History of Guardian Angels

For more information on the Church of the Guardian Angels, please feel free to contact us at gangels@bconnex.net and we will endeavour to answer any questions you may have.

Our parish archivist is Mrs. Joan Pealow whose tremendous effort and love of history have allowed these pages and the following on our sister church, Sacred Heart Warminster, as well as on our parish priests, the convent of the Sisters of St. Joseph, the parish schools and the vocation pages to come to you.

May God bless you all and if in Orillia or Warminster you are most welcome to visit our parish church.

Church of the Guardian Angels | Pastors of Guardian Angels

History of Sacred Heart | Pastors of Sacred Heart

St. Joseph's Convent | Unveiling of Plaque at Old R.C. Cemetery | The Epistle or North Side of the Church

History of the Church of the Guardian Angels

The people of the community of Guardian Angels claim the log church on the hill as their first church, in fact we must not overlook the fact that when the Jesuit priests came to Huronia in the 1600's a mission was established in Orillia for the native people (First Nation's People). This first community was given the name St. Jean- Baptiste and a chapel is on record as having been established there. It is believed by the Archeological Society to have been in the Mount Slaven annexed area which is bounded by the streets: O'Brien, Mississaga, Lavicount (Nottawasaga St.) And the 4th Concession (Westmount Drive). This area is about a short block and a half below where the 1850's log church was built.

This is the Parish that grew - from missionaries visiting from Penetanguishene c. 1833 of which Fr. Proulx was the first, to a small log church which was built on the hill by the trail which threaded it's way westward to Penetanguishene and east to the narrows where Lake Simcoe and Couchiching join.

Before the church was built, mass was said in the home of Peter Kenny whose land was across from the site later chosen for the log church.

There were very few Catholics in Orillia at that time, but a large number of catholic families had settled in the townships westward of Orillia, many of whom had been Chelsea Pensioners from Ireland and settled in the area with their families. His home was not large enough to accommodate all these people for mass, so the 40 Catholic families agreed to contribute the sum of $ 1. 00 towards the purchase of the land across from Peter Kenny's home, which consisted of I and one half acres beside the Indian Trail now known as Coldwater Road. This land was turned over to the Roman Catholic Corporation in Toronto in 1854.

This first church was believed to have been named St. Michael's and was built partly on the side of what is now Coldwater Road., and extended over today's sidewalk into the old cemetery, which still has quite a lot of stones in it, though vandalism over the years has left very few monuments to these earlier pioneers and their families.

A small statue of St. Michael that came from this original church can still be seen in Guardian Angel's Church today, located in the sacristy. This statue lends credence to the belief that the log church had been named St. Michael as some of their descendants have stated.

There were no seats in the church for some considerable time, and the people either stood or knelt through-out the entire mass. A prolonged sermon would doubtless have been very unwelcome, particularly to the parents of the younger members of the congregation, taking into consideration also the fact that confessions were usually held prior to mass, which was not held every week in those days.

Later a local builder brought a sample pew to the church with a view to promoting their sale. The parish itself could not afford to pay for these pews, but the suggestion was made that the various parishoners might wish to purchase them for their own use. An old anecdote tells of how one non pew owner happened to mention in a humorous vein to another pew owner that the pews were placed in order of prominence or wealth among the parishioners, and jokingly asked him why his pew wasn't in the front. This pew owner's sense of humour was evidently not in good working order that particular morning, because after mass he lifted his own pew bodily over the others and placed it in the front. This action so incensed the other pew owners that the next time the church was used they appeared armed with hammers, nails and brackets, and firmly staked their claims by nailing their pews down firmly to the floor.

Most of our parishioners today would be quite surprised to find they have either seen or most probably sat in these controversial pews. Some of them were placed around the sides of the brick church in later years, and others were put to use in the choir loft of our current church for many years. When the church was redecorated in 1983/1984 during Rev. John Weelink's pastorate, these same pews were refinished and placed around the walls of the church auditorium in the basement and are in constant use, at least 45 years of mileage.

In 1852 Bishop de Charbonnel paid a visit to the recently built log church. This account appeared in the Toronto Mirror of August 6th, 1852, a Catholic paper of that time:

Dr. de Charbonnel, after a day's stay in Toronto, resumed his visitation on the 17th ultimo. He left for the North apparently in excellent health, accompanied by the Rev. Mr. O'Doherty. The following brief outline of his movements will not be uninteresting to our readers:

On the evening of the 17th he reached Barrie, by way of Lake Simcoe, whose quiet waters are at length occasionally disturbed by a small steamer.

Barrie is a small straggling village.... and on Tuesday at 5 a.m. we left for Orillia.

At noon on Tuesday we reached Orillia by the same little steamer that brought us to Barrie.

This place wears a most forlorn aspect; nor is it easy to reconcile the primitive appearance of the country all around with the antique look of the crumbling houses, in which two generations of men must have passed away, otherwise than by fancying that like young Rip Van Winkle, the inhabitants had passed all the toiling days of life in slumber.

The Severn, which connects the Georgian Bay with the Lake of Simcoe, where it is spanned by a spile bridge with a "draw' of a few feet near the centre.

The scenery on the lake some two miles below that point is most picturesque- it is worth a journey from Toronto to look on these lovely islands which studded the upper Simcoe with their rich and varied forest, stretching down into the crystal waters, in all their primitive grandeur, wild as when the red man claimed empire there. And why are these lovely islands and this rich lake coast an unbroken solitude? Why are those beautiful waters unruffled by the sails of commerce?

While the fishes are expelled from small and sickly streams in remote comers of a sister country by the splashing of numerous streamers; whilst the birds are scared from the forests by the roar of her locomotives, why is this lovely, fertile dependence of Great Britain capable of maintaining millions of Her Majesty's starving loyalists, one unbroken solitude? Buecho answers, why?

His Lordship's advent not being well heralded, but few were assembled in the little rustic log church at Orillia on Tuesday; during the afternoon, however, his Lordship, with Father O'Doherty, and the Pastor of the place, were busily occupied in the confessional.

On Wednesday, over sixty were admitted to the sacraments, and some fifty were confirmed.

In the afternoon his Lordship left in a canoe for Mara, on the opposite shore, where he confirmed thirty on Thursday morning, in the small school house where the people of the town (???) assembled for worship, and the same afternoon returned with Father O'Doherty to complete whatever was left undone in Orillia.

Friday, thirty were confirmed, many more received the holy communion; many took the pledge, and all the poor Catholics felt revived and blessed by the toil and attention of their first pastor.

At one o'clock we left Orillia in a wagon for the steamer, Detroit, on Sturgeon Bay en route for Manatouline, via Penetanguishene.... *

Dr. de Charbonnel was quite a person for traveling around, and had returned from a visit to the Southern States, prior to his Orillia visit.

As can be seen from the account of the Bishop's visit, the priest's visits to Orillia were extremely infrequent due to the large area they had to cover, and the main responsibility for instructing the children in their religion rested largely on the shoulders of the parents.

In the mid- 1850's there was a large increase in the Catholic population of both N. Simcoe and Ontario Countries and in 1855 the area divided, and a new pastorate, that of Mara and Orillia was formed, and Orillia was now served from Uptergrove in Mara Township where a new pastor, Fr. Synnott built a log church and mass was now said more frequently and access to all the sacraments was greatly improved. He was succeeded by Fr. Michel in 1857 and for a few months by Fr. Coyac.

In 1866 Father Kenneth Campbell, who had been born in nearby Thorah Township, and had been a curate in Barrie for 3 years, was appointed pastor of Mara and Orillia, and he now served the log church on Coldwater Road.

The R.C. population of the Orillia area was still growing. New Catholics arrived and the children of the earlier settlers were now married and raising families of their own. The congregation had far outgrown the original log church and it was felt that a larger church in a more central location would better serve the parish.

With Father Campbell's encouragement, the parishioners planned the building of a larger church, the original idea being to build it on a lot purchased by the R.C.E.C. on the S.W. comer of Brant and Laclie St. It was felt, however, that this was going from one extreme to the other and that the location, while central at that particular time, would not be central in years to come, and also that it would entail a lot of inconvenience to the outlying Catholics, of which there were still a considerable number. Accordingly, a new lot was chosen and purchased by the Episcopal Corporation from Goldwin Smith, Toronto, and this lot is the present location of today's church. The lot on Laclie St., was sold several years later and property being worth more at that particular time, a considerable profit was realized and the parish benefited greatly from this transaction.

By 1872 the new brick church was completed, and was dedicated and blessed on July 28th by Archbishop Lynch and given the name Angels Guardian. This church faced directly out to West St. As to why it was given the name Angels Guardian no one seems to know. It could have been because of them calling the log church St. Michael's (he was, after all, reputed o be the head of the Angels) or it could have been a translation of the French L'Ange Guardien, or the people may have felt that, located on the hill as it was, it kept guard over the whole town. In any case, in this century, when Father Bernard Doyle was pastor (1935-1961) he felt the name to be ungainly and at his instigation the name was now changed officially to The Church of the Guardien Angels, and his parishioners were very pleased with the new name. It was good that the new church was built and in use, for in 1876 the old church was destroyed by fire.

In 1874 the Mara-Orillia Parish was divided again, and , upon being given a choice, Father Campbell chose to be a pastor of the Orillia church. He then moved to I 10 Matchedash St. until a rectory could be built. Mass was recited there daily and there is (or was ) a beautiful stained glass window in this house.

Before the building of the brick church mass had not been said every week. Often three weeks at least passed by before there was a mass. As well as Orillia Fr. Campbell still was responsible for "Stations" at Uhthoff, Bracebridge, for a time Gravenhurst, Washago, Coldwater and Matchedash, to name a few.

In 1883 the many Catholics in the Warminster area built a church of their own and this came under Orillia's pastorate until 1916 when Bishop McNeill decided that Warminster should now become a part of Mt. St. Louis parish with Father Heydon as pastor. As a result of his influence a more direct route was opened up between the two places, known for many years as the Father Heydon Side Road. Now known as Mt. St. Louis Road. They remained a mission of Mt. St. Louis until 1966 due to reorganization and Sacred Heart once again became a part of the Orillia pastorate.

When Father Campbell died in 1895 he was buried on New Year's Day beside his beloved church.

Fr. Duffy filled in for a while and he was followed by Fr. Moyna.

The congregation still continued it's growth and Fr. Moyna was very much in favour of a new larger church being built. He would have liked to have seen the name changed back St. Michael's like the log church, maybe because his own name was Michael, but the parishioners preferred the more unusual name of Angels Guardian. His pride may have been somewhat assuaged however, by the new cemetery being named St. Michael's. This is the one in use today.

The committee in charge of the planning for a new church felt that it would be a good idea to build the church on an angle this time, facing cornerwise on to Penetanguishene St. / West St. There was, of course, Fr. Campbell's grave to consider and to be left intact. Inside the church of today in the back vestibule, there is a plaque that commemorates his life and indicates that he is buried there.

They planned to build the church of limestone from the large quarries on the other side of Lake Couchiching near Longford Mills and to bring it across the lake on large horse-drawn sleds during the deep winter freeze-up, rather than having to bring it all the way round the lake, which was also more economical. The current pastor, Father Moyna, who was from Ireland, was both amazed and alarmed because he was not aware of the depth and strength of the ice on our lakes then, but he was appointed Dean of the Northern Region in 1909 and moved to Barrie, so he was spared the headache of witnessing this feat.

The new stone church itself had been designed by John Wilson Siddall, a famous architect of his day who also designed several other buildings in this area.

During the demolition of the old brick church, considerable trouble was experienced when removing the spire. When it was finally induced to fall, with the aid of ropes, so great was it's impact that it embedded itself six feet in the ground.

The old rectory had been built in 1874, on the northern side of the church facing West St., It originally had a long wooden veranda along the front and side, and many ornamental decorations on the roof, with a large stable behind. Lawns and trees surrounded the house and a few remain today. When the rectory was tom down in Monsignor Lee's time a terrible storm blew up just as the workmen were tearing off the roof and the wind blew hundreds of documents, papers, files etc., all over the town. The office downstairs was literally stacked with files, records and papers etc., and no-one could remember the older ones being put up there. A lot of history lost!

The money to build the new rectory had been raised from a pledge campaign. It was 1966 however, before the new rectory could be built, and this time it was decided to attach it to the side of the church where it is today, and many renovations and additions have been made over the years.

There were very large driving sheds where Guardian Angels School stands today, and while the brick church was being tom down and the stone one being built mass was said in these large sheds. In later years this area was used in winter as a skating rink for children attending the old Guardian Angels School and in warmer weather various games were played there, including tennis.

The cornerstone of the new church was laid in 1910 and on ]4th December 1911 it was officially opened and blessed by the Rt. Rev. R.A. O'Connor, Bishop of Peterborough, who also administered the sacrament of Confirmation that same afternoon to 110 boys and girls. He had also been present at the laying of the cornerstone of the brick church 40 years earlier,

When the stone church was erected it possessed only a square tower, but memories of the spire on the former church held strongly in the people's minds, and in 1926, when Fr. Flanagan was pastor, the present spire and cross were added. A legacy of $10,000 to put this project into effect had been willed to the church by John J. Sullivan of Boston whose family were from our parish. The balance being paid from the church's building fund. Original plans for an even taller spire were discarded in favor of the present one, because it was felt that the high winds that are prevalent at times in this area might make the spire an unnecessary danger. The reduction in size was regretted though in 1933 when Miss Elizabeth Overend donated the bell in the tower when it was hung in August of that year. Miss Overend had taught it the log school and the brick school.

Charles Cunningham when about age 14, was paid $1.00 by Miss Elizabeth Overend to guard the bell, which, due to it's weight and size reposed on boards on the top steps in front of the door. Due to the fact that there was a circus in town that weekend, it was felt to be unwise to leave it unguarded---not for fear of anyone stealing the weighty bell, but rather because of fear of vandalism often rampant when the circus came to town. During the night it commenced raining and he crawled under the bell for shelter. Hearing someone coming he moved to investigate and accidentally bumped into the dapper. Needless to say when he crawled out from the bell all that could be heard was the sound of retreating footsteps going at a tremendous rate.

As is the way with all buildings of this size, the upkeep is a costly item and a pledge campaign was launched in May 1960 by the current Pastor, Father Bernard Doyle to deal with the many repairs needing attention; chief among these being the conversion of the old auditorium into a very much improved facility. In August 1961, Father Doyle, who had not been really well for some time, died, and upon the broad shoulders of Fr. Frederick K. Lee, the new pastor, who later became a Monsignor, fell the responsibility of carrying out the many alterations and repairs- more familiarly known as "The Mons".

The church was completely redecorated inside and fine oak paneling installed behind the three altars. Up until then the altar rail stretched right across the church, below the altars, but in keeping with the many changes in church liturgy the altar was moved out from the rear wall in order that Mass might be celebrated from behind the altar, with the priest facing the people, and the sanctuary was extended further into the centre aisle, and rows of pews were removed and placed sideways to the main altar and the altar servers sat there. Later these pews were used by a children's choir that sang at 9:30 mass. Alma Jackson, Cathy Sirdevan and Colleen Evans were in charge of this choir. Later the choir moved upstairs to the choir loft because of more changes and is now, in 1998 a Family Choir made up of both adults and children. The small pews were then placed in various places in the church.

The brick Angels Guardian Church contained a choir loft that was situated in more or less the same part of the church as it is today. The organ was an old fashioned hand pumped organ, that could not be played by the organist without an assistant to operate the pump, usually one of the boys or young men, as it was a very laborious job. The hand pump was on the side of the organ, thus differing from the foot pumped reed organs very prevalent in churches in Canada and the United States, for which organists produced their own air by a pedalling motion of the feet. When the brick church was demolished, this organ was used in the temporary church in the driving sheds, and also for a short time in the present church. Father Trayling, who was pastor when the new church was opened, was himself an excellent organist and was responsible for the installation of the electric pipe organ.

The pipe organ has under gone some changes since it's installation in 1914. Following the opening of the new church in 1911, the two manual reed organs were used until a new pipe organ could be purchased. The new organ was installed in 1914 and was built by the Canadian Pipe Organ company, of St. Hyacinthe Quebec. The organ was a two manual 16 rank instrument with tubular pneumatic action. The original console was built into the facade with the organists facing the altar. For a relatively small instrument in such a building the organ was voiced with big sounds especially in the principal chorus on the great.

The date of the installation of the second console seems to be of some mystery as the records of the organ were lost in the move from the old rectory to the new in the 1960's. The second console was installed by the E.F. Walcker Co. Of Germany. This console was at the same level as the facade of the organ but faced the altar.

In 1972 the 8' Vox humana on the swell was replaced by Casavant Freres Organ Co. With a four rank mixture stop thus enlarging the organ to 19 ranks from 16 and adding considerably to the sound. In 1990 it was decided that further repairs were needed and the consloe again needed to be replaced. The new console (built by Casavant) was placed along the gallery rail facing the organ, (This was all made possible through a generous donation by the late Kathleen Halford). This allowed the orgainsit to face the choir and direct from the console thus ending the need for a seperate choir director. A new trumpet stop was added to bring the organ to its current 20 ranks.

Organists known to have played in this church are : Joe MacDonald, Miss Mary Kane, Miss Mona Reardon, Miss Flora MacDonald, Mrs M Mossington, Miss Marie Foley, Mrs. Winnie McPhee and her daughter Linda, Mrs P Daly, Jean Rousseau, Mr George Traviss, Mrs Joan Pealow, Mr Doug Page, Mr Phil LaPenna, Mr Greg Clarke and the current director of music Mr Patrick Sibley.

The altar was stripped of all ornaments, better to resemble the table of the Last Supper. The tracery donated by Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Burrows remains as part of the backdrop to the altar.

The altar itself depicts a beautiful carving of The Last Supper and was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Sam Battalia with a view to it being ready in time for their daughter's wedding in September 1936.

The rood beam which bore the statue of "Christ the King" and two angels, and extended across the Sanctuary Arch (a donation of James Mulligan) was, with the permission of the family, removed, and the cross was affixed to the tower wall high above the organ.

The small room that leads off the church near the side of the altar on the Penetanguishene St. side was converted into a baptistry as was originally planned, and a beautiful painting of St. John the Baptist baptizing Jesus adorns the back wall. It was found this room was too difficult to heat and much too cold for baptisms during the winter months and it has served many purposed since then, i.e. Religious Articles Booth, Confessional, storage place for folk mass instruments and so on. One item in there is of special interest. When clearing out a deep cupboard area in the basement, prior to building new washroom facilities the caretaker came across what turned out to be a very old marble baptismal font. On checking out various files in the Orilliana Room at the Public library, a clipping for August 5th, 1875 mentioned the following:

"Valuable Gift': We understand that Mr. Charles Davies recently presented the congregation of the Church of the Angels Guardian with a handsome and valuable font of his own manufacture. This font is in the room for safekeeping. Much later Mr. and Mrs. George Rolland presented a baptismal font which was not so heavy, to the parish, and in later years this has become part of the altar in the chapel.

In the centre of the back vestibule there is an angel holding a holy water basin, and this was donated to the church by The Holy Name Society, of which John Joseph Reardon was the president when the new church had been built.

The statue of St. Peter in his chair was originally in the brick church and now sits in the rectory office. The colorful windows are mostly donated from parishioners or organizations. Two windows are much older than the church and had been in the old brick church. They are the Overend window in the Sacristy and the Gunn Window by Our Lady's Altar.

Above the main altar, the beautiful rose window which was provided for from the original building funds, catches everyone's eye and when the sun is shining from the west is a glorious sight.

The windows in the basement were the work of the late Albert Goosen of this parish.

In 1977 Larry Fitzhenry of our parish met a man in Florida with a great interest in churches and asked Larry to describe ours. From this conversation we learned that we had a clerestory, which is an outside wall of a room or building that rises above an adjoining roof and the windows of which are more or less plain glass; their purpose being to provide extra light to the building, the name clerestory coming from the original term "clear story".

One large change was made when Fr. Joseph O'Neill was pastor. He converted what had been an overlarge sacristy into a beautiful chapel. New stained glass windows were donated and the pews from an old church were installed as well as an old altar, and mass was frequently said there. Later, the pews were removed and comfortable chairs installed. Baptisms, weddings, anniversaries as well as other masses have been held there.

The 75th anniversary of the present church was celebrated in 1995, it being a special concelebrated mass with Bishop Clune and former and local born priests of this parish. Many other events took place in the parish to celebrate this event.

Such a large church needs a lot of maintenance, and in 1994 a Restoration Campaign was begun, not the least of the problems being the necessity to replace the original cornerstone. The spire needed sheathing and trim replacement, a large amount of masonry repairs were needed, re-roofing etc., and the cross on top of the spire which had been lit by electricity was replaced by a new cross with a newer method of lighting it. This cross has always been considered to be a local landmark.

On October 1st, 1995, the Most Reverend Aloysius M. Ambrozic, Archbishop of Toronto, came and blessed the new cornerstone in which a Time Capsule had been installed. Rev. John Weelink was pastor at the time.

His Eminence Cardinal Ambrozic returned to visit our parish on March 13th, 1998, shortly after he became a Cardinal. Our church was chosen to host representatives from the 44 parishes of the Northern Region. The newly appointed Cardinal is still the Archbishop of the Toronto Archdiocese of which we are members.

Rev. Ian Riswick is our current pastor and was very pleased to host the Cardinal, who spoke at the Mass to the whole congregation, and this is a good note to end this history on.

Compiled by Joan Pealow, June 1998

History of Sacred Heart Church, Warminster, 1883-1983

In the early 1600's Saint Anthony Daniel laboured at CAHIAGUE, an Indian village close to the present site of Warminster. Here six years later he was martyred at the hands of the Iroquois, at the site of St. Louis. This part of Huronia remained a desolate area, as far as the white man was concerned, for nearly 200 years.

In the year 1832 a group of army officers from the British Isles received grants of land and settled in the area. Among these settlers were the Catholic families of William Kyle, Captain Joyce, Peter Thornton, Thomas and Patrick Lawlor and Mr. Fitzgibbon. AS time went by more catholic families moved into the area. These names still prevail in the district today. Fathers Dempsey and Proulx visited these families at intervals.

In 1866, Father Campbell was appointed pastor at Uptergrove and had charge of an area from Brechin to Matchedash and Washago. Mass was said in the homes with the priest traveling on horseback or by buggy. Under the leadership of Father Campbell, Sacred Heart Church was built and dedicated on July 8, 188' ). Father Campbell had previously been appointed to Orillia in 1874. He was succeeded by Father M. Monya and Father J. C. Carberry.

In 1916, Bishop McNeill decided that Warminster should be a part of Mt. St. Louis parish with Father Heydon as pastor. As a result of his influence a more direct route was opened up between the two places. It was known for many years as the Father Heydon sideroad. Now it is more commonly called the Mt. St. Louis Road.

Later pastors were Father O'Brien in 1920, Father Clancy in 1922, Father Kelly in 1924.

During Father's Kelly's pastorate from 1924 to 1937 and the years prior to this, Mass was said every Sunday alternating from 9: 00 a. in. to I I: 00 a. m. between here and Mt. St. Louis. But with the onset of winter, mass was every other Sunday at Warminster, as the priest had to come by horse and cutter. The parishioners engaged in farming, donated a bag of oats to feed the horse. This was delivered to Mt. St. Louis by Frank Cashman.

Until 1937 there was no parish hall here. Garden parties were held on the grounds and a platform was erected for dancing. In the fall, those that had homes suitable would hold card parties and dances to help pay the expenses of the parish. In 1937, half of the horse sheds were reconstructed into a hall. Under Father McKenna's direction, with Norman McHugh as head carpenter and members of the parish giving free labor, we at last had a parish hall. This was a definite asset to the parish and the community.

A very memorable occasion took place at Sacred Heart Warminster October, 1948. The late Cardinal McGuigan visited the parish and administered the sacrament of confirmation to a large class. Following this, the ladies of the parish served a luncheon in the old hall that had been suitably decorated for the occasion.

In 1949 and early 1950, a number of Dutch families arrived from Holland, and have made a big contribution to Sacred Heart Warminster.

Early in 1962, after a March 17th party our hall was burned to the ground. Under the direction of Father J. Bolger the present hall was built. The annual garden party at Sacred Heart in Warminster is still the event held to defray the expenses of the parish.

In 1966, due to reorganization, Sacred Heart once again returned to Orillia with Msgr. Lee the pastor. He redecorated the church inside and out, as well as the parish hall.

Today we are an intricate part of the parish family of Guardian Angels-Sacred Heart Churches.

Compiled by Condan Robbins

Parish Priests of the Orillia Roman Catholic Community

Rev. Father Dempsey 1833
Rev. Father J.B. Proulx
Rev. Father J. Charest
Rev. Father McNulty
Rev. Father Stanislaus Coyac
Rev. Father John Synnott
Rev. Father Joseph Michel
Rev. Father Kenneth A. Campbell-- First Official Pastor, builder of brick church (Angels Guardian)
Rev. Father John Lynch
Rev. Father F.W. Duffy
Rev. Father Michael Moyna -- responsible for building current parish church
Rev. Father James A Trayling
Rev. Father James C Carberry
Rev. Father P.J. Flanagan
Rev. Father J.A. McDonagh
Rev. Father Bernard Doyle -- responsible for renaming parish Guardian Angels
Rev. Father Fredrick K. Lee (later Monsignor)-- responsible for renovations after Vatican I I
Rev. Father Joseph O'Neill (later Monsignor) --Sacred Heart Warminster returns to Guardian Angels (Currently in residence at Guardian Angels)
Rev. Father John Weelink (currently pastor Our Lady of Fatima Shrine Scarborough)
Rev. Father Ian P. Riswick
Rev. Simon de Gale
Rev. Steve Kopfensteiner

Pastors of Sacred Heart

1883 to 1897- Father K. Campbell
1897 to 1909- Father M. Moyna
1909 to 1916- Father J.A. Trayling
1916 to 1917- Father J.C. Carberry
1917 to 1920- Father W.P. Heyden
1920 to 1922- Father A. O'Brien
1922 to 1924- Father A. T. Clancy
1924 to 1937- Father W. T. Kelly
1937 to 1939- Father F. A. McKenna
1939 to 1944- Father L. T. Healey
1944 to 1946- Father K. McDonnell
1946 to 1949- Father T.F. Hayes
1949 to 1951 -Father A. Marshman
1951 to 1954- Father J.G. Lotus
1954 to 1955- Father G.B. Breen
1955 to 1957- Father J.A. Marvin
1957 to 1960- Father F.C. Robinson
1960 to 1964- Father J. T. Bolger
1964 to 1966- Father W.J. O'Leary
1966 to 1976- Msgr. F. K. Lee
1977 to 1983- Father J.H. O'Neill
1983 to 1997- Father John Weelink
1997 to present Father Ian Riswick

St. Joseph's Convent, Penetanguishene St., Orillia

When the Ven. Archdeacon Kenneth Campbell, Pastor of Orillia Parish died in 1895, in his will he bequeathed $6,000 with the view of it being used towards the establishment of a convent in Orillia. The will also stipulated that the Sisters of St. Joseph be the order to reside there. He may have been influenced in their favor by the fact that his own sister was at that time Mother Superior of a similar convent in London.

Another stipulation he made was that the Sisters should be asked to take charge of the Separate School in Orillia (in the early years known as St. Mary's). Although there was considerable opposition on the part of some Catholics in Orillia, The Pastor Rev. M. Moyna urged by Archbishop O'Connor went ahead with the building of the convent on the open space behind Guardian Angels Church. Rev. Moyna raised the balance of the money needed by assessing the parishioners according to their means, and no doubt many of the wealthier families made generous donations also.

The Superior of the Mother House in Toronto, received orders to send three teachers to Orillia for the opening of school in September 1903. Mother Borromeo was appointed Superior of the new convent and arrived in Orillia, August 29th 1903, with a staff of three teachers, a music teacher, and a housekeeper. Along with Mother Borromeo, there were Sisters Basilla and Prisca. With them also came Sisters Thecla, Ursula and Wilhelmina, all of whom were professed novices; Sister Wilhelmina being the music teacher.

The convent was not quite completed when they arrived and they were obliged to accept the hospitality of the Pastor in the commodious old rectory which stood where the green area of the parking lot is today, until it was completed.

At the end of this period of time the Sisters happily took possession of their new home, despite the fact that the house was ill-fitted for occupation, with the only furniture being a kitchen stove and one chair. No doubt the members of the parish rallied round immediately to provide the sisters with the necessary furnishings, dishes and linens etc.

One large room at the back on the eastern side of the convent was made into a beautiful small chapel by the sisters.

When the Sisters arrived the school principal was Miss Elizabeth Overend, but when she retired in 1908, another sister came to the convent, Sister Allacoque and she became the new principal of the school.

The convent thrived and over the years many students received their instructions from the sisters of the convent, and many music students became excellent pianists, organists and music teachers, through the efforts of the Sisters who taught them so diligently. Besides teaching, the Sisters also provided many other services for the church and parish.

With the many changes that took place within the rules and teachings of the catholic church in the 1960's, less and less young women became members of the sisterhood, and it was no longer feasible to maintain or staff the Orillia convent, and in May 1969 the convent was closed, with some of the furniture sold and the rest removed. The community still maintains a parish presence at Invermara, the summer home of the congregation.

Later in 1969 Jim Burnie and Peter Ufford had the idea to make it into a home for boys with problems with their families and their lives in general. lt continued this way until Jim Burnie went away to train for the priesthood and then was run for a while by Ernie Thibeault and some other assistants. Meanwhile, Jim continued his studies and finally became a priest and is now Rev. James Burnie.

In 1985 the Bosco Home, as it had been known as, was officially closed. The diocese originally planned to sell it but plans were made instead to renovate the building and in 1988 it was officially opened that fall, and is officially known now as St. Joseph's House. It consists of four apartments, as office, 3 conference rooms and a boardroom and kitchen in the basement. The original chapel is used as a meeting room.

Unveiling of Plaque at Old R.C. Cemetery

A large number of people attended the unveiling of a Memorial Plaque at the old Roman Catholic Cemetery on the brow of the hill on Coldwater Rd., at 10am on Monday, August 3rd, 1998. It was a glorious summer day.

Rev. Ian Riswick, pastor of the large parish which includes Warminster, Washago, Black River, Uptergrove and Orillia churches, spoke of the great faith and hard work of the early settlers who were, from the early 1830's to the mid-1850's, served only a few times a year from Penetanguishene. He told how they got together to purchase a piece of land on the old Coldwater Road which was only a trail at that time, and built a log church. A few years later, a log schoolhouse was also built on this piece of land, part of which was used as a Cemetery

Arrangements for the purchase and installation of this plaque were made by Paul Williams, Chairman of the Church's Cemetery Board.

The ceremonies opened with a prayer lead by Father Ian, followed by a reading given by Marcella Cadeau who is a descendant of many of these pioneers. Marcella is also the new Chairperson of the Parish Council. Phil Abbott, Vice Chairman of the Parish Council, read the well-loved 23rd Psalm, "The Lord is My Shepherd." The Gospel, read by the deacon Rev. Edward G. MacDonnell was taken from Matthew XI, "Come to Me, all ye that labor...", a fitting tribute to the pioneers buried in this Cemetery

The Intercessions were read by the three Mulcahy sisters, Sue, Gertrude and Jackie.

Paul Williams unveiled the plaque which was then blessed by Father Riswick, who then called upon Guardian Angel's Church archivist Joan Pealow to read the words on the plaque which she had compiled to commemorate the history of our early years.

Father Ian thanked the many people who attended this special event and closed the ceremony with a prayer.

The Epistle or North Side of the Church

The medallion pictures were:

St. Matthew and St. Luke - the other two Evangelists.

St. Paul - the Apostle of the Gentiles

St. Maria Goretti - a martyr for purity and the patron saint of young girls

St. Pius X - the patron saint of early and frequent Communion

St. Cecelia - patron saint of music