Notre Dame du Lac Parish, Lac du Bonnet

• Our Lady of the Lake Parish

In 1946, the Franciscans were invited by Archbishop George Cabana of St. Boniface to take over the Lac du Bonnet parish and the missions attached to it. The missions included Bisset, and Red Lake, which could be reached by plane. Besides these, there was Great Falls, Seven Sisters, Milner Ridge, Maple School district and Pointe du Bois. Fr. Sylvestre Beaudet and Fr. Stan Frytek were appointed to take over the work. Fr. Engelbert Paradis after his release as an army chaplain was sent to Lac du Bonnet. He used his army pay to buy a new residence on the lake shore that would serve as the Friary.

Fr. Alberic Frechette was appointed pastor after Fr. Englebert Paradis departed to become the pastor of St. Francis Parish in Edmonton. After Fr. Frechette was offered the Parish at Maillardville, today part of Coquitlam, Fr. Ulric Ell was appointed pastor in 1953-1961. Fr. McRae arrived in 1954 to help with the missions.

In 1955, construction began for the new church building. Fr. Ulric Ell also designed and built the chapel in Whiteshell in 1968. Fr. George Hart was appointed Pastor after Fr. Ulric Ell; the assistant pastor was Fr. Bonaventure (Dureau) until he went to Peru and was replaced by Fr. Fred Doll.

In 1963, the Franciscans left Lac du Bonnet and were replaced by the diocesan priests of the Archdiocese of St. Boniface.

• Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba, Canada
• Bissett, Manitoba, Canada
• Red Lake, Ontario, Canada

Christ the King Province

• 06-04-01 Historical accounts file
• 06-04-21 Our Lady of the Whiteshell Chapel, Barrier Bay