The new pastor in 1983, Rev. Eloi Arsenault, native of Egmont Bay, was active in developing new liturgical approaches such as the Passion Play and improvements in French Language liturgy. Movements such as Cursillo, Right to Life, Teen Encounter, and Knights of Columbus began during his pastorate Father Eloi was assisted by Sister Pauline and Sister Sharon Rankin in 1985-86.

Our present pastor, Rev. Eddie Cormier, also a native of Egmont Bay, had served at Summerside, Mont Carmel, Tignish,

and with Latin American Missions before his arrival in 1988. He has continued initiatives started by others. His mission experience has given him a strong rapport with the large number of people in this parish who survive on marginal income from mossing or fish— ing. Sister Marie Gaudet, his assistant since 1988, is having a sab- batical year in 1991—92.

During the last decade a number of seminarians have been assigned to our parish to do their year of pastoral experience after three years seminary study. The first was Rev. Albin Arsenault, now pastor at neighboring Tignish. He was followed by Rev. George Gilliland, Rev. Keith Kennific and, at present, Floyd Peters.

MAINTENANCE

A picture of the Church, taken around 1910, shows a large crowd with the pastor, Father Gauthier. The imitation buttresses were still on the sides of the main church. In 1931, the upper roof of cedar shingles was reshingled. It had weathered well for 40 years with the help of coatings of red ochre and fish oil every few years. The most recent roof painting, in 1988, used a mixture of black paint and extra linseed oil — a recipe developed by the pre— sent caretaker Leroy Doucette. The painter found that not one shingle had rotted but some of the original saddle board was start- ing to rot or needed renailing. Painting the spire has been a “horse of a different colour” because of its height (120 ft). It has been painted almost every time the rest of the church was painted. It was done without scaffolding except at the base where a platform was erected to support ladders pushed up on top of one another. Another addition was the replacement of the old floor furnace with a steam system around 1950. The new system works well except

33