Church of the Sacred Heart, Mildmay, Ont. and Immaculate Conception Church Formosa, Ont. Aug. 29, 2010

Immaculate Conception Church Formosa Ontario


Interior Immaculate Conception Church Formosa Ontario


Today we ventured north west into Bruce County and visited 2 churches - one a Joseph Connolly creation and one a personal journey. I'll begin with the latter first.

Sacred Heart Church, Mildmay Ontario

We began our journey very early on a warm and sunny August morning by travelling North on highway 86, north west on highway 7 and continued north west on highway 9 to arrive at Mildmay, Ontario. Pardon the emphasis on nautical direction, but my companion loves the beauty of North-South-East-West and it begins to rub off on one a little bit. This morning was a bit of a journey into my own history as we visited the church my parents were married in more than 50 years ago and where 40 years ago I was flower girl at my aunt and uncle's wedding and where less than 6 months ago I attended her funeral mass.

As always, we were welcomed in this church, this time by Father W. Terence Sehl who spent at least 20 minutes with us before mass began sharing with us Church history . The cornerstone for Sacred Heart was laid on July 23, 1912 and next summer the church celebrates it's 100th anniversary. He told us about the church website and seemed genuinely enthused about our church project. We also studied a photo taken in the early 50's of the altar before the redecoration in 1969 due to fire and smoke damage. I plan to look through my parent's photos to see if I can find any other views although I know photography tended to be discouraged during ceremonies in those days (I truly was born during the wrong era!). While not a Connolly church, it shares the Gothic style so close to Connolly's heart and is perhaps one of the last churches built of this style as World War I loomed and energies and manpower were focused elsewhere. The post-war world had moved beyond these Gothic style churches and the design style of churches built during the twenties and thirties have a decidedly modern and angular influence.

As we pulled away from Milday and pointed the car towards Formosa, I thought again about North-South-East and West. The roads that bring us home and the roads that take us on new journeys. What provides the compass is the bedrock itself.

Immaculate Conception Church, Formosa, Ontario 11:00 am service

The farming community of the tiny hamlet of Formosa built their own bedrock of faith out of the handcut limestone from local rock as well as sandstone laboriously shipped by train to Mildmay and then carted by horse to the top-most peak of the valley. Father Stephen LaCroix shared this and other interesting stories about Immaculate Conception Church. The foundation for this Joseph Connolly designed church was laid in 1875 - several years earlier than "Our Lady" in Guelph or "St. Peter's Basillica" in London. Perhaps Connolly landed his commission in those cities based on his work here. Designed by Connolly, it was built as funds allowed by the hands of the largely German immigrant farming population. The shell wasn't completed until 1880 and it is this date that appears over the doorway. At this time the old wooden church underneath was dismantled but the interior itself wasn't completed until 1885, a full 5 years later. We learn much from these early settlers whose approach was methodical, focused, measured, and sustained. Much like the rock itself.

He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock." - Luke 6:48

I'm sure those early farmers had many moments when storms beat vehemently against their doors - but their church? Their church they built on the "ever-fixed mark" and still it stands today.
Miss M.



Origins


Bird's Eye view of Formosa
Rev. Gaspar Matoga , a Jesuit missionary, visited the area in January 1853, on one of many trips to minister to the new settlements of the region. Upon seeing the valley in which the present day hamlet is situated, he described it as 'formosa', the Latin word for beautiful.

This day started much like any other for me, I woke a little after 05 00 and jumped in the shower. As the hot water and soap cleared the cobwebs, I went over the running list in my head for today. We were travelling North today to the heart of the German settler region of Bruce County and to the town of Formosa. I quickly packed a cooler and clothes for the day. I had set things out the night before in case I slept in. My camera,batteries, Ipod and cell phone, wallet, keys and lets go …..

I left in the dark and felt like I was sneaking out. I left my little family safe in their beds, locked the house and sat in the car without starting it. I always warm my car for a minimum length of time but this am I turned the key until it caught and pulled it into drive. I "choke" drove down my street as the car warmed up. I had choices this am and time was my friend sitting in the big car with me. I am quite often asked why I drive big cars and trucks and this morning I led by example quietly enjoying my drive in overstuffed seats in an eighteen year old vehicle that is perhaps a little loose in her stays. As I travelled past a local inn there was a photo op that presented itself in the front parking lot. There were 2 cars from the past parked and in very nice shape indeed. There was a red and white 1955 Chevrolet parked alongside a 1964 Chevrolet and the 55 had a look of longing for the road parked in the last spot before the driveway. The fog on the river only lent to this scene.

Leaving Stratford eastbound I bought a coffee at Tim‘s, and as the aroma of breakfast encompassed my Roadmaster from the drive thru window I wondered if my travelling companion was awake yet. I left town and since I was alone on the highway I could relax behind the wheel. I put her in the middle of the road and rolled it on until I reached cruising altitude where I very gently came off the throttle. As a self described practicing Catholic I don’t feel at liberty to tell how fast that is.

What I can tell you is that I have a fascination for a certain valley. This particular valley runs from Kincardine on Lake Huron down to Long Point on Lake Erie. It holds scenic riches all along the path that await discovery and this am was no exception. I approached New Hamburg from the west and the pea soup fog was set hard in the fields tempting the big red morning sun to come after it. I stopped the car to photograph the glorious sunrise and had to run across Highway 7 to capture Our Holy Family’s steeple standing above and clear of this morning’s foggy blanket.

Steeple of Our Holy Family Church New Hamburg Ontario Aug 29 2010 am


As I approached my coauthor and drive behind this expedition‘s house I phoned her and was relieved to hear her voice answer the phone. I was in fact almost 2 hours ahead of time. I offered to buy her a coffee and that would give her precious extra moments to get ready for the day. We loaded her car and set off for the 2 plus hour drive from Kitchener to Formosa Ontario situated in South Bruce County. The geography of the land visibly changes and as we travelled north we took in as much as we could driving through the rolling landscape.

We stopped in Mildmay Ontario, which is quintessential small town Southern Ontario;and located the Sacred Heart Church . Upon entering this church we met three very warm and friendly people who we introduced ourselves to. One of the three was Father Terry Sehl, the parish priest and advocate for this very nice church. He informed us of upcoming open houses involving churches in the Bruce County area and of Sacred Heart’s history including a fire in the Sacristy and the weight (900 lbs and 1800 lbs ) of the two bells in the bell tower. The tower and other parts on this church have met their misfortune by tornadoes and handymen and Father Terry is fervently working on a solution and repair to her ailments. We regretfully couldn’t spend any more time in his company and continued on our path. I think that attending mass here at a later date is a very good and reasonable idea. Thank you Father Sehl!

My companion told me of her ancestral roots here in Mildmay and Formosa and their relationship with her family. Looking at the landscape the pioneers would have a tough life and worked hard for their farms and family. The land would yield whatever it had been granted and the back breaking labour would have paid off handsomely. Faith and church are the backbone of any settler’s life and in this area they happened to be German of the Catholic doctrine.

Approaching Formosa from the south we entered a four sided valley or bowl with a river winding across the bottom of it.The Immaculate Conception Church can be seen for miles thanks to her steeple. The drive through the village of Formosa was quiet and we looked upon the brewery which has been in operation since 1870. The church is located atop the northeast hill of this beautiful valley. The music that was coming from my Ipod and that was being amplified by the car’s sound system was inadvertently the very same as our visit to St, Peter’s in London. As we pulled into the parking lot in the very same manner as in Guelph we could hear Knopfler’s Baloney Again with the very same lead. My companion and I noted the similarities and the location in the song when we parked.

Pulling in we parked right out back, got out and stretched,grabbed our cameras and walked around photographing this big building. This church was built in a decade without the help of contractors in the typical sense. Joseph Connolly designed it and then local parishioners who would be mostly German immigrants built it. They built around and over the original wooden church and must have used that structure for scaffolding for the new build. After the main church was completed the old wooden building was taken down and removed. The winter chapel was built after on the same property and was used in winter when it was impossible to heat the big church.
The stone is 90 % “Formosa Reef” a term applied to the rough, porous, locally abundant and cheap stone. The smoother limestone was brought by train from Guelph and then by wagon over to the church site. This smoother and most likely expensive stone was used only for a small portion of the church’s construction including the first few rows of the foundation, trim and pointing of detail(soldiering). The Sacristy, Chapels and tower appear to be part and parcel of the original build and her huge bells were from the old wooden church. Their size alone shows that the wooden church would have been a modest size herself.

Entering the church the first thing I noticed was the width or appearance of width that the nave had. The light paint amplified the little amount of light streaming in through the windows. We walked up to the crossing and watched as a summer morning sunbeam lit a window in the front of the church and came to rest on a pew first behind the crossing. The spot on the pew was inviting but I resisted, instead I admired the sun’s work for a moment and then photographed the rest of the church. This church was built by poor farmers and built well. In 1880 a larger percentage of men than today were skilled in other trades other than working their farms. You built your own house or went without in the 1800’s rural Ontario and these very skills were used in erecting this church. Immaculate Conception Church was designed by Joseph Connolly and built in the gothic revival style that he has attached his name to so many times before and after this church. The pillars are of a plaster and masonry , are structural and have been painted in a yellow paint and Indian ink mixture or of something similar in an attempt to portray wood grain. The original plaster work is an amazing testament to the original builders and the flying buttress and pillar is of a different style here. Our Lady in Guelph is much wider and has a clerestory to hang in mid air problem that needed to be addressed. This building has a common roof and the walls are made of square blocks of stone! The peaked roof is simply placed atop the walls making it simpler, squatter and stronger than the flying buttress style. This design was largely due to the fact that there was a church inside the church to work around and her construction was paced by available funds.

In previous entries I have typically went into detail about the structural components and not about the day or the service but today’s sermon changed that for at least this entry. I have tried to live my life as the sermon of today preached. Today’s sermon was told by Father Stephen LaCroix , who charged us with acting responsibly and to help our fellow man , to find solace in the humble stance.

“For every one who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

This gospel hit home as I looked around this church knowing that it was put up by faithful parishioners who were just poor farming folk determined to make a life for themselves in this rural outpost.
After the mass ended we met with Fr.Stephen LaCroix, CSB, Pastor who was informative and genuinely interested in our journey. The anniversary of the church is upcoming and the work of the church is never done. We stood on the rear steps of the church and overlooking the valley I could see standing on this hill today why Matoga said “Formosa” meaning beautiful 157 years ago.

Leaving town we drove in silence for a few moments until bearings were needed. We returned to Mildmay looking for an open bakery or store to buy bread goods and my eye for detail spied something of great detail! I immediately mounted the curb and jumped from the car in my excitement. There in a driveway at the side of the road was a very clean and very straight 1965 327 black 2 door Caprice! I walked back towards the car and shook the owner Dave’s hand as he was just getting in a 55 red and white Chevy to return it to storage. I told him that I stopped to see the black car and not him ..…he understood completely being an old Chevy man. He invited me to look at her while parked his 55 , the same 55 he had went to Stratford and attended a wedding with the day before. I told him that I seen his 55 this am and they way she was parked at the river inn beside a 64 Chevy. He told me that the 64 was his brother’s…so 2 Chevy men in the same family ! The same red and white 55 that had that longing for the road look to her. Well she got her wish and she and Dave plied the roads on a gorgeous summer’s morn slightly after my own journey.


The lord is my shepherd
He leadeth me in pastures green
He gave us this day
Our daily bread and gasoline
Go under the willow
Park her up beside the stream

On our return trip we picnicked in a river side park in Drayton and ate fresh fruit and bread, while sitting on a blanket beside a stream under a willow enjoying good company. I learned a little more of who I am today and grew as a soul. I would like to tell of my appreciation of thoughts and beliefs of an era gone by. I have adapted to and share some of the ideas and things from the past. The belief of building it too big and too strong so as you don’t have to worry about it that was applied to building churches , houses and modes of transportation.Sadly, the word craftsman brings to mind an ideal that is since gone. In today’s world it is easy to lose track of who we are. Gothic churches, old wood, fat Labradors and even fatter Chevys from the past bring me back to the humblest chair at the table and to my origins.

Lorne