St. Agnes, Island falls-St. Paul, Patten

(Notes found in the parish folder kept at St. Mary, Houlton)

1902         It was a Mission of Millinocket and had 40 Catholic families when St. Agnes was built.

1907         The first visit by the Bishop occurred, October 15, Confirmation was administered.

1912         Island Falls and Patten were attached as Missions to Benedicta, October 1.

1916         The confirmation in the new church, at Patten, was administered, August 10.

(Le Messager De Lewiston)

Numero Du II Dec. 1908 – Un recensement des Canadiens, Fait par Odule LaPlante pour le comie de la cause national, accure: - 53 families, 336 ames, £70,800 de valeurs foncieres.

Numero Du 28 Dec. 1908 – Le meme recensement accuse, pour Patten: 18 families, 236 ames, £45,600 en valeurs foncieres.

(Bishop Walsh’s Diary)

1907         On the occasion of his first visit to this Mission of Millinocket, he blessed the church, October 14.

1904         December 25, the first mass was said in the Chapel at Patten.

1916         August 10, while the Mission of Patten was attached to Benedicta, the Bishop made the first Episcopal visit ever to the new chapel built by Father Culbert, and confirmed there.

1919         August 26, St. Paul’s Chapel at Patten was blessed by the Bishop.

1920         June 5, Island Falls became a separate parish, and Rev. Clement Frazier was appointed the first Pastor.

1923         June 9, Father Frazier was transferred to Hallowell, and was replaced at Island Falls by Rev. Maurice Carroll.

September 17, Rev. William Frawley was appointed Pastor.

(Church World – July 15, 1955)

At the coming of the first resident Pastor, Rev. Clement M. Frazier, in June of 1920, the Parish counted about 45 families, and included Smyrna Mills, Oakfield, Dyer Brook, Crystal and Hersey, besides a Mission at Patten.  After two years, there were 225 souls in 60 families.

Joseph Michaud donated land for a cemetery.

The church was without foundation, was heated by stove, and was in poor condition.  A furnace was installed in a cellar newly dug; the roof was reshingled; a choir-loft was put in; the exterior was painted; a bell was procured.

September, 1923, Father Frazier was replaced by Rev. John W. Frawley, a Sacristy was added, and the Sanctuary was enlarged; a new lighting system was inaugurated; the Berger home was purchased for a Rectory.

November, 1926, Father Frawley was transferred and Rev. Charles E. Proulx became Pastor.  A new church was being thought of, when “Depression” came and the mills were closed; everything came to a standstill.

September, 1934, Father Proulx left and was replaced by Rev. J.X. Martin.  Little could be done during his administration.

Rev. Alban Michaud was appointed Pastor, September of 1941.  A cement foundation to the church was put in, allowing of a basement and Parish-Hall.  The church was renovated outside and within, and was embellished with altar and statues.

The Mission-Church in Patten was repainted, inside and out; a concrete foundation was set under it; an oil heater was installed.

Electric organs were bought for both Patten and Island Falls.  A new cemetery in the latter place was adorned with a Calvary.

(The Church World – September 28, 1962)

Rev. Alban Michaud has been transferred to the Parish of Notre-Dame in Springvale; he is being replaced by Rev. Armand J. Landry who has been assistant at St. Margaret’s in Old Orchard.

Priests who have served as Pastors at Island Falls-St. Agnes

June  1920 Rev. Clement Frazier

Sept  1923 Rev. John W. Frawley

Nov   1926 Rev. C.E. Proulx

1934 Rev. Joseph X. Martin

1941 Rev. Alban Michaud

1963 Rev. Armand J. Landry

1968 Rev. Renee G. Lavoie

1973 Rev. Valmont R. Gilbert

1975 Rev. Antonio Amato

?

1984 Rev. Paul B. Trainer

1991 Rev. Richard P. McLaughlin

1994 Rev. Joseph H. Blattner

1998 Rev. Fred Irving

July   2002 Rev. Eddy Morin

July   2008 Rev. David Raymond

‘Let There be Love’

Parish of the Week: St. Agnes of Island Falls

If Greg Palmer, council president, could have his way, St Agnes of Island Falls and St. Paul of Patten would be wed to create a single parish located somewhere between the two Southern Aroostook towns.  With their combine membership of 175 families, the parish (Agnes) and its mission (Paul) could better share their resources in a joint effort toward Christian community building, Greg believes.

The Catholics in such modest and distant places as Mt. Chase (north of Mt. katahdin in Penobscot County), Hersey, Crystal and Oakfield (off to the southeast from Houlton in Aroostook) would probably welcome any change that managed to bring them closer together.  In a 30-mile long parish, with its people employed on widespread farms, small mills or at the Great Northern in Millinocket a cohesive sense of community is hard to come by.

Father Antonio (Tony) Amato, pastor, agrees that the two parish churches might strengthen one another.  He sees each as having its own particular character, its own gifts, its own limitations.  The mother church, for instance, developed during its early years (1920’s) in an atmosphere of anti-Catholicism which has long since been eradicated.  However, as council secretary Jim D’Angelo sees it, “some parishioners still have an inferiority complex about being Catholic.”  He adds that ecumenism and intermarriage have broken down the barriers for most people.

“At St. Agnes we have many old families who have grown up with a tradition of family togetherness.  Because they have no need to look outside the family for relationships, they are basically not community-oriented.  People in the parish are more reserved and conservative than those in the mission,” Father Amato comments, pointing out that St. Paul’s has more young couples and young children.

“Unfortunately, many young people have moved out of Island Falls because of limited employment opportunities,” says Nina Marie Morrison, CCD coordinator.  (Other than a potato starch plant and a small lumber mill, Island Falls has little industry.)  She feels that a combined St. Agnes-St. Paul would spur greater fellowship and increased involvement among all age groups.

“There are a certain few who will join in and work for the community,” Jim D’Angelo observes.  “But there’s a lack of interest these days in organization –not just church organizations.  Many people are really too busy to participate.  They aren’t just saying they’re too busy.”  (As chairman of a local school board, D’Angelo feels that his own spare time is spread rather thin; thus, he empathizes with those who cannot give as much time to the parish as they might like to).

Giving praise

Because St. Paul’s Mission has the double leaven of a prayer group and a choir, liturgies are becoming increasingly lively and uplifting.  “We’ve had several visiting priests comment on the Spirit-filled atmosphere of our Masses.”  Greg Palmer says, noting that the 25-member choir directed by John Pond has helped break the ice when it comes to congregational singing.  “We might have to go up and down the aisle to teach the song before Mass begins.  But people do sing.”

The council president would like to further develop the music ministry I two ways:  “What we need is a few uninhibited cantors to give direction and encouragement.  Then we need to get rid of the physical disadvantage of having a choir loft behind the people.  We can never really build up a sense of community the way things are set up now.”

While the people of St. Paul’s are singing confidently with guitar or organ accompaniment, the singers at St. Agnes are roughing it a cappella.  “This is something we’re going to have to work at,” Father Amato comments.  “People are simply afraid to be heard.  Maybe it’s because Catholics have a history of passivity in this regard.  They’re still conditioned to listening to the choir sing the Latin hymns – unlike Protestants who’ve be singing all along.”

Part of the solution, Greg Palmer adds, may lie in the nourishing of a new generation of Catholics who can give praise in song without feeling intimidated or unnatural about it.  To this end, 15 minutes of each weekly CCD class is devoted to singing both children’s songs and hymns used in weekend liturgies.

As well as more involvement in music, Nina Morrison hopes to “see more enthusiasm on the part of our children.  It seems that some of them are just sliding through CCD.  As coordinator, I hope I’ll be able to get parents involved in developing new programs or social evenings when we can get together for fellowship.”

Both parish and mission use the “Way, Truth, Life” religious education program published by the Daughters of St. Paul.  Father Amato describes the program as “rich in doctrinal content.”    High school students explore a variety of themes through the “Hi-Time” program; they are also introduced to devotions such as the rosary and Benediction.  For adults, the pastor and coordinator are looking for a “very basic Scripture course that doesn’t require a lot of background,” Mrs. Morrison says.  “We tried ‘Share the Word.’  But the format just didn’t work.  People found it hard ? respond ? had to read and understand the background content and it was just too much,” adds Father Amato.

Getting to know him

Parishioners might well be more forthcoming if they took the time to get to know their pastor better, observes Nina Morrison.  “Those who don’t know him think he’s stern; some are even afraid of him.  But people who know him through the Ultreya realize Father Tony has a beautiful sense of humor and a real gift for speaking.  His talks on the sacraments are the most inspiring I’ve heard.  And people who have taken instructions from him say how much they love to listen to him.”

Laughing appreciatively, the pastor comments that he doesn’t understand why some parishioners have pegged him as an “aloof” person.  “It must be something about my expression in the sanctuary,” he speculates.  “Maybe I seem to have a different personality inside and outside the sanctuary,” he adds, joking about his split personality.  (Father Amato’s hospitality and ease with the dialogue group suggested that more parishioners ought to have the opportunity to meet with him in informal small group settings.)

The pastor’s ability to share leadership responsibilities – and to smile at himself – are evident in a brief exchange with the council president.  Asked about lay ministry within the parish, Greg Palmer comments, “John Pond and I head the Good Friday service at St. Paul’s while Father Tony is doing the service at St. Agnes.  We also lead the Stations of the Cross.”  Noting how numerous have been positive comments about these lay-led services over the past three years, Father Amato says, “When people tell me how much they like it, I’m sure they think they’re complimenting me.  But it worries me sometimes.”

Let there be love

Whether St. Agnes and St. Paul ever become one – for spiritual and/or economic reason – Nina Marie Morrison believes that both churches subscribe to a common goal.  “There’s a song we sing that says ‘Let there be love share among us.’  That’s what we all want.  We have our divisions.  But we do love each other and there is a family feeling in both places,” she observes.

Jim D’Angelo adds that although people at St. Agnes may not be as active or outgoing as some would like them to be, they show their fidelity to the parish through their generosity in its support.  “We’re probably one of the few churches where despite inflation and local unemployment our weekly collections are increasing by a few hundred dollars.”

Asked for a Scripture passage that might suggest something important to parishioners of St. Agnes Parish and St. Paul Mission, the group agrees on St. Paul’s well-loved sermon on mutual love.  “If I have all the eloquence of men or of angles, but speak without love, I am simple a gong booming or a cymbal clashing . . . Love is always patient and kind . . . Love does not come to an end . . . There are three things that last; faith, hope and love: and the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:1-13).

Text and by Gloria Hutchinson

(from Church World; date? Fr. Amato was Pastor)