Honouring all parishioners past and present
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
The cornerstone for the Pro-Cathedral of the Assumption was laid in June 1904, however, the faith community here dates back to 1886, under the name “St. Mary’s of the Lake” when the original location of the small framed church was on Main Street West.
During the 1800’s there was considerable missionary activity due to the establishment of the historic fur-trader route through the French River, Georgian Bay and the Lake Superior regions and a number of missionary chapels and outposts were founded.
The original territory was part of the Diocese of Peterborough but it was soon an obvious conclusion that the vast northern segment could no longer be adequately served because of the increase in population as well as the distances which had to be traveled. As a result, the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie was formally established by Pope Pius X on September 16, 1904 and Father David Joseph Scollard was appointed its first bishop.
During his time as pastor of St. Mary’s of the Lake, Fr. Scollard and the community set about to build a more permanent place of worship. The cornerstone of the new church was laid on June 19, 1904 and in the fall of 1905 St. Mary’s of the Lake” later to be renamed the “Pro-Cathedral of the Assumption” was completed and dedicated. It was blessed and dedicated on the last Sunday of Advent December 17, 1905.
The history of our parish is written in the hearts and recorded in memories of thousands of people who built our faith community. The life of the parish has been a life of prayer, outreach and celebration. Our history has been an expression of faith in a God who has called us together as his “visible sacrament”, the body of Christ, a people of the resurrection.
Our faith shall continue to live in the hearts and lives of the people in years yet to be recorded.