Here we are in front of Saint-Joseph’s Chapel, whose construction dates from 1944.
Long before its construction, at the beginning of the colonization of the Seigneury of Fossambault, the Irish Catholic settlers, members of the St. Patrick’s Mission, had to travel several kilometres to a nearby parish at St. Augustin de Desmaures, St Gabriel de Valcartier, or St Ambroise de la Jeune Lorette, to attend religious services. The parish of Ste Catherine was founded in 1824 and a church was completed in 1833 and it served the entire seigneury.
During the First World War, masses were celebrated in an old building located at the time on the corner of what is now Dublin and Gosford roads.
In the late 1920 and early 1930s, services were held in an old hospital at Camp Valcartier. In 1932, the Priest from Ste. Catherine came occasionally to offer religious services in the former home of Major-General Sam Hughes, Minister of Militia and National Defence during the First World War. Masses were celebrated on the ground floor while confessions were held on the second floor.
In the spring of 1942, many parishioners felt that a chapel would be beneficial to the community. After much discussion and a petition, the construction decree presented to the Archbishop of Quebec was finally approved on June 10, 1944.
However, before building the chapel, funds had to be found. Many parishioners helped raise funds by organizing dances and bingos. Others, who had steady employment, made donations to the building fund. As a result of these donations and fundraising activities, a total of $3,854 was raised. In addition, Mr. Lucien Mainguy, a renowned architect from Shannon, graciously offered his services to draw up the plans.
Construction of the new chapel began, and Mr. H.P. Papillon was hired as carpenter and foreman along with a team of local workers. Many parishioners also gave of their time and helped with the construction to ensure that it was completed for the winter season of 1944. A stable adjacent to the building was built to accommodate the horses of the faithful and a space was provided to park cars. The exact date of the celebration of the first mass in the new building is unknown, but the first priest was Bruno Desrochers, who celebrated midnight mass in the new chapel on Christmas Eve 1944.
Many objects were given to the chapel. The cross, the altar rail, the statues of St. Patrick and St. Joseph were all donated by members of the community.
Mr. Paul Émile Jobin, owner of La Cie. Des Tuiles et de Marbre de Québec and a resident of Shannon, donated the altar and had his employees install it. In fact, it is the same altar that is still in use today.
The stations of the Cross were installed during a mission preached by Father Dan O’ Sullivan from October 19 to 26, 1947.
In its early days, the chapel was known as St. Gabriel’s Mission Chapel. In August 1953, Bruno Desrochers, who had been appointed Monsignor two years earlier, returned to Shannon and officially blessed the chapel. He dedicated it to St. Joseph in honour of Mr. Martin Conway, one of the four founding fathers of the chapel. Perceived by many as the one who initiated the project, Mr. Conway was particularly fond of this Saint.
A Celtic cross was erected there, and an inauguration ceremony for it took place on July 5th, 1997. This Celtic cross symbolizes the pride of the Irish people. On three sides of its base is an inscription in Gaelic, English and French:
“Dedicated to the memory of all those who settled in this region in the early 1800s and to this day.”
Each year, on Remembrance Day, a ceremony is held and wreaths are placed at the base of this cross to remember those Canadians in the military who lost their lives in a war.