St-Timothée Parish / Shemogue
Established around 1804
First church: 1806
First priest: 1916
As early as 1754, Acadians were living in Chimougoui and would be deported in 1755.
Around 1804, 16 settlers from Menoudie came to settle again in Grand-Chimougoui. The colonists were mostly occupied with cultivating the new lands for their own survival. A first chapel was built between 1806 and 1810. It was then transported to a site closer to the sea. It was destroyed by fire in 1826. After this disaster, people of the region were without a church for over 75 years.
Construction of a new church began in 1903. This mission was served by priests from Cap-Pelé.
On October 1st, 1916, Most Rev. Edouard A. LeBlanc, bishop of Saint John, canonically erected the new parish of Shemogue. This church, which was not in the centre of the parish, was moved with horses over the ice to the other side of the river at ‘Avard’s Corner’ in March 1917.
It was a big event for parishioners.
In 1928, the center of the church was renovated, besides building a sacristy and the second bell tower. In 1983, the church underwent major renovations.
On December 9th 2021, St Timothée Church in Shemogue was tragically destroyed by fire.
You may read the CBC report here: 'So tragic,' archbishop says after fire destroys Shemogue church | CBC News
For an aerial view of the site after the fire, see: https://youtu.be/Dny_1EoCfPE
For a video of the church prior to its destruction, see: https://youtu.be/T-5PnRWkbLA