Tin: FIRST SETTLERS of this area were some Acadian and Scottish families. In 1839 they built their first church which burned in 1849 along with their new parochial house. The following year the people erected a new church and in 1862 a new parish house. Parish pastors have lived in Souris continuously since 1864. In 1881 the Sisters of Notre Dame arrived in the parish, moving into an impressive four-storey brick convent- school. A large annex was added in 1919. For over a century the Sisters provided exemplar}' leadership within the school system and throughout the parish. In 1901, with an increasing Catholic population, a quite massive new church of Island sandstone was built, William Harris being the architect. Unfortunately in 1928 this impressive church burned almost to the ground, leaving only the outer shell. From these ruins arose in 1930 the beautiful St. Mary's Church of today. In 1923 the present rectory was built and in 1952 St. Mary's Hall was erected on . Around 1 9 1 0 a mission chapel, dedicated to St. Joseph, was opened at Red Point and closed in the 1970s. Souris , named from early plagues of mice, is a bus}' modern town containing, among other facilities, a first-rate harbour which sees much boat traffic, including the ferry which docks there. Superb scenery is near at hand, aided by the picturesque Souris River , and the wide open reaches of Northumberland Strait . Outside the town prosperous farm lands abound. St. Mary's Parish today is composed of 500 families. Its parish priest also has pastoral responsibility lor neighboring Parish . 86 Our Parishes