Saint-Michael's Parish / Moncton
Established in 1973
First church in 1983
First pastor in 1973
Suppressed in 2014
Saint Michael’s Parish, an offspring of St. Bernard’s, actually began on a Sunday morning in 1969 after Mass when Steve Campbell called upon Barry Coyle to discuss the possibility of a parish in the Humphrey-Sunny Brae area. The northeast end of the city had been a rural suburb until 1950. By 1969 the area had grown considerably and showed promise of greater expansion.
From that initial meeting and subsequent ones, a group of parishioners petitioned Archbishop Norbert Robichaud to establish a mission in the area. With Msgr. Robichaud’s approval, Fr. G.A. McDevitt celebrated Mass each Sunday in the Champlain School until it was gutted by fire in 1973. Services were then held in Forest Glen School.
In 1973, virtually the same committee petitioned Archbishop Donat Chiasson to establish a parish in the area. Fr. Herbert Grattan became the first pastor of the new parish of St. Michael’s, serving from 1973-1977. Fr. Grattan moved into a rented residence on Murphy Avenue. The parish shared the church facilities of Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix parish on Vail Street. Fr. Phillipe Robichaud served as Pastor from 1977-1981.
The Council and Building Committee under the chairmanship of Tom Sneath and later Steve Campbell sold the Mill Rd. property that had been acquired for the parish, negotiated and carried out the purchase of a tract of land, in 1980, from Les Filles de Jésus on Elmwood Dr., and began planning a church building. The committee, together with Fr. Angus MacDonald, designed and supervised the renovation of the 1901 McAleese farmhouse purchased with the property for a Rectory. In October 1981, Fr. MacDonald moved into this new residence at 529 Elmwood Drive.
The Parish Council and the pastor now turned their attention to a new church. A meeting of the parishioners finally accepted a geodesic dome structure. Carl Hicks designed and erected the geodesic shell and remained on as advisor. The satellite sections, interior and altar furnishings were designed by Steve Campbell. The building committee acted as project manager. Many parishioners actually participated in the building’s construction and also did the landscaping. The new church at 150 Master’s Road was consecrated by Archbishop Chiasson on May 8, 1983.
With diocesan restructuring, the parishes of St. Augustine’s, St. Michael’s and St. Lawrence O’Toole were regrouped to form the Queen of All Saints pastoral unit.
St. Michael's Parish was dismantled and suppressed in 2014.