Pew Rent

Priests of Marmora:

• 1825 - 1842Travelling priests

• 1842 - 1850: Father Brennan (click here)

• 1851 - 1856: Father Begley

• 1856 Father Quinlan

• 1856 - 1869: Father Lawlor

• 1869 - 1894: Father Thomas Davis (built brick church 1875)

• 1894 - 1920: Father Thomas Murtagh( First full time resident priest - built the rectory 1895 & stone church 1903-04. Died in the Rectory on Feb. 28, 1920)

• 1920 (Sept) - 1923: Father John Hanley

• 1923 - 1925: Father Andrew M. Traynor

• 1925 - 1928: Father J. J, O'Reilly

• 1928 - 1938: Father J. J. Keeley

• 1938 - 1949: Father H. J. Farrell

• 1949 - 1953: Father J. A. O'Neill (built church hall under the church)

• 1953 - 1966: Father Walter P. Healey

• 1966 - 1967: Father F. J. Spence - became Archbishop of Kingston Diocese

• 1967 - 1974: Father T. G. Scanlan 1967-1977

• Father Patrick Carty 1977-1987

• Father John Grainger1987-1994

• Father John Brennan 1994-

• Father Mark Chochrek

• Father John Gillis

• Father Albert Joseph “Joe” McAuley (died in a boating accident in Prescott Aug. 11, 1999)

To read more details of the parish priests, click here.

Marmora Herald,  May 1915 Archbishop Michael Joseph Spratt of the Kingston Diocese visited the Sacred Heart Church, Marmora, on May 31,1915. There were 46 boys and girls in the class for Confirmation that Sunday. Each of the children took a solemn pledge to abstain from the use of alcoholic drink of any kind until after their 21st birthday. His Grace also took a strong stand in regard to some of the modem fashions and dances. He denounced the wearing of short sleeves as a return to barbarism. He said that some of the dances caused people to act like wild people and this was displeasing to the Almighty.

Click here for the Gallery of Marmora Priests 

This structure was not completed without altercations. At one stage, the contractor, James McNeil, a Marmora man originally from P.E.I., locked the church until he would be paid "something on account". Father Davis' instructions to the building committee, contained in letters from his house in Hungerford Township and still on file at the Catholic Church,  concerning pledges for the building of the church, are a reflection of a strong character, one might say.  

On October 26, 1894, when Archbishop Cleary visited Marmora to administer Confirmation, he announced that Marmora was to have a resident pastor.   Father Thomas Murtagh was appointed, and one of his first challenges was to build the present rectory which was erected in 1895 at a cost of $1950. Archbishop Gauthier's first visit to the parish in 1896, to canonically erect the Stations of the Cross, was a milestone in the parish annals. His Grace was met at Marmora CNR station, three miles from the village, by the parishioners in a body, and,  preceded by the village band,  the procession travelled in dignity and style to the rectory.

Sacred Heart Cemetery, Marmora

Rev. Thomas Murtagh suffered a heart attack on Feb. 28, 1920 after having suffered an attack of influenza in 1918 that left him weakened.  "Born in Ireland in 1863, he was educated at St. Nells College, Dublin,  For three years after coming to Canada,  he was attached to St. Mary's Cathedral, Kingston,  and then appointed curate to the late Father Davis, Madoc.  As a result of his great ability,  the present splendid stone church was erected,  the handsome and commodious presbytery built and furnished,  the ground beautified,  and the cemetery enlarged and the Separate School built.

In 1903 the beautiful brick church in Marmora, recently cleared of debt,  was hit by lightning and burned with all its contents. In 1904 Father Murtagh directed his courageous flock in building the stone church that now stands. The foundation was built by Richard Sheehy of Peterborough, for $1300; the superstructure by Caspar Speagle of Westport, for $11,460.

The Archbishop had selected 6 men from 17 nominations made at a parish meeting, to form a "Committee of Management of Financial Affairs", one of them being co-treasurer with the pastor. There is no evidence that Father Murtagh encountered any such difficulties as Father Davis did with the contractors!

Archbishop Gauthier laid the cornerstone on May 8, 1904, and blessed the completed church on November 20, 1904 when the first mass was held. The Stations of the Cross were erected that evening; the church bell,  christened Hugo Bernard, was installed the next morning.

Father Murtagh died in February 1920, and was buried in the parish cemetery close by the church he had built. In his 26 years in Marmora he had become a living legend. The names of the pastors who succeeded him are to be found in the list appended to this narrative.
In the early church records, all hand-written, the visits of the various archbishops are the highlights of parish life.

• On Sunday, July 5, 1925, Sacred Heart parish observed its centennial with solemn Mass. Rev. Capt. J. F. Nicholson gave the sermon.

• The parish hall under the church was built in 1950, while Father J. A, O'Neill was pastor.

• Father F. J. Spence, during his year as parish priest of Marmora, was raised to the rank of Monsignor, and then consecrated Bishop.

• Native sons of Marmora who have been ordained to the priesthood include Father Donald Gillen, now retired in Calgary, Father Francis Quinlan, OMI, Father Wilfred Terrion, Father Leo Forestell, SJ, and Father Karl Clemens.

• (Addendum: Since 1974, ordained priests include Father Shawn Hughes, and Father Michael Gauvereau)

• Nuns include Sister Mary Josephine O'Neill, Sister Mary Bernard Finnegan, & Sister Audrey Mantle

The list of parishioners in Sacred Heart parish, Marmora, still reads like a catalogue of Irish heroes, seasoned with a sprinkling of other European names. And we believe these parishioners still hold the strong convictions of those hardy pioneers who built their little church here150 years ago,  and dedicated it to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
March 12, 1974. Helen M. Brady

Tom Murtagh, grand nephew of Father Murtagh writes from Dublin, Ireland:

The 28th of February 2020 is the 100 year anniversary of the death of my  grand uncle,  Fr. Thomas Murtagh,  who I understand was the Parish Priest credited with arranging the building of this lovely Marmora church in 1904. He is buried in the nearby graveyard. If you happen to visit the church can I ask you to say a prayer for him and all the other priests and parishioners whose work made the Marmora community a kinder gentler place over the years.

Back in 1983, I spent about 24 hours in Marmora when I was on  a whistle stop driving tour with a few friends of east coast USA and Canada. I met the parish priest who brought me to meet and chat with  two elderly parishioners who remembered Fr Murtagh. I still remember those conversations, as  I guess it’s because they made the history so tangible. ….. Fr Murtagh’s home church where he was baptised is the Church of the Sacred Heart Carrickedmend Co. Longford. Ireland. His parents’ home and farm were  located close to the River Inny and Royal Canal where, like most young people in the area, he would have learned to fish. I guess his early years in Ireland had a great influence on him. 

 Karl Clemens was ordained to the priesthood in December, 1972.  (no photo)

Shawn Hughes and brother Jodi "a long time ago"

SISTER ST. EDWARD. Photo sent to us by Vince Lynch (Jr) whose father was Vince Lynch (Sr.) He writes: “My dad’s brother, Frank was a twin to Margaret Lynch. (They all attended the Marmora Continuation school) Aunt Margaret also went into teaching and she (like Marguerite Finnegan) joined the Sisters of St. Joseph and adopted the name Sister St. Edward. In this photo, Margaret is on the left, beside her great-aunt Catherine Ryan, (associated with the Lynch-Ryan sawmills) known as Sister St. James. On the right is Margaret’s cousin Helen Ryan. BELOW is Sister St. Edward, at the 41st anniversary of her brother Vince (in blue) accompanied by his wife, Anna Maloney, and brother-in-law, Jim Cosgrove

FATHER FRANCIS JOSEPH QUINLAN (1915-1980) (photo sent by Cornelius Quinlan)

Although perhaps not a native of Marmora, but rather Madoc, Father Francis Quinlan was part of a family that spread into the Marmora area. Both his brothers, Leo and Bernard lived in Marmora, as did his grandfather’s brother, Cornelius Quinlan (1851-1921), buried in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Marmora. His parents were David Quinlan and Mary Foley from Madoc.