St. Anselme Parish / Dieppe
Established before 1755
First church 1802
First Pastor 1848
Saint-Anselme emerged from the mother parish Saint-Thomas of Memramcook. In turn, directly or indirectly, it gave birth to some fifteen other parishes in the greater Moncton region.
Under the administration of Father Thomas Power (1794-1804), parishioners from Petitcodiac (Saint-Anselme) decided to build their own chapel and claim their own parish. After many years of struggling, it became a reality by an order of Msgr. Joseph Octave Plessis, bishop of Quebec, during his pastoral visit in 1812.
In 1839, the first church was built to replace the small chapel. It will only be in 1848, that a resident pastor will be named.
After this pastor’s departure, however, the parish will again be administered by the priests from Memramcook. Finally, Father Fidèle Belliveau will become resident pastor in 1880. Saint-Bernard parish will be given an independent status in 1882.
A third church, this time built with stone, was constructed between 1898 and 1904.