St. Genevieve Church East Chezzetcook NS

St. John of the Cross is the newly established Parish on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia serving Parishioners from Lake Echo to Ecum Secum. Our Parish is comprised of three churches, St. Genevieve, St. Denis, and St, Peter.

 

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Missionaries ministered the early settlers of East Chezzetcook and indeed much of the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia from Saint Anselm’s parish in West Chezzetcook as early as 1768. The people that lived in East Chezzetcook would go to Mass at Saint Anselm’s Church by crossing the inlet with a rowboat. Docking facilities were made available near where their hall is today. East Chezzetcook petitioned the Archbishop O’Brien in Halifax for a parish priest. Father William Brown was sent and became the first priest of the new Parish of Saint Genevieve and Mission of Saint Philip Neri in what is now Musquodoboit Harbour.

The early church in East Chezzetcook was completed in October 1884. This Church was originally built on land that was owned by the Bonin family. The priest’s home was on the West side of the road; however a house was traded with Mr. Oliver Murphy (father of Kenny Murphy d. 2000) and became the glebe house, near the location it is today on the East side (or Church side) of the road.

The Church was a white wooden frame building with pointed windows common to similar building on the Eastern Shore. The church seated the regular congregation; however it was standing room only for Easter, Christmas and other special events. The Church had a fine organ and choir loft and loved by all.

In August 1945, an electrical fire destroyed the church. The West Chezzetcook nuns were quite fond of the church’s organ and would cross over to play it. Fishermen on their way to their boats that dawn raised the alarm. They saw fire and smoke coming from the steeple area of the church and rushed back to save the Church. It was never to be known if it was the power left on to the organ motor causing the motor to over-heat or if lightning struck the steeple that caused the inferno. The priest at the time saved the Blessed Sacrament. However, it is not known yet if we still have the chalice in the church. The fire was fought with a bucket brigade and eventually they left the church as a total loss and saved the surrounding buildings. Children would later be seen playing with melted coins found among the ashes from various destroyed donation boxes.

There was a small one-room schoolhouse behind the church that on occasions was used by the people and the Church as a community hall or meeting center. Father Laba encouraged the parishioners to build a real church hall rather than the rebuild the church right off. He felt that a hall would help raise money to build a new church more quickly. Mass was said on the wide veranda of the glebe house and in a nearby field until the hall was built. The hall was finished before Christmas that year (1945). There were many additions to the hall and it was widely used as the center of this community for Mass, plays, receptions, Sunday School, cards, bingo and many other uses. The hall had grown with the community until in 1990 when after much debate it was decided to build a new and larger hall. The old hall was torn down shortly after the present hall was built.

Re-construction of the new Church was started in 1947 and the first Mass was celebrated at Christmas that year even though there was still much work to do. This Church has been the spiritual heart of the Catholic people East Chezzetcook and continues to this day.

As time went by the old glebe house became increasingly difficult to upkeep and maintain. The Church parishioners decided to build a new glebe house and to tear down the old one that had served so many priests and religious leaders over the years. A new and more functional glebe house was built and blessed 4 March 1984.

Folklore and History of Saint Genevieve’s Annual Picnic

The first church picnic was held in late summer 1916 on church grounds. It is not known how elaborate this event was but it did include musical events and a supper. A huge outdoor stage was constructed to house musicians and dancing. This stage was decorated with fir boughs, ribbons and flags. An auction was held and local ladies prepared personally decorated basket lunches (sweets and sandwiches). Anonymously they would be auctioned off to local gentlemen who would be forced to speculate and bid on the privilege of sharing the lunch and companionship of the provider. (Many a romance would be established…or diminished.)

Fruit, candy, homemade fudge and handmade linens were sold. A huge boiled dinner (corned beef & cabbage) was served along with homemade fare of pickles, relishes, breads, sweets, & pies.

Hard work, merry making would have been enhanced with a dash of spirits and turned this fund raiser into a very special social event.

The parish priest at this time was Father John Foley who during his years of service to the parish (1916-1927) expanded the scope of the event. He widely advertised and brought out city folk by train and horse waggon. The local hotel, the “Bella Clarie,” run by Jenny (Grady) Connors would have been full during picnic weekend.

Over the years the Parish picnic has been a constant. It has been an opportunity when present and past parishioners and friends meet and socialize.

With the evolution of the picnic many will remember comic skits, fashion shows, dancing and singing, games of skill, ball throwing. A wooden manikin with a hinged head could be decapitated with a throw of a ball. The reward would be a cigar. Ring tosses for canes, wood chopping and clam shelling contest cake walks, fish ponds, raffles, pony rides, dunk tanks, bunny games (with live bunnies), Crown & Anchor, money and chocolate wheels have all found their way both in and out of our celebrations over the years.

Tragedy struck the parish over the years and impacted the annual picnic. In 1939 the outbreak of World War II was the only year the picnic was cancelled. Others sources suggest that it was because of the polio epdemic in the 1940's; whatever was the exact reason seems mired in time. In 1945, the much loved Church built in 1884 burnt to the ground. In the mid 1950’s an electrical accident during picnic preparations left our Parish priest, Father Michael Laba and Arthur Pettipas burned and permanently disfigured.

The supper served has been Hot Turkey for the last 60 years. Many an older member of the Parish would remember the heat of the wood stove cooking in the old hall. Also pies were cut and served from the dressing rooms behind the stage.

This Church evolved with the growth of many buildings: first hall 1945 (housed Mass until the present church was completed in 1947), new glebe house March 1984 and new hall 1990.

We have highlighted a variety show, giant flea market, parade, merchandise bingo, hot turkey & ham supper, games of chance, and carnival rides. The canteen serves a wonderful menu of Eastern Shore delights, fish & chips, fried clams, lobster rolls, burgers & fries. All topped off with homemade fudge. Every year a little different!

In 100 years, the Annual Picnic has continuously secured the financial security of the parish; but more importantly it has provided the parish and the community of East Chezzetcook with a social event that brings together many generations for work, fun and camaraderie that is very unique in 2016.