Early History of St. John Fisher Parish

On October 7, 1952, a group of English-speaking parishioners from Sainte-Jeanne-de-Chantal Parish met to form a committee to represent Saint John Fisher Mission. The elected members of the committee were Daniel Gallahger, Daniel Goodyer Jr., Fabian Dawson, Patrick Barrett, and Wilfred Merchant. Their mandate was to petition the Archdiocese of Montreal to form what would become the first English speaking parish to serve English speaking Roman Catholics in what was then referred to as the Lakeshore area of the Island of Montreal.

Their petition was granted and on July 27, 1953 they were given permission by Paul-Émile Cardinal Léger to establish a parish and create a fabrique, the boundaries being set within the civil Parish of Pointe-Claire.

The first pastor, John D. Purcell, was appointed on August 28, 1953 to care for the spiritual needs of the parishioners and also directed to hold an election for wardens.

The first election for wardens was held on September 15, 1953. From a group of 330 men the following eight were elected: Patrick Barrett, Robert N. Boyle, Fabian Dawson, Daniel Gallagher, Daniel Goodyer Jr., Edward McAuley, Wilfred Merchant and Gerard Neeson.

The parishioners worshipped at first in the gymnasium of Valois Park School and a temporary rectory on Sunnyside Avenue was utilized.

Numerous meetings were held, including some to secure the approval of the heads of families before a lot for the church building was chosen. The property was ceded by the civil Parish of Pointe-Claire to the Archdiocese of Montreal and subsequently purchased from the diocese by the fabrique.

Construction began late in 1954 and the new rectory was occupied by July of 1955. Construction continued on the church building and the cornerstone was blessed on October 9, 1955.

The main altar as well as Our Lady’s altar were consecrated on November 15, 1955.

The church building was solemnly blessed by Cardinal Léger on September 29, 1957.

Photos of the construction of St.John Fisher Church

 
St. John Fisher was born in Beverly, Yorkshire, in 1469, and studied theology at Cambridge University, from which he received his Master of Arts degree in 1491. He occupied the vicarage of Northallerton, 1491-1494; then he became proctor of Cambridge University. In 1497, he was appointed confessor to Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII, and became closely associated in her endowments to Cambridge; he created scholarships, introduced Greek and Hebrew into the curriculum, and brought in the world-famous Erasmus as professor of Divinity and Greek.

   In 1504 at the age of 35, he became Bishop of Rochester and Chancellor of Cambridge, in which capacity he also tutored Prince Henry who was to become Henry VIII. St. John was dedicated to the welfare of his diocese and his university. From 1527, this humble servant of God actively opposed the King's divorce proceedings against Catherine of Aragon,  and steadfastly resisted the encroachment of Henry on the Church. Unlike the other Bishops of the realm, St. John refused to take the oath of succession which acknowledged the issue of Henry and Anne as the legitimate heir to the throne. He was imprisoned in the tower in April 1534.

   The next year he was made a Cardinal by Pope Paul III and Henry VIII retaliated by having him beheaded within a month. A half hour before his execution, this dedicated scholar and churchman opened his New Testament for the last time and his eyes fell on the following words from St. John's Gospel: "Eternal life is this: to know You, the only true God, and Him Whom You have sent, Jesus Christ. I have given You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave me to do. Do You now, Father, give me glory at Your side". Closing the book, he observed: "There is enough learning in that to last me the rest of my life."

   The Church celebrates the feast of Sts.John Fisher and Thomas More on June 22.