SAINT JOHN, N.B. – Repairs are now underway at Saint John’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, preserving a church that’s been a staple in the community.
Earlier this year, the church was declared a heritage site by the province, but parts of the historic building are falling apart.
Elinore Forestell Sheehan has attended mass at the the Saint John cathedral almost every day for 76 years.
“That is my life, I want my mass before I do anything,” she said.
The church is nearly 160 years old and holds some of her fondest memories.
“My children were all baptized here and I was married here,” she said.
Built by Irish immigrants between 1853 and 1855, Lynn Forbes Gautier, who’s working on the cathedral restoration project, says the church is incredibly valuable to the city.
“The cathedral is the centre of a community that has really anchored Saint John in many ways for generations. And as a provincial heritage place the history of so many people are tied to this community,” Forbes Gautier said.
Sheehan says it’s hard watching the building fall apart.
“You feel terrible, you just feel terrible,” she said. “We had those pews cut off for a while because so much water had come.”
An inspection completed this summer has revealed the church suffered terrible water damage from roof leaks this winter.
“Some of the other exterior issues include masonry we are doing a structural survey and the bell tower has suffered over the years and needs to be shined up,” Forbes Gautier said.
The price tag to repair is $10-million. But the church did launch a fundraising campaign earlier this year and have reached about 20 per cent of their goal.
They hope to make the repairs to the roof by next spring.
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