Priests of Prospect

The religious community at Prospect, Nova Scotia, Canada was almost entirely Catholic in their faith. Though many of the original settlers came from other religions (Lutheran and Protestant) they would mostly be baptized Catholic.

The first priest to serve at Prospect was Rev. Thomas Grace, known as Brother James, who founded the parish in 1794 and would serve until his retirement in 1823. Terry Punch in a short article about Rev. Grace describes his time at Prospect:

"...He had charge of Chezzetcook, Ketch Harbour and Prospect, to name the main stations. He carried out his duties faithfully until the autumn of 1801 and possibly for the early winter. Then Grace had was I suspect was a nervous breakdown, because by November 1802, the future bishop Edmund Burke was nearly at his wit's end as to what to do about Grace. The latter had apparently abandoned his mission and come into Halifax, where he lived among people whose financial or social status did not meet with Burke's or the bishop's approval... Grace surfaces again in 1815, when Bishop Plessis visited the Prospect mission and found fault with just about everything connected with it. The bishop perceived that the poor eccentric old priest was unable to do his job, but was kind enough to accept the fact. Grace's health deteriorated again in 1818 and he was only able to resume work for about four more years before his retirement. He lived in Halifax for awhile, on the charity of Father John Loughnan, who gave him his last rites before his death, on 2 March 1827. Father Dunphy buried his remains at Ketch Harbour, where the old church building stood." (Erin's Sons, pp. 13-14).

Needless to say things became a little more stable after the retirement of Rev. Grace but the parish saw a parade of pastors over the years. The following documents who they are with additional biographical information where appropriate.