50th Anniversary of OLOL Parish

Written by admin on 11 October 2009

Our Lady of Lourdes celebrates Golden Jubilee

by Karina Hunter

Parishioners choose from two varieties of vegetarian spaghetti sauces and two types of spaghetti sauces with meat.

Parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Manitouwadge gathered at their church Saturday celebrating its 50^thAnniversary. They enjoyed a spaghetti supper accompanied by the Most Reverend Bishop Brian Joseph Dunn, Auxiliary Bishop for the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, their pastor Father Manuelpillai Soosaipillai (Manuel), Mayor John MacEachern and other special guests. The mood was warm and reflective as a slide show of family photos taken throughout the parish’s 50 years played on a big screen during supper.

The feast ended, Father Manuel invited Bishop Dunn to make the first cut into a beautiful cake prepared for the occasion before the two addressed the congregation in turn.

Father Manuelpillai Soosaipillai (Manuel) addresses those gathered.

Father Manuel began by thanking those who had worked so diligently to make the evening a memorable one before reading a message sent by the Most Reverend Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe. Bishop Plouffe, spiritual leader for the diocese of Sault Ste. Marie was unable to attend due to prior commitments; his congratulatory message included a reminder to addressees of the many blessings they had received in the parish’s 50 years adding that his thoughts and prayers were with them during this special evening.

Bishop Dunn then addressed the group speaking of his great affection for Manitouwadge and how it reminded him of the mining community of Buchans, Newfoundland where he had been raised. He brought listeners on a virtual journey through time, retracing some of the more defining steps in the parish’s history. Dunn reminded them of their humble beginnings before their church (the building) had been constructed. At that time a priest needed to fly from Geraldton to celebrate masses in Manitouwadge. humour and so wrapped up his speech by explaining that he could do “one better” than Father Manuel’s message from Bishop Plouffe by bringing a message from the Pope Benedict XVI to which laughter filled the room. Dunn had, with 109 other newly ordained bishops, visited the Pope’s summer residence at Castel Gandolfo for 10 days of Bishop’s School where he had been told by Pope Benedict to “Make sure you bring my greetings to your people”.

Most Reverend Bishop Brian Joseph Dunn, Auxilliary Bishop for the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie speaks to Our Lady of Lourdes Parishioners.

He spoke of the first full time priest at Our Lady of Lourdes, Father MacNeil who had converted to the Catholic religion thanks in part to a visit to Lourdes in France which had deeply transformed and moved him as he received healing there of an injury received while serving in World War II prior to his ordainment and how MacNeil’s deep devotion to Lourdes had been an integral part of the naming of Our Lady of Lourdes parish. Parishioners listened intently as he elaborated on details of how their own spirituality reached back to the roots of their faith community, connecting them all to Our Lady of Lourdes. Of course, being from the east coast, Dunn has a great sense of

The evening ends with an intresting slide show by Debbie Arola.

The evening concluded with a slide show presentation from Debbie Arola which included photos following the progression of the church as well as plenty of interesting history which Arola had lived herself having even attended school in the building when she was young and the elementary grades were taught in the basement there. The parishioners at Our Lady of Lourdes continued their 50^th Anniversary celebrations Sunday with a special mass followed by snacks and refreshments, Congratulations to the parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes for 50 years as an important part of Manitouwadge’s collective history.