The Early History of the Catholic Church in Prince Edward Island

By John C. MacMillan

MacMillan's history provides a glimpse into lives of the early inhabitants and their descendants, and into the role of the Catholic Church in the history of Prince Edward Island. From the earliest European settlement of the island up to the beginning of the twentieth century.

The first seven chapters deal primarily with discovery, settlement, population increases, war, inbound migration, land division, Highland immigration, etc.. The remaining chapters focus on people and events as they relate to the establishment and development of Catholic Church in Prince Edward Island.

Contents include:

• Early History -- Settlers -- Missionaries -- Relations Between French and Indians
• Franciscans in St. John's Island
• Population Increased -- War Between England and France -- Father Maillard
• Emigrants from Nova Scotia -- Arrival of Priests -- Parishes Formed -- Condition of the People
• Destitution of the Colonists -- Refugees of 1755 -- Second Siege of Louisbourg -- Deportation of the Colonists
• State of Canadian Church After the Conquest -- The Church in St. John's Island -- Priests in the Maritime Provinces --
• Island Divided into Lots -- Population Increased -- Pastoral Letter of the Bishop of Quebec
• Highland Emigration -- Father James MacDonald -- His Labours and Death
• Father Maceachern's Birth -- Early Studies -- At Royal Scots College -- Ordination -- Return to Scotland -- Comes to St. John's Island
• State of the Colony in 1790 -- Father Maceachern Applies for Faculties to the Bishop of Quebec
• Early Labour and Journeys
• Scarcity of Priests -- Father Maceachern's Exhortations -- St. Andrew's Farm Purchased
• Labors on the Mainland of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island
• Father de Calonne -- He Comes to Charlottetown -- His Impressions of Charlottetown
• Three Priests in the Colony -- Their Respective Missions Bishop Denaut Announces his Visit of 1803
• First Visit of a Bishop to Prince Edward Island
• Father Caceachern the Only Prienst in Prince Edward Island -- Builds St. Andrew's Church -- Obstacles he Meets with --
• Appeals for Help
• Unsatisfactory Conditions of the Acadians - Efforts to Secure Priests for them --
• Death of Father Augustine and Capt John MacDonald
• Bishop Plessis Visits Prince Edward Island
  Father Beaubian at Rustico -- Sickness of the People -- Acadian's of Malpeque
• Move Further West
• Affairian Charlottetown -- Clericla Dress -- The Cancer Remedy
• Difficulties with Governor Smith
• First Ecclesiastical Students
• Father Maceachern Visits Cape Breton Island -- Difficult in Collecting Money for Students - Accidint to Father Maceachern
• Father Beabian Visits the Magdalen Islands -- His Labors in Prince Edward Island -- He Visitis Quebec -- His Relations with Father Maceachern
• Father Cecile comes to Rustico -- Sends Sylvain Perry to Quebec -- Ronald MacDonald Leaves the Seminary -- The Acadian Missions
• Efforts Made to Divide the Diocese of Quebec -- Father Burke's Views of the Matter -- Nova Scotia Seperated from Quebec -- Father Maceachern Named Bishop of Rosen -- His Consecration
• Father McDonald Ordained - Father Fitzgerald Comes to Charlottetown -- First Ordination in Prince Edward Island
• Father Fitzgerald's labours in Charlottetown -- Catholics Come into Favour -- Question of the Franchise Raised -- Death of Archbishop Plessis
• Catholic Claims Discussed in the Press and in the Legislature -- Catholic Peition Defeated
• Efforts of Bishoip Maceachern to Educate Students - His Nephew's Death -- Labors on the Mainland
• Want of Clergy -- Negotiations Concerning a Division of The Diocese of Quebec
  Events in the Different Missions -- Father Perry Ordained -- Two Boys Go to Rome
• Father Fitzgerald's Departure -- Legislature Petitioned For a Grant for a College -- Catholic Emancipation -- The Bishop of Rosen Becomes Bishop of Charlottetown
• Catholics Succeed to their Rights as Citizens -- Fort Augustus Settled -- Father John Macdonald -- First Catholic Elected to the Assembly -- A General Election -- Bishop Maceachern Takes Formal Possession of his See
• Founding of St Andrew's College -- Father Walsh -- Church in Charlottetown Enlarged
• The Acadian Missions -- Charlottetown -- Father John MacDonald -- St Andrew's College -- Bishop Maceachern at St John -- He Builds a House at Canavoy
• Bishop Maceachern in Failing Health -- His Last Illness -- His Death and Burial
  

About the author

The author, Rev. John C. MacMillan, assembled this work while serving as Pastor of All Saints Church in Cardigan Bridge, Prince Edward Island. His busy schedule, combined with the challenge of finding few surviving documents, did not discourage Rev. MacMillan. 

Details

300 pages
7 X 10"
Originally published by L'Evénement Printing Co., Quebec, 1905
This facsimile edition published by Global Heritage Press, December 2007
ISBN 97-1-89746-16-4 (hardcover temporarily out of print)