Chapter 6

- A New Village in a New Century —

The new pastor for St. Malachy's Parish, Father John J. McDonald, began his work in Kinkora in September, 1890. (1) His term would last until 19 , but the effects of his leadership, much longer. Four areas in which his influence was immediate will be considered in this chapter: the temperance movement, church financing,

agriculture and community organization.

Evidence of a temperance movement in Kinkora goes back to the 1860's; tea parties in 1864 and 1866 were sponsored by the St. Joseph's Temperanée Society. During the 1870's Father Doyle and martin Somers were recognized as "enthusiastic supporters of total abstinence." (2) But it was Father John J. who seems to have pushed the movement most. Two months after his arrival he introduced the League of the Cross; (3) this was a Catholic temperance organization which aimed at getting all members of the parish to take a sacred pledge to abstain totally from liquor. It used three methods to achieve this goal. First,

a spiritual program which required members to attend the sacrements frequently, and usually as a group. On special

days such as New Year's and St. Patrick's members of the League would attend mass ,' receive communion and renew the pledge

at St. Malachy's. Second, the members attended regular meetings of the League, worked on various committees, and attended

lectures sponsored by it. Below is a sample of the kinds of

lectures the League sponsored at Kinkora and Emerald.