REVEREND OWEN PARNELL WOOD — 1968- The Eighth Pastor of Vernon River

Reverend Parnell Wood was born at Lake Verde, April 2, 1913, the son of Owen Wood and Alice Bowlen. He attended the local school at Lake Verde and St. Dunstan’s College graduating with a BA. in 1937. He entered Holy Heart Seminary, Halifax in the Fall of 1937 and was ordained to the Priesthood on April 20, 1941 by Bishop J. A. O’Sullivan in St. Dunstan’s Basilica, and celebrated his first high mass in his native parish of Vernon River the following Sunday, April 27th. His first appoint- ment was to the teaching staff of St. Dunstan’s College where he taught in the Commercial Department and High School.

After seven years on the staff of St. Dunstan’s College, he was appointed, in 1948, to the two missions of Corran Ban and Covehead, as the first pastor, which missions, up until this time, had been served by

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