Page 185 - Transcriptions d'actes notariés - Tome 20 - 1682-1686

iounded in 1827 by John Galt, a representaiive of the Canada Coiiipany.
In the same year Galt asaigned propefiy in the new townsite to Bishop
Macdonell lor the erection 01 a Gtholie church and wminary, This
wae lhe ideal height of ground overlooking the town stiii occupied by
the principal Cai holic estabiishments 01 Guelph. The fi rst Catholic
chureh was built ihere by the Rev. John Cullen, who reported it under
construetion on May 13, 1833. The first resident priest was Rev. Thomas
Gibney, who arrived in Guelph in 1837. Aecording to Spetz, he rernained
there until October, 1846.(28) During his tenure, the original church was
destroyed by fire, on October 10, 1W, and Fr. Gibney undertook to
rebuild it in stone. He died, however, before the new ehurch was colii-
pleted, epparently the rictitti of accidentel death, on Oetober 17, 1M.
Subsequent resident priests were: the Rev. Sixnon Senderl, C.SS.R.,
1M6-50; the Rev. John Cullen again, lG0-1852; and ilie Rev. John
Holzer, S.J., 1852-63.
Fr. Sanderl was given ehargc of the German missions in Waterloo
County by Bishop Gaulin, euceessor to Bishop Maedonell. He arrived
in the di~trict in 1844, and niade his home in Wilmot, living in two
roorris of a ehurch-sehool there for two years. In October, 1M7, Fr.
Sanderl left Wilmot to take up residenee in Guelph. Difficulties with
a parishioner concerning the burial of a child in 1850 iorced his depart-
ure from Guelph, and he aoug-ht refuge in a hermitage on an idand in
Puelinch Lake, wherc he remained for some iwo years.(28' In 1852, he
went to Gethsernani, Kentucky, and joined the Trappists. He dicd there,
February 27, 1879.
The Sciciety of Jesus undertiiol the care of Guelph mission iu 1852,
in the person of the Rev. John Holzer; and the lesnits rernained in
charge of that parish until the 1930's. Fr. Holzer wae a very eolorful
and energetic figure amiing the group of early Upper Canadian clerm.
A native of Austria, hc had been profeesor at the Jesuit uniiersi~y in
lnnebruck until the revolutiünary activity of the late 1840's forced hirn 10
flee into Rnssia. One of his eompanions in flight is eaid to have beeu
Maximilian Bonaparte, the laler ill-starred emperor of Mexieo. Fr.
Hiilzer eventually made hie way to America, and became sttached to
the Jmuit Mission of New York, which ineluded Canada at that time.
He was ~ubse~uently sent by his superiors to the diocese of Toronto
and, along with the Rev. William Kei~ler, S.J., was appointed to the

Spetz slso speaks of en abortive aitempi 10 brgin a Gtmian language Ceiho-
lic wcekiy, Ncuigkeiien, in 1056. but no copieu or ihe peper ore exlanl. Berlin
acquircd a pernisnenl pastor in ihe Rev. Louis Funcken, C.R.. when he movrd
op.
his St. Jeroine's College from Wilmot io Berlin in 1866 (S~PI~ cit., p.
107).
(28) spctq op.cii., p. 247.
(2B) Thc siory, ~old by Spetq iu ~hal Fr. Sauderl reluerd to bury a child's body
uniil after her pnreni had contributecl a st-ipend 10 the priesl, whcrtupon
the Iather, reiueing ro do BO, took ihc body and buned it himeli. Apprirentiy
lhere was generel resentmeut in ihe community sgainst Fr. Sanderl becanse
of hi* unjustifiable siand in the mittcr. and he gave up his charge; Spet~
op. cil., p. 17.