St. Mary's Parish, Fort Frances, Ontario 2.64

A Brief History

On the 21st of September 1893, Father Adelard Langevin, OMI, together with two other Oblate Missionaries, established the Fort Frances mission which was primarily intended to serve approximately 100 First Nation and Metis on the Couchiching Reserve on Rainy Lake. In the town of Fort Frances itself, situated on the shores of Rainy River, there was but a handful of Roman Catholics. To serve them, the first Mass was celebrated in the home of Mr. Louis Hamel on 9 September 1894. A year later a small "chapel house" was built and opened for worship. Although Father J.B. Baudin, OMI, was sent to the Fort Frances mission to take up permanent residence, the number of Roman Catholics did warrant a full-time pastor and by 1896, Mass was celebrated in the town every fourth Sunday.

It was not until a pulp and paper mill and the CNR established a presence in Fort Frances that the Roman Catholic population began to grow. In 1918, it had 59 Roman Catholic families who attended a small church capable of seating 165 people. Twenty years later, in order to accommodate all parishioners, four Masses were celebrated each Sunday. The current church building was constructed in 1950 and dedicated by the Archbishop of St. Boniface on 26 May 1951 under the patronage of our Lady of Perpetual Help. In 1952, it was named St. Mary's Church. From 1893 to June 2002 it was served continuously by Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Since July 2002, St. Mary's has been served by diocesan priests.