HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCHES IN YARMOUTHCOUNTY

The first Catholic parish in the County of Yarmouth was the Parish of Sainte-Anne, at Ste.-Anne-du-Ruisseau, NS. This parish was formed in 1799 and still exists today. The Parish of Sainte-Anne consisted of all the Catholic families in YarmouthCounty.

In 1835 the Parish of Saint-Ambroise, in the Town of Yarmouth, was established. In 1836, due to increasing numbers and the difficulty in travel, two new parishes were formed and became separate from the Parish of Sainte-Anne. These new parishes were Saint-Pierre (West Pubnico, NS), and Saint-Michel (Wedgeport, NS).

In 1859, two more parishes were formed and became separate from the Parish of Sainte-Anne. These were Sainte-Agnès (Quinan, NS), and Nôtre-Dame-des-Iles (Surette’s Island, NS).

Note:- Nôtre-Dame-des-Iles is known today as Parish of Saint-Joseph.

In 1885 a portion of the Parish of Saint-Michel was sub-divided and became the Parish of Saint-Gabriel (Comeau’s Hill, NS). In 1887 another portion of Saint-Michel became the new Parish of Saint-Raphaël (Pinkney’s Point, NS).

In 1900 the Parish of Sainte-Anne was made smaller by the formation of the Parish of Sainte-Famille (Amirault’s Hill, NS). In 1910 the Parish of Immaculée Conception (East Pubnico, NS) became a parish of its own, separate from the Parish of Saint-Pierre, to which they formerly belonged.

In 1954 Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church (Brooklyn, NS) was established, but as a mission rather than a parish.

In 1958 a Catholic Church was established at Melbourne, NS and was called Our Lady of Lourdes. This would have initially been part of the Parish of Saint-Gabriel.

In 1960 Notre Dame of Fatima was established as a parish in the South End of the Town of Yarmouth, separate from the mother parish of Saint-Ambroise.

The Parish of Saint-Ambroise is today the Cathedral Parish for the Diocese of Yarmouth.

Due to changing population patterns, scarcity of priests, and other circumstances, a number of the parishes listed above may now have the status of “mission” rather than “parish”.