In 1883, the first settlers came to Lorrainville. The name "Lorrainville" was given to honor Narcisse Zéphirin Lorrain, Bishop of the Pembroke
diocese of which Lorrainville was part of at the time.
The families established in Lorrainville will have to wait until 1892 before they get their christian mission and, in 1906, the "Oblats de
Marie-Immaculée", who received as mission the evangelization of the Upper Ottawa River region, gave to Bishop Lorrain one of their cures:
Lorrainville. In fact, we can read in the Act of the episcopal visit of the mission of Lorrainville, on July 18 th, all the intense activity of the hive
that is Lorrainville :
(free translation) "On July 17 th, we got to Lorrainville, new hive from Ville-Marie last Autumn, and we administrated confirmation to
60 children.
This mission, formerly under the cure of Rev. Father Beaudry, o.m.i., is now under the cure of Rev. Father Giguère who was there to welcome
us. People of Lorrainville spared nothing to make this first episcopal visit to their mission as solemn as possible. The ceremony took place
in a room which stood as a temporary chapel and a large crowd was present. In a few more months, these people will have their own church.
The layouts are already done, foundations are dug and the construction works are about to begin."
On October 14 th, 1906, the "mission" of Lorrainville was erected as an independent mission, contrary to statements of religious authorities who
refused to admit the fact. According to Bishop Geoffroy, this should not have existed due to the fact that a law states that a minimum distance
of seven miles should exist between each parish communities, and here, there is only a five mile distance.
In 1907, construction of the church begins. Mr. Joseph
Bellehumeur, chairman of the syndics, hired workers
from the town of Pembroke, Ontario. Contracts were
given to a Mr. Lefebvre from Montreal. One day, while
the contractor was drinking at the hotel and the
workers were finishing the set up of the square of the
church, a hurricane tore down everything. After this
misfortune, to get rid of the contractor, the syndics
had to give him $ 100. After this, construction
continued under the skilled direction of Mr. Farley, the
roof being done by Mr. Louis Lescom of Ville-Marie.
1908 - The territory belonging to Temiscamingue gets
under the religious jurisdiction of Bishop Latulipe of
Cantenna. The first three members of the church
board are Joseph Bellemare, Horace Roy and Pierre
Brassard, syndics of the mission, with Joseph
Bellehumeur as chairman.
The Lorrainville church (1907) is the third oldest church in the Abitibi-
Temiscamingue region and Northern Ontario. The oldest is that of the Indian
Reserve of Grand Lake Victoria (1873), the second being the church of
St-Bruno-de-Guigues (1902).
Pay attention to the cruciform structure of the building, with its vaults in
half-moon or half-elliptic shape. Note the absence of columns to support the
roof. The under roof is something too, with its joists used to keep the church
still solid today. We have to pay tribute to the ingenuity of the builders.
Looking at the decoration, we can admire the skill of the carpenters at the
time, considering the tools available. It was not easy to curve the wood to
follow the roundness of the jubes as well as the half-moon mouldings above
the side altars... not to mention the ceiling decoration. It matches the
building well.
On April 12 th 1908, the first mass took place in the church, still under
construction, on Palm Sunday. On October 18th, they blessed the parish
cimetary.
In 1909, Ozias Corbeil becomes the first resident priest. He will remain at
this function for only a year.
On March 17 th 1910, Eugène Geoffroy, priest, takes over and history tells
us that the church construction is finished that year. Construction required
a $10,000. loan. Before that period, religious celebrations took place at
Mr Alphonse Clermont's store, located at the corner of St-Joseph and
Notre-Dame streets, and now property of Roger Bellemare. Father
Geoffroy's first baptism was that of Charles-Hector Lacasse, who will later
become his weekly cantor and this as early as 13 years old. He will exercize
this duty during 35 years.
Construction of the presbytery was decided on July 24th 1910. At the time, there is a flat roof
with no slope, as we can see on the picture of the time (the convent appears on the left side).
A bell is also bought and the exterior siding is completed on the church.
On November 30th 1910, according to a decision of Reverend Eugène Geoffroy, the following
saints were named patron saints of some country roads: rang 5 - St. Joseph, rang 6 and 7-
St. Anne, rang 8 - St. Antoine, rang 9 - St. John, Ville-Marie road - St. Peter.
On March 4th 1991, the Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes parish community is officially erected.
registers :
"since the last visit (23rd, 24th and 25th of July 1910), we constructed a beautiful presbytery with its dependances that cost $7,931.91, a bell
tower on the church that cost 945$ and bought a bell that cost $462."
That bell weighed 1360 pounds and it was blessed on June 14th 1911.
On May 12th 1912, "a transaction by the cure, at the expense of the church, of all the necessary black ornaments for funerals".
Always in the registers of the parish and the correspondance of the time, we learn that on May 23rd 1914, the priest Eugène Geoffroy, cure of
Lorrainville, asks permission (that which is given to him this day in Ville-Marie) to solemnly bless, following the prescriptions of the roman ritual,
the parish church of Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes de Lorrainville. The blessing of the church took place on May 26th 1914.
On August 28th 1914, the nuns of Assumption arrive. They are lodged in their new building which was built in 1893.
The first benches (chairs held together by a board at the beginning) will be replaced in May 1920, following Mgr. Elie A. Latulipe's advice during
his pastoral visit in 1919. On May 8th 1921, repairs are brought to the chimney and the church bell. On December 11th of the same year, we
proceed to buying a furnace to be installed in the basement (200$). On December 31rst,
On May 10th 1924, there is a motion to buy a coal furnace to replace the wood furnace.
On April 15th 1925, grant of authorization to borrow the amount of 15,000.$ enables the works at the church, without mentionning which ones.
On June 20th 1926, problems occur with the roof of the church (20 years old). We suggest to tear it off and replace it by a new one made of metal
sheets clamped to one another, at a cost of 15$ per 10 square feet. Girard and Desjardins of Ville-Marie will undergo the job in May 1929.
On August 15th 1926, Alphonse Robert of North Témiscamingue (Notre-Dame-du-Nord) is hired to supervise the work at 50 cents an hour,
without counting room and board and travelling expenses paid by the parish for taking care of urgent repairs needed in the church's attic. We
will see to it that asphalt paper is placed on all the vault-arched part of the church to preserve heat and to avoid, in the future, all leaking in the
church.
On April 28th 1929, a motion is passed to the effect that it is urgent to take off
the arrow at the top of the bell tower and replace it by a dome with a cross. The
works will be done by Mr. Avila Blais of Béarn and his son Magella, hired on a
daily basis at 75 cents an hour.
On April 4th 1930, the amount of 8,000$ is borrowed to finish the interior of the
church and have benches put in.
On October 1932, the church is finished inside and out and, in November of the
same year, new benches are put in and will be used for the first time on
November 27th, 1932. The church benches can sit 643 persons: 19 persons in
the choir, 297 in the nave, 42 in each of the lateral jubes, 115 in the first jube and
101 persons in the second jube. The vertical wood boards were put in at that time.
On November 7th 1937, it is motionned by Jos Mercier
and seconded by Az. Rocheleau that the cure have
electricity installed in the church, the presbytery and
the hall at the best possible conditions.
On April 21rst 1945, a new hot water heating system is
installed by M. Girard of Ville-Marie in the church and
sacristy. Projected cost: 3,600$.
On February 10th 1946, an electric organ is bought
(authorization for 2,000 to 2,500$).
After Mgr Gauvin passed away in 1952, his replacement,
Father Louis-Charles Côté, brings important changes.
Authorization to borrow 15,000$ is granted. The interior
of the church will be painted (before, the wood would
be varnished), the choir completely transformed, the
floor will be covered with tiles and the choir with rug.
On January 3rd 1954, the painting contract was given to the John David company of Noranda for the amount of 3,000$. The church steps will be
strengthened with reinforced metal rod ciment by Mr. Dominique Dénommé of Lorrainville. Mr. Alfred Pellerin of Guigues has the contract to
paint the roof, the bell tower, the openings and the exterior doors of the church. Renovations are also brought to the presbytary.
On December 8th 1957, we get underway with repairs to the main altor at
the cost of 500$.
In August 1958, the Clercs of Saint-Viateur arrive in Lorrainville.
In the early 60's, we get rid of the altors for celebrations facing the people
and we put up canopies above the cross and above the lateral altors. It's a
shame the altors were not preserved, they were magnificient. The only
remaining souvenirs are archive photos and we can notice that they were a
great addition to the half-moon style and half-elliptic style of the ensemble.
In November 1961, His Excellency Monsignor Sebastiano Baggio,
apostolical delegate, is passing through Lorrainville.
On January 6th 1963, the furnace of the church is defective after 22 years
of usage. We proceed to buying an oil furnace at H. Girard of Ville-Marie
and we borrow $3,000.
In January 1965, we discuss the hiring of an architect for the construction plans of halls in the church basement. Father Jean Goulet has the
major work done by having the basement dug in order to build a funeral hall and a multi-functional hall and also washrooms, ciment edgings
surrounding the church and the preparation of a parking lot.
On December 10th 1967, the altor in the church choir is moved.
On March 31rst 1968, we rent the funeral hall to Emile Jolette of Lorrainville. A resolution is adopted to put up wrought iron fences thus allowing
the closing of the second jube under normal circumstances. We authorize the finishing of the basement underneath the nave. On October 13th,
an amount of $1,500 is allocated for works to that hall to allow putting in the heating system.
On January 10th 1969, we authorize that the "stuffing" be added to the kneeling benches in the church.
On July 26th 1970, it's the complete finishing of electricity in the basement, the installing of speakers and we repair the windows of the church.
Mr. René Therrien of Lorrainville is the hired electrician.
In July 1975, authorization is given by Mgr Jean-Guy Hamelin to proceed to the finishing of the exterior of the church in stones up to a level
underneath the windows and to putting aluminum siding to the remainder, up to the roof. These spendings amount to $48,430.58 including the
application of a coat of aluminum paint to the entire roof. The whole was done, under the supervision of the cure Gérard Lecompte, by Menuiserie
SYRICA ltée, Dubé et Roy inc., Dominique and Maurice Dénommé, masons, all of Lorrainville. A spring cleaning is underway at the presbytery.
In November 1980, we give permission to renew entirely the electrical wiring in the church, to install mercury lights, lights at the exit and
emergency lights in case of electrical failures. The contract is given to Mr. Guy Gaudet of Lorrainville.
In September 1981, we install iron ramps on the roof of the church to avoid the danger of snowfalls on the passer-bys. Mr. Jacques Touzin of
Lorrainville does the job for $2,641.
In March 1982, the benches are freshened up with dye and 2 coats of varnish.
In 1994, the churchwardens, under the direction of father Louis Naud, decide to
redecorate the interior of the church by removing the canopies in order to bring
back the roman style of the construction and redecorate the whole. Mrs. Francine
Marcotte-Fontaine, artist from Lorrainville, paints the pictures that decorate the choir.
We install a statue of the Virgin Mary on the front terrace.
We must underline that we evaluated that some two thousand hours of voluntary
help was given. Nevertheless, around $100,000. were invested in the jobs.
Have worked at the mission: Fathers Beaudry (1906-1907), Giguère (1907-1908)
and Francoeur (1908-09).
Ozias Corbeil: 1909-1910 - the first resident parish priest
Eugène Geoffroy : 1910-1929
Joseph Gauvin : 1929-1952
Alphonse Dupuis : 1952-1953
Louis-Charles Côté : 1953-1962
Jean Goulet : 1963-1974
Gérard Lecompte : 1974-1981
Jean-Claude Labbé : 1981-1992
Louis Naud : 1992- ...
