St. Dominic's Parish Events

St. Dominic's Parish, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Roman Catholic Diocese of Thunder Bay

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ST. DOMINIC PARISH: A HISTORY
1912 - 1987
Roy and Diane Piovesana
Italian Translation
by
Giovanna Zovatto
St. Dominic Parish
130 Redwood Avenue
Thunder Bay, Ontario
1987

St. Dominic Parish, 1987.
ISBN 0-9693203-1-0

DEDICATION
This work is dedicated to all pastors and parishioners of St. Dominic's Parish whose hard work, dedication, and generosity made our new church possible.
Cover: Architectural drawing of St. Dominic Church
courtesy of Ranta and Tett Architects.

19. Fr. Daniel Lapolla, c.s. Pastor 1997- Present
20. Fr. Mathew Mullamangallam (Associate)1997-1998
21. Fr. Rino Ziliotto, C.S. (Associate), October 1986 -2001
22. Fr. Fernando Canicula
23. Deacon Robert Debesys
24. Fr. Stanley Uche Anozie. s.m.m.m. (Associate)August 2002 - November 2003
25. Fr. Randal Morriseau (Associate) July 2004- Frebruary 2006
26. Fr. Angelo Risoli, c.s. (Associate) February 2005-September 2007
27. Fr. Victor DeGagné (Associate) July 1, 2010 - Present

ST. DOMINIC PARISH: A HISTORY
1912 - 1987
I MISSIONARY PRIESTS AMONG THE ITALIAN PEOPLE OF FORT WILLIAM
In 1912 St. Joseph's Italian Roman Catholic Church stood at the corner of McLaughlin and Connolly Streets in the East End of Fort William, Ontario. Several interpretations have been advanced as to the genesis of the church. Some suggest that the Italians of Fort William acquired a building at 534 McLaughlin Street and named it St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church. According to this interpretation, the church burned down in 1910. The Italian parishioners prevailed upon St. Peter's Parish, located at 706 McIntosh Street, to use their church with the proviso that the Italian and Slovak functions would not conflict. This sharing arrangement continued until the Italians rebuilt their church at 700 McLaughlin Street. Others suggest that both the Slovaks and Italians regularly attended St. Peter's Church. Sometime between 1907 and 1909 St. Peter's Church was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1911. Father Francis Crociata, Parish Priest of St. Anthony's in Port Arthur, suggested that the Italians of Fort William build their own church. Until the Italian Church was completed, the "Finn Church" situated at 520 McLaughlin Street was used for Italian services.'
Municipal and business records lend credence to the latter interpretation that St. Anthony's Parish in Port Arthur encouraged the creation of an Italian Church in the East End of Fort William. A title search for Block 37, lots 9 and 10, the land occupied by St. Joseph's Church, indicates that a 25 foot lot was sold by the Pigeon River Lumber Company to a group of trustees representing St. Joseph's Parish.2 Frank M. Ross, Angelo Desceplo, Louis Belluz, Bruno Mazza, Father Francis Crociata, and the Episcopal Corporation of the Sault Ste. Marie Diocese accepted the responsibility of paying $791.31 for the property. Whatever the interpretation, the Assessment Rolls of the City of Fort William (1913) and the Chas. E. Goad Co. Insurance Plan of Fort William, 1911 (1913) indicate the existence in 1912 of a building, constructed entirely of wood, named St. Joseph's Church at the corner of McLaughlin and Connolly Streets.
This modest wooden structure was destined to serve the spiritual needs of the Italian people of Fort William for over seventy years. During this time an Italian-born or an Italian-speaking priest led and supervised the activities of the parish. For the Italian immigrant in Fort William this was important. St. Joseph's Italian Roman Catholic Church served as a vital link between a way of life centred in a small Italian village and an uncertain and, at times, frightening way of life in a northern Canadian urban environment. Initially, St. Joseph's offered Sunday mass in Italian and conducted baptismal, marriage and funeral services when required.
Later, the services in Italian were expanded to include daily mass, religious processions, and the blessing of homes.
What type of community was St. Joseph's destined to serve? According to The Report of a Preliminary and General Social Survey of Fort William, directed, interestingly enough, by the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches of Canada, the Italian population of Fort William rose from 863 in 1910 to 1,390 in 1912.3 What impressed those who conducted this survey was the overcrowded conditions among the people in the East End of Fort William. In the block enclosed by McTavish, McIntyre, McLaughlin, and Christie Streets 292 persons were counted of which 111 were Italian. One six room house included 17 Italians while another three room residence housed 13 Italians.4 Although this report suggests that their findings might have been on the conservative side, a careful examination of the City of Fort William Assessment Rolls (used for determining property taxes) would indicate that the social survey findings were right on the mark. The assessment roll (Wards 1 and 2) for 1913 commonly showed a single dwelling owned by Italians with anywhere from 10 — 16 residents. Who were these residents? The owner and his family accounted for 5 — 7 of the occupants. It is not unreasonable to suggest that the others were predominantly male Italian immigrant boarders.
St. Joseph's was to become part of a cluster of churches situated in this ethnically dominated area of Fort William. As mentioned previously, St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church was situated at 615 Connolly Street, , a Ukrainian Orthodox Church had recently been built at 639 McPherson Street, and a Ruthenian Church (Holy Transfiguration Ukrainian Catholic Church) was soon to be built at 629 MacIntosh Street. This prompted an observation in the 1913 Social Survey that "the greatest growth at present is among the non-Anglo-Saxon population. ... A visit to the Catholic Churches in the Coal Dock Section on a Sunday morning reveals that these churches are bringing the men to their doors; they constitute the vast majority of the congregation."5
It was to this growing community of Italian immigrants that several dedicated priests, based in St. Anthony' Parish, turned their attention fora decade after 1912. Father Francis Crociata was the first to divide his time between St. Anthony's in Port Arthur and St. Joseph's in Fort William's East End. The stress of overseeing the spiritual needs of both parishes brought on poor health and Father Crociata left the Thunder Bay region in 1914. An examination of the parish marriage and baptismal registers indicates that for six months Father Vincent Giuliano ministered to the Italians of the East End. Like Father Crociata, poor health caused Father Giuliano to leave the parish. The baptismal records from October 1914 to August 1916 reveal the signature of Father Angelo Sansone who adds the word "Parroco" to let everybody know that he was the Pastor of St. Joseph's. This name does not appear in the records of St. Anthony's Church.?
The most notable parish priest at St. Joseph's during this first decade was Domenico Alfonso Tomaselli. At the age of 39 Father Tomaselli became pastor of St. Anthony's on 14 May 1915. In the following year he assumed responsibility for St. Joseph's parish as wel1.8"For over six years the new pastor was in charge of both parishes having to offer the Holy Sacrifice each Sunday in both cities. ... In these early days both parishes were in a deplorable condition, not only financially but in other respects as well. St. Joseph's Church, Fort William, was a mere shell, without seating accommodation for the congregation, inadequately heated, and the interior was of unfinished lumber." One parishioner recalled that the church was built on wooden pilings.9 The church was heated in winter with an old stove situated in a "dugout" basement. Within five years however, the bell and bell tower were added,'° pews were purchased, and the interior of the church was finished. In addition, ten stain glassed windows were installed; two were situated at the main entrance and eight in the body of the church. The purchase and installation of the stained glass windows was made possible by generous donations on the part of individual parishioners.
During these formative years the role of St. Joseph's Church within the Italian community of Fort William was restricted to providing essential religious services. From 1912 to 1921 the parish witnessed 469 Baptisms, 74 Marriages, and 86 Funerals)] Little or no evidence exists to suggest that any organizations developed within the church or that the church became involved in the secular concerns of its people.
For a church to develop a community and to broaden its role within the lives of those associated with it a full time parish priest was needed. In 1921 that pastor was Father Don Ferdinando Capresi. Born in Florence, Italy in 1863, Ferdinando Capresi was ordained in 1888. It is not known when he left Italy but we do know from the testimony of Father A.J. Murray in 1933 that Father Capresi emigrated to the United States and worked hard and successfully among the Italians of Philadelphia." Presumably after the First World War, Father Capresi settled in Fort William. "He came to this northern land", remarked Father A.J. Murray "so very different from the sunny soil of his native Lombardy, to devote his life, his time and his talents to the Italian immigrants — that he might give them the many consolations of their religion."
Those who knew Father Capresi during the 1920s referred to him as a "good man", a "saintly man"," a man who lived in abject poverty in the East End of Fort William. Parishioners vividly recall that often during the winter months of the late 1920s and early 1930s weekday masses were not held in the church proper but in a room in the rectory kept warm by a small heater. The parish could not afford to purchase coal to fuel the main furnace of the church. Since most of the parishioners were first generation immigrants they found employment in the CPR freight sheds and the coal docks and worked "on call" for no more than forty or fifty cents an hour. Needless to say contributions from the parishioners were indeed meager. The people of the East End felt a sense of pity and respect for this parish priest who would beg people for food not only for the poor of the parish but for himself as well.
Notwithstanding the poverty in which the parish found itself, significant advances were made in structural changes to the church and in religious services offered to the people. In 1924 a rectory was added to the church. Moreover, regular masses were held on Sundays at 8:00 and 10:30 A.M. and every morning at 7:30 A.M. All sermons were delivered in Italian. In addition, Father Capresi initiated the annual "mission". Every October or November a missionary priest would come to St. Joseph's for a week to deliver a series of sermons in Italian relating to the scriptures, ethics, and family life. So successful were these missions that they attracted capacity crowds and were continued by successive parish priests through to the late 1950s.
Father Capresi's impact on St. Joseph's Parish manifested itself not only in the physical changes made to the church or in the expanded religious services offered to the Italian people but most importantly, in the parishioners' respect and affection for him. This was clearly evident at Father Capresi's funeral held at St. Joseph's Church on 19 March 1933. A solemn pontifical mass was celebrated by His Excellency, David Joseph Scollard, Bishop of the Sault Ste. Marie Diocese. Only a few of the 1500 attending the funeral service could gain access to the church. Rev. A.J. Hogan was master of ceremonies; the organist was Joe Brunetta; and an eloquent eulogy was presented by Rev. A.J. Murray. To one of the largest audiences to occupy St. Joseph's Church, Father Murray referred to Father Capresi as "a missionary priest among the Italian people of Fort William."
It was left to Father Arthur Joseph Murray to carry on this "missionary work". Father Murray was Pastor of St. Joseph's (renamed St. Dominic on 3 April 1936) from 5 March 1933 to 9 December 1945.14 The parish or Diocesan records do not reveal the place or date of Father Murray's birth and early life. We do know however, that he attended the Grand Seminary of Montreal for a time after 1921,15 and that he was ordained on 11 June 1924.16 Apparently he studied in Rome for several years and developed a fluency and eloquence in Italian that was truly remarkable." After spending a brief time in Sault Ste. Marie, Father Murray came to St. Joseph's Church at the height of the economic depression in 1933.
The continued poverty caused by the economic depression of the 1930s prompted Father Murray to assist his parishioners in a variety of ways. He was able to do this because of his wide circle of friends and acquaintances in Fort William's business community and in city offices.18 From time to time, Father Murray was able to find employment for his parishioners, to cut through government red tape in order to obtain necessary papers and documents like passports, and to help the unemployed obtain relief from the city.

Several individuals who were in their teens during the 1930s fondly recall Father Murray's influence in helping them to attend St. Patrick's High School without having to pay the necessary tuition fees or to pay for textbooks.19 It was this type of assistance rendered to his parishioners that gained Father Murray the reputation of being a charming, well-liked populist priest who was good to the Italian people and who lived in poverty without outwardly complaining.
Despite the harsh economic circumstances of the time, the parishioners of St. Joseph's felt a pressing need to make further additions and structural changes to the church. During the mid-1930s, as economic conditions began to improve, the men of the parish worked closely with the Principe di Piemonte Society, led at the time by Mr. Frank Charry, in raising funds to paint the exterior of the church, repair the roof, construct a concrete basement under the church, insulate the interior, and install a new heating system. A portion of the cost for these renovations was borne by the Diocesan Chancellor and by fund raising activities initiated by the recently formed St. Dominic's Church Men's Club.20
Each of these renovations, in addition to incidental expenses accumulated from time to time, prompted St. Dominic's Church Men's Club to organize a fundraising campaign in 1944 to eliminate a debt of approximately $5,000. To accomplish this the entire parish was canvassed in June of 1944. The canvas resulted in 415 contributions totalling $3,322.80.21 The contributions ranged from $1.00 to $200.00. Of the 415 contributions 15 were from the city at large, 3 from organizations associated with the parish (e.g. the Italian Ladies Club, Societa Principe di Piemonte, Societa Veneta), and 1 from the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Parish. Based on the last names of all other contributors (396), one might assume that they were all from St. Dominic's Parish. Not all of the 396 represented families. In the absence of an official parish census a conservative estimate might be that, in 1945, St. Dominic's parish consisted of approximately 260 families.
This fund raising venture initiated by the Men's Club met its objective. With additional proceeds from a bingo and "other receipts", the financial report included the following statement: "The committee takes this opportunity of expressing its appreciation and thanks to the parishioners and friends who helped make this year a memorable one in the history of the parish. Our church is now free of debt." Mr. Gilles Menuz, vice-president of the Men's Club, credited the hard work of the organization over the last ten years as being responsible for freeing the church of debt. He estimated that since 1935 the Men's Club raised a total of $15,000 for improvements to the church.
To celebrate this watershed in the history of the parish a banquet and ceremony were held on April 4 1945 at the Italian Hall on McLaughlin Street with 350 people attending.

Congratulatory tributes were given by the Right Reverend Monsignor P.J. McGuire, representing the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, Mayor Anderson of the City of Fort William, and Fort William Alderman, Hubert Badanai. Perhaps the most meaningful sentiments were expressed by Father Murray when he thanked the "least of the Brethren as well as those in high position whether they had contributed the only dollar they had in their purse or had given a substantial sum towards the paying off of this long-standing debt."
This was indeed a memorable year for St. Dominic's Parish. In 1945 Father Murray ended 12 years as pastor of the Italian Church in Fort William. He returned to his native Ireland and based on the testimony of those parishioners who knew him, he passed away in Dublin in the early 1950s. Father Murray's successors were never to experience the difficulties he did in leading and caring fora parish during an economic depression the likes of which few would experience again in decades. Future pastors of St. Dominic's would have the luxury of better economic times in which to minister to the religious needs of the Italians of Fort William.

II YEARS OF CONSOLIDATION, 1945 — 1972
Immediately after Father Murray's departure in early December of 1945, Father Daniel China, a young Italian priest who spoke fluent English, carried on the religious services at St. Dominic's for a month.23 On 5 January 1946 Father Egidio Vallorosi came to St. Dominic's as "administrator" of the parish until 24 November.24 Because of the absence of records for 1946, it is not clear what the role of an administrator was. Presumably he was to maintain the status quo while a more permanent appointment was made by the Bishop.
That permanent appointee was Father Rosario Venti. He came to St. Dominic's at the beginning of the busy Christmas period on 8 December 1946. Born in Boston Massachusetts on 24 December 1905 and ordained in the Passionist Order of priests on 8 February 193125 he was to remain at St. Dominic's until 29 July 1948. Perhaps Father Venti's posting at St. Dominic's was in part to modernize the physical structure of the church. In this regard, Father Venti's preference would have been to tear down the existing structure and start anew. Although this was not possible, Father Venti brought about dramatic physical changes in the space of one year. "The present St. Dominic's Parish enjoys the distinction", wrote Father Venti in 1947, "of having been rebuilt, remodelled, refurnished and maintained by its own parishioners ... without help from bingos, bazaars or socials of any type. All this work has been accomplished in one year's time."26
Father Venti was much more than a builder. Conversations with those who knew him during the late 1940s reveal that he was perceived as a highly intelligent individual, an innovator, an eloquent and forceful speaker, and a man concerned with the youth of the parish.''-7 According to some, Father Venti was ahead of his time in leading public opinion on moral issues. He wanted to further break down barriers that existed between the various ethnic groups living in the East End of Fort William and, in so doing, create a unity of mood among the people of this community.
To this end, Father Venti worked closely with the youth of the parish. In the fall of 1945, during Father Murray's stay at St. Dominic's, the East End Boxing Club was formed under the sponsorship of the church. The boxing club then moved to the Italian Hall in 1946 as the "Italo-Canadian Boxing Club" to be administered by the "new youth" Italo-Canadian Sports Club that was formed within the Society Principe di Piemonte Society. In 1948 however, the boxing club moved back to St. Dominic's and was named "St. Dominic's Boxing Club." This move was made possible because Father Venti, himself a boxing enthusiast, transformed the entire basement of the church into a boxing gymnasium with all facilities necessary to train boys from 8 -. 20 years of age. Young boys of any nationality were welcomed to join this club.28
Bill Cella, the organizer and trainer in the boxing club, was justifiably proud of the early accomplishments of this athletic organization sponsored
red by St. Dominic's. During the first year weekly matches were held in the basement of the church where the ring was structured around the four pillars in the basement. More formal matches were staged in the Italian Hall on McLaughlin Street. In the space of two years St. Dominic's Boxing Club could boast three district championships; the lightweight class was won by Ernie Nistico, the flyweight class by Frank Mattarazzo, and the middleweight class by B. Powers. On 10 May 1947 Ernie Nistico fought for the Canadian lightweight championship at the Port Arthur Arena. The successes of this athletic organization undoubtedly brought the youth of the East End closer to the church.
Father Venti's eloquent sermons in both Italian and English and the enthusiasm with which he approached every aspect of parish activity motivated regular and capacity attendance at church services. Parishioners vividly recall that during Father Venti's years it was difficult to get a seat at the 10:30 Italian mass. Later, as Pastor of St. Anthony's Parish in Port Arthur, his radio programme, "Ave Maria", became the "talk of the town". More than just St. Dominic's and St. Anthony's parishioners listened intently to these programmes broadcast from 7:00 — 7:15 on Tuesday evenings. Protestants too were moved to discussion and debate over Father Venti's addresses relating to the lifestyle of the people, to the morality of the times, and to his anti-communist propaganda. Father Venti left St. Dominic's to spend a brief period in the Sudbury region and then returned to the Thunder Bay area to become pastor at St. Anthony's in 1949 and remained there until 1953.
Father Venti's successor at St. Dominic's was Father Vallorosi. Born in Pisterzo (Latina) Italy on 1 February 1915, Father Vallorosi came to Canada in 1939, settling in North Bay, and completing his seminary education at St. Augustine's Seminary, Toronto.29 He was ordained by Bishop R.H. Dignan, in the Pro-Cathedral Church, North Bay, on 21 December 1940. Father Vallorosi served in a variety of locations within the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie prior to returning to St. Dominic's in August of 1948 as Pastor.
Father Vallorosi later recalled that the parishioners at St. Dominic's were "very well united", "co-operative" and "a good loving people". Financial concerns were not present during this period; he had little difficulty in meeting the financial obligations of the parish. During his tenure as parish priest new siding was installed on the exterior of the church, the interior of the church was re-painted, and the statues in the church were "restored to their natural colours". These improvements were completed without incurring any debt.30 As a result, Father Vallorosi was able to focus on the spiritual activities of the parish. He took a particular interest in the work of the Legion of Mary. He was the first spiritual director of this organization when it held its first meeting on 7 May 1946 while he was appointed administrator of the parish.31 The emphasis of the Legion of Mary was neither social nor financial but spiritual.32 "The Legion acts as the supplement of the Priestly Ministry" wrote the President of St. Dominic's Legion of Mary, "facilitating the work of the pastors and enabling them to be in constant touch with their parishioners."33 Although the numbers of this organization were not significant (23 active listed in February 1949), Father Vallorosi was delighted with their dedication; he was particularly impressed with their programme of visiting the sick of the parish in local hospitals and sanitoriums.
It is not certain whether Father Vallorosi or Father Venti initiated a weekly bulletin, The Dominican, published by the parish. A careful examination of these bulletins during the 1950s reveals the ebb and flow of religious services offered within the parish, the activities of such organizations as the Legion of Mary and the Ladies' Altar Society, and the formal administration of sacraments. By the end of Father Vallorosi's stay at St. Dominic's Parish, these bulletins illustrate in a dramatic way that the parish was no longer led by pastors having to divide their time between two parishes or that economic concerns clouded the spiritual affairs of the parish. By the early 1950s the Italians of Fort William were given the opportunity to partake in the full array of services that the Roman Catholic Church could offer.
Church documents do not give us a glimpse of the nature and development of the important ministry of music. What we do know of the music of these early years comes to us from the oral testimony of those associated with the choir or from newspaper reports. It has been suggested that during the years 1912 - 1919, St. Anthony's entire choir and organ was transported to St. Joseph's for Sunday mass.34 Later, in 1933, on the occasion of Father Capresi's funeral, Joe Brunetta, A.T.C.M., was listed as being the organist at the funeral mass. In 1933, the family of Peter Belluz purchased an organ in Toronto and donated it to the Church. This gift would "fill a long felt want in St. Joseph's " remarked Father Murray, and "would be appreciated by the congregation for many years to come."35 During the 1930s and early 1940s Joe Brunetta was the principal organist at the church.36 His mother, Carrie Brunetta, was a key member of St. Dominic's choir up to the mid-1950s. Those who attended St. Dominic's fondly remember her clear, sometimes haunting melodious voice singing the Latin mass, every morning during Lent. In addition, Carrie Brunetta sang virtually every funeral mass during the 1940s and 1950s. Her dedication to church music and her consistent presence in the choir loft was an example and inspiration to other choir members.
During the late 1930s and early 1940s the name of Ralph Colosimo was associated not only with music at St. Dominic's Church but also with music in Fort William and Port Arthur generally. In 1917 an Italian band was formed in Fort William and Ralph Colosimo was a clarinetist in this band. In 1935 members of the Italian band played at Peter Belluz's funeral procession from his home to the Italian Church on McLaughlin Street.37 For a five year period Ralph Colosimo conducted St. Dominic's choir with Joe Brunetta as organist. On special occasions such as Christmas and Easter a choir and orchestra under the direction of Ralph Colosimo would accompany the mass.38 In November and December of 1942 for example, Ralph Colosimo conducted a choir of 60 and an orchestra of 25 to accompany masses at St. Dominic's .39 Masses such as this were broadcast over CKPR radio from St. Dominic's Church. In retrospect St. Dominic's was indeed fortunate in having talented musicians like Joe Brunetta, Ralph Colosimo and later organists such as Mary Cella, Mrs. Connolly, Vic (Sandrin) Curtola, Ida Dolcetti, Ann Todero, Lucille Johnson, and Janice (Buset) Henderson. These musicians were not only talented but dedicated to providing the best church music that added solemnity and emotion to the religious services that were held at St. Dominic's.
It was in this atmosphere that Father Daniel China officially became pastor of St. Dominic's on 10 March 1952. He was born on 15 November 1911 in the northern Italian city of Pordenone. The records do not indicate when he entered the Novitiate of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Turin or when he was ordained into that order. Prior to his arrival in Canada in 1950 Father China worked for some years in a variety of the apostolates of the Salesians and then went to India for seven years to engage in missionary work. He returned to Italy and for the next eight years resumed his apostolic activities in the areas around Rome in the Alban Hills. While Father China was visiting his brother-in-law and sister in the Thunder Bay area, His Excellency, R.H. Dignan, Bishop of the Sault Ste. Marie Diocese, persuaded him to remain in Canada to care for the Italian immigrants in Fort William.
Like his predecessors, Father China led the parishioners at St. Dominic's in a wide array of devotions that were familiar to Roman Catholics the world over. Masses were celebrated every morning at 8:00 A.M. On special occasions like "All Souls Day" (2 November) or when a "Mission" was being held at the Church (usually in English one week and Italian the next), several masses were held each morning. In addition, Benediction was held on Friday and Sunday evenings at 7:30 P.M. During Lent the Stations of the Cross were held on Wednesday and Friday evenings. The Feast of Corpus Christi in June occasioned a procession through the streets of the East End. Father China requested that houses along the procession route be appropriately decorated. The procession usually left St. Dominic's at 7:30 P.M. and proceeded to Connolly, McTavish, McIntyre, McLeod, Pacific and McIntosh Streets with Benediction being celebrated at St. Peter's School, St. Peter's Church and the Church of the Transfiguration (Ukrainian Catholic).
Regularly, Father China, in association with the teachers at St. Peter's Roman Catholic School, would prepare students to receive the sacraments of Holy Communion and Confirmation. The week prior to Communion Sunday (usually in May of every year) the children were brought into the church on a daily basis for instruction, practice, and then Confessions. To Father China this was perhaps one of the most important events in a child's life and he urged parents to take the occasion seriously. The following message appeared in the 25 May 1952 issue of The Dominican: "Next Sunday we shall have First Holy Communion. Every Father and Mother of each child receiving their First Holy Communion shall be present and receive Holy Communion also. I hope there will be no 'orphans' at the Communion rail." After the children received Holy Communion for the first time, a formal portrait of the Communion class was taken on the steps of the church with a proud Father China always in the photo.
Similarly, the administration of the sacrament of Confirmation was a solemn occasion with the presence of Bishop L.Q. Jennings at St. Dominic's for the full day. Receiving both of these sacraments prior to age 13 or 14 was no doubt intended to transform the youth of the parish into devout Roman Catholics. Very often this commitment to the Roman Catholic faith manifested itself in young people wanting to attend mass every morning during Lent. Teachers at St. Peter's school regularly surveyed classes to determine the attendance of students at mass during Lent. Needless to say a minority achieved this goal but it was a challenge to Roman Catholic youths.
Several church organizations and activities developed along side the religious services during the 1950s and 1960s. The Ladies of the Altar Society was one of the most active organizations in the church with a membership of over 60 by 1956.40 Although Bishop E.Q. Jennings encouraged the formation of Catholic Women's Leagues within the Diocese and inquired whether there was a possibility of forming a subdivision of this organization at St. Dominic's, there is no evidence to suggest that it ever got off the ground.41 Instead, it was the Ladies of the Altar Society that organized and sponsored an annual "spring tea", the proceeds of which went "to the benefit of the church"." In the early 1950s English classes were held in the church basement for the benefit of Italian immigrants. In addition, the basement of the church was at times transformed into a "mini" movie theatre. On 16 November 1952 Father China announced in the church bulletin that "immediately following Benediction, there will be movies. A small offering will be appreciated to cover the expenses of the film. All are welcome." From time to time a bingo was held to raise funds for the purchase of a new movie projector.
Bingos, donations by parishioners, and fund-raising activities by the Ladies of the Altar Society made possible several important improvements and additions to the church. From 1952 to 1955 Father China was able to install a new electronic bell system, a new sacristy ($5350), new pews, flooring, and carpeting for the altar area ($10,152.00). The expenditure of these funds signalled better economic times for the parish.
Improved economic conditions also prompted the Bishop of the newly created Diocese of Thunder Bay to request that funds from each parish be directed to the Diocese.43 Bishop Jennings indicated that a fund-raising campaign for the Diocese had been considered for a long time. The financial needs of the Diocese were considerable and since Fort William and Port Arthur, along with the rest of Canada, were enjoying a measure of propserity in 1957, there was every reason to believe that a fund-raising campaign would be a success.44 What was the purpose of this campaign? Bishop E.Q. Jennings wished to embark upon an ambitious programme that would assist with improvement projects in a number of parishes in the Diocese. More importantly however, his plans included the construction of a new cathedral in Fort William and a central Catholic High School for Thunder Bay. This high school would provide separate teaching facilities and residences for boys and girls. The "college" would come under the direction of religious groups. The records of the Diocese of Thunder Bay do not indicate whether this college was meant to replace or supplement the existing St. Patrick's High School. Presumably it was intended to replace the existing school on Franklin Street in order to serve Catholic youth of both Fort William and Port Arthur.
In response to a request by the Bishop to support St. Patrick's High School and the creation of a new Catholic High School Father China made the following comment:45
In my parish, Your Excellency, there is a steady coming and going of families. Once a family is a little bit well off it moves to different districts of the town. In their places I get newly arrived immigrant families, who claim on account of their condition they cannot support the Church. ... I have about fifty out of 3071 of these families that consider themselves poor.
Notwithstanding the inability of some families within the parish to contribute to the expansion of Catholic educational facilities in Thunder Bay, St. Dominic's had pledged $30,796 to the Bishop's Development Fund with $22,291 of this amount paid by the end of 1959.With the advent of improved economic conditions during the late 1950s St. Dominic's Parish, under the leadership of Father China, explored the possibilities of building a new church. As early as April 1956 the correspondence between Father China and the Bishop suggests that they were contemplating the purchase of properties around the church." Presumably the old church would be demolished and a new structure built on the enlarged site. This procedure was followed with the construction of St. Casimir's Polish Roman Catholic Church on the corner of Robertson and McKenzie streets in 1953 and later with St. Patrick's Cathedral itself in 1963 and St. Agnes Church on Brown Street in 1982. The plan was to purchase the Pellizzari residence adjacent to the church (which was done on 3 May 1961)47 and to purchase the home directly behind the church on McIntosh Street that was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Vescio. Once these properties were acquired, St. Dominic's Parish could then petition the City of Fort William to close off the lane immediately behind the church to create an enlarged site on which to build a new church. III TOWARDS A NEW CHURCH With the advent of improved economic conditions during the late 1950s St. Dominic's Parish, under the leadership of Father China, explored the possibilities of building a new church. As early as April 1956 the correspondence between Father China and the Bishop suggests that they were contemplating the purchase of properties around the church." Presumably the old church would be demolished and a new structure built on the enlarged site. This procedure was followed with the construction of St. Casimir's Polish Roman Catholic Church on the corner of Robertson and McKenzie streets in 1953 and later with St. Patrick's Cathedral itself in 1963 and St. Agnes Church on Brown Street in 1982. The plan was to purchase the Pellizzari residence adjacent to the church (which was done on 3 May 1961)47 and to purchase the home directly behind the church on McIntosh Street that was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Vescio. Once these properties were acquired, St. Dominic's Parish could then petition the City of Fort William to close off the lane immediately behind the church to create an enlarged site on which to build a new church.While these properties were purchased or negotiated for, a "progress" or building fund was growing. In 1953 the fund stood at $4,981. By 1963 the building fund had grown to $101,542.38. At this time Father China estimated that at least $250,000 was needed to build a new church and rectory." The building fund reached $241,506 in 1971. By this date Father China announced in the Parishes and Missions Annual Report of 1971 that a Parish Committee was looking to an alternate site, not far from the present one, and possibly beyond the boundaries of the East End.
In 1973 the Parish Committee submitted a proposal to Bishop Norman J. Gallagher for a "vast and exciting undertaking" that would include the selection of a land site for the new church and a design that was to be "modern", "simple", and "functional". Although the cost of the proposed church (including church, rectory, and land) would be in the vicinity of $475,000, actual construction would not begin until 75% of the total cost "was in hand".49 As of 31 December 1972, St. Dominic's Parish had $265,000 to be placed in a building trust fund. Bishop Gallagher agreed in principle with the plan submitted by the committee.
In order to realize 75% of the total construction cost the Finance Committee suggested a plan to raise $91,500 which included the following:50 I) special donations and contributions to be solicited from special groups and persons in Thunder Bay 2) special collections at Sunday masses with members of the Finance Committee addressing the congregation to explain the financial needs of the project and to give progress reports from time to time 3) the staging of fund-raising activities such as "sit-down" and "take-out" suppers, bingos, teas, and dances. In the long term the parish required an additional $118,750 to cover the total cost of construction. In addition to staging special fund-raising events such as teas and bingos, the Finance Committee recommended a house to house can
vass of current and past parishioners for pledges, weekly donations in special coloured envelopes, and the sale of the property at 700 McLaughlin Street. This was an ambitious plan. Its success, of course, depended in part on what site was selected for the new church.
In the summer of 1973 the committee recommended to the Bishop the purchase of a I 1/2 acre site at the corner of Redwood Avenue and Spruce Court for 560,000. This site was found preferable to an alternate 3/4 acre site on Simpson Street (at a cost of $65,000)51 because the City of Thunder Bay was expanding, and would continue to expand, in Northwood. The committee argued that the youth of the parish had moved to Northwood and hence a Northwood location would be essential for the future growth of the parish. The committee further recommended that the "elders of the parish" would be provided with transportation to attend services in the Northwood location.
Initially, Bishop Norman Gallagher had serious reservations about the Northwood site.52 What percentage of St. Dominic's parishioners were for or against the Northwood site? If a new wave of Italian immigrants came to the Thunder Bay South area would they settle in the East End of the city or in the Northwood area? Would the character of the "National Italian Parish" as it was known in 1973 disappear with a move to the Northwood location? Because of these problems the Bishop granted the committee permission to purchase the property but construction would have to wait until 75% of the funds were acquired and until "a more convincing consensus" of the parish (at least a simple majority) on the Northwood site was obtained.53 In addition, the Bishop wanted some guarantee that the elderly and those without an automobile presently living in the East End and attending St. Dominic's would be transported to the new church in Northwood.In the winter of 1974 the Church Committee felt it was time to act and recommended to the parishioners of St. Dominic's that construction begin immediately. Because of the inflationary pressures of the time the committee argued that further delays would dramatically raise construction costs. Although they tried desperately to achieve a consensus on the Northwood property as the site for the new church, this was a difficult, if not an impossible task at the time." Fearing a permanent and major breach among the parishioners of St. Dominic's, Bishop Gallagher regretfully asked the Church Committee "to delay any steps towards construction of a new church anywhere in the foreseeable future."55 Undoubtedly, this was a disappointing turn of events for St. Dominic's Church Committee. The property for the new church was purchased in Northwood but it was destined to remain an empty lot for several more years. Meanwhile, services continued at St. Dominic's as usual.
Some families of Italian origin living in Northwood Park during the 1970s continued to go to St. Dominic's in the East End. Others attended St. Agnes' Church or St. Patrick's Cathedral and became regular parishioners there. From 1969 to 1978 St. Patrick's Cathedral provided Sunday Mass services in St. Vincent's Roman Catholic School and then in the newly constructed St. Francis School both in Northwood Park.56 Some indication of attendance at these masses is given in the permits for the use of schools issued by the Lakehead District Catholic School Board. During this period, when masses were held in the hallways or general purpose rooms of St. Vincent's, the anticipated attendance was listed at 150-200. When the masses were moved to the gymnasium of St. Francis School in the fall of 1976 the attendance rose to 300 - 350.
Because of the large number of Roman Catholics in Northwood Park the new Bishop of Thunder Bay, the Most Reverend John A. O'Mara, decided in 1979 to divide St. Patrick's Parish and create a new parish in the Northwood area "under the patronage of St. Joseph" with Reverend Ralph DiGiacinto as pastor and Reverend Joseph Crawford as associate pastor.57 "St. Joseph's Parish will become the Italian National Parish for the Fort William area" decreed Bishop O'Mara, "and the territorial parish for the Catholic people living" within the boundaries of the parish of St. Joseph.58The deteriorating condition of St. Dominic's Church in the East End and the poor health of Father China were cited as the principal reasons for the creation of the new parish in Northwood. Moreover, the people of Northwood needed a parish to serve their needs. While many of the Catholics of Northwood were of Italian origin, others came from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Therefore, religious services would be held in both English and Italian.
Bishop O'Mara made special reference to the name "St. Joseph" in his letter to the Italians of Fort William. He recalled that St. Joseph was the original patron of the Italian Parish of Fort William from 1912 — 1936. In addition, the name St. Joseph was meant to distinguish it from St. Dominic's, the Italian Church in the East End. Moreover, St. Joseph was the patron of the Universal Church, and our country Canada. Therefore, a church in honour of St. Joseph would have a distinguished place in Thunder Bay.
By the fall of 1979, the difficult but challenging task of creating a unity of mood among the people of St. Joseph's parish had begun in earnest. The ultimate aim of the parish was to build a new church on the corner of Redwood Avenue and Spruce Court. Meanwhile, masses continued to be held every Sunday in St. Francis School gymnasium (located at 600 Redwood Avenue West). Weekday services were held at St. Joseph's Rectory (purchased in April 1979) located at 486 Erindale Crescent. This residence was a duplex which served as a rectory and living quarters for the pastor and associate pastor. A Parish Advisory Council, created in the summer of 1979, publicized the masses and services held at St. Francis school by posting the times of the masses in all of the territorial schools and on a sign on the future site of the church.
Father Ralph DiGiacinto, together with the Parish Advisory Council, thought it was vital for the two parishes, St. Dominic's in the East End andSt. Joseph's in Northwood, to act in unison in the building of a new church.59 This was, of course, no easy task. The differences of opinion which existed among the parishioners of St. Dominic's five years earlier over the selection of the site for the new church were still present and were soon to surface again over the question of the name of the new church. Bishop John O'Mara, Father China, and Father Ralph DiGiacinto no doubt agonized over the problem of how best to bring the opposing sides together in the creation of a new church.
Bishop O'Mara made a series of decisions in 1980 and 1981 which were presumably intended to expedite the process of building a new church. In March of 1980 he changed the name of the church in Northwood to "The Church of Saints Joseph and Dominic. "6p After carefully listening to the wishes of the parishioners on both sides, he felt this was a fair compromise. St. Dominic's parish felt that the new church did not adequately carry on the traditions of the Italian community. Bishop O'Mara argued that the dual name would acknowledge "the reality whereby the Church will serve two communities: The Italian Community in the whole of Fort William as well as the people living in the Northwood area."
This dual name for the new parish in Northwood was short-lived. In December of 1980 Bishop O'Mara issued a decree concerning St. Dominic's Parish. "In response to a joint petition from representatives of the two groups concerning the name of the new parish, and in order to clarify and to fully implement the above decree for the good of the Catholic community in this city and to facilitate the building of the new church and parish facilities", the Bishop decreed that the old parish of St. Dominic situated at 700 McLaughlin Street and its name would be "suppressed". Parenthetically, although the Italian parish in the East End was "suppressed" or being phased out, religious services would continue to be offered there for another five years. In addition, the church in Northwood would be placed under the patronage of St. Dominic and would become known as St. Dominic Parish. In order to implement this decree the Bishop transferred all monies collected over the years by St. Dominic's for the building of a new church to the Northwood parish. Father China of course was to keep an appropriate amount to cover the operating expenses of the old church.61
The Bishop also requested that the Scalabrini Fathers (Missionaries of St. Charles) serve the new parish in Northwood. In the spring of 1981 Father Umberto Rizzi, C.S. was appointed pastor and later, Father Daniel Lapolla, C.S. was appointed associate pastor.62 In some ways it was appropriate that the Scalabrini Fathers came to St. Dominic's Parish. These missionary priests were founded in the late nineteenth century to minister to the needs of Italian migrants who had left Italy for North and South America. With the appointment of Father Rizzi and Father Lapolla, Bishop O'Mara and the Scalabrini Order ensured that an unbroken line of missionary Italian born or Italian speaking priests ministered to the needs of the Italian people of Fort William. The Scalabrini Order, however, recognized the duality of cultures that, apart from the earliest years, was always present in St. Dominic's Parish. "1 assured the Bishop", wrote Rev. A.J. Calandra, C.S., Provincial Superior of the Scalabrini Order, "that we will take care of the Canadians with equal concern and zeal...."63 The appointment of the Scalabrini Fathers to St. Dominic's made their community in Thunder Bay stronger; by the summer of 1981 the Scalabrini Fathers served both Italian Roman Catholic parishes in Thunder Bay.64 Father Rizzi had extensive experience in overseeing the construction and renovation of churches. Prior to his arrival at St. Dominic's Parish, he had supervised renovations to St. Anthony's Church in Thunder Bay from 1978 - 1981. Although the construction of a new church was to be foremost in his mind, Father Rizzi viewed with equal importance the creation of a community spirit in the new parish and the encouragement of the "Italian groups and the local Northwood community to grow as a single family toward the same goals."65
The first step in this process was the launching of an ambitious fund-raising campaign. How was the parish to raise $778,000 needed to build the church? A fund-raising committee headed by Mr. Jim Rodrigues and including Larry Grace, Sue MacDonald, Claire McKay, John R obillard, Pasquale Sacino, Carol Siciliano, Rita Speer, George Thompson, and Major Zuliani set as a short term goal the amount of $300,000 to be raised from October 1981 to October 1982. The total cost of the new church was not to exceed $1,200,000. The property had already been purchased in 1973. Through the fund-raising activities of St. Dominic's Parish on McLaughlin Street $442,000 was in a building fund accumulating not an insignificant amount of interest. (During the early 1980s interest paid on this amount ranged from 16 - 19%) Parishioner pledges, special events (teas, dinner dances, etc.), donated free labour, and of course a loan (to be kept to a minimum) were the principal vehicles through which funds were to be raised.
From the spring of 1981 to the official opening of the church in 1983, the finance and building committee approached individuals, organizations and businesses for funds. Inflationary pressures had pushed the total cost of a new church from approximately $475,000 in. 1973 to well over a million a decade later. The task of fund-raising was indeed a challenge. The first fund-raising drive took place from Sunday 31 May to Friday 12 June 1981. In addition to paid parishioner pledges generated from this and subsequent campaigns, the building fund was augmented by sizeable contributions from the Principe di Piemonte Society, the Italian Mutual Benefit Society, St. Dominic's Catholic's Women's League, The Ladies Venet Society, The Knights of Columbus Council #1447, local business establishments and St. Anthony's Parish. The generosity of individuals, organizations, and businesses to St. Dominic's Church Building Fund was truly remarkable. Members of the parish were given visual evidence of the progress of the fund-raising drive with the placement of a large thermometer on the wall of St. Francis gymnasium. No doubt there was enthusiasm among parishioners when the red marker went above the $100,000 mark; the finance committee felt this barometer of progress would encourage parishioners to continue to support all fund-raising efforts.
As the fund-raising activities continued the Building Committee of the new church planned a ground breaking ceremony for 18 April 1982. Church and government officials were invited to attend this ceremony. A procession moved from St. Vincent Roman Catholic School to the construction site at the corner of Redwood Avenue and Spruce Court. When the first sod was turned by the Bishop of Thunder Bay, Most Rev. John O'Mara, it was the start of construction that was to continue uninterrupted for one year. This construction period did more than anyone could ever imagine to unite the parish. "Before we started building", remarked Father Rizzi, "we didn't know each other. It was each of us offering our services, our work, and our talent that made us a community. "66
The notion that the ordinary construction work of building the church by volunteer labour would keep expenses down and foster a sense of community within the parish was both courageous and admirable. Building committee co-chairmen Louis Toneguzzi and Peter Buset made an appeal to the Italian community through the Italian Mutual Benefit Society and the Principe di Piemonte Society for skilled and unskilled volunteer lab our.67 Parishioners and non-parishioners were encouraged to come to the construction site anytime from nine in the morning to nine in the evening. In the fall of 1982, 12 - 16 students from Northwood High School's building construction class responded to the request for volunteer labour. This on-the-job training and unique experiment in co-operative education earned the students credits in their programme at Northwood High School and introduced them to the realities of the particular trade they would pursue sometime in the future.
Approximately 100 women in the parish became involved, a few with the actual construction, but most with "trailer duty". Shortly after the ground breaking ceremony an ATCO trailer, onc,. used in a bush camp in Northwestern Ontario, was loaned to the church by Gerry Tobin and placed on the construction site. There the ladies manned the phones and prepared coffee and meals. Throughout the construction period approximately 4,600 meals were prepared for volunteer workers. A total of 10,000 manhours of volunteer labour went into the construction of St. Dominic's Church. For those who gave one hour and for those who gave a hundred hours, it was an unforgettable experience.
While construction of the new church was taking place, religious services and programmes continued as usual at St. Francis School and at the rectory on Erindale Crescent. Regular masses were held at the school on Saturday evenings (5:00 P.M.) and on Sundays (9:00 A.M., 10:30 A.M., and 12:00 Noon) and in the rectory chapel on weekdays (7:00 P.M.) . Organizations such as the Parish Council, The Catholic Women's League,6' the St. Vincent De Paul Society, and the Legion of Mary involved hundreds of individuals in parish work. For example, in the
spring of 1982 the St. Vincent De Paul Society assisted a number of families in the parish by providing them with household appliances and children's clothing.69 Other individuals spent countless hours in preparing children from St. Vincent, St. Francis, and St. Thomas Aquinas Schools for First Communion and Confirmation. In addition, several members of the laity were giving evening instruction to children attending the public schools within the territorial boundaries of St. Dominic's Parish.70 Preparation for First Communion and Confirmation involved a six to eight week commitment on the part of the lay instructors and the children. At another level, married couples in the parish were trained to offer an "Evenings for the Engaged" programme. As early as 1982 the marriage preparation team consisted of six to eight couples.7i
Perhaps the most imaginative and memorable service held at St. Dominic's Church was the Midnight Mass Service held on 24 December 1982 in the yet unfinished church on Redwood Avenue. Father Rizzi and Father Lapolla wanted to re-enact the scene where Jesus was born. In order to accomplish this, permission was granted from the City of Thunder Bay to have an 8:00 P.M. (for children and families) and 12:00 midnight mass. Presumably fire and seating capacity regulations were waived for this special event. Father Dan travelled to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish in Melrose Park, Illinois to bring back an impressive manger scene carved in wood and Father Rizzi arranged to have live animals as part of the manger for the two masses. Three days prior to Christmas Eve all construction work ceased in order to clean up the floor area, to cover the mud floor with canvas, to provide make-shift seating arrangements, and to decorate the area with large natural evergreen wreaths, Christmas trees and lights. During the two masses on that Christmas Eve the atmosphere was charged with excitement and with expectations of soon being able to worship in the new church. To be sure, Christmas Eve 1982 at St. Dominic's Church in Northwood was a unique experience for all who attended. "It was a good spirit", concluded Father Rizzi, "1 don't think we'll ever be able to recapture that special feeling."
The anxious anticipation felt by so many who attended the two masses on that special Christmas Eve came to an end with the official opening and dedication of the Church on 7 May 1983. After more than thirty years of saving and fund-raising, after 329 days of construction, and after more than 10,000 hours of volunteer labour, the parishioners of St. Dominic's were able to savor the precious moment of attending mass in their new church. The photographs which follow tell the story of that memorable day in our history.
The official opening of the new church ultimately led to the closure of St. Dominic's on McLaughlin Street. An examination of St. Dominic's spiritual status during the years 1979 — 1985 indicates that the number of baptisms, First Communions, Marriages, and Funerals held at the old church diminished rapidly. Accordingly, Bishop O'Mara met with the parishioners of the old church on 15 April 1985 and announced that the church would be closed. Needless to say, the harsh reality that the passage of time takes its toll on old buildings was reluctantly accepted by those still attending the Italian church on McLaughlin Street. The following Sunday (21 April 1985), Bishop O'Mara celebrated the last two masses and officially closed the church.
Father Rizzi and Father Lapolla immediately extended a warm and cordial invitation to all parishioners who continued to attend St. Dominic's on McLaughlin Street from 1983 - 1985 to now attend the new church in Northwood. They also honoured a commitment made by the New Church Committee of 1973 by saying: "To help those of you who have no means of transportation, we will provide a bus each Sunday which will leave from the old church, at 9:45 and will allow you to attend the Italian mass here at 10:30." On Sunday 12 May 1985 the bus service carrying parishioners from the East End of Fort William to St. Dominic's in Northwood was initiated. Obviously, not all found this convenient and decided to join other Roman Catholic parishes in the area.
What was now to become of the property at 700 McLaughlin Street? The property consisted of a church and a rectory on a 50 ft. lot, a vacant 25 ft. lot on the north side of the church, a house owned by the church and a garage situated behind the church. On 22 May 1985 members of the Building Committee met and decided that the property should be sold on the condition that the church building be demolished.72 In addition, the committee decided to donate the pews to a new church being constructed in Red Lake. Most important, the stained glass windows were carefully removed and then restored for installation in the new church. The church was demolished on Monday 13 January 1986. The vacant lot on the corner of McLaughlin and Connolly streets was sold to the City of Thunder Bay Non-Profit Housing Corporation for $42,000.
The visual legacy of old St. Dominic's to the new church in Northood is found in the restored stained glass windows and bell. Eight stained glass windows were installed around the baptismal area of the church. The window dedicated to Mary the Mother of Jesus was installed in a prominent place in the Reconciliation Room. Through the kindness and generosity of parishioners, pledges were made, individually and in groups; towards the costs of restoration. The bell forms part of a historical monument and memorial to the original pioneers of the parish. This monument now stands in the courtyard between the church and the rectory. As St. Dominic's parishioners enter and leave the church, the restored bell and stained glass windows serve as a constant reminder that the roots of our history plunge deeply in the Italian Community of Fort William's East End.

PASTORS OF ST. DOMINIC PARISH
1912 - 2011
1. Fr. Francis Crociata, 19 February 1912 - 12 May 1914.
2. Fr. Vincent Giuliano, May - October 1914.
3. Fr. Angelo Sansone, October 1914 - August 1916.
4. Fr. Domenico Tomaselli, August 1916 - 25 May 1921.
5. Fr. Ferdinando Capresi, 5 June 1921 - 16 March 1933.
6. Fr. Arthur Joseph Murray, 5 March 1933 - 9 December 1945.
7. Fr. Egidio Vallorosi, 5 January 1946 - 24 November 1946.
15 August 1948 - 2 March 1952.
8. Fr. Rosario Venti, 8 December 1946 - 29 July 1948.
9. Fr. Daniel China, 10 March 1952 - 21 April 1985.
10. Fr. Ralph DiGiacinto, January 1979 - May 1981.
11. Fr. Joseph Crawford (Associate), 14 June 1970 - 23 July 1981.
12. Fr. Umberto Rizzi, C.S., 14 May 1981 - October 1986.
13. Fr. Daniel Lapolla, C.S. (Associate), 22 August 1981 - September 1985.
14. Fr. Albert Corradin, C.S., December 1985 - 1997.
15. Fr. Rino Ziliotto, c.s. (Associate) October 1986- 1992
16. Fr. Scott Gale (Associate) July 1993-April 1995.
17. Fr, James Panikulam (Associate) September 1995-June 1996
18. Fr. Henryk Augustynowicz (Associate) September 1996-199718. Fr. Daniel Lapolla, c.s. Pastor 1997- Present
19. Fr. Mathew Mullamangallam (Associate)1997-1998
20. Fr. Rino Ziliotto, C.S. (Associate), October 1986 -2001
21. Fr. Fernando Canicula
22. Deacon Robert Debesys
23. Fr. Stanley Uche Anozie. s.m.m.m. (Associate)August 2002 - November 2003
24. Fr. Randal Morriseau (Associate) July 2004- Frebruary 2006
25. Fr. Angelo Risoli, c.s. (Associate) February 2005-September 2007
26. Fr. Victor DeGagné (Associate) July 1, 2010 - Present

ST. DOMINIC PARISH: A HISTORY
1912 - 1987
I MISSIONARY PRIESTS AMONG THE ITALIAN PEOPLE OF FORT WILLIAM
In 1912 St. Joseph's Italian Roman Catholic Church stood at the corner of McLaughlin and Connolly Streets in the East End of Fort William, Ontario. Several interpretations have been advanced as to the genesis of the church. Some suggest that the Italians of Fort William acquired a building at 534 McLaughlin Street and named it St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church. According to this interpretation, the church burned down in 1910. The Italian parishioners prevailed upon St. Peter's Parish, located at 706 McIntosh Street, to use their church with the proviso that the Italian and Slovak functions would not conflict. This sharing arrangement continued until the Italians rebuilt their church at 700 McLaughlin Street. Others suggest that both the Slovaks and Italians regularly attended St. Peter's Church. Sometime between 1907 and 1909 St. Peter's Church was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1911. Father Francis Crociata, Parish Priest of St. Anthony's in Port Arthur, suggested that the Italians of Fort William build their own church. Until the Italian Church was completed, the "Finn Church" situated at 520 McLaughlin Street was used for Italian services.'
Municipal and business records lend credence to the latter interpretation that St. Anthony's Parish in Port Arthur encouraged the creation of an Italian Church in the East End of Fort William. A title search for Block 37, lots 9 and 10, the land occupied by St. Joseph's Church, indicates that a 25 foot lot was sold by the Pigeon River Lumber Company to a group of trustees representing St. Joseph's Parish.2 Frank M. Ross, Angelo Desceplo, Louis Belluz, Bruno Mazza, Father Francis Crociata, and the Episcopal Corporation of the Sault Ste. Marie Diocese accepted the responsibility of paying $791.31 for the property. Whatever the interpretation, the Assessment Rolls of the City of Fort William (1913) and the Chas. E. Goad Co. Insurance Plan of Fort William, 1911 (1913) indicate the existence in 1912 of a building, constructed entirely of wood, named St. Joseph's Church at the corner of McLaughlin and Connolly Streets.
This modest wooden structure was destined to serve the spiritual needs of the Italian people of Fort William for over seventy years. During this time an Italian-born or an Italian-speaking priest led and supervised the activities of the parish. For the Italian immigrant in Fort William this was important. St. Joseph's Italian Roman Catholic Church served as a vital link between a way of life centred in a small Italian village and an uncertain and, at times, frightening way of life in a northern Canadian urban environment. Initially, St. Joseph's offered Sunday mass in Italian and conducted baptismal, marriage and funeral services when required.
Later, the services in Italian were expanded to include daily mass, religious processions, and the blessing of homes.
What type of community was St. Joseph's destined to serve? According to The Report of a Preliminary and General Social Survey of Fort William, directed, interestingly enough, by the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches of Canada, the Italian population of Fort William rose from 863 in 1910 to 1,390 in 1912.3 What impressed those who conducted this survey was the overcrowded conditions among the people in the East End of Fort William. In the block enclosed by McTavish, McIntyre, McLaughlin, and Christie Streets 292 persons were counted of which 111 were Italian. One six room house included 17 Italians while another three room residence housed 13 Italians.4 Although this report suggests that their findings might have been on the conservative side, a careful examination of the City of Fort William Assessment Rolls (used for determining property taxes) would indicate that the social survey findings were right on the mark. The assessment roll (Wards 1 and 2) for 1913 commonly showed a single dwelling owned by Italians with anywhere from 10 — 16 residents. Who were these residents? The owner and his family accounted for 5 — 7 of the occupants. It is not unreasonable to suggest that the others were predominantly male Italian immigrant boarders.
St. Joseph's was to become part of a cluster of churches situated in this ethnically dominated area of Fort William. As mentioned previously, St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church was situated at 706 McIntosh Street, a Greek Orthodox Church had recently been built at 639 McPherson Street, and a Ruthenian Church (St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church) was soon to be built at 500 Connolly Street. This prompted an observation in the 1913 Social Survey that "the greatest growth at present is among the non-Anglo-Saxon population. ... A visit to the Catholic Churches in the Coal Dock Section on a Sunday morning reveals that these churches are bringing the men to their doors; they constitute the vast majority of the congregation."5
It was to this growing community of Italian immigrants that several dedicated priests, based in St. Anthony' Parish, turned their attention fora decade after 1912. Father Francis Crociata was the first to divide his time between St. Anthony's in Port Arthur and St. Joseph's in Fort William's East End. The stress of overseeing the spiritual needs of both parishes brought on poor health and Father Crociata left the Thunder Bay region in 1914.6 An examination of the parish marriage and baptismal registers indicates that for six months Father Vincent Giuliano ministered to the Italians of the East End. Like Father Crociata, poor health caused Father Giuliano to leave the parish. The baptismal records from October 1914 to August 1916 reveal the signature of Father Angelo Sansone who adds the word "Parroco" to let everybody know that he was the Pastor of St. Joseph's. This name does not appear in the records of St. Anthony's Church.?
The most notable parish priest at St. Joseph's during this first decade was Domenico Alfonso Tomaselli. At the age of 39 Father Tomaselli became pastor of St. Anthony's on 14 May 1915. In the following year he assumed responsibility for St. Joseph's parish as wel1.8"For over six years the new pastor was in charge of both parishes having to offer the Holy Sacrifice each Sunday in both cities. ... In these early days both parishes were in a deplorable condition, not only financially but in other respects as well. St. Joseph's Church, Fort William, was a mere shell, without seating accommodation for the congregation, inadequately heated, and the interior was of unfinished lumber." One parishioner recalled that the church was built on wooden pilings.9 The church was heated in winter with an old stove situated in a "dugout" basement. Within five years however, the bell and bell tower were added,'° pews were purchased, and the interior of the church was finished. In addition, ten stain glassed windows were installed; two were situated at the main entrance and eight in the body of the church. The purchase and installation of the stained glass windows was made possible by generous donations on the part of individual parishioners.
During these formative years the role of St. Joseph's Church within the Italian community of Fort William was restricted to providing essential religious services. From 1912 to 1921 the parish witnessed 469 Baptisms, 74 Marriages, and 86 Funerals)] Little or no evidence exists to suggest that any organizations developed within the church or that the church became involved in the secular concerns of its people.
For a church to develop a community and to broaden its role within the lives of those associated with it a full time parish priest was needed. In 1921 that pastor was Father Don Ferdinando Capresi. Born in Florence, Italy in 1863, Ferdinando Capresi was ordained in 1888. It is not known when he left Italy but we do know from the testimony of Father A.J. Murray in 1933 that Father Capresi emigrated to the United States and worked hard and successfully among the Italians of Philadelphia." Presumably after the First World War, Father Capresi settled in Fort William. "He came to this northern land", remarked Father A.J. Murray "so very different from the sunny soil of his native Lombardy, to devote his life, his time and his talents to the Italian immigrants — that he might give them the many consolations of their religion."
Those who knew Father Capresi during the 1920s referred to him as a "good man", a "saintly man"," a man who lived in abject poverty in the East End of Fort William. Parishioners vividly recall that often during the winter months of the late 1920s and early 1930s weekday masses were not held in the church proper but in a room in the rectory kept warm by a small heater. The parish could not afford to purchase coal to fuel the main furnace of the church. Since most of the parishioners were first generation immigrants they found employment in the CPR freight sheds and the coal docks and worked "on call" for no more than forty or fifty cents an hour. Needless to say contributions from the parishioners were indeed meager. The people of the East End felt a sense of pity and respect for this parish priest who would beg people for food not only for the poor of the parish but for himself as well.
Notwithstanding the poverty in which the parish found itself, significant advances were made in structural changes to the church and in religious services offered to the people. In 1924 a rectory was added to the church. Moreover, regular masses were held on Sundays at 8:00 and 10:30 A.M. and every morning at 7:30 A.M. All sermons were delivered in Italian. In addition, Father Capresi initiated the annual "mission". Every October or November a missionary priest would come to St. Joseph's for a week to deliver a series of sermons in Italian relating to the scriptures, ethics, and family life. So successful were these missions that they attracted capacity crowds and were continued by successive parish priests through to the late 1950s.
Father Capresi's impact on St. Joseph's Parish manifested itself not only in the physical changes made to the church or in the expanded religious services offered to the Italian people but most importantly, in the parishioners' respect and affection for him. This was clearly evident at Father Capresi's funeral held at St. Joseph's Church on 19 March 1933. A solemn pontifical mass was celebrated by His Excellency, David Joseph Scollard, Bishop of the Sault Ste. Marie Diocese. Only a few of the 1500 attending the funeral service could gain access to the church. Rev. A.J. Hogan was master of ceremonies; the organist was Joe Brunetta; and an eloquent eulogy was presented by Rev. A.J. Murray. To one of the largest audiences to occupy St. Joseph's Church, Father Murray referred to Father Capresi as "a missionary priest among the Italian people of Fort William."
It was left to Father Arthur Joseph Murray to carry on this "missionary work". Father Murray was Pastor of St. Joseph's (renamed St. Dominic on 3 April 1936) from 5 March 1933 to 9 December 1945.14 The parish or Diocesan records do not reveal the place or date of Father Murray's birth and early life. We do know however, that he attended the Grand Seminary of Montreal for a time after 1921,15 and that he was ordained on 11 June 1924.16 Apparently he studied in Rome for several years and developed a fluency and eloquence in Italian that was truly remarkable." After spending a brief time in Sault Ste. Marie, Father Murray came to St. Joseph's Church at the height of the economic depression in 1933.
The continued poverty caused by the economic depression of the 1930s prompted Father Murray to assist his parishioners in a variety of ways. He was able to do this because of his wide circle of friends and acquaintances in Fort William's business community and in city offices. From time to time, Father Murray was able to find employment for his parishioners, to cut through government red tape in order to obtain necessary papers and documents like passports, and to help the unemployed obtain relief from the city.

It was left to Father Arthur Joseph Murray to carry on this "missionary work". Father Murray was Pastor of St. Joseph's (renamed St. Dominic on 3 April 1936) from 5 March 1933 to 9 December 1945.14 The parish or Diocesan records do not reveal the place or date of Father Murray's birth and early life. We do know however, that he attended the Grand Seminary of Montreal for a time after 1921,15 and that he was ordained on 11 June 1924.16 Apparently he studied in Rome for several years and developed a fluency and eloquence in Italian that was truly remarkable." After spending a brief time in Sault Ste. Marie, Father Murray came to St. Joseph's Church at the height of the economic depression in 1933.
The continued poverty caused by the economic depression of the 1930s prompted Father Murray to assist his parishioners in a variety of ways. He was able to do this because of his wide circle of friends and acquaintances in Fort William's business community and in city offices.18 From time to time, Father Murray was able to find employment for his parishioners, to cut through government red tape in order to obtain necessary papers and documents like passports, and to help the unemployed obtain relief from the city.

1912
29 February - Fr. Francis Crociata performs the first marriage in parish between Domenico Brescia and Vincenza Siciliano
25 December - First midnight Mass celebrated at St. Joseph's Italian Roman Catholic Church in an entirely wooden structure situated at the corner of McLaughlin & Connolly Streets in Fort William's East End.
1921
Father Ferdinando Capresi becomes the first full-time pastor.
1924
Rectory added to Church.
1936
3 April - The Most Rev. R. H. Dignan, Bishop of Sault Ste. Marie, decrees Fort William's Italian Church (formerly St. Joseph's) would henceforth be known as St. Dominic's.
1945
St. Dominic's Parish holds banquet at Italian Hall on McLaughlin Street to celebrate the liquidation of their long-standing debt.
1947
Father Rosario Venti initiates and completes the first major interior renovation of the church which was not to change significantly until the late 1970's.
1952
3 March - Father Daniel China appointed pastor of St. Dominic's beginning a ministry lasting 32 years.
1963
St. Dominic's new church building fund reaches $100,000.
1973
Property at the corner of Redwood Ave. and Spruce Court in the Northwood subdivision is purchased as site for new St. Dominic's Church.
1979
The Most Rev. John A. O'Mara, Bishop of Thunder Bay, creates a new parish in Northwood under the patronage of St. Joseph (later changed to St. Dominic in 1980).
1980
26 March - St. Dominic's Catholic Women's League is formed.
1981
28 April - Scalabrini Fathers assume responsibility for the new St. Dominic Parish with Fr. Umberto Rizzi, C. S. as pastor, and Fr. Daniel Lapolla, C. S. as associate pastor.
1982
18 April - The Most Rev. John A. O'Mara turns first sod to initiate construction of new St. Dominic's Church.
25 December - midnight Mass celebrated in unfinished church.
1983
7 May - Official opening and dedication of the new St. Dominic's Church.
1986
Old St. Dominic's Church in East End is demolished.
1987
22 October - Bishop O'Mara blesses the stained glass and bell salvaged from Old St. Dominic's and made part of new church.
1996
Parish Council organizes "mortgage burning" dinner dance.
New addition to Church building/hall.
1999
New roof replacements on Church, Hall and Rectory.
Fr. Dan Lapolla,c.s., celebrated his 25^th anniversary of priesthood.
2000
Many Jubilee Projects launched by the parish, including refugee settlement, and support of refugees from Kosovo; working more closely with the Diocesan Office of Refugee Settlement and with Ecumenical Support Group for Refugees and Migrants.
2001
Working with Ukrainian Catholic Parish of Holy Cross for support of Children of Chornobyl.
2002
Sponsorship of present refugee family completed. Our family has now adjusted to
their new life and are self-supporting.
St. Dominic's celebrates it's 90th anniversary 1912-2002 in December 2002 with
Bishop Fred Colli, D.D., Bishop of Thunder Bay.

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