Arichat is the oldest parish in the Diocese of Antigonish. This is the third installment recounting its history.
In 1832 a new pastor was sent to Arichat to replace the ailing Father Pierre Roy. The new priest was Father Charles Auguste Lairez who came to this parish via St. Pierre Miquelon. Fr. Lairez received harsh criticism from his successor. It is not known if these criticisms were entirely objective when it was stated that “He was strict and rebuffed everyone.”
In any event, Fr. Lairez died in January of 1835.
A temporary replacement for Isle Madame was Father Patrick McKeagney of L’Ardoise. This appointment, however, was more nominal than real in that Fr. McKeagney was fully occupied at L’Ardoise.
The permanent replacement arrived at Arichat on September 24, 1835. Father Jean-Baptiste Maranda, the eighth resident priest of Arichat, had served there previously and set to work enthusiastically.
On October 15, 1837, the Diocese of Arichat formally opened its cathedral. The structure was 150 feet by 60. The exterior of the church boasted two rows of widows along the sides with one spire and belfry. Inside, the pews were of the boxed and closed type. There was practically no heating; two large square stoves provided little comfort. This original church was named Notre Dame, but the name was changed to Notre Dame de l’Assomption by Arichat’s second bishop.
Disaster struck the parish in November of 1838 when the presbytery was lost to fire. Tragically, the records of the first 52 years of the parish were destroyed. These were of incalculable historical value in that Arichat is the oldest parish in the present Diocese of Antigonish.
Once again Maranda forged ahead and by June of 1840 a new presbytery was completed. At this point, Fr. Maranda felt that he had achieved his goals as Curé at Arichat, and he requested a return to his home diocese in Quebec.
This was set in motion and a young priest by the name of Louis-Alexis Bourret was assigned to succeed Maranda. His tenure lasted only two months for he was considered to be far too inexperienced to oversee the large and growing parish of Arichat. Bishop Fraser prevailed on Maranda’s bishop at Quebec to allow him to continue in his position. And so it was, but in a seemingly personal act unbecoming a prelate of the church, Fr. Maranda was banished from his native diocese for life. By all accounts Fr. Maranda was popular in Arichat and news of his return was well received.
As previously mentioned, Father McKeagney of L’Ardoise served as interim pastor at Arichat before the arrival of Fr. Maranda. Ironically the paths of these two men would cross once again but in a secular sense. In the provincial election of 1840, Father McKeagney was a brother of the candidate and openly supported him. Father Maranda took exception and McKeagney was transferred to Cheticamp two weeks before the vote.
The polls opened in Arichat on November 30, 1840 and closed in St. Peter’s on December 9. McKeagney won by six votes, then Delaney launched a protest which was upheld, and in the by-election won by 33 votes.