THE CnTHEDRAL PARISH OF ST. DUNSTAN

CHARLOTTETOWN. PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Chapter I

In the year 1812 there were only two priests in all Prince Edward Island. One of these two. the Rev. seneas Mthchern. resided chiefly in the parish of St. Andrew. and from there started in canoe or cariole to minister to the various Scottish missionsof the colony. The other priest. the Rev. Jean iouis Beaubien, made his home at rustico, and to his care were entrusted the French missions which then numbered five. namely. Rustico. Nhlpec, Cascumpec, Tignish and Rollo Bay. In those days the Catholic population of Charlottetown was small and unimportant. The glory of Port-la-joie had departed and the majority of the population of the new town springing up on the northern bank of the Hillsborough was severely Protestant, while the military and government officials prided themselves on being members of that dignified Ehglifli establishment. which called his Whjesty King George the Third "Defender of the Faith".

In the year 1803 Mgr. Denaut. BishOp of Quebec. paid a pastbral visit to his Maritime dependencies. but there is no record of his having tarrisd at

Charlottetown. He probably made St. Andrews his headquarters and from there

visited the Acadian missions.

In the last year of the eighteenth century the Abbe de Cslonne, brother of the Prime Minister of France. being for political reasons obliged to leave his native land, came out to the then almost unknown colony of St. John's Island. and established himself upon his estate near the ruined fortress of Port-la-joie. Having been invested with faculties from the Bishop of Quebec and acting as Vicar general of that Prelate, he assisted Father LbEachern in his priestly duties, and, in obedience to his Bishop, furnished a report of the existing state of

Charlottetown. not very flattering to that youthful metropolis.