St. Monica

 

Middleton

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Our History

The first recorded celebration of Mass for the Catholic faith community in Middleton was in 1909 in the dance hall part of the Nickle Theatre, presided by Fr. James McKinnon. For some years after, the Catholics of the area gathered at the home of Mr. A.A. Forrestall. During the years between 1909 and 1926, the priests who served the small Middleton congregation came out from Halifax by train, remained in the Forrestall household for the weekend, and returned to Halifax early in the week. During these years, baptisms, weddings and even one funeral even took place in the home. During the year 1926, Fr. T. Morrison took up residence in Mordon and from Morden ministered, as well, to the Catholics in Middleton.

St. Monica Church, Middleton NS

As the size of the congregation grew, it became necessary to find larger accommodations. So the faithful moved to the Old Armory on Commercial Street for Sunday Mass. The next location used was the Community Hall on Main Street next to the Capital Theatre (now Capital Pub). And still at a later date, Sunday Mass was offered in the Middleton Curling Rink.

The members of the Middleton congregation living in the Kingston area had their own church, St. Lawrence, long before Mass was offered for the first time in Middleton. This church was located on the grounds of what remains as St. Lawrence Cemetery. It served the faithful for more than 100 years but with the developing air base at Greenwood was eventually closed and demolished in the 1950s.The priests who served Kingston were the same as those who came to Middleton, and they were from Halifax, Morden and Kentville.

In the 1940s, the Oblate priests who lived in Annapolis Royal were given the responsibility of Middleton … along with Bridgetown and Digby. In 1949, Fr. Emmett Baxter o.m.i. (Oblates of Mary Immaculate) purchased a piece of land on Connaught Street in Middleton, had plans drawn up for a church, which were then approved by Archbishop McNally who also suggested a female patron saint, St. Monica. As soon as the exterior of the church was completed in 1950, the first Mass was offered with about 20 families present plus many airmen. Nail kegs and lumber were used for seating.

The sanctuary of St. Monica Church

In 1959, the new parish of St. Monica’s was established and its mission church would be St. Brigid in East Dalhousie. Fr. Louis Theriault was the first pastor and he had to find room and board in the town while the rectory was under construction. By 1964, the parish was debt free and later that same year, construction began on the church hall –connected to the back of the church.  Church life was very active –including a Ladies’ Guild, the Holy Name Society, the Catholic Youth Organization along with a Knights of Columbus council being established in 1966 and a council of the Catholic Women’s League was formed in 1969. It was also in 1969, that the Sisters of Charity of Halifax arrived. The Sisters taught in the schools, helped with catechetical instruction and other parish activities. At least 15 different Sisters spent time in Middleton.

In 2000, land was purchased in Middleton for a new cemetery –St. Monica’s Cemetery –which was blessed on the feast day of St. Monica (August 27) in 2001.

St. Brigid Church, East Dalhousie NS

One of the many social events!

St. Monica and St. Brigid … pray for us!

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