beautiful interior of St. Patrick’s church in GRANDBAY in 2010 and below 2015
On 25 November 1866, René Marie- Charles Poirier, third Bishop of Roseau wrote to the Propagation of the Faith in Rome “The parish of “Grande-Baie”, ancient mission of the Jesuits, has been abandoned. The chapel is in ruins, without roof, without door, without windows, and overtaken by bushes ” After the Jesuits abandoned their Geneva estate before 1764 , the Catholic Church never regained possession of the Geneva estate although the use of the chapel and burial ground on that estate continued. This was not without problems. In 1844 there was a violence in the Grandbay area and one of the reasons was “that the attorney of these properties had caused the Roman Catholic Chapel on the Geneva Estate to be locked up which gave great offence””.
Attempts by Bishop Poirier in 1866 to secure the portion of land around the chapel for the Catholic Church from the Geneva estate legal owners proved unsuccessful, so a new church was built at the outskirts of the Geneva estate, in the neighbourhood of the present church tower.
This was the first church in Dominica to be solemnly consecrated. (1905).
Bishop Moris provide us with some history; ” a newly ordained Son of Mary Immaculate,Father Jean Marie Bourget, arrived in Dominica and was forthwith
sent to Grand Bay as parish priest. He proved at once the rightman in the right place. The chapel at Geneva was in a state of utter ruin. A new one had to be built without delay. But as Dominica was passing at that time through a severe economic crisis, it required a man of indomitable courage and unparalleled energy to undertake so huge a task. Father Bourget, endowed with an iron will and determination, did not shrink from it. The foundation stone was blessed early in 1882, and work started at once. But with the scanty means at his disposal and inexperienced artisans to rely on, progress was necessarily slow, and when on September 4th,1883, the destructive hurricane had battered the old chapel into a shapeless heap of wreckage, the new building was far from completed. However, that misfortune proved a blessing in disguise; for a new effort was made, a new impulse given, and soon the new church was sufficiently advanced to be opened for divine service. In later years he imported three altars in French marble, fine church vestments and many decorations, such as statues of saints and brass candlesticks and chandeliers. And in order that the faithful who are living at some distance from the church might know the exact hour of the different religious services, he built up on the hill above the church a high steeple and imported four melodious bells. The church was solemnly consecrated, the first church ever consecrated in the Diocese of Roseau, early in 1905.”
So this seem to indicate that the freestanding bell tower with 4 bells, located above the present church, predates the present church building. THIS IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION .
The first time we read about the 1905 consecrated church in Grandbay is in the Ecclesiastical Bulletin of Roseau of 1919: “The Bishop left Roseau for Grandbay on April 28, 1919 and held, on the following day, the confirmation service, after the Solemn High Mass, sung by the Rev. Fr. Baudry, FMI, Parish Priest of La Plaine. The presence of 8 priests in the sanctuary enhanced the solemnity and the impressiveness of the Divine Service. 250 confirmation candidates, with their godfathers and godmothers, filled the church. It was, on this occasion, observed once more that the large parish of Grandbay needed a larger church. Rumor has it that the parish priest Fr. Francois FMI had renounced his plans to enlarging the present parochial church, and was, with the Bishop’s approval, determined upon building a new, spacious church.” The parish had increased to well over 4,000 inhabitants, nearly all Catholics. It was decided to build a new church, much larger and much more beautiful than the existing one. Works were started in 1921 and it was considered that it would require 2 years to complete. But, owing to the unforeseen rise in the cost of building materials all available money was spent long before the walls were finished and the people, on account of the trying times, were unable to help, though they showed much good will in voluntary labour. (sources The Ecclesiastical bulletin of Roseau and the history written by James Moris) There is a date inscribed below the cross on the church roof which says 25 January 1924.
The Ecclesiastical Bulletin of Roseau reports on the Sacrament of Confirmation ceremony at the new Grandbay church of June 3 1936 “The Bishop and his party … having passed under several beautiful arches of crotons and flowers and been cordially welcomed by the good people along the road .
At 9 sharp , the acolytes repaired to the presbytery to conduct the bishop and clergy, nine in number, to the monumental church,
Needless to add that both morning and afternoon the spacious church was overcrowded and that the choir were at tehir very best all through the High Mass and the afternoon service.” 279 candidates were confirmed that day !
BUT IT SEEMS THAT THE BUILDING NEEDED FINISHING WORKS (ceilings, painting), so we read :
On November 20, 1955 Bishop James Moris , Bishop of Roseau, visited Grandbay for the sacrament of confirmation . The Ecclesiastical Bulletin of Roseau of 1955 reports : “Grandbay is a large parish. That is the first impression visitors got last Sunday, when they saw vast crowds of parishioners flocking to their church…..parish priest, Canon Joussemet and his assistant Rev. Fr. Jean Martin deserve a sincere word of praise and thanks… As we left the church, our eyes were drawn toward the splendid new ceiling , the work of the parish priest himself… The works are finished in the nave, but are still in progress in the aisles. Use is made of the same scaffolding to paint the walls. Grandbay is getting a very beautiful church indeed.”
HURRICANE DAVID DID SOME DAMAGE IN 1979, the roof covering had to be replaced :
The church was renovated with rust proof Aluminium sheets in 1989. At that time it lost the “gargoyles” or waterspouts, an architectural element which reminded the parishioners of devils.
At a later date the floor was tiled by Fr. Joseph Krastel C.ss.R with a financial grant from Fr. Albert Lamote C.Ss.R (+ 2010). He also expanded the cemetery.
His sucessor Fr. Mark Owen C.Ss.R set up a hardworking pew or bench committee under the chairmanship of president Liverpool. He also replaced the concrete blocks in the windows with timber shutters with stainless steel hooks and stained glass, redid the sacristy, built the choir stalls in the choir loft, and installed a new PA system. Very Rev. Fr. Mark Owen C.Ss.R also brought out the beauty of the architecture of this church by painting it with the colours green and gold/orange, colours associated with the Irish saint St. Patrick.
Before 2010, Most Rev. Kelvin Felix, archbishop emeritus, replaced the rest of the church pews and added the sanctuary screen and celebrant’s chair.
photograph by Monsignor William John Lewis
Some of the old wooden church pews, still made with hand tools, were salvaged and refinished.
Monsignor Reginald Lafleur (2011-2014) and his successor Rev Fr. Brancker John, both diocesan priests, did stellar work in this vibrant community.
The once beautiful church reminds each of us of the strong faith of the parishioners of St. Patrick’s parish, both past and present.
I am sure that the present efforts to rebuild this national monument and badly needed Parish church will succeed to restore it to its former beauty and will be once again the pride of the Catholic community of the area.
DOMINICA's BEAUTIFUL CHURCHES and CHAPELS 
