The Ottawa Journal

The parish of St. John in South Osgoode, Ont., will shortly boast of a fine new church which will be erected in the near future. Plans for the new church have been completed and as soon as sufficient funds are forthcoming, construction will be commenced. The parish is under the capable and energetic direction of Rev. Father Frank Corkery, an old Ottawa College boy, who before taking charge of this large and flourishing parish, was curate at St. Brigid's Church, where he was identified with the Rev. Father Fay.
Father Corkery, in his brief ministry at Osgoode, has won the respect and admiration of all classes of the citizens. The new church is the direct outcome of his enthusiastic endeavours and will be a fitting monument to his work. Messrs. Millson and Burgess are the architects who have designed the church, and their plans have resulted in a simple and imposing structure. The appeal for funds to meet the building expense has so far been very satisfactory, and Father Corkery is delighted with the progress made. It is proposed to hold a series of euchres and concerts during the coming winter, the proceeds of which are to be devoted to defraying the cost of the building of the church. All the parishioners are heartily supporting Father Corkery in his work of giving to South Osgoode a fine new church.

Rev. Father Frank Corkery.
Parish Priest of South Osgoode, Ont. Father Corkery took his Arts courses at Ottawa College, and was ordained from the Grand Seminary, Montreal. He is the son of Mr. John Corkery, of Pakenham, and has been successively at St. Brigid’s and Blessed Sacrament parishes as curate. Father Corkery’s two brothers are both in khaki.

Three Ottawa parishes with which Rev. Frank Corkery, now parish priest of Osgoode has been popularly Identified — St Brigid’s, the Blessed Sacrament Church at the Glebe, and St. Joseph’s — will send large contingents to his picnic on Saturday in Osgoode, near Greely’s Corners.

Mr. R. H. Millson of Ottawa, who is the Architect of the new St. John’s Church, in Osgoode, expects the imposing edifice now in course, of construction, to be ready for service this fall. St. John’s is one of the pioneer parishes of the Ottawa district and dats back to the day of By Town and Bishop Guigues.

Dr. Leech, Dr. Byres and Dr. Howard, of Ottawa, have consented to act as judges at the Osgoode Baby Show, which is a feature at Father Frank Corkery’s annual picnic in McEvoy’s grove on Saturday. Mrs. Millson and the Misses Laderoute will conduct the ladies fancy work auction. Several returned soldiers who were college friends of the Osgoode pastor, and his two brothers who are still in the uniform, will direct the athletic sports.

The ceremony of laying the cornerstone of the new Roman Catholic church which is being erected in St. John the Evangelist parish, Osgoode, Ont., was conducted at four o'clock yesterday afternoon, by Mgr. Routhier, vicar-general of Ottawa diocese. Mgr. Routhier was assisted by Rev. Father Martin, who acted as master of ceremonies, and Rev. Father Prudhomme, of South Gloucester, and Rev. Father Gorman, of Metcalfe, Ont., who acted as deacon and sub-deacon respectively. More than two thousand people attended the ceremony. The sermon was preached by Rev. Father Finnigan, O. M. I., of St. Joseph's Church, Ottawa.

Members of the Roman Catholic clergy of Ottawa who attended the ceremony were: Rev. Father Fay, pastor of St. Brigid's Church, Rev. Fathers P. C. Harris, of the Blessed Sacrament Church, and Rev. Father Fitzgerald, of St. Mary's Church. The Ottawa Council of the Knights of Columbus, of which Rev. Father F. Corkery, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church, is a member, was represented by a committee composed of E. P. Gleeson, F. X. Laderoute, and J. Vaughn.

The decorations on the platform erected to accommodate the attendants were arranged by Miss Moore and the ladles of the Tabernacle Society of St John's Church.

Special to The Journal.

OSGOODE, Out., Sept 22. — Work is to be started Shortly on a new Roman Catholic church to replace the edifice now used by the members of St John’s parish, on the Ottawa-Prescott road about 4 miles from Osgoode Station, four from Bray's Crossing and five from Metcalfe. It win go up near the site of the structure used at present, which was erected 63 ago at what was then Dawson, P.O., by the fathers and grandfathers, largely pioneers out from Ireland, of the present members of the parish.

The new church, which will be of stone, will be built on much more pretentious plans than was possibly ever dreamed of by the families living there when the parish was founded over half a century ago by the late Rev. Thomas O'Boyle. It will be adorned with a high tower and will have a comfortable and commodious sacristy.

Rev. Father Frank Corkery, the present rector, and his parishioners decided to go ahead with the new church rather reluctantly, favoring deferring a start until after the war. However, the ravages of time have rendered the present building unsuitable for worship and it is absolutely necessary that it be replaced. The possibility of being able to erect the church at less cost within a decade after hostilities conclude is looked upon as doubtful.

There are about 70 families in St. John's parish, the majority of them prosperous farmers. The church will be on the proposed route of the new Ottawa-Prescott highway. When it is built, the 17 or so miles will make a pleasant Sunday morning run, which will no doubt appeal to many Ottawa motor car owners who are former members of the parish.

Rev. Father Frank Corkery is well known in Ottawa, where he attended university and for a time was pastor of Blessed Sacrament church. He was also curate at St. Bridget's church for a time. He is getting the whole-hearted support of his parishioners in the erection of the new church, plans for which have bean approved by His Grace Archbishop Gauthier. Former rectors of the parish were Fathers James McGowan, Edward Vaughan, Dawson, P. McGouey, T. J. Cole, Constantineau, W. McCauley and Brownrigg.

Rev. Frank Corkery. who was such a great favorite with St. Briget’s congregation, and also at the Glebe, when called there to act as curate after the departure of Father O’Gorman for the war, has been appointed parish priest of Osgoode church. Archbishop Gauthier thought he was too young yet to be given charge of a city parish.

A drawing in aid of the building fund of St John's Roman Catholic Church. South Osgoode, was recently held. Among the prizes were a cow and a set of harness which were won by Provost and Allard and R. J. Devlin respectively.

The committee in charge was com posed of Rev. Father McCauley and Messrs, M. Daly, J. Herbert, P. McEvoy and T. Daly.

Arrangements are being made for the holding of a bazaar shortly after Christmas. A musical programme will be given each evening and the tickets are already being sold. The proceeds will be expended on the erection of a new presbytery.