About Us
Written by Kathy Arksey - May 24, 1976
Additions and editing by Jay McGrath January 24, 2000.
Introduction
The history of Saint Mary's Church here in Barrie dates back to the 1830s. The
following essay is a short history of the parish.
The Catholic Church in Canada had its headquarters in Quebec City. On January 12th,
1819, Reverend Alexander Macdonnell was appointed Bishop of Upper Canada with residence in
Kingston, Ontario. The Right Reverend Remigius Gaulin was made his coadjutor on October
20th, 1833. Bishop Macdonnell died on January 14th, 1840. Bishop Gaulin succeeded him. He
found the population of Upper Canada had grown very rapidly, and he decided to divide the
Kingston diocese. The Right Reverend Michael Power was consecrated on May 8th, 1842, and
took up residence in Toronto. His diocese included all of Upper Canada west of Newcastle.
The population of Upper Canada at that time was about 50,000 people. Barrie was a
well-known district even at this early date.
The Beginning
In the early 1830's priests from Penetanguishene, a French Canadian Roman Catholic
stronghold, served the spiritual needs of the settlers in and around Barrie. In 1834, one
of the priests from Penetanguishene was down to Toronto on business. While waiting for a
boat at Holland Landing, he heard of a Catholic family living in the neighborhood of
Barrie. At this time the population numbered twenty-eight families and there was but one
store. Determined to visit them he traveled to Barrie via Kempenfelt Bay. Father Dempsey
met the Catholic family-the Bergins of Penetang Road. It was the first time they had seen
a Catholic priest since moving to Barrie seven years earlier and, for perhaps the first
time, mass was celebrated in Barrie, at their home.
After this, priests from Penetang looked after the Barrie Mission, until about 1840. In
1840 Bishop Gaulin sent Reverend James Quinlan of Newmarket to visit Catholic settlements
in Flos, Vespra, Oro and Medonte. In October 1840 Father Quinlan had men clear the land on
the west side of Mulcaster Street, between McDonald and Codrington Streets. On December
29th, 1840 he wrote to Bishop Gaulin, "I'll be in Barrie (God-willing) the third
Sunday of January, and will visit all my people there... " November 4th, 1841, he
wrote again, "In Barrie we are prepared (as far as manual labor can go) for the
erection of a fairly large frame building..."
In 1845, the pastor of Newmarket, Father McNulty- attended Barrie parish and claimed
two half acre lots, numbers 127 and 128, donated by the government. These lots, on
the north side of McDonald Street, were the site of the first church building constructed
in 1849-50. The building was a simple structure constructed of a heavy timber frame
sheeted on the outside, 50 feet long and 36 feet wide.
The First Pastor
After a visit to Barrie on August 17th, 1852, Bishop Armand de Charbonnel, noting the
significant Catholic population decided to place a resident priest in Barrie. In 1855,
Reverend J. F. Jamot became Saint Mary's first resident pastor. Until his residence was
built, he had to board with Catholic families in the area. At this time the size of his
mission included Barrie, Vespra, Oro, Innisfil East, West Gwillimbury, Sunnidale, Flos
Medonte, Nottawasaga, Collingwood and Belle Ewart. Father John Francis Jamot also became
the first Dean when Barrie became a Deanery in June 1861 Father Jamot built the first
separate school in Barrie and obtained the assistance of the Sisters of St. Josephs as
teachers. He also bought two lots from the Anglican church for $800. These lots, on the
East Side of Mulcaster Street, were the location of the parish residence, which lasted
until 1968, when the new church and residence were built on Amelia Street. In 1874 Pope
Pious IX chose him to be the vicar Apostolic of the newly created Vicariate of Northern
Canada, which occupied the central northern Ontario area. Ordained a Bishop in his native
France by Bishop Charbonnel and Archbishop Lynch of Toronto, he returned to his beloved
Barrie to administer confirmation as a new Bishop and son of the Parish on December 13th,
1874. His work in the then undeveloped and largely unopened vast areas of northern Ontario
was arduous but yet successful. He established his episcopal See at Sault Ste. Marie but
soon transferred it to Bracebridge, Muskoka. In 1882 he became the first Bishop of the
newly created Diocese of Peterborough which included the territory of his former
Vicariate. Wearied from his many priestly labours he died on May 4th, 1886 at the age of
57. He is buried under the altar at St. Peter's Cathedral, Peterborough which he had
enlarged and refurbished. He devoted his life to the service of God and many have
followed his example. Many communities were touched by the diligent work of Father Jamot,
Saint Mary's Parish in Barrie was blessed with an exemplary founding Pastor.
The First Church
The Archbishop of the area at that time, Archbishop Lynch, appointed the Very Reverend
George Northgraves as pastor and Dean of Barrie in 1863 succeeding Reverend Jamot.
Reverend Northgraves freed the new church of debt, purchased land in Brentwood and Stayner
for future church buildings, and bought fifty acres of land on Barrie's outskirts for a
new cemetery. He drew up plans for a new church, Father Northgraves wanted a brick church
and appointed Sherman Bird as Architect.
The next pastor was the Very Reverend R. A. O'Connor, who became Dean on October 23rd,
1870. He was zealous and prudent during his 18-year administration. Dean O'Connor
proceeded to have the new church built on the corner of McDonald and Mulcaster Streets.
The contract was awarded to builder John Palmer. The site had been a graveyard, and many
bodies were moved to the new cemetery in Barrie's west end before construction began. The
cornerstone was laid on June 3rd, 1871. The building was dedicated to the Sacred Hearts of
Jesus and Mary on December 15th, 1872. Bishop Power had named the church in honor of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary and it became known as Saint Mary's. The architect described the
building as an edifice of red brick with white trim around doors, windows and other parts.
"It is built in the decorative style of English architecture of the 13th century, the
chief characteristic of which is broad windows, divided into several lights and branching
into tracery work in the heads. The body of the church is 80 by 40, the side walls being
30 feet high and the roof of a steep pitch, rising to height of 62 feet above the
ground." A tower 90 feet high stood in front of the west end, and the east wall
was pierced by an elaborate rose window 10 feet in diameter along with the altar and
extensive tabernacle work covering the lower part of the wall. The top windows on the
north and south sides of the building were of beautiful stained glass while the
bottom part was plain glass. There was also white trim and stone foundations. The total
cost of the church was about $16,000.
The old frame church was converted into a separate school and the old schoolhouse which
was situated between the front of the old church and the street was moved.
Since the entrance of the new church only had a tower it was decided to add a spire or
steeple. This was done in July of 1876. With the addition of the steeple the tower was now
180 feet high. The original cross was 15 feet high and made of wood, but it did not
weather very well and fell off during a bad storm. The second cross had a frame of iron
and was wrapped with copper. The steeple itself had a wooden frame and was covered with
silver painted tin.
Among Dean O'Connor's other accomplishments was interior frescoe work on the inside
walls of the church and a new convent for the Sisters on the West Side of Mulcaster Street
built in 1886. This same building is standing today and became the first Catholic high
school in Barrie in 1946. Dean O'Connor, like Father Jamot, later became Bishop of
Peterborough.
St. Mary's - The 20th Century
In January 1890, Father Edward Cassidy was appointed Dean of Barrie. Father Cassidy was
succeeded by Very Reverend William Bergin on January 17th, 1891. On February 5th, 1893,
the Very Reverend John J. Egan became pastor. He continued to be pastor and Dean until his
death in 1909. During his administration, there was an attempt to rob the church, on May
26th, 1902, but the robbers were discovered and arrested.
Before he died, Father Egan requested to be buried on the church property, next to the
building that he had served in for years. So, against the south wall of the old church a
tomb was dug and a headstone was placed above the remains of Dean Egan. The headstone
read:
Born
County Clare
Ireland
19th, March, 1847
Very Reverend
J.J. Egan aged 62 years
Died
Barrie
County Simcoe
20th, August, 1909
When the old building was torn down in 1971, the bones were exhumed and transferred to
Barrie Cemetery.
In the succeeding years the Catholic population grew, and new parishes were started
within the original limits of the Barrie parish. In Flos (now Phelpston) 1865, Stayner in
1871, Collingwood in 1886, and finally, Saint John Vianney parish in the south end of
present day Barrie (formerly Allandale) in 1957. Brentwood was joined to Stayner, and Bell
Ewart was connected with St. John Vianney.
Dean Moyna followed Dean Egan in 1910. Then the Very Reverend Andrew O'Malley came in
1915, followed by the Very Reverend H. J. Sweeney in 1921.
KKK Attempt To Destroy Church
On the night of June 10th, 1926, shortly before midnight an an immigrant from Northern
Ireland, William Skelly made an effort to blow up the church with dynamite. He claimed to
have been a member of the Ku Klux Klan. The explosion was heard just before midnight,
however, the cause was not ascertained until the next morning. Dynamite had been set on a
brick wall in the furnace room toward the center of the church. Entrance was obtained by
the use of a skelton key. Damage was slight. Half a dozen bricks were blown out of the
wall, and a number of joists were shattered. A hole of about 4 feet square was made in the
middle aisle. The flooring around the hole was torn to chips which were scattered all over
the church. The electrolier was shattered and a piece of board was thrown up into the
gallery by the force of the explosion. A hole- was made in the front stained glass window,
about 45 feet from the ground, and 2 stained glass windows were blown out of the furnace
room.
William Skelly, a shoemaker, 30 years old., said he was instructed to carry out the
destruction of the church by the Ku Klux Klan. He came from Ireland only three weeks prior
to the dynamiting attempt. The dynamite he had purchased was traced to a store in Barrie,
and the shop owner identified Skelly. Meanwhile Skelly left town with a ticket on the
motor bus to Toronto, where he was arrested at Queen and Yonge Streets by the provincial
police. This act of terror outraged the whole community. Skelly was put in the Simcoe
County Jail, where he underwent a formal hearing later.
The Monsignor
When Reverend Sweeney died in October 13th 1937, he was succeeded by Very Reverend
James M. Clair in July 1938. Monsignor Clair was Pastor for 31 years and was a tireless
servant of God for all of those years. The Monsignor was instrumental to the development
of Catholic education in Barrie. He founded St. Joseph's High School at the original site
on Mulcaster Street in 1946. The building, formerly the convent of the Sisters of St.
Joseph, built in 1886 under the supervision of Dean O'Connor, was purchased by the parish
and renovated to house 12 grade nine students that first year. Monsignor Clair taught
Latin, Religion, some Science and Manual Training, as well as working on renovations to
the building himself. Even after his retirement in 1969 he would visit the schools in
Barrie and talk to the students. By resolution in February 1970, the Simcoe County Roman
Catholic Separate School decided "that the next school built in Barrie be named after
Monsignor Clair, in recognition of his long service to the Barrie Board." Monsignor
Clair School opened its doors in the third week of September 1976. Monsignor Clair passed
away on July 21st ,1988.
Joseph's High School remained on Mulcaster Street until a new building was completed in
September, 1985 on Cundles Road. There are now two Catholic high schools in Barrie with
the completion of St. Peter's in September, 1996.
A New Church
The population of Barrie has increased a great deal during these last few years. In
1938, for example, it was about 8,000. At present day the population of Barrie is close to
100,000 and in the 1960's it became apparent that the old St. Mary's church could not
accommodate the congregation, so plans were put forth to build a new church. In 1966 the
Redemptoristine Nuns left Barrie for Keswick, Ontario. Their residential property on
Amelia Street became the site of the new St. Mary's Church. In 1968 construction began on
the present auditorium, rectory and church. On Sunday, May 25th, 1969 Monsignor James
Clair, Pastor and builder, said the first Mass in the new church, which holds some one
thousand people. The modern looking building has won many architectural awards for its
beauty and practicality. The following day, May 26th, 1969 Archbishop Philip Pocock
solemnly blessed the new church. Between the fall of 1971 and the spring of 1972 the old
church, long since encased in stucco, which held some 400 people, was torn down. The
organ, la Pieta, bell and altar stone are preserved in the new church. The Ontario
provincial Government bought the old site and it became a parking lot. In 1980 St. Mary's
parish celebrated its 125th anniversary as a Parish.
Pastors - St. Mary's Parish, Barrie
1855-1863 V. Rev. J.F. Jamot
1863-1870 V. Rev. G.R. Northgraves
1870-1889 V. Rev. R.A. O'Connor
1890-1891 V. Rev. E. Cassidy
1891-1893 V. Rev. W. Bergin
1893-1909 V. Rev. J.J. Egan
1910-1915 V. Rev. M. Moyna
1915-1921 V. Rev. A. O'Malley
1921-1937 V. Rev. H.J. Sweeney
1938-1969 Msgr. J.M. Clair
1969-1971 Rev. J.J. Hayes
1971-1976 Rev. C.F. Reeves
1976-1984 Rev. L.P. O'Malley
1984-1993 Rev. John Hawkshaw
1993-1995 Rev. John Vella
1995-2001 Rev. Ambrose Sheehy
2001- Rev. Frank McDevitt