St. Patrick’s Parish in Stayner Marks 155 Years of Community

St. Patrick’s Parish in Stayner, Ont., celebrated its 155^th anniversary on August 23 with a Mass celebrated by his Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo. Following the celebration, parishioners enjoyed a lovely barbecue lunch prepared by the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Women’s League and parish members. There was a photo display set up as well as cabinets with memorabilia of the parish, some dating back as for as 1873 – for example, pew books from when the church was first opened.

St. Patrick’s Church is the oldest church in Stayner, and the first Masses were celebrated in this area in 1839. As the population grew, the parish was established on June 15, 1871. The church itself had its first Mass New Year’s Day in 1873, celebrated by Archbishop Walsh. The present rectory was built in 1888, which is one of the older houses in Stayner.

The first parish cemetery was established in 1848 and there still remains the silent modest engraved tombstones marking the resting places of the early immigrants who left their homeland to come to this area – at the time a wilderness – and continued to grow in their faith and make sure there was a place for all who wanted worship.

Throughout the years, the community has continued to grow. In 1959, St. Noel Chabanel Mission, named after St. Noel Chabanel – who was martyred within the parish boundaries on Dec. 8, 1649 – became the mission church and, in 1961, a parish elementary school, Our Lady of the Assumption, was built just out side of New Lowell. Population growth in Wasaga Beach and the surrounding area led to St. Noel Chabanel Elementary School opening its doors in 2000.