St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church is located on Station Road in Grand Falls-Windsor. St. Joseph’s Church wasn’t always there. The parish priest of Grand Falls, Father W. P. Finn, used to say mass in the school house. In 1934, the catholic people collected money to build their own church. By December 1938, the first Roman Catholic Church was opened in Windsor but it burned down less than two years later in March 1940. In July 1940, shortly after the church burned, Father Francis P. Meaney was appointed the first parish priest of the Grand Falls Station parish. Grand Falls Station was the original name for Windsor. The second church was opened and dedicated in December 1940. The congregation outgrew the church and a third building was necessary. This building was built on the same site and it opened in 1965. This church has undergone two extensive renovations to produce the structure it is today.
Ms. Warr remembers the old church. She and her 13 brothers and sisters attended St. Joseph’s School that used to be located next to the church. Father Meaney was the one who recruited the Presentation Sisters to administer St. Joseph’s School. A convent was built on the back of the school to house the Presentation Sisters. Ms. Warr can remember the big auditorium attached to the school where Father Meaney used to play movies, mostly on weekends and mostly western movies, to raise money for the parish. After the movie theatre closed and the seats were taken out, it was used for other functions besides concerts. One of the priests who used to assist Father Meaney formed a Youth Club. Ms. Warr and her friends spent most of their teenage years as members of this youth club, and a lot of great activities such as sports and dances took place there. She can also remember the delicious fudge that they used to sell at the bazaars, and the bingo games that took place in the church basement. Her mother loved going to bingo. Father Meaney retired in 1979 and he died on September 11, 1988.
Many people are required to help the parish work. Years ago Ned Lee, Anna Cardoulis, Kay Reardon, Bride Philpott, Nellie Beson and Phil Beresford were some people who worked hard to keep up St. Joseph’s parish. Today Father Don is priest. He was the one who gave us and our Flat Pen Pals from Harlow, England a wonderful tour of the church. My flat pen pal, Flat Trayton Gumble, really enjoyed his visit to the church. The secretary is Marie Budgell. Sister Brendan Lynch leads choir and other duties of the church. Many parishioners take an active role in the survival of the parish. This year members of the parish compiled a cookbook to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Diocese of Grand Falls, which St. Joseph’s is a part of, and to raise money for the parish.
Carter Kenny (2005-2006)