CHAPTER VI PARISH PRIESTS Hope River was originally part of St. Augustine's, Rustico , and therefore, priests who served St. Augustine's in the early years served Hope River as well. Since our anniversary celebration is inspired by the fact that the first church building was constructed in 1843 at Hope River , we will mention the priests before 1843 very briefly. Father James MacDonald came to P.E.I , in 1772 with the Scottish Settlers at St. Andrew's and served the Rustico area until his death in 1785. Father Angus Bernard MacEachern, later Bishop MacEachern, came to St. Andrew's in 1790 and he served the Rustico area. In 1801 Father Amable Pichard , forced to flee because of the French Revolution, was put in charge of the three Acadian missions, Rustico , Malpeque and Fortune. In 1803 Father Pichard was replaced by Father Jacques de Calonne who was also from and had served for a short period in Charlottetown . It was his brother who was a very able Finance Minister under the ill-fated Louis XVI . His pastorate lasted only one year and the task again fell to Father Angus B . MacEachern. In 1812 Father Jean Louis Beaubien was named by Bishop Plessis of Quebec to be resident Pastor at Rustico and serve the Acadian Missions. He served from 1812-1818. He was followed at Rustico by Father Joseph E . Cecile a native of Nicolet , Quebec and he served from 1818-1822 when he returned to Quebec . From 1822 to 1859 the parish was served by Father Bernard Donald MacDonald. After the death of Bishop MacEachern in 1835, Father Bernard MacDonald was named Bishop of Charlottetown . However, he resided almost constantly at Rustico until his death neared in 1859. St. Augustine's Church thus took on the character of a pro-cathedral. So it was that, as our history begins with the construction of the first church at Hope River in 1843, Bishop Bernard D. MacDonald was super¬ vising the construction, although we could suspect that the Irish Settlers may have been self starters in this project. Bishop MacDonald had good experience in construction, having already built St. Augustine's Church in Rustico in 1838. 91