Saint-François-de-Sales Parish / Rogersville
Established in 1869
First church in 1878
First priest: 1880
Rogersville, founded in 1869 is at the extreme South of Northumberland County and at the limit of Kent County. Workers who came to work on the Intercolonial railway connecting Halifax to Montreal were responsible for founding this village. The name Rogersville was given by Most Rev. Marcel-François Richard, then priest of Saint Louis de Kent, in honour of Most Rev. Rogers of Chatham.
About ten men had started a lumber business in the heart of this virgin forest. With the arrival of Most Rev. Richard, the colony began to develop and workers became landowners.
Saint Francois of Sales parish in Rogersville is closely linked to the life of Most Rev. Marcel-François Richard. This great patriot was the instigator who proposed the tri-color flag with a star as the Acadian flag and the Ave Maris Stella as the national hymn. He also went to Rome to ask for the nomination of an Acadian bishop and finally had the Assumption monument erected in Rogersville in 1912. He is also responsible for finishing construction of the current church which had begun in 1888. A first church was in use between 1878 and 1888.
Several church missions were added to the main parish : Rosaireville in 1905, Kent Junction in 1908, Marcelville in 1913 and Collette in 1914. This last mission would become a parish in 1954.
Most Rev. Richard died on June 18, 1915. His mortal remains rest eternally at the Monument, protected by Our Lady of the Assumption.
In 1902, the Trappist monks of Bonnecombe France responded to an invitation by Most Rev. Richard and established the abbey Our Lady of Calvary in Rogersville. Also, the Our Lady of the Assumption Abbey was founded in 1904 by the Trappist sisters who had been forced to abandon their monastery in Lyon France.
The Eudist fathers, the Filles de Jésus sisters and the Brothers of Christian Instruction have all contributed, at different times, to the education of youth in our parish.