Serie F01-S043 - Annals Goderich, Ont. series

These records were accumulated by the Sisters of St. Joseph in London, Ontario.

Original order was maintained.

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Goderich is located on the shores of Lake Huron near the mouth of the Maitland River in Huron County, London, Ontario. The Town of Goderich is situated on the traditional territory of the Attawandaron and Ojibway Peoples, covered by the Upper Canada Treaties, Treaty 29 of 1827, and the Dish With One Spoon Wampum agreement. In 1834, Bishop Alexander MacDonnell of Kingston, Ontario, assigned Father Joseph Wiriath to establish a mission in the growing community of Goderich, Ontario. A small, framed church was built named St. Peter’s, but it was not until 1843 that the first appointed Pastor and resident Priest, Father Peter Schneider, would arrive. In 1868, Reverend Father Bartholomew Boubat was named the next Pastor of St. Peter’s Parish. In 1869, he enlarged St. Peter’s Church by adding a rectory which served its purpose for forty-five years. He requested and received approval that the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, Ontario would educate the children of the parish. Father Boubat began to transform Father Schneider’s former two-storey house into a school building in June 1870. It was named St. Peter’s School and was completed in 1873. Also in 1873, under Father Boubat’s guidance, the parishioners built, financed, and completely furnished a brick stone house that was to be the residential convent for the Sisters.

On September 4, 1873, St. Joseph’s Convent opened on North Street in Goderich, Ontario. This was the first ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph outside the Diocese of London, and the first mission from the motherhouse in London, Ontario. On November 4, 1873, Reverend Mother Ignatia Campbell accompanied three Sisters by train to Goderich. Sister Vincent McElroy was the Mission Superior and Principal of St. Peter’s School, Sister Francis O’Malley was the Administrator at St. Peter’s School, and Sister Patricia Mallon who was assigned as the music teacher. On July 25, 1874, Sister Vincent McElroy retired as the first Principal of St. Peter’s School, and returned to London, Ontario, upon which Sister Francis took over as Principal.

In 1923, the Golden Jubilee (the 50th anniversary of the Sisters in Goderich) was celebrated, followed by their centennial 100th anniversary in 1973, and then the 110th anniversary in St. Peter’s Parish. On top of teaching the English language, special education, remedial work, and catechetical classes, the Sisters ran a High School Religion Program, opened an Art Department which taught drawing, painting, ornamental needlework, and floral art classes. These classes were to a winning standard during the World Fair of 1967 where some students received awards. The Sisters also started a successful Music Program and taught choir, vocal solo, guitar, and piano classes to students. The students gave recitals, performed in music festivals, and participated in oratorical competitions. In January 1979, a new curriculum and teaching methodology called Impact was implemented, and a French Immersion Program was introduced to the primary grades in 1985.

Throughout the years, student enrollment continued to steadily rise making classroom additions and school building renovations a necessity. In 1959, Father Raymond Moynahan was named Pastor, and under his direction a new school named St. Mary’s School was built. Upon completion in 1960, it was blessed by Bishop McCarthy. St. Peter’s School closed in 1969 with the remaining students transferred to St. Mary’s School. There was a celebration for the re-opening of St. Mary’s School in 1970 after there were extensive renovations to add more classrooms.

In 1971, the Sisters announced their decision to close the aging St. Joseph’s Convent, withdraw from St. Peter’s Parish, and move from Goderich to the Village of Zurich, where they would commute to teach in Goderich and nearby Seaforth. There was strong objection from the parishioners including a June 11, 1971, petition led by John M. Buchanan, Chairman of St. Peter’s Parish Council, asking the Sisters to stay in Goderich that resulted in a Parish Campaign that raised enough funds to purchase a new property. The dedication and generosity of the parishioners allowed not only for the payment of house renovations, but also for the much-needed repairs and improvements of St. Peter’s Church.

On September 7, 1971, the Sisters moved into a spacious and comfortable new residence that was the former home of Judge Holt and had an open house for the parishioners on November 14, 1971. In 1989, there was a decline in the number of Sisters stationed in Goderich, so they moved into a rented house on Dawnrose Drive, that still had enough room for a chapel. In addition to providing spiritual and social counselling and other volunteer duties, the Sisters continued to serve as teachers in the Goderich area. In 1990, Sister Ann Antaya was the only Teaching Sister on staff at St. Mary’s School, until she retired in 1992.

Sister Mary Philomene O’Keefe moved to Goderich in 1991 and took part in parish activities by tutoring, counselling, running errands for the elderly, taking Communion to the local populace, and visiting patients in hospitals, seniors in nursing facilities, and the very ill in private homes. On August 30, 1997, Sister Margaret Winter joined Sister Philomene in her duties, and they moved in together to a small two-bedroom apartment on Waterloo Street South that had no room for a chapel. On July 29, 2007, Father John Jasica, Pastor of St. Peter’s Parish organized a farewell celebration of appreciation to thank the Sisters for their contribution in the field of music and education in St. Peter’s School and St. Mary’s School, and for serving the Church of St. Peter’s in Goderich. Sister Margo Ritchie, the Congregational Leader of the Sisters of St. Joseph of London, gave a presentation reflecting on their 134 years of service in Goderich. The last Sisters living in Goderich, Sister Philomene and Sister Margaret, moved to reside in the motherhouse on Windermere Road in London, in August 2007.

This project has been made possible in part by Library and Archives Canada’s Documentary Heritage Communities Program.
By Lyllie Sue, October 2024.

Town of Goderich, “Land Acknowledgement,” https://www.goderich.ca/en/my-goderich/land-acknowledgement.aspx#, accessed 2024/08/16.
Manzarra, Loretta, pers. comm., September 16, 2024.