There have also been many women from the Parish leave to dedicate their lives to the Church. Cassie Steele, Blanche Gillis, Mary DeCoursey, Irene Burge, Marie Burge, Mary Irene MacKinnon, Hilda Marie O’Hanley, Hilda Gorman, Bernice Steele, Catherine Ledwell, Rose 0’ Hanley, Mary Gillis, and Anne Gillis are a few of these women.

Sister Mary Irene MacKinnon, who joined the Sisters of St. Martha in 1936, was Director of the School in Nursing in Charlottetown for almost thirty years. She was Superior General of Mount St. Mary’s from 1973—81 and in the-mid 1990s, she received an honorary doctorate from the University of Prince Edward Island. When asked about receiving her honorary doctorate she replied, “It was quite an honor. Dr. O'Hanley" got one too." (57) Both Sister Mary Irene and Sister Hilda Marie O’Hanley have celebrated fifty years as a Sister of the St. Martha Order, in 1986 and 1983 respectively. On both occasions, celebrations were held in their honor in the St. Peters Parish.

THE CATHOLIC WOMENS LEAGUE

The first charter of the St. Peters Catholic Women’s League (C.W.L.) is dated for the 19th of November 1926, with Mrs. Hugh McLellan the first President. As the church had burned that same year, the initial years of the C.W.L. revolved around raising funds for the new church

through bazaars and whist parties. During the war years, members did extra work such as knitting

socks and sending parcels to the Red Cross. The C.W.L. also began catering in the early 19705, and according to Lauretta MacAualy, this “Was a service to the daughters and sons of the Parish members, not just C.W.L. members. Pretty near every weekend all summer long, we catered to weddings." (58) In their 74th year, the C.W.L. are still an active group

within the community.

The two churches that now face each other in St. Peters cast more than a mere reflection upon the waters of St. Peters Bay. They reflect a rich history of worship, dedication, and sense of community within their congregations that has not been lost during the many changes witnessed by both systems of belief. Titles have changed, churches have been replaced, shut down, and even burned to the ground, but the people

always came back.

* Dr. O’Hanley formally from St. Peters went on to become a pediatric doctor and had a practice in the Charlottetown area.