outreach portions of the parish went in different directions. Sacred Heart Parish was established at Fox Harbour. Red Island became part of the Church of the Assumption Parish in St. Kyran's. Some of the other areas, such as Ship Harbour and Long Harbour, had their own parishes established at an earlier date, while other places were abandoned.

Each of the communities in Placentia Bay that were part of Holy Rosary Parish had varied and very interesting histories. Perhaps someone might take it upon himself/herself to research those histories and commit them to paper.

Holy Rosary Parish in Freshwater

In July 1941, Father Adrian Dee purchased .75 of an acre of land from John Kelly, Sr. for the purpose of re-establishing Holy Rosary Parish. The land — which was located approximately 65 yards from the beach in Freshwater Cove — was bordered on the east by Freshwater River, on the west by the new Main Road, on the north by Kelly's Road and on the south by an open field.

The re-establishment of Holy Rosary Parish in Freshwater was not a smooth process. Indeed, there was some doubt about whether there would be a parish there at all. Archbishop E. P. Roche was not convinced that the number of residents transferring to Freshwater from Argentia would constitute a large enough base to sustain a separate parish. He was of the opinion that the people should be part of Sacred Heart Parish in Placentia … because that was where the original residents of Freshwater went to have their marriages and baptisms performed.

Father Dee continued with his plans but, because of the opposition from the archbishop, he excluded the construction of a church. On Thursday, August 7, 1941, he signed a contract with Patrick J. Brennan of Placentia to build a recreation hall, a large two-story house for himself and a bungalow for his aunt Min, who was deaf and mute. The contract, which was valued at $2,530.50, stipulated that eight men would be hired in order to complete the job before winter.

The work progressed very slowly because Brennan — who had also obtained several other contracts for the construction of private homes — did not have a sufficient number of employees to adequately service all the contracts. By moving his men around from job to job, Brennan dishonored his contract with Father Dee. By November 8, the work was so far behind schedule that Father Dee revoked the contract.

That same afternoon, he signed a new contract with F. M. O'Leary Ltd., a building supplies and construction company in St. John's. The hall and presbytery were completed and occupied on Tuesday, December 6. The recreation hall was also used as a church until a decision was made regarding parish status for Freshwater.

Father Dee's aunt refused to live in the house that he had built for her, so it was left vacant. On Tuesday, July 11, 1944, Father Dee sold that house and the .2-acre lot on which it was built to Thomas Carroll for $3,000 (Newfoundland Records of Deeds No. 110596).

After the construction of the presbytery and hall, the next priority was the re-establishment of education. Between May and August 1942, Father Dee had a two-room school constructed … approximately 70 feet north of the recreation hall. It opened on Tuesday, September 8 and the children had to resume studies after almost a two-year hiatus. Their absence from school was more of an adventure, as they did not comprehend the significance of what had taken place. Education in Freshwater began under the direction of Clara Hunt and Eileen Hunt, who married William (Bill) Houlihan.

By April 1943, the population of Freshwater had increased from 33 to more than 500. The community continued to grow, as people from other areas of Newfoundland settled there to be close to their jobs at Argentia. As a result of the continued growth, Archbishop Roche officially approved the re-establishment of Holy Rosary Parish on Wednesday, April 28, 1943. The community hall was immediately declared to be Holy Rosary Parish Church, and Father Dee celebrated the first official Mass on Sunday, May 2. During the summer of 1946, the ceiling was raised 20 feet centrally in an inverted U shape the entire length of the building, and not a V shape, as Brother Francis Foran wrote on several occasions. The purpose of the change was to accommodate the large ornate altar that had been taken from Holy Rosary Parish Church in Argentia before it was demolished. The altar had been taken apart in sections and stored in Raymond Whelan's warehouse at Jerseyside. It was moved from Argentia by George A. Fuller Company and Merritt-Chapman & Scott. The choir loft was located over the main entrance … in the new section at the north end of the new Holy Rosary Church.

In February 1942, an additional .75 of an acre of land, located on the northeast side of Kelly's Road, was purchased from John Kelly. The new parish hall was built in the southwestern corner of the lot in 1944 and the remainder of the property was designated as a garden party grounds and ball field. The hall was a two-story structure, with the second level divided into classrooms for high school students. A year after completion, a single story annex containing two more classrooms was built on the east side of the building. The extra class space became necessary because the Commission of Government had passed the Compulsory Education Act on Tuesday, September 1, 1942, which made education mandatory. However, education officials did not begin to enforce the new law until 1944. When government officials did start enforcing the Compulsory Education Act, the original two-room school could accommodate only one third of the total enrolment.

High school education began in the upper level of the parish hall under the direction of teachers Cecelia McGrath and Theresa Healey. Grades five to eight students were located in the annex under the direction of teachers Mary (Molly) McCarthy and Mary (Poll Jo) McGrath. Clara Hunt and Eileen Hunt remained in the original school and taught grades one to four. Kindergarten was not part of the education system in Freshwater until 1950, when — as a result of Newfoundland becoming a province of Canada the previous year — Canadian standards were introduced everywhere.

Over the past 65 years, Holy Rosary Cemetery has undergone many subtle and not-so-subtle changes. In August 1942, the entire grave site was outlines with a white picket fence. In order not to cause a lot of wear and tear on the 16-foot entrance gate, a stile was constructed to the right of the gate.

By 1962, major sections of the fence had deteriorated and required replacement. At that time, the main gate and stile were removed in favor of a 20-foot “open entrance.” By 1970, the 18-foot-high wooden cross south of the burial site rotted away; its concrete base was demolished during another renovations project in 1975.

In 1993, under the direction of Father Dermott McGettigan, Holy Rosary Cemetery was expanded in two directions … to the east on a section of land where several generations of boys had played softball, and to the north and northwest on land that used to be the roadway to the second of three landfill sites that existed in Freshwater. The entire graveyard was fenced with a five-foot-high chain-link fence. A black, five-foot by three-foot marble slab was erected at the northeast end of the original grave site as a memorial to the deceased relatives of former Argentia residents still living in Freshwater. The inscription reads:

ERECTED IN MEMORY OF

THE DECEASED WHOSE

REMAINS WERE EXHUMED

FROM THE CEMETERIES

IN ARGENTIA IN1942

AND REINTERRED IN

THIS COMMON GRAVE

The changes that took place in 1993 were the last to be carried out at Holy Rosary Cemetery to date. Today, the original burial site is no longer fenced and all the wooden crosses have rotted away. The number of headstones are still the same; 29 in row one, 58 in the middle row, and 42 in row three. Many of the grave markers are leaning at precarious angles as the graves have partially collapsed. Unfortunately, several of the headstones have been damaged or broken by vandals.

Father Dee died on Friday, December 28, 1951. His curate, Father Gregory L. Hogan, was appointed administrator of the parish on a temporary basis. Father Hogan remained in that position until Saturday, June 7, 1952, at which time Father McDermott J. Penney replaced him.

McDermott Joseph Penney was born in St. John's on March 27, 1918. He was the eldest son of Alphonsus L. Penney and Catherine Mullaley. His younger brother, Alphonsus L., Jr. also became a priest and went on the become Archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. John's. McDermott attended St. Bonaventure's College for his primary, elementary, and high school education … from 1923 to 1934. He graduated with an Honors Diploma in the Matriculation Class of 1934.

In September 1935, he began a two-year commercial course with the intention of entering the world of business. However, feeling what he perceived to be a vocation to the priesthood, he was accepted as a candidate for the seminary by Archbishop Edward P. Roche. The archbishop then made arrangements for Penney to go to All Hallows College in Dublin, Ireland. There, he completed a full course of studies in philosophy and theology from 1936 to 1942. He was ordained to the priesthood by Right Reverend Dr. Moynihan, D.D. on June 21, 1942.

Father Penney's first assignment was as curate to Monsignor Bartlett at St. Michael's Parish on Bell Island, where he stayed until 1948. From April to September in 1946, he was the temporary administrator at Sacred Heart Parish in Fox Harbour. In 1948, he became the parish priest at St. Joseph's Parish in St. John's. One of his first duties in that position was being the keynote speaker at the 50th anniversary celebration of Mount Cashel Orphanage.

Upon the death of Father Alfred Bown in 1950, Father Penney returned to Bell Island as parish priest for St. Michael's Parish. In 1952, he was appointed parish priest at Holy Rosary Parish in Freshwater, where he remained for 17 years. In 1967, Father Penney celebrated his Silver Jubilee at Freshwater. In 1969, he was appointed parish priest at Mary Queen of World in Mount Pearl, where he replaced Father John B. Kent and stayed for four years.

Father Penney retired for active parochial ministry in 1974 because of health reasons. He had been a “brittle diabetic” for several decades. In his retirement, he liked to play golf and “a hand of bridge.” He died at St. Patrick's Mercy home in St. John's on September 14, 1978, at age 60 years, three months. He had been a priest for 36 years.

It was during Father Penney's tenure that Holy Rosary Parish experienced the most growth and modernization. Shortly after his appointment, he informed the parishioners of his plans for change, especially in the area of education. He believed that education was the key to a successful future and — in order for them to get the best possible education — the children of Freshwater had to have the “best facilities available.”

Within three months of his arrival, Father Penney had acquired six acres of land from Francis Maher. Actually, Francis Maher donated the land to Holy Rosary Parish on one condition; it had to revert to the Maher family if for any reason the school should be taken down or sold. The property was located on the west side of the highroad to Argentia, near Larkin's Pond. Father Penney's long-term plan was to re-locate all parish buildings to that area. The first phase of his plan called for the construction of a modern school that would be equal to the best in the province. He constantly reminded his parishioners of the need for donations and fund-raisers to enhance the parish's cash flow and credit rating.

By the spring of 1953, Holy Rosary Parish was financially sound … no outstanding debts and a surplus of more than twenty thousand dollars in the bank. With that kind of stability, Father Penney was able to secure a large enough loan to cover the cost of architectural design, building materials and paid supervision for the project. The Americans at Argentia provided the heavy equipment for excavation … in exchange for allowing some of their children to attend the new school.

The reason for the poor financial status of Holy Rosary Parish prior to the arrival of Father Penney in 1952 remains a mystery. In 1941, the R.C. Episcopal Corporation received a grand total of $136,610 in compensation for its property in Argentia. The total cost of re-building the parish in Freshwater was less than $20,000, which left $116,610 for which there was no account. The residents were never informed as to the disbursement of that money. Some people who were close to Father Dee were of the opinion that the money was used to pay off the debts of the Basilica parish in St. John's. One thing is quite obvious; some individual or organization benefited greatly from the demise of Holy Rosary Parish in Argentia.

The Holy Rosary Guild was formed in June 1955 (exact date not in available records). Eighteen women attended the initial meeting and elected an executive group. The first officers of the new organization were: Ida O'Shea, President; Mary Bruce, Vice President; Kathleen (Kay) Beresford, Treasurer; and Agnes Fagan, Secretary.

The Church Youth Club was established on Monday, May 29, 1978. It was under the spiritual guidance of Father Dan McGettigan.

Holy Rosary Parish School was constructed between June 1953 and August 1954. It opened at the start of the new school year on Tuesday, September 7, 1954. Archbishop Patrick J. Skinner conducted the solemn blessing and laying of the corner stone on Saturday, October 2, 1954. The new school was a two-story structure measuring 115 feet by 75 feet. It was one of the most modern schools in Newfoundland and had polished hardwood floors throughout. It contained 14 large classrooms, a music room, a library, a science laboratory, and administrative offices. There were multiple modern male and female toilet facilities … a vast improvement upon the outhouses that were used near the old schools.

Father Penney was very eccentric, possessive, and boastful of his parish. He considered his new school to be an example of excellence for all other towns in the region. In order to set the parish and school apart from all others by the same name in Newfoundland, as well as the others in the Placentia region, he added the adjective “most” to their titles; thus they became “Most Holy Rosary Parish” and “Most Holy Rosary Parish School.” He even had two-inch round crests made, and all children were required to wear them on their school uniforms. Those names reverted to their original forms in October 1969, after Father Penney was transferred out of Freshwater at his request.

The official crest for “Most” Holy Rosary Parish School from 1954 to 1969. From the Edward Lake Argentia Artifact Collection

The Presentation Sisters assumed responsibility for education in Freshwater when the new school opened in 1954. Father Penney then had the original two-room school renovated as a residence for himself. After moving into the newer, but much smaller, presbytery, he had the original presbytery converted into a convent. Renovated on a temporary basis — which meant two to three years, according to Father Penney — the Presentation Sisters lived in that convent for seven years.

When it opened, Most Holy Rosary Parish School had an enrolment of 289 children, made up of 150 boys and 139 girls. Education was provided from kindergarten to grade 11. The staff consisted of five lay teachers and four nuns. They were:

•  Sr. Mary Charles Murphy (Principal)	•  Sr. John Eudes Baird
•  Sr. Eulalie Harding	•  Sr. Mary Cyril Meaney
•  Cecelia McGrath	•  Eleanor (Doll) Maher
•  Clara Hunt	•  Anna Maher
•  Mary K. Power

The teaching staff of Most Holy Rosary Parish School in September 1955. They are: 1. Clara Hunt; 2. Sister John Eudes Baird; 3. Mary K. Power; 4. Anna Maher; 5. Sister Mary Cyril Meaney; 6. Margaret Singleton; 7. Eleanor (Doll) Maher; 8. Margarita Farrell; 9. Sister Eulalie Harding; and 10. Sister Mary Charles Murphy. From the Edward Lake Argentia Artifact Collection

.....

A general assembly of the boys and girls who were attending Most Holy Rosary Parish School in June 1957. Note that Father Penney had 1953 A.D. on the name plate above the main entrance. That was the year construction of the building started, not the year the school opened. From the Edward Lake Argentia Artifact Collection

The next phase of Father Penney's plan to centralize all parish buildings involved the construction of a new presbytery and convent near the school. He again appealed to his parishioners for financial support and free labor. With the majority of residents employed at Argentia, and earning above-average wages, Most Holy Rosary Parish received regular generous donations. Numerous American families also made significant contributions, and U.S. Navy officials provided the use of several pieces of construction equipment free of charge. The presbytery and convent were constructed between May 1960 and September 1961. Most Holy Rosary Presbytery was officially opened on Tuesday, August 22, 1961, and Most Holy Rosary Presentation Convent was officially opened on Friday, September 1, 1961.

As soon as the new convent was occupied, Father Penney began planning for a modern gymnasium and a new church. In 1965, with most of the parish's debts paid, he had the new gymnasium, measuring 140 feet by 61 feet, constructed next to the school and joined to it by an enclosed passageway.

When the government introduced the idea of central high schools in the mid-1960s, Father Penney publicly opposed the idea. He diligently tried to have the education centralization plan abandoned in the Placentia area. His efforts were all in vain. When Laval Central High School opened at Placentia in September 1968, the enrolment at Most Holy Rosary Parish School was reduced by 32 percent.

Laval Central High School, or Laval High as it was commonly called, was named for Bishop Laval, the first Roman Catholic bishop of New France, which is now Quebec. When it first opened, Laval High was classed as “co-educational,” but the boys were segregated from the girls. The boys attended school in one wing, which was operated by the Christian Brothers, and the girls attended classes in the other wing, which was operated by four nuns. That situation changed in 1977 when the Christian Brothers assumed responsibility for the entire school and the four nuns left.

Father Penney's plan for the new church was never realized because of a change in the local economy. The status of U.S. Naval Station, Argentia changed rapidly, and significantly, in a downsizing program that resulted in the loss of 45 percent of the workforce in 1965. Many residents moved to larger centers or left the province in search of employment. The influx of 207 unemployed people during the Placentia Bay Re-settlement Program put more stress on an already strained economy. As a result of those two events, donations to Most Holy Rosary Parish decreased drastically.

The education and economic issues affected Father Penney deeply because he knew that he would not realize his dream of further expanding Most Holy Rosary Parish. He became depressed and angry, which he openly displayed in public. During the first week of September 1969, he privately and publicly asked Archbishop Skinner to transfer him out of Freshwater. His request was granted on Saturday, September 20, 1969, at which time he was transferred to Mary Queen of the World Parish in Mount Pearl.

Father Daniel P. Murphy replaced Father Penney on Saturday, October 11, 1969. It was with the appointment of Father Murphy that the name of the parish immediately reverted to Holy Rosary Parish. Since the closure of the Northside in Argentia, the priests of Holy Rosary Parish have been struggling to maintain its physical assets on a very restricted budget.

Between December 1974 and November 1975, Holy Rosary Church underwent the first major renovation since its construction. Father Philip Lewis was responsible for the renovations that resulted in the church being almost completely rebuilt. The project was funded by a LIP (Local Initiatives Program) grant from the federal government. Bernard (Ben) Penney was the project supervisor and most of the work was done by local residents. Samuel (Sam) Pike of Blaketown, Trinity Bay was given the contract for the exterior brickwork.

A new roof was constructed 10 feet lower than the original one … in order to make the building more energy efficient. A two-ton marble altar, 10 hexagonal ceiling lights and stained glass windows were installed. Each of those additions also has an interesting history.

The freestanding altar consisted of a 3,000-pound black marble slab, measuring 96 inches by 48 inches, resting on four 250-pound, 12-inch-diameter stone legs. The altar was originally part of the chapel of St. Ignatius Novitiate in Guelph, Ontario. In 1973, half of the Jesuits' training college was closed because of a steadily declining enrolment. The chapel portion of the building was dismantled and refurbished as office space. The Jesuits were able to realize a substantial return on their investment by renting the former chapel space to various branches of the federal government. When the renovations of St. Ignatius Chapel began, the marble altar was placed in a crate and stored outside in the courtyard.

In October 1974, Father Lewis was attending a retreat at St. Ignatius Novitiate when he saw the altar outside the building. He asked the director of the college if he could purchase the altar, but the director was so glad to get it out of the way that he gave the altar to Father Lewis. He even paid to have it shipped to Freshwater. At Freshwater, the altar remained on the old parish truck outside the church for several months … until the workers were ready to install it. The floor of the sanctuary had to be heavily reinforced in order to bear the weight of the altar.

When the time came to move the altar inside, a large section of the church wall had to be cut away to accomplish the task. The altar was moved inside on rollers and put in place with blocks and tackle.

Fourteen 70-inch by 27-inch stained glass windows (seven on each side) were installed during the summer of 1975. Each window contained a mystery of the Rosary because Holy Rosary Church was dedicated to Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. There are 15 mysteries of the Rosary, and the one that was left out was the Fifth Sorrowful Mystery — the crucifixion of Christ — because there was no room for another window, and the crucifixion was already represented by the large cross hanging above the altar. The stained glass depictions were made on special order by Geheart Rhiemer of New Jersey and shipped to Freshwater via sea and rail.

The ten 22-inch-high lights hanging from the ceiling are approximately 100 years old and arrived at Holy Rosary Parish Church in a very roundabout fashion. Those lights were originally in St. Paul's Seminary chapel in Ottawa, Ontario where Father Lewis studied for the priesthood and graduated in 1957. In 1962, Father Lewis was administrator of St. Joseph's Parish in Merasheen. That year, he visited his alma mater and discovered that the chapel had been renovated and the old lights removed. The lights were 22-inch-high hexagonal brass frames with frosted-glass panels and brass hanging chains. When Father Lewis inquired about the lights, he was told that they were stored in the basement. Since he was planning on renovating the church in Merasheen, he asked the administrator of St. Paul's for the lights. His request was granted and the 12 lights were shipped to Merasheen.

In 1964, Father Lewis had St. Joseph's Parish Church renovated. Electricity, via a diesel generator, was installed to power the lights from St. Paul's. Those renovations were undertaken in preparation for Father William Pomeroy's first Mass. Father Pomeroy grew up in Merasheen and it was customary that newly ordained priests celebrate their first Mass in their home parish.

In 1967, people began leaving Merasheen under the Placentia Bay Re-settlement Program. In September 1968, Patrick Hann — the last person to leave Merasheen — removed the 12 hexagonal lights from the church. He gave them to Leo Pomeroy, who took them to Placentia and gave them to Father Thomas Moakler at Sacred Heart Parish.

In May 1975, Father Lewis learned that the lights were in Placentia, so he asked Father James Doody for 10 of them. Prior to being installed in Holy Rosary Church, the lights were rewired by the electrical students of the Placentia District Vocational School.

When Father Lewis first started renovating Holy Rosary Church, John Whelan of Jerseyside told him about a 47-inch round stained glass window that had been taken from the Church of Our Savior at U.S. Naval Station, Argentia before it was dismantled in 1971. At that time, Father Lewis was also the chaplain for the Roman Catholic U.S. personnel at Argentia, and he obtained access to Building 116M (former temporary chapel), where the window was stored.

He found the stained-glass window in a sub-cellar behind the boiler room. He asked Reverend Habert Boles, the Protestant naval chaplain, for the window, and Reverend Boles made the necessary arrangements for Father Lewis to take the window. The former American chapel stained glass window, with the image of Christ superimposed on a marine scene, was installed in the choir loft above the main entrance of Holy Rosary Church by Sam Pike.

On Monday, January 31, 1977, the practice of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion was established in Holy Rosary Parish. The first group consisted of the following seven men: Peter Bennett, Eugene Corcoran, William Dohey, Michael Martin, Patrick (Paddy) O'Reilly, Gregory (Greg) Ryan, and John Whittle. On Sunday, March 13, 1983, the following four women were made Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Margaret Griffin, Mary Healey, Anna Kelly, and Barbara Power.

Three ministers serve at each Sunday Mass and as many as needed serve at daily Masses. This ministry contributes to greater participation of the congregation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

In June 1981, the Presentation Sisters left Freshwater. The number of young women entering convents was declining drastically and most of the nuns in outlying areas were transferred to central convents in larger centers. Upon the departure of the Presentation nuns, the responsibility for education reverted to lay teachers. In 1982, Holy Rosary Parish Convent was converted into a retreat center for priests and brothers. It was re-named the Edmund Rice Center in honor of the founder of the Christian Brothers. Brother Francis Foran operated the center for 11 years.

In July 1993, Brother Foran was transferred to Placentia and the R.C. Episcopal Corporation put up the former convent for sale. Ernest and Geraldine Kelly purchased the building and converted it into a “bed and breakfast” operation. They named the building “Trudon House.” The Kellys created the name “Trudon” by combining the first three letters of their children's names, which are Trudy and Donald.

In April 2005, the Kellys sold Trudon house to Clarence and Lizetta Gifford, who have continued the operation under the name Castle Landing Guest Home.

On Thursday, January 18, 1990, Archbishop Alphonsus Penney notified all parishes in the Archdiocese that, as of March 31, 1991, the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation would divest itself of all liquor licences except special-events licences. That decision was made because of all the negative publicity that the Roman Catholic Church was getting for its involvement in the sale of alcohol.

In Freshwater, the volunteer board of directors of the parish-owned La Fontaine Club did not want their club to close because it was a profitable venture and it provided funding for numerous community projects that otherwise would not have become a reality. At a meeting in December 1990, the board decided to approach the archbishop with the intention of taking over the La Fontaine Club.

On Wednesday, April 10, 1991, the La Fontaine Club board of directors presented its proposal for the takeover. Negotiations continued for eight months. That was the first time in Newfoundland that the R.C. Episcopal Corporation had entered into such negotiations. The long-range goal of the board was to replace the old parish hall and La Fontaine Club with a new, and much larger, community center.

On Monday, December 16, 1991, the Freshwater group became incorporated under the name “Freshwater Community Centre Inc.” (FCCI). The board of directors of the new entity was composed of:

1. Edward Traverse, president	5. David Culleton
2. Adrian Green	6. Gerry Manning
3. Arthur Power	7. Mary Hann
4. Lucy Carroll

On Friday, December 20, 1991, the R.C. Episcopal Corporation turned over the land, which contained the parish hall and La Fontaine Club, as well as 1.1 acres of land south of Holy Rosary Church, to the FCCI for one dollar. The FCCI purchased the old hall and club for $5,000.

On Monday, May 25, 1992, the FCCI awarded the contract for a new community center to Maher's Contracting Ltd. of Freshwater. The primary construction was completed within a year, but the “finishing touches” extended over the next four years. The construction of the new center, which measured 152 feet by 75 feet, was under the supervision of Edward Traverse and Gerald Hickey. The total cost of the structure was $500,000.

The new building — which contained a social center and the La Fontaine Club — was officially named the “Freshwater Community Centre” (FCC). The first official function occurred on Thursday, June 25, 1993, when the Freshwater Volunteer Fire Department held its annual ball. Two rooms in the FCC were assigned on a permanent basis to the Golden Club of Senior Citizens … free of charge.

The Freshwater Community Centre provides full-time employment for three people. It also has a large casual list from which people are hired according to the level of activity. It caters to weddings and dances as well as numerous other social events. It also has a permanent exhibit of pictures and paintings of some of the houses that were in colonial Argentia. The Argentia Management Authority commissioned the exhibit in 1996, and Gerrard Power of Jerseyside produced the paintings.

In June 1999, the Freshwater Community Centre received a significant historical artifact for its display collection. It was a tangible piece of Argentia's past that had found its way back to Freshwater in a round about fashion. The artifact was in the form of compensations cheques paid to former residents of Argentia for their expropriated properties, and to various other people for services rendered. The processed cheques ranged in amounts as low as $20 to more that $10,000. Each cheque was signed, cashed, and had a two-cent Newfoundland stamp attached to the back. How those cheques found their way back to the Argentia area after 58 years is a little story in itself.

Those cheques were the property of Barron & Lewis, the law firm in St. John's that represented the Argentia people during the expropriation process. In 1979, one of the family members of either the Barron or Lewis families held a garage sale and the processed cheques from Argentia were among the articles that were available for purchase. James Walsh, former part owner of Walsh's Bakery — now Butternut Bakery — in St. John's, was at the sale and the cheques caught his attention. He bought them because he had an interest in history and realized the significance of what the cheques represented.

Walsh held onto the cheques and took some pleasure in showing them to people whenever the subject of history arose. On one occasion, he happened to show the cheques to Ears, Nose and Throat specialist, Dr. Thomas (Tom) Smith, who was originally from Freshwater. Through Dr. Smith's brother, word got back to Ed Traverse, president of the Freshwater Community Centre. Traverse then contacted Leo Smith, Dr. Tom Smith's brother who lived in Freshwater, and informed him that the Freshwater Community Centre would be interested in obtaining the cheques to put on display. After hearing from his brother, Dr. Smith informed James Walsh of Traverse's desire to obtain the cheques and arrangements were made for Walsh to donate them to the Freshwater Community Centre. The cheques were gratefully accepted by Traverse and they were put on public display for “Argentia Day” on Saturday, July 3, 1999.

The old parish hall was dismantled between June and November 1993 … under the direction of the Freshwater Community Centre Inc. That project employed 20 people, and the funding was obtained through the provincial government's “make-work program.” The Freshwater Community Centre Inc. dismantled the old La Fontaine Club between June and August 1994. That project, which included landscaping the site, also employed 20 people. Funding was obtained through the same government make-work program.

When construction of the Freshwater Community Centre was started, the organizing committee took out a nine-year mortgage with the Royal Bank of Canada. The operation of the facility was so successful that the debt was paid off in less than the scheduled time. In eight years, the Freshwater Community Centre became financially independent through its own generation of profits, donations from the Argentia Management Authority and Public Works and Government Services Canada, tax breaks from the Town of Placentia, and government grants totaling $182,000. Since 1992, the Freshwater Community Centre has given out more than $85,000 in donations to organizations such as the Freshwater Altar Society, the volunteer fire department, sports organizations, and individuals in extenuating circumstances.

On Friday, March 17, 2000, a mortgage-burning ceremony was held to celebrate financial independence. The brief ceremony was attended by members of the Freshwater Community Centre and Scott Levere, manager of the Placentia branch of the Royal Bank of Canada.

During the 1980s, the number of priests in Newfoundland declined steadily. As a result of that trend, many parishes were amalgamated to provide the most efficient clerical coverage. In May 1990, Holy Rosary Parish was joined with Sacred Heart Parish in Placentia, and the presbytery at Placentia became the official residence of the parish priest. Half of the presbytery in Freshwater was maintained as parish offices, while the other half was rented as private family living quarters. The first administrator of Sacred Heart/Holy Rosary Parish was Father Dermott McGettigan. It was under his cousin, Father Daniel McGettigan, that all of Holy Rosary Parish's debts were paid off in 1979.

The two parishes were amalgamated for four and a half years. On Thursday, September 22, 1994, Holy Rosary Parish once again became a separate entity … because the number of priests in the archdiocese had increased. Father Joseph Barton was appointed parish priest in Freshwater. The presbytery was restored to its former state and became Father Barton's residence. The last administrator of Sacred Heart/Holy Rosary Parish was Father Kenneth Walsh.

The following is a chronological list of all the parish priests who were assigned to Holy Rosary Parish:

•  Father Adrian Dee — January 12, 1922 to December 28, 1951.

•  Father Gregory Hogan — as curate from February 14, 1951 to December 28, 1951 and as parish priest from December 28, 1951 to May 28, 1952.

•  Father McDermott Penney — June 7, 1952 to September 20, 1969.

•  Father Daniel Murphy — October 11, 1969 to September 13, 1971.

•  Father Philip Lewis — November 14, 1971 to June 12, 1977.

•  Father Daniel McGettigan — July 2, 1977 to August 30, 1980.

•  Father Peter Golden — October 17, 1980 to September 7, 1986.

•  Father Robert Moore — November 19, 1986 to January 25, 1987.

•  Father Richard McHugh — March 1, 1987 to September 16, 1990.

•  Father Dermott McGettigan — October 26, 1990 to February 3, 1993. Father McGettigan died suddenly of a myocardial infarction on February 3, 1993, at age 57.

•  Father Kevin McKenna — March 5, 1993 to April 11, 1993.

•  Father William Boland — April 12, 1993 to June 13, 1993.

•  Father Kenneth Walsh — July 31, 1993 to September 22, 1994.

•  Father Joseph Barton — September 22, 1994 to July 1, 1996.

•  Father Jeffery Kolonel — July 18, 1996 to July 30, 1999

•  Father Francis Roche — July 30, 1999 to August 5, 2005.

Father Francis Roche was the last parish priest of Holy Rosary Parish in Freshwater. It was during Father James Beresford's tenure at Sacred Heart Parish in Placentia that the archdiocese re-established parish amalgamation because it had a shortage of priests. However, the process was referred to as “clustering” rather than amalgamation. Father Barry Courtney — “Associate Pastor” of the Placentia Cluster from 2005 to 2006 — continued with the project.

Holy Rosary Parish Church is the only parish building left in Freshwater and the parish now exists in name only. In reality, the people who were Holy Rosary Parish now constitute one of the subdivisions that make up the Placentia Cluster. The head office of the new entity is at the presbytery of Sacred Heart Parish in Placentia.

Father Wayne Dohey became the parish priest of the Placentia Cluster in October 2006. He remained in the position until March 2007, at which time he went on “Pastoral Leave.” Father Dohey was removed from Placentia because sexual assault charges had been laid against him by a female parishioner from a parish he had been in prior to being assigned to the Placentia Cluster. To date, he has not been brought to trial and the status of the charges is not public knowledge. In the meantime, Father Jerome Hann is the “Temporary Administrator" of the Placentia Cluster.

Addendum — Thursday, November 1, 2007

During an appearance in court at Grand Bank today, all charges against 45-year-old Father Wayne Dohey were dropped because of a lack of evidence. He had been charged with sexual assault and sexual exploitation as a result of a complaint made by a 15-year-old female, which stemmed from the time he was assigned to Sacred Heart Parish in Marystown more than a decade ago. Father Dohey is now a free man once again.

In 1995, the Liberal government, under Premier Clyde Wells, introduced extensive changes to the education system as part of its fiscal restraint program. Numerous schools were scheduled for closure because of low enrolment, or because there were too many under-utilized schools in an area. Holy Rosary Parish School was one of the first ten to be closed. Classes terminated on Tuesday, June 18, 1996. The students were then directed to attend St. Anne's Academy in Dunville when school resumed in September. The teachers continued to work for three days after closure for students in order to complete the necessary paperwork for the Department of Education. Holy Rosary Parish School officially closed on Friday, June 21, 1996 … ending 164 years of education under the parish's name.

At the time of closure, Holy Rosary Parish School had an enrolment of 166 children, made up of 80 boys and 86 girls. Classes spanned from kindergarten to grade eight plus the “special needs” class for mentally and physically handicapped children. The last teachers at Holy Rosary Parish School were:

•  Raymond Fagan (principal)	•  Edward O'Brien
•  Mary Green	•  Agnes Power
•  Marie Griffin	•  Margaret Power
•  William Houlihan	•  Carmelita Traverse
•  Mary King	•  James Traverse
•  Eileen Murray	•  Shirley White

When they closed in June 1996, Holy Rosary Parish School and gymnasium were not reopened. There was a lot of discussion among the various community organizations about the future use of the buildings, but a general consensus was not reached. A few individuals who wanted to operate commercial ventures made proposals to the parish and the town council, but all those proposals were contingent upon the receipt of government grants … endowments that never materialized.

The financial status of Holy Rosary Parish was such that it could not absorb the cost of maintaining the two large vacant buildings. In March 1997, Father Jeffery Kolonel, in consultation with the parish council and officials of the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation, decided to sell the school and gymnasium. On Saturday, March 29, 1997, the buildings were put up for sale through public tenders. Venture Enterprises Ltd., owned by Eugene and Anne Power of Dunville, was successful with a bid of $224,000. However, the actual takeover did not at that time because of a legal dispute.

Father Penney obtained the land on which the buildings are located from Francis A. Maher, owner of F. A. Maher Ltd. The Maher family intervened in the transaction between Venture Enterprises Ltd. and Holy Rosary Parish because they claim, “the land was given to Father Penney on the condition that if the parish ever decided to close the buildings, then the land would revert to the Maher family.” There is nothing to that effect on paper, but that, indeed, was the condition under which Francis A. Maher gave the land to Father Penney.

The dispute was eventually resolved and the Powers gained ownership of the property. After being vacant for eight years, the elements were steadily taking a toll on the school and gymnasium. As it slowly rotted away, Holy Rosary School became the target of vandals. The Powers then began dismantling the buildings so they would not become an eyesore. They were going to sell the good lumber that was being salvaged and had buyers waiting to take possession of it. Some of the lumber consisted of 40-foot long beams that were two inches thick by 12 inches wide that had been imported from British Columbia when the school was constructed. That kind of building materials are practically impossible to have shipped to Newfoundland anymore because of the prohibitive cost involved. However, their plans were rudely interrupted. On Saturday, July 24, 2004 both the school and gymnasium burned to the ground as a result of arson. The fire started around 5:00 am. The culprits were never caught.

In 2006, the amalgamated Town of Placentia acquired the property. The former site of Holy Rosary School is where the town's new central fire station will be located.

Special Note on Holy Rosary Parish Records

Father Pelagius Nowlan kept a record called Life of Holy Rosary Parish, but it cannot be found. Indeed, nobody at the Archdiocese of St. John's archives ever heard of it. The green, hard-cover book with a black spine looked more like a business ledger than any king of diary. The last place it was known to exist was at Holy Rosary Parish Presbytery — formerly the first school at Freshwater — in 1959.

Surely, anyone who was a student in Mary K. Power's class during the 1950s will remember her using that book as a reference several times a year when teaching “special” catechism class. During those special classes, she reminisced about her own school days in Argentia and how the priest, not teachers, taught children their "catechism and religious lessons." She also read passages from the book to give her students some idea of what parish life was like in her former home of Argentia before she was born. She used to borrow Life of Holy Rosary Parish from Father Penney. After the new school opened on the other side of the town in 1954, the parish maintenance man or secretary delivered the book to her classroom when she needed it.

In those days, the parish maintenance man was Hillary (Hill) Curran, from Ferryland on the Southern Shore. His wife Margaret (Marg) Houlihan, formerly of Argentia, was a combination housekeeper for Father Penney and parish secretary. Every time the archbishop conducted Confirmation ceremonies in Freshwater, Hillary and Margaret Curran acted as “Sponsors.” The Currans lived in the back portion of Holy Rosary Parish Presbytery with their daughter Jennifer, who was better known as “Jennie.” As a matter of interest, Jennie Curran married William (Bill) Mooney on Saturday, July 5,1969 and they have lived in Jerseyside ever since.

When Mary Power used Life of Holy Rosary Parish, the cover was in a shabby condition. Although yellowed with age, the pages were in fairly good condition and the writing was quite legible.

Father Penney was, by his own description, a “modern and progressive” priest. He had very little tolerance for anything that was old and out of date. When he moved into the new presbytery, many old items — including a significant number of books — from the original presbytery were destroyed. Perhaps Life of Holy Rosary Parish went to the landfill with the books that were discarded, but there is no way of knowing for sure. Except for the information that was recorded from that book during the 1950s, it appears that a large portion of Holy Rosary Parish's early history has been lost.