Conversion of St. Paul Church (Vermont)

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In 1893, the Conversion of St. Paul Roman Catholic Church was founded in Barton, Vermont. The parish is under the guidance of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington. The church is usually called "St. Paul's" by parishioners.

Contents

[edit] History

Rev. Joseph Turcot was the first resident pastor. He built a new church which was completed on May 24, 1903. Bishop John Michaud blessed the church, whose membership included 60 families and an average Sunday attendance of 300 people.[1]

In 1962, a parishioner erected a statue of Jesus overlooking Crystal Lake.[2]

In 2004, the church was merged into a parish with St. Teresa's in Orleans and St. John Vianney in Irasburg. The reconfigured parish was known as "Trinity Parish."

IN 2006 Fr. Rupp entered a demolition derby as part of rundraising activity to help send parish teachers on a trip to Rome.[3][4][5] A clip of the race was televised throughout the state on the evening news.

[edit] Missions and Missionaries

The first Mass was said in Barton in 1851.[6] After 1854, priests from Stanstead and St. Johnsbury alternated saying mass in the area.[2]

Barton was a mission church of Newport after their parish was established in 1873. Mass was said in the Barton Academy hall until 1878. The parish bought a church from the Congregationalists who had built a new one.[7] Because the church had been converted to Catholic use, the official name the "Conversion of St. Paul" was thought appropriate.[8]

Just before their first priest arrived, the railroad came through. The company moved the church to East Street.[2]

The parish's first priest also said mass in Greensboro Bend twice a month for several years.

From 1918-2005, the pastor was mission pastor for St. John of the Cross in East Albany.[9]

About 2002, the parish priest became responsible for two more parishes, St. Teresa's in Orleans and St. John Vianney in Irasburg.

[edit] The School

Fr. Turcot established the parochial elementary school. The school opened in 1896 on May Pond Road.[10]

In 1896, the parish purchased an old store building to use as a school. This was moved near the church.[2]

Fr. Eugene Leblanc contracted with the Sisters of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Nicolet, Quebec to teach at the parochial school in 1907. Sister St. Benjamin arrived with three other nuns. School population was around 100 until 1917 when a fire destroyed the tub factory, forcing their employees to move elsewhere for work. The number of pupils plummented to 55.

As French was the native language of the teaching nuns, and often, the mother tongue of the students, teaching French was often a major part of the curicula. In 1945, more time was devoted to English, then dropped entirely. In 1987, the school again taught French.

The parish built a new school and convent in the 1950s. In 1960, there was a record 194 students.[2]

In 1991, the Sisters of the Assumption withdrew from the school.

Enrollment in 1995, totaled 99.

In 1997, the diocese notified the school that it would cease subsidizing it and it would close it's doors at the end of the school year. This was coincident with the withdrawal of the nuns that had taught there for ninety years. The congregation's support prevented this planned closing.[11]

Peter Close became principal in 2004.

Tuition for Catholics is $1,350 to $2,000.

[edit] Pastors

Pastors had assistant priests from about 1922-1970 (est.)

  1. Joseph Turcot 1893-1906
  2. Joseph Eugene LaBlanc 1906 - 1913
  3. Louis Marceau 1913-1922[12]
  4. Edmund Marion 1923-1939
  5. Alfred Desaults 1939-1947
  6. Wilfrid A. Gelineau 1947-1956
  7. William LaLiberte 1956-1974, the longest serving pastor
  8. Oliver Fournier 1974-1975
  9. Phil Lamothe 1975-1979
  10. Norman Nadeau 1979-1985
  11. Michael Madden 1985-1988- Child Molestor
  12. Maurice Roy 1988-1993
  13. James Mattison 1993-1997
  14. Patrick Foreman 1997-2002
  15. Daniel Rupp 2002-current

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Barton, Vermont - Schools & Community - Northeast Kingdom
  2. ^ a b c d e Young, Darlene (1998). A history of Barton Vermont. Crystal Lake Falls Historical Association. 
  3. ^ Our Apologies
  4. ^ http://vermon6.fatcow.com/vctpost/news.php?action=showcat&catid=1&prevnext=12
  5. ^ http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5820598/Crashing-for-Christ-Jesus-Christ.html retrieved June 29, 2007
  6. ^ Catholic Church Records
  7. ^ Barton, Vermont - Schools & Community - Northeast Kingdom
  8. ^ St. Paul's Ladies Guild,Favorite Recipes, Trinity Parish, 2007
  9. ^ Daniels, Paul (2005). The Bell Tolls No More To Call the Faithful From Their Chore. 
  10. ^ Barton, Vermont - Schools & Community - Northeast Kingdom
  11. ^ Schools Archives
  12. ^ L.P. Sevigne (Administrator)1922

[edit] External References

  • Gelineau, Rev. Wilfrid A., Fifty Years at St. Paul's Church, Barton, Vermont 1902-1952, Gilpin, Hunt & Co. Inc., 1952
v • d • e
Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington
Orleans Deanery
Barton: St. Paul's · Craftsbury: Our Lady of Fatima · Derby Line: St. Edward · Irasburg: St. John Vianney · Island Pond: St. James · Newport: St. Mary Star of the Sea · North Troy: St. Vincent de Paul · Orleans: St. Theresa · Troy: Sacred Heart · West Charleston: Sacred Heart