Sainte-Anne Parish / Saint-Anne-de-Kent
Established in 1800
First church: 1870
First priest : 1886
The first inhabitants, mostly originating from Memramcook, Bouctouche and Richibouctou-Village, arrived in Choquepiche (so called until 1878) around 1800.
In 1870, a first church was built under the direction of Fr. Murray, priest in Richibouctou-Village, with plans drawn by the Acadian architect Léon Léger. From 1878 to 1886, this mission was served by Fr. Michaud of Bouctouche. Sainte-Anne parish was erected in 1886 with Fr. David Harnett as its first priest and he would remain there until 1891.
The first wooden church, which was already too small, was replaced by a second neo-gothic style church which was built from 1888 to 1890. Transepts were added in 1921 to make it larger. The impressive bell tower measured 36 metres (118 ft.) in height and was divided into three levels.
The parish celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1936 and was then renovated using the talents of Scott Young as master decorator and Édouard Gautreau an Acadian painter who produced forty eight magnificent paintings and frescoes to adorn the interior along with an invaluable Murano chandelier and the sculptures of the Acadian ornamentalist and architect Léon Léger.
The church became a provincial historic site in 1986. It was called the New Brunswick Sistine Chapel because of its historical value. Unfortunately, the church was destroyed by fire when it was struck by lightning on June 29, 2005.
A new church was built in 2007 and parishioners were able to attend the first mass celebrated by their priest, Fr. Yvon LeBlanc and Archbishop André Richard as well as 23 diocesan priests.
The new Sainte-Anne church has kept some ties with the former church which was destroyed by fire. A chiselled stone from the former church now serves as a support for a lamp next to the tabernacle. Other stones also serve as a pedestal for an outdoor statue of Saint Ann.
An unfinished painting by famed Acadian artist Édouard Gautreau which was saved from the fire, now hangs in the nave of the new church. Two other paintings by the same artist were found in a church in Egmont Bay and are now displayed in the nave on each side of the sanctuary.
The oak frames for these paintings are the work of local artist and woodworker René Neville who also designed and produced the altar, the table of the word and the table for the tabernacle. The decorative sculptures which adorn the altar are the work of another local artist, Charles Bernard (Woodchuck).