CORNWALL, Ontario – The church steeple at St. Columban’s Church has been restored and a new cross installed by Cleroux Renovations Inc. on October 20. The original cross had a significant tilt and had to be taken down in the fall of 2019. It was discovered that the timber column in the steeple had rotted and would have to be replaced by a new column and a new cross would have to be installed.
The LIFT UP THE CROSS project was funded by the Patrons of St. Columban Foundation at the request of the Parish Finance Council chaired by Anne Gauthier and Father Ernest Emeka Emeodi. The Foundation is a group of parishioners of St. Columban’s Parish, incorporated in 2005 to raise the funds needed to maintain and preserve the historic St. Columban’s Church. During the past 16 years, the Patrons of St. Columban Foundation have raised over $920,000 for the stabilization and restoration of St. Columban’s Church.
Brian Lynch, President of the Patrons of St. Columban Foundation stated: “Thanks to the generosity of the parishioners of St. Columban’s and our friends in the community, the Foundation has now been able to raise over $108,000 for the LIFT UP THE CROSS project this year with more donations to come.”
The new cross was blessed by the new pastor at St. Columban’s, Father Thomas Riopelle, at all the masses at the October 9-10 weekend.
St. Columban’s is the mother Roman Catholic Church in Cornwall with the first church built in 1829. The second church was built in 1864 because the small first church had blown down during a fierce gale. The larger third church, which is the present church, was completed in 1896 to accommodate the growing congregation and at the cost of $47,500.
Lynch said: “When we donate to the Foundation, we honour the memory of our ancestors who built this magnificent church 125 years ago and the memory of those who have maintained it ever since including the 1944 earthquake and the major fires in 1992 and 2002. We thank everyone who has assisted our fundraising efforts and continue to do so to preserve our place of worship for generations to come.”
