Immaculate Conception Church (Palmer Road)
Encyclopedia
The Immaculate Conception Church, known colloquially as Palmer Road Church is a 19th century Roman Catholic church located in Palmer Road
, Prince Edward Island
, Canada
. The church is a white wooden Gothic
architecture, and it was constructed in 1892.
As of 2010, the church offers Saturday, Sunday and weekday services, and serves Palmer Road, St. Louis
, Miminegash, Pleasant View
, Skinner's Pond, southern Harper Road and other communities. The church is located at the intersection of Routes 155 and 156
, across from the Palmer Road Community Center.
. In 1878, the church separated from St. Simon & St. Jude and became its own parish
.
In 1890, the original church burned down, and was replaced by the now-existing church in 1892. Designed by Francois Xavier Edouard Meloche (1855-1917) to replace the original, much smaller mission which was destroyed by fire on May 24 1890, the cornerstone was laid August 15 1892 on The Feast of the Acadians.
The church is a wooden Gothic
structure, and is the oldest wooden church on Prince Edward Island. The lovely church, so little known to Islanders in general, is an architectural gem of considerable importance, not only to the island, but to Canada as a whole. This is so not only because of its fine design and craftmanship, both inside and out, but also because of its association with Francois Xavier Meloche, an artist/architect who has yet to take his proper place in the annals of Canadian art.
Since the early 1990s, the parish priest has been Reverend Arthur Pendergast, who formerly served with St. Simon & St. Jude Church, Tignish.
In 2007, it was proposed by overseeing Bishop
Vernon Fougere that the Immaculate Conception parish be dissolved and merged with nearby St. Simon & St. Jude parish due to declining church attendance. This proposal was largely rejected by Immaculate Conception pastor Fr.
Arthur Pendergast and parishioners alike.
Route 156 (Prince Edward Island)
Palmer Road, labeled Route 156, is a 2-lane collector highway in western Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is between the communities of Tignish and Miminegash. Its maximum speed limit is 80 km/h. The road is considered part of two larger communities, Tignish and Miminegash.The...
, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The church is a white wooden Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
architecture, and it was constructed in 1892.
As of 2010, the church offers Saturday, Sunday and weekday services, and serves Palmer Road, St. Louis
St. Louis, Prince Edward Island
St. Louis is an unincorporated community in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island.It is located in western Prince County, west of the junction of Route 155 and Route 152, from Charlottetown, the provincial capital.St...
, Miminegash, Pleasant View
Pleasant View, Prince Edward Island
Pleasant View is a settlement in Prince Edward Island....
, Skinner's Pond, southern Harper Road and other communities. The church is located at the intersection of Routes 155 and 156
Route 156 (Prince Edward Island)
Palmer Road, labeled Route 156, is a 2-lane collector highway in western Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is between the communities of Tignish and Miminegash. Its maximum speed limit is 80 km/h. The road is considered part of two larger communities, Tignish and Miminegash.The...
, across from the Palmer Road Community Center.
History
The original church at the site was built in 1867, and was originally known as the St. Thomas Mission, a mission of the St. Simon & St. Jude Church in nearby TignishTignish
Tignish is a fishing community located in western Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is located approximately NW of the city of Summerside, and NW of Charlottetown...
. In 1878, the church separated from St. Simon & St. Jude and became its own parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
.
In 1890, the original church burned down, and was replaced by the now-existing church in 1892. Designed by Francois Xavier Edouard Meloche (1855-1917) to replace the original, much smaller mission which was destroyed by fire on May 24 1890, the cornerstone was laid August 15 1892 on The Feast of the Acadians.
The church is a wooden Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
structure, and is the oldest wooden church on Prince Edward Island. The lovely church, so little known to Islanders in general, is an architectural gem of considerable importance, not only to the island, but to Canada as a whole. This is so not only because of its fine design and craftmanship, both inside and out, but also because of its association with Francois Xavier Meloche, an artist/architect who has yet to take his proper place in the annals of Canadian art.
Since the early 1990s, the parish priest has been Reverend Arthur Pendergast, who formerly served with St. Simon & St. Jude Church, Tignish.
In 2007, it was proposed by overseeing Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Vernon Fougere that the Immaculate Conception parish be dissolved and merged with nearby St. Simon & St. Jude parish due to declining church attendance. This proposal was largely rejected by Immaculate Conception pastor Fr.
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
Arthur Pendergast and parishioners alike.