AEBERTON, 77

(Sacred Heart)

will

First A/berton Church, burned 7968.

AMlil) Al-‘TILR PRINCE ALBERT, later

King Edward VII, Alberton grew up

from its excellent harbor and railway facilities. It became a parish in 1879, composed of Scottish and Irish settlers. That year they built a beautiful church, later enlarged, dedicated to the Sacred Heart. That same year also the parishioners moved the rectory across the ice from Cascumpec and from then until now the parish has had a

resident pastor.

In 1894 the paston Father A.E. Burke. supervised the construction of the stately rectory still in use today. Father Burke involved himselfin a whole array of Church and secular pursuits particularly in the area of agriculture. In 1908 he became founder and president of the Catholic Church Extension Society of Canada. based in Toronto.

In 1944 the parish purchased the town’s Albion Terrace Hotel for use as a hospital‘ staffed by the Sisters of Saint Martha. Additions in 1948 and 1960 made this Western Hospital a distinguished health care

facility. Today’s modern government hospital on the same site bears strong witness to those early years of hard work by many people, especially by the Sisters ofSaint Martha.

Fire in 1968 completely destroyed the parish church. Liturgical services took place in the parish’s Alberton Social Centre until 1972 when the present attractive church opened its doors. With its spacious full basement it is truly a community gem and real parish centre

for the 350 families there.

Excellent farm land lies within Sacred

Heart Parish. Fishing also thrives out of the

fine harbor at Northport. Great water

scenery is provided by the vast reaches of the

Gulf of St. Lawrence and by the lovely Kildare River.