SHORT HISTORY OF ST JOHN’S CHURCH PORTSMOUTH

 There is no conclusive evidence to put an exact date when the church was built, between the years 1842 – 1849. It is almost certain the Nave of the church was built in 1842 by Fr. Evain though there is nothing to prove it except the statement of old people in the parish. The steeple must have been built in the year 1850 for above the entrance is chiseled on a stone the year 1850.

In 1855 a newly ordained Fr. Hyacinth Guillet arrived in Portsmouth as parish priest. No sooner had he arrived in the parish that he was determined to build a new church, as Portsmouth had increased in numbers and importance in late years that the church had become altogether too small to accommodate the faithful, as it was too low and too humble in appearance.  On the other hand, however, Father Guillet must have over estimated the future expansion of the town; for the plan he had drawn for the new church was altogether out of proportion with the population.

The Bishop and Fr. Guillet’s friends and laymen alike drew his attention to that fact but he remained unshaken in his determination to carry out his plan. An immense pile of Native lumber and material for mason work were collected and carried to the site by willing hands. A start was made. Bishop Poirier went three times to Portsmouth to induce Fr. Guillette to build on a reduce scale but without avail.

The first visit was on May 5 1860 he celebrated a pontifical high mass, confirmed 22 children and consecrated a church bell to which the name of “Marie La Creole” was given.

The second visit was paid on August 24 1864 in spite of a threatening cyclonic disturbance.  He again sang a Pontifical High Mass and confirmed 42 children.  A careful survey was made of the work already done afterwards the building and of the ways and means of bringing the enterprise to completion. The Bishop became more and more convinced that the good Fr. Guillette laboured under and illusion and told him bluntly that his scheme was utopian and fanciful.

The third visit a few months later on March 7, 1865 was paid to St. John’s to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation to 87 candidates who made the first communion the same day. The greater number of them were men. Meanwhile Fr. Guillette worked on, determined to complete his undertaking. Unfortunately all the funds were soon exhausted; and in spite of the goodwill of the population, who promised to stand by him and generously gave every week a day of labour for GOD’S sake, a standstill was unavoidable.

The bishop, whose advice had not been heeded in the matter and who moreover had no funds at his disposal, was both unwilling and unable to come to the rescue. The crisis came when on February 15 1866; Mr. L.F. Pinard was sent to the Bishop by Fr. Guillette in order to make known to him their plan for the construction of the new church we shall again allow Bishop Poirier to explain: “the plan can never be executed, because it is altogether too vast and too expensive. A third of the work is not yet done and has cost already $3000. urged to pay his debts Fr. Guillette agree to deliver to the firm Pinard & Co. the Lumber and cut stones, if they pay all the debts, which they promised to do. Only they wanted to approve and sign this arrangement.

 I refused, because I was never, consulted in the matter; on the contrary I blame and condemned the enterprise repeatedly; and besides, I do not want to bind either myself or my successors, should the sale of the materials not be sufficient to cover the debts; and again I do not intend to be mixed up in discussions which are sure to arise. I am indeed sorry to caused grief to this good parish priest who has laboured so hard and compromised his health in this foolish undertaking; but my conscience does not allow me to approve of it. It would be encouraging others to venture into undertakings without consulting the Bishop and following his advice. 

Let us hope that this sad example will be a lesson to all.  The good father was so bitterly disappointed he took the matter so much to heart that four days later he had to be carried to Roseau and was soon in imminent danger of death on the 27 of march he received the last sacraments on the fourth of April he breathed his last.

Fr. Alfred Noel succeeded Fr. Guillette. He plans conceived by Fr. Guillette was altogether abandoned as impossible of execution and it was decided to pull down the pieces of walls already constructed and to add two side-chapels to the old church in order to make it more spacious. Fr. Noel took the work in hand without delay and on 19 may 1867 Bishop Poirier blessed the foundation stones of the two side-chapels, which he called the Chapels of the Blessed Virgin and the chapel of St. John the Baptist. The year 1861 marked above the entrance to our lady’s chapel is evidently a mistake; or rather, has not the 7 been worn out by time and become 1? When exactly the two chapels were completed is not stated; but there is every reason to believe that the work was done with quick dispatch and completed either at the end of 1867 or the beginning of 1868.