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The first meeting called
for the purpose of promoting this project, was held in Charlottetown on
September 29th, 1921. Here the matter was discussed at some length, and it
was decided that as the following year was the one hundred and fiftieth
anniversary of the arrival of the first Scottish immigrants in Prince
Edward Island, their descendants should take due notice of the fact, and
not permit the occasion to pass, without celebrating the same in some
suitable manner. With this end in view, a Committee was appointed to take
the business in hand and make all the necessary arrangements. This
Committee having been empowered to add to its numbers, did so from time to
time according as new needs arose, and when increased to its full strength
was made up of the following persons:- All Priests of Scottish descent in
Prince Edward Island.
All Presidents of Local
Branches of the St. Andrews Society.
Judge A. L. Fraser, Souris,
P. E. Island.
Hon. David McDonald, GIenfinnan, P. E. Island.
Hon. J. A. McDonald, Cardigan, P. E. Island.
Hon. Laughlin McDonald, East Point, P. E. Island.
Mr. Joseph McLellan, Indian River, P. E. Island.
Mr. Charles McDonald, Borden, P. E. Island.
Mr. Andrew McDonald, Vernon River, P. E. Island.
Mr. Charles A. McDonald, Mount Stewart, P. E. Island.
Mr. Alexander McKenzie, Scotchfort, P. E. Island.
Mr. Howard McDonald, Georgetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. Alexander A. McDonald, Georgetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. Dan. C. McDonald, M.L.A. Greenvale, P. E. Island.
Mr. Angus Beaton, East Point, P. E. Island.
Mr. John A. McInnis, Selkirk, P. E. Island.
Mr. Archibald C. McPhee, St. Margarets, P. E. Island.
Mr. Roderick J. McLellan, St. Georges, P. E. Island.
Mr. James AE. McDonald, Little Pond, P. E. Island.
Mr. A. A. McDonald, M. D. Souris, P. E. Island.
Mr. Roderick J. McDonald, St. Peters, P. E. Island.
Mr. John J. McGillvray, Vernon River, P. E. Island.
Mr. Daniel McKinnon, Brae, P. E. Island.
Mr. Leo McKinnon, Brae, P. E. Island.
Mr. John D. McDonald, Lot 7, P. E. Island.
Mr. Pius Sutherland, St. Peter's, P. E. Island.
Mr. James McKinnon, Rollo Bay, P. E. Island.
Mr. Andrew J. McInnis, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. James Campbell, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. John A. McDonald, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. Alexander McDonald, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. W. J. P. McMillan, M. D. Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. Daniel J. McDonald, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. W. D. Gillis, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. Leo McDonald, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. Alban McDonald, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. Ray McDonald, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. George J. McCormack, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. L. B. McMiilan, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. Sixtus McLellan, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. Thomas M. McMillan, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. A. J. McAdam, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. James McIsaac, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. Frank J. McDonald, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. George McCormack, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. Bennet McDonald, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. Louis J. McDonald, Charlottetown, P. E. Island.
Mr. Arthur Mclnnis, Charlottetown. P. E. Island.
Mr. Thomas V. Grant, M. D. Montague, P. E. Island.
Mr. Bernard J. McCormack, St. Georges, P. E. Island.
Mr. Daniel McAulay, St. Peters, P. E. Island.
Mr. Emanuel McLellan, Richmond, P. E. Island.
Mr. David Cameron, Richmond, P. E. Island.
Mr. Cornelius McLellan, Arlington P. E. Island.
Mr. Frank Gillis, Bayside, P. E. Island.
Mr. John E. McDonald, Souris, P. E. Island.
Mr. James A. McNeill, Summerside, P. E. Island.
Mr. Daniel B. McDonald, Bedeque, P. E. Island.
Mr. James P. McIntyre, St. Andrews, P. E. Island.
Mr. John C. McDonald, Bedford, P. E. Island.
Mr. William McNeill, Summerside, P. E. Island.
The Executive of the General Committee was made up of the following
persons:-
Patron-Right Rev. L. J.
O'Leary, Bishop of Charlottetown.
Hon. Pres. Very Rev. D. M. McDonald, Tignish,
Hon. Pres. Very Rev. D. J. Gillis, Indian River,
Hon. Pres. Very Rev. J. C. McLean, Souris.
Acting Pres. D. B. McDonald, Bedeque,
Vice-Pres. (Prince County) Rev. J.J. McDonald, Summerside
Vice-Pres. (Queens County) Alex. McDonald, Charlottetown
Vice. Pres. (Kings County) R. J. McDonald, M. D. St. Peters.
Secretary- Rev. William V. McDonald, Hope River,
Asst.-Sec.- J. A. McDonald, Barrister, Charlottetown,
Treas.- W. J. P. McMillan, M. D., Charlottetown
The General Committee thus
appointed and officered entered upon its duties without delay, and soon
evolved a programme for the proposed celebration, which was duly explained
in a booklet bearing the title
CELEBRATION OF THE LANDING
of the
SCOTTISH CATHOLICS
on
Prince Edward Island
in
A. D. 1772, and after.
Amongst other things this
Booklet set forth:- "A Movement has been inaugurated to commemorate in a
fitting manner the 150th, anniversary of the landing of the first Scottish
Catholic settlers in what is now the Province of Prince Edward Island.
"But it is the intention to
commemorate the arrival not alone of those who made their landing at
Scotchfort, but also in subsequent immigrations to various parts of the
Province, and for that reason a monument is to be erected to the memory,
in common, of all those original Scottish Catholic settlers."
"The monument is to be
erected at or near the site of the first Church, near the present Railway
Station at Scotchfort."
"The tentative programme
is, that proceedings shall commence with Pontifical High Mass, in the open
air, to be celebrated by one of the Bishops whose ancestors were numbered
amongst those pioneer settlers. The monument shall then be unveiled with
becoming ceremony and this shall be followed by a general celebration,
embracing Highland games and other amusements."
This tentative programme
was somewhat modified at subsequent meetings, and in its final state
provided that: Pontifical High Mass would be celebrated in the open air by
Right Reverend Louis J. O'Leary, Bishop of Charlottetown; that a Sermon
befitting the occasion would be preached by Right Reverend James Morrison,
Bishop of Antigonish, N. S.; That the unveiling of the monument would take
place in the afternoon, with speeches by prominent men, representing the
Civil and Religious life of the Country. The remainder of the day would be
passed as an ordinary picnic, thus affording the people, who were expected
to come from the remotest parts of the Province, an excellent opportunity
of meeting old acquaintances.
The day chosen for the
celebration was Wednesday, July 19th, 1922, the Feast of St. Vincent de
Paul. This choice of a day was singularly appropriate inasmuch as the
Society of Priests founded by St. Vincent, had rendered valiant service in
the Highland Districts of Scotland, during the trying days of religious
persecution. When the Catholic religion was proscribed in Scotland, when
it was not permitted to have Colleges, when Seminaries were pillaged and
burned, and when the well-springs of Priestly vocations were in imminent
danger of completely drying up, the priests of St. Vincent de Paul came to
the succor of the afflicted people, and under God were the means of
preserving the Faith in the western Highlands.
To make adequate
preparations for carrying out this programme entailed considerable work;
and to facilitate matters, it was deemed advisable to divide up the
General Committee into a number of sub-committees, each having a special
purpose, and a certain well defined share of the arrangements to attend
to. In this way it was hoped that every need would be provided for, every
emergency foreseen, and nothing left undone to make the proposed
celebration in every respect a great success. These several Committees
were as follows:
A MONUMENT COMMITTEE, whose
duty was to decide what form the monument would take, and to attend to its
construction and erection.
AN ENTERTAINMENT COMMITTEE,
in whose hands was the furnishing of entertainment for the people present.
A FINANCE COMMITTEE, whose
duty was to look after the management of the funds.
A PUBLICITY COMMITTEE, to
advertise the Celebration, and bring it to the notice of people at home
and abroad.
A TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE,
to make the necessary arrangements for trains, and other means of
transportation.
A CATERING COMMITTEE, to
provide the food and refreshments that would be required for the occasion.
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