Parish History
A Brief History of St. Agnes Parish
 
1885 - Mission Church titled the "Nativity" just off corner of Brown and Frederica St. served by missionaries of the Jesuit Order. 
1890 - Stations of the Cross under patronage of St. Agnes, whose feast day we celebrate, erected on January 21st. 
1907 - The "Nativity" mission Church became St. Agnes by the pronouncement of Bishop D.J. Scollard of Sault Ste. Marie. 
1910 - St. Agnes instituted a Parish 
1911 - St. Agnes was canonically detached and continued to be served by Jesuit missionaries. 
1913 - The community planned and built the original St. Agnes on the corner of Brown and Mary St. 
1914 - Cornerstone laid. The first parish priest Fr. Descouteaux, a Jesuit was followed by Diocesan priests the last being Fr.  Hogan in 1965. 
1916 - The Nativity Church on Brown & Frederica was sold for $900 to the Ukrainian Catholic Community of Westfort. It was moved to and reconstructed on its present site on Mountdale (just off Gore St.) and stands today as the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Ascension. 
1965 - The Oblates of Mary Immaculate took over administration of St. Agnes Parish on July 21st, 
Fr. J. Davis as first Oblate Pastor. Throughout the 30 years of the Oblates residence the faithful were directed towards concern for the poor and the marginalized and they instilled the community with deeper faith commitment, and encouraged lay participation at all levels. 
1981 - The original St. Agnes "whose tower dominated the Westfort skies and beckoned the faithful" was declared structurally defective and was laid to ground. 
1982 - The new St. Agnes Church and Hall was dedicated on June 6th. During the construction, First Church United graciously welcomed St. Agnes Community to their House of Worship for the purpose of celebrating the Paschal Mystery. 
1989 - St. Agnes celebrated the burning of the Mortgage. 
1990 - 100 anniversary celebrations were held. 
1996 -  After 31 years of ministry in the parish, the Oblates withdrew from the parish to continue their work in smaller communities. Father Francis Pudicherry became the pastor on July 1st, 1996.
2004 - Fr. James Panikulam became the new pastor.
 
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