St. Michael's Basilica (Miramichi, New Brunswick) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Michael's Basilica, Miramichi |
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| Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel | |
St. Michael's Basilica, Miramichi
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 St. Michael's Basilica, Miramichi
Location in New Brunswick
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| 47°01′34″N 65°27′56″W / 47.0261°N 65.4656°W | |
| Location | 10 Howard Street Miramichi, New Brunswick |
| Country | Canada |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | stmichaelsbasilica.com |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Dedicated | 1921 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | P. Keely |
| Architectural type | neo-Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 1,200 people |
| Materials | sandstone and marble |
The Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel is a large and important church in Miramichi, New Brunswick, Canada. It sits on a hill and looks out over the Miramichi River. This church is a very noticeable building in the area that used to be the town of Chatham, New Brunswick. It is also one of the biggest churches in Eastern Canada.
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Building Design and Size
St. Michael's Basilica is one of the largest churches in Canada, especially east of Quebec City. It is built in a style called neo-Gothic, which means it looks like old Gothic churches from the Middle Ages. The building is made of sandstone.
The church was designed by Patrick Keely, a famous architect. He also designed other big churches like Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. St. Michael's Basilica is about 15 feet (4.6 meters) taller than Holy Name Cathedral. It is a bit narrower but about the same length. Holy Name Cathedral can hold more people, about 1,520, while St. Michael's can hold 1,200.
Building the basilica started in 1903 and was finished in 1921. Inside, the main part of the church, called the nave, and the room where priests prepare, called the sacristy, are decorated with Italian marble. The tall spire of the church can be seen from many miles away. It is especially easy to spot when you are coming into Chatham from the north, after crossing the Centennial Bridge over the Miramichi River.
Church Community
St. Michael's Basilica has a special history with the Irish Catholics who moved to New Brunswick a long time ago. Many of them came before the Great Famine in Ireland. Even in the 1980s, many people would attend church services every day during Lent. The church helped these new Catholic immigrants, no matter where they came from, keep their unique identity.
The church helped bring people together. The parish connected to St. Michael's has a long history of training priests for the local area. Some priests also went to other countries or to Western Canada to serve. However, by 1975, fewer people from Chatham were choosing to become priests.
Special Features of the Basilica
This basilica was once the main church, or cathedral, for a large area called the Diocese of Chatham. A diocese is a region managed by a bishop. In 1938, the main church of the diocese moved to Bathurst, which is about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north. The Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bathurst then became the new main church for the Diocese of Bathurst.
Some interesting parts of St. Michael's Basilica include:
- The Lady chapel, which is a smaller chapel to the west of the main church.
- A very tall single spire. This spire was once lit up by the Canadian Air Force because there was a fighter plane base nearby.
- A green copper roof.
- A matching building next to it called the Bishop's Palace.
The church's bells have been an important part of life in the town for a long time. They ring for funerals, for a daily prayer called the Angelus, and for special holidays like Easter and Christmas. There are also beautiful linden trees planted by Bishop James Rogers to the east of the basilica, in front of the palace.
Special Church Status
St. Michael's Basilica is unique because it was once a cathedral but lost that title in 1938 when the main church moved. It was then called a proto-cathedral until 1989. In that year, Pope John Paul II gave it a special honor by making it a minor basilica. This means it has a special connection to the Pope and the main church in Rome.
Past Leaders of the Church
Here are some of the parish priests who have served at St. Michael's Basilica since it was built:
- Monsignor Michael O'Keefe (1904–1934)
- Reverend Burns (1934–1946)
- Reverend William J. Wallace (1946–1961)
- Reverend Lynn McFadden (1961–1975)
- Reverend Bernard M.Broderick (1975–1982)
- Reverend Peter Bagley (1982–1988)
- Reverend Leon Creamer (1988–1993)
- Reverend Leo Sullivan (served after 1993)
- Reverend Joseph Daley (1993–1996)
- Reverend Paul Riley (1996–1999)
- Reverend John Fraser (1999–2015)
- Reverend John Beaumaster (2015–2017)
- Reverend Paul Doucet (2017–2021)
- Reverend Arockia Dass Chinnappan, HGN (2018–2021)
- Reverend Daniel Bastarache (2021 – present)
- Reverend Antonio Reyes (2021 – present)
See also
In Spanish: Basílica de San Miguel Arcángel (Miramichi) para niños
- Saint Michael: Roman Catholic traditions and views
