NOTRE DAME DE BEAUREGARD and THE CISTERCIAN MONASTERY
The area had no early history of a concentration of French-Canadians, but that changed after World War II. First, in 1947, a boys' orphan farm relocated from St. Catherines, to Georgetown. This orphanage was operated by Father Clovis Beauregard and his niece, Therese St Jean.
Father Clovis Beauregard, a Quebec Roman Catholic priest, started a training school for francophone orphans in 1935 in St. Catharines. His neice Miss Therese St. Jean joined him as a housekeeper and teacher while the boys learned the orchard business. In 1947, Father Clovis sold the St. Catharines property and moved with his niece and wards to the Moyer fruit farm at lot 17, Concession 8, Esquesing. They moved into the Main Street South farm directly across from Cedarvale Girls’ School.
Tragedy struck the farm in 1950 when Father Clovis suffered a fatal heart attack while driving his car. Therese St. Jean was then in charge of Notre Dame de Beauregard. The boys had learned apple farming and other Acadian families moved here to assist them with their apple business. In 1957 a French-Canadian Association was formed. By 1966, about 150 French-speaking Catholic families created their own parish when the old Holy Cross Church was rededicated as L'Eglise Sacre Coeur. Miss St. Jean worked tirelessly to have French classes offered at the new Holy Cross School, she pushed for the establishment of a Sacré Coeur parish and then for a separate Sacré Coeur School. After suffering three strokes, she sold the farm to the Cistercian Monks in 1977. The property is today occupied by the Arbourglen subdivision.
In 1881, eight Trappists left the Abbey of Bellefontaine, France, to begin a new foundation in Canada. The Sulpicians offered the Trappists land situated in the Seigneurie of Lake of Two Mountains. On the 9th of November 1881, after having occupied for a few months the tiny cottage belonging to the miller Gagnon and his family, the monks took possession of their first true monastery. It was built from wood at the top of the Saint Sulpice hill. Several years later it was to become the first agricultural school of Oka designated under the name of Oka Agricultural Institute affiliated with the University of Montreal.
In 1892, the community became large enough to send some religious to found a new monastery in Mistassini.
In 1977, a group of monks left to begin a foundation in Georgetown, Ontario. After transferring the monastery to Orangeville in 1980, this house was permanently closed on the 1st of September 1998.
Father Clovis Beauregard, a Quebec Roman Catholic priest, started a training school for francophone orphans in 1935 in St. Catharines. His neice Miss Therese St. Jean joined him as a housekeeper and teacher while the boys learned the orchard business. In 1947, Father Clovis sold the St. Catharines property and moved with his niece and wards to the Moyer fruit farm at lot 17, Concession 8, Esquesing. They moved into the Main Street South farm directly across from Cedarvale Girls’ School.
Tragedy struck the farm in 1950 when Father Clovis suffered a fatal heart attack while driving his car. Therese St. Jean was then in charge of Notre Dame de Beauregard. The boys had learned apple farming and other Acadian families moved here to assist them with their apple business. In 1957 a French-Canadian Association was formed. By 1966, about 150 French-speaking Catholic families created their own parish when the old Holy Cross Church was rededicated as L'Eglise Sacre Coeur. Miss St. Jean worked tirelessly to have French classes offered at the new Holy Cross School, she pushed for the establishment of a Sacré Coeur parish and then for a separate Sacré Coeur School. After suffering three strokes, she sold the farm to the Cistercian Monks in 1977. The property is today occupied by the Arbourglen subdivision.
In 1881, eight Trappists left the Abbey of Bellefontaine, France, to begin a new foundation in Canada. The Sulpicians offered the Trappists land situated in the Seigneurie of Lake of Two Mountains. On the 9th of November 1881, after having occupied for a few months the tiny cottage belonging to the miller Gagnon and his family, the monks took possession of their first true monastery. It was built from wood at the top of the Saint Sulpice hill. Several years later it was to become the first agricultural school of Oka designated under the name of Oka Agricultural Institute affiliated with the University of Montreal.
In 1892, the community became large enough to send some religious to found a new monastery in Mistassini.
In 1977, a group of monks left to begin a foundation in Georgetown, Ontario. After transferring the monastery to Orangeville in 1980, this house was permanently closed on the 1st of September 1998.
