Chapel with Sacristy added.

The Children were now able to make their First Communion and Confir- mation at the Chapel. On May 22, 1922, Right Reverend Louis J. O’Leary made the first pastoral visitation and confirmed 25 boys and 18 girls.

The population of North Rustico increased to such an extent that a resident pastor was needed. At the diocesan retreat on July 9, 1936, Most Reverend Joseph Anthony O’Sullivan announced that “Stella Maris” was a newly formed parish cut off from Rustico parish, to be effective October 1st. Reverend J. Douglas McNeil! was appointed as the first parish priest. He had been assistant priest at Tignish for four years.

The first work undertaken by Father McNeill was to dig a cellar under the church and build a sacristy. The work was begun on October 14, 1936 by the people of the parish who willingly did the digging and building free of charge.

In the sacristy a small altar was erected and a little statue of Our Lady was placed on a shelf near it. On December 9th this addition to the church was blessed and Mass was offered in it on the same day. Father Clarence Pitre gave the sermon on the occasion of the blessing of the Stations of the Cross in the sacristy on January 3lst, 1937.

Soon after the arrival of Father McNeill, on October 26, 1936, pews from the old church at Summerfield were purchased for the sum of $50.00. These were set up and ready for use by All Saints’ Day on November lst.