St. Francis De Sales, Little Pond Showing Parochial House To The Left

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES, LITTLE POND

St. Francis De Sales, the only church building in Little Pond was constructed in 1864 to provide a place of worship for those of the Roman Catholic faith. The building of the church meant the parishioners no longer faced the difficult, and sometimes dangerous, journey across the Grand River to Launching.

The Cheveries and other Acadian families had settled in Little Pond in 1782. These settlers were possibly fleeing to escape expatriation in Nova Scotia. The families later moved to Souris but spoke often in later years of the visits Abbe Champion and Abbe DeClanne paid to their settlement in those early years at

Little Pond.

The Scottish Highlanders were the next settlers to arrive. These Scots were also Catholics. They served their spiritual needs by travelling to Launching until they separated in 1864 to build their own church.

The building constructed was fifty feet by thirty six with twenty foot post. it was built by‘Mr. Joseph MacDonald and the heads of all the families residen‘ in the mission at that time. Most of the nails used in the main building and the latch on the inside door were forged by John Lawless, a master blacksmith frorr lreland who had settled in Little Pond. Jim MacDonald, Little Pond, himself E blacksmith, is a descendant of Mr. Lawless’.

The church opening was conducted by Bishop McIntyre from Charlottetowr in September, 1864. When the Bishop arrived from Charlottetown it was die

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