rm."

Nli or OL‘R 01.1)1iS’1'ANI) MOST Hisroiuc I’ARISI His. this area was home to a few Acadian families in the late 17005. One of these i‘esidents,]ean Doucet, in 1785 received permission from the Bishop 0F Quebec to witness marriages and conduct baptisms throughout the Island at a time when there was no priest here.

Bishop Bernard MacDonald lived at Rustico during his whole time as Bishop of Charlottetown from 1837 to 1859. The present St. Augustine’s Churclm built in 1838 and

St. Mao/’5 ofthe Peop/e, Hunter River

"\1 VsOUTH. Rl-J-STIQO

(St. Augustine’s)

replacing two earlier ones‘ was in a way Bishop MacDonald's pro cathedral, the place of many ordinations and other episcopal events.

Two smaller rectories gave way in 1844 to the present one which served

for fifteen years as the bishop’s residence for the diocese.

In 1864 the people built the Farmers' Bank of Rustico, inspired by their energetic pastor Father Belcourt. It operated for thirty years, was later a hall and is now a museum.

The Sisters of Notre Dame came to Rustico in 1882 and began a special era of education for that part of the country. After ninety years of faithful sewice the Sisters sold the convent in the 19705. It is now the Diocese of Charlottetown's busy retreat house, Belcourt Centre. named after the above—mentioned pastor.

Three Future archbishops were baptized in St. Augustine's Church: Cornelius O'Brien and john McNally. both archbishops of Halifax, and james McGuigan, Archbishop of Regina and Toronto and Canada's first anglophone cardinal.

In 1949 the parishioners built a mission church at Hunter River, the birthplace of Cardinal McGuigan, and named it St. Mary’s

, ) ) 3 1 « s of the l LOPlL aftei the \ cardinal's titular

church in Rome.

Today 315 Families reside in the parish.

St Augustine’s Churc