Holy Ghost Parish / Riverside - Albert
Established in the 18th century
First church around 1850
First pastor in 1866
The story of this parish comprises the Catholic history of the whole of Albert County. These parts were first settled by the Acadians before they were dislodged during the deportation years after 1755.
The Irish immigrants arrived at the beginning of the 19th century, one of them ý Edward O’Donnell ý took up virgin acreage and was thus the first settler in New Ireland.
Many others soon followed and set up a community. At first, the settlers went to Saint John to receive the sacraments. Then a Father Vericher came to celebrate mass in the home of Lawrence O’Ragen, at Saw Mill Creek; he also went to Hopewell Cape.
After him, Father Ferdinand Gauvreau from Memramcook, occasionally ministered to the people in the home of James McArdles. Fr. Gauvreau began the construction of the first church.
Father O’Ragen, who resided at Ward’s Creek (Sussex) and ministered to the scattered Irish missions, completed the building of the Saint Agatha’s Church, in New Ireland, around 1850. Tradition has it that during this period, a temporary chapel was also built on or near the present cemetery in Riverside; this building was later moved to the center of the village, and became Sacred Heart Hall and later, St. Catherine’s Hall.
From 1866 to 1868, Father David O’Brien was appointed the first resident pastor. He resided in the vestry until he built a residence called, ‘‘Mission House’’.
A larger church was built in New Ireland, across the road from the old one and St. Aloysius Chapel was built, on Livingston Hill, in Albert Mines. After the mines closed in 1918, the church was abandoned, but the cemetery remains.
Fr. Edward J. McAulay opened the Saint Isidore Agricola mission and built a church at Mechanic Settlement, in South Branch. When the majority of the people moved away, Father M. F. Lockary abandoned this church, but five years later, in 1912, he constructed the Church of Precious Blood in Goshen. It still exists, but masses are rarely celebrated there.
In 1890, Father Carson built Sacred Heart church in Beaverbrook, for the parishioners of Riverside, Albert, Harvey, Germantown, Alma and Hastings.
Around 1892, Father McAulay built a new rectory; it was there that his housekeeper was murdered in August 1906. Thomas Collins was hanged for it, in 1907. Father McAulay died in 1907 and was replaced by Francis Lockary who resided in Sussex. He built the church of the Holy Ghost and the rectory in Riverside, closed the Beaverbrook church and ministered to Saint Agatha’s in New Ireland until it was abandoned.
Riverview began ministering to Riverside in 1959. The rectory was sold as well as the small mission of the Sacred Heart, at Surry, near Hillsborough. The parish was detached from Riverview, in 1979.