Priest nurtures French culture

Fr. Jean-Baptiste Morin founded Morinville in 1891

St. John the Baptist – June 24

- Photo by Ted Fitzgerald The statue of St. Jean-Baptiste in his church in Morinville bespeaks his faith.

By TED FITZGERALD
Special to the WCR
Where

Morinville and its prominent church of St. John the Baptist are a significant part of the history and culture of the settlement of Alberta.

They are associated with the energetic priest/colonizer Father Jean-Baptiste Morin and his efforts to create a French-speaking enclave just north of the provincial capital. Today, his name is remembered in the town he began and in the church he established.

Born in Quebec, Father Morin founded the town named for him in 1891, as well as a number of other French-speaking settlements in Alberta.

Call to culture

He was responsible for attracting almost 500 families to the area from their homes in Quebec and the U.S., 43 adults of whom formed the Morinville parish.

The present brick church, which dominates 100th Avenue in the centre of the town, was built in 1907 by Father Arcade Ethier to replace an earlier sanctuary on the site which itself succeeded an original 1891 log chapel that was situated a few kilometres west of town.

Since 1974, the local landmark has been a designated Alberta historical site. Last year, a brick Alberta centennial clock tower on which parishioners may attach memorial plaques was built between the church and the rectory.

The patron of the parish is the well-known and popular biblical character who served as a precursor of Christ and was a cousin of Jesus.

John, knowing that he was preparing the way for the son of God, preached repentance, baptism and the coming of the Messiah. A stern, inflexible man, roughly clothed but apparently very charismatic, he was not, as a homilist once commented, the kind of person sought after as a house guest.

The baptism of Jesus by John in the River Jordan is recalled in the first luminous mystery of the rosary when Christ first appeared in public, humbly accepting the rite for the forgiveness of sin with other sinners.

Despite his popular following, John insisted that he was but a forerunner of someone much more important.

In his Morinville church, a traditional statue of the saint shows him with a staff topped by a cross while pointing to a lamb (Agnus Dei) at his feet.

Those fortunate enough to be guided through his church by pastor Msgr. Robert Poulin will be appraised not only of the beauty of the interior of the house of God, but also of all the structural and renovation concerns associated with a 99-year-old building.

Since his arrival in St. Paul in 1954, the energetic shepherd has held several important positions in the diocese.

On perusal of the furnishings in the church, one sees two are reminiscent of the rural Quebec origins of the original congregation.

Strategic mirror

Beside the front entrance is a large mirror, a feature required years ago when the ladies of the parish might arrive a little weather beaten from a ride in an open sleigh in midwinter.

The other is an old style wood framed railroad station style clock, always mounted near the sanctuary in plain view of those attending Mass and often close to the pulpit from which homilies were delivered.

Still declining to retire, Father Bob will celebrate the 52nd anniversary of his ordination (in his hometown of Beauceville, Que.) at Morinville June 17 and will join with parishioners in the observance of their patron's day on June 24.

But he will still be involved with not only his regular pastoral duties, but also with a number of ongoing parish projects - cemetery upgrading, beautification of the church grounds, window-restoration and improvements in the parish office computer and telephone systems - a substantial workload for the enthusiastic 77-year-old dynamo.

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