Our-Lady-of-Mercy Parish / Pointe-du-Chêne
Established around 1815
First church in 1954
First pastor in 1967
The first European settlers (mostly Irish Catholics) arrived at Pointe-du-Chêne around 1815, one of the first settlers being Martin MacDonald. The majority of them came after the building of the government wharf in 1853. The Catholics were then parishioners of the parish of Grande-Digue, which traces its roots back to 1770; some also attended St. Henri church in Barachois.
This situation remained the until 1859, when a chapel was built in Shediac, followed by a church in 1872. When Shediac became a parish in 1884, the area of Pointe-du-Chêne was included.
In 1949, Catholics at the “Point” petitioned Archbishop Norbert Robichaud for a parish or at least to have masses celebrated in their community.
In 1951, a property of freehold land was purchased from William A. Simpson, and a small building converted from a barn was the site of the first mass celebrated in 1954, by Fr. François Bourgeois of Shediac.
In 1955, the basement of a new church was started; it was finally completed in 1959. The Simpson house was eventually torn down, and a small cottage was used as the the rectory. This building was sold and moved to another location in 2005.
In 1967, Our Lady of Mercy (Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci) was finally erected canonically as a parish, the first pastor being Yvon Barrieau (1967-1970).
In 1975, a fire extensively damaged the interior of the church, which was subsequently renovated under the direction of Fr. Maurice Léger and a parish commitee.
After the closing of the convent of the sisters of “Notre-Dame-du-Sacré-Cœur” in 1972, three nuns kept a residence in a mobile home on the church property until 1977.
The parish is very popular, especially during the summer. At one time, up to nine masses were celebrated during the weekends, alternating between English and French. In the seventies, some of the masses were celebrated at a kiosk in Ocean Surf Park at Parlee Beach.
In 2005, Our Lady of Mercy became part of the Shediac pastoral unit, and later became part of the Queen of All Saints Pastoral Unit in 2014.