PARISH HISTORY
The Preston area was first settled as early as 1800 by German-speaking Mennonites from Pennsylvania. They came, in part, to find land on which they could follow their preferred lifestyle and practise their faith away from the influence of cities. That influx of settlers was followed by a second, larger wave of immigrants from Germany and the German-speaking regions of Switzerland. Along with their skills, the new settlers brought with them a variety of beliefs. One writer suggests that by 1847, as many as 30 religious denominations were present in Preston, along with a sprinkling of free thinkers and atheists. Of the religious denominations, Lutherans formed the largest group; second to the Lutherans in number were Roman Catholics.
There is some disagreement among early commentators concerning the size of Preston’s Catholic population in the early years. One source indicates that in 1837, the entire Catholic population of Preston and vicinity consisted of 34 males and 34 females. Yet in June 1837, Father John Louis Wiriath, the first missionary to serve Preston, gave it a Catholic population of 105 members from 23 families.
In the early days, too few priests covered too large an area for one man to pastor the Catholics of Preston. From 1827 to 1889, Preston’s Catholics were served by missionary priests stationed in New Germany (now Maryhill), Berlin (now Kitchener), St. Agatha and Guelph. From 1889 to 1905, Preston’s Catholics were the responsibility of the priests of St. Patrick’s Church in Galt.
There is some disagreement among early commentators concerning the size of Preston’s Catholic population in the early years. One source indicates that in 1837, the entire Catholic population of Preston and vicinity consisted of 34 males and 34 females. Yet in June 1837, Father John Louis Wiriath, the first missionary to serve Preston, gave it a Catholic population of 105 members from 23 families.
In the early days, too few priests covered too large an area for one man to pastor the Catholics of Preston. From 1827 to 1889, Preston’s Catholics were served by missionary priests stationed in New Germany (now Maryhill), Berlin (now Kitchener), St. Agatha and Guelph. From 1889 to 1905, Preston’s Catholics were the responsibility of the priests of St. Patrick’s Church in Galt.
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On March 25, 1905, St. Clement’s Parish was established, with Father Jonas Lenhard moving from St. Patrick’s Church to serve as our first Pastor. Father Lenhard’s pastorship was brief, only to March 18, 1906. He was succeeded by: Msgr. William C. Gehl - Pastor.................. April 8, 1906, to July 26, 1925 Msgr. Paul J. Meyer, Pastor.......................July 28, 1925, to March 8, 1959 Fr. Francis Hawkins, Administrator........March 8, 1959, to July 26, 1960 Fr. Vincent M. Shea, Pastor........................... July 17, 1960, to July 10, 1980 Fr. Leonard P. Cullaton, Pastor.....................July 2, 1980, to June 28, 1995 Fr. Philip P. Sherlock, Pastor..................... June 28, 1995, to June 24, 2015 Fr. Peter Tuyen Nguyen, Pastor................June 24, 2015, to June 30, 2021 Fr. Mariusz Durbajlo, Pastor ............................ June 30, 2021, to June 2022 Fr. Bradley Markus, Pastor............................................ June 2022 to present |
Our wooden altar, circa 1910, in its original home: St. Patrick's Church, Hamilton.
In about 1844, the first Catholic church was built in Preston, primarily by members of the congregation. It was said to be the first quarry-stone church erected west of Toronto.
Construction of the present church began late in the summer of 1911, and the old stone church was dismantled in 1915.
Services took place in the church basement until the main structure was completed. The finished church was dedicated on Sunday, November 26, 1922.
It remains the home in which we worship as a community, despite the catastrophic fire set by an arsonist in the wee morning hours of Sunday, December 26, 1971.
Christmas, circa 1970.
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Christmas morning, present-day, from the choir loft.
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Our parish has grown slowly but steadily. By the 1970’s, church membership comprised about 4,000 members from some 1,000 families: A substantial increase from the 635 families and 2,560 members reported in 1956. Because of Preston’s increasing Catholic population, the church acquired a property opposite St. Michael’s School on Concession Road, where a second Catholic church could be built if numbers warranted and finances allowed.
That second church was never built but St. Clement’s Parish continues to provide spiritual guidance to about 3,100 families, including two Catholic elementary schools – St. Michael’s and St. Joseph’s – and, in part, to St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School.
Pastoral care is provided to the Catholic residents of four nursing homes – Marian Residence, Golden Years Nursing Home, Fairview Mennonite Home and Cambridge Country Manor. And until the restrictions of the pandemic, home visits were made to our homebound and elderly parishioners.
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