Priests

By Hank Espeseth
Connoly William Poirier was born in Chapeau, Quebec on Jan. 15, 1909, son of William and Vivian. The Poiriers were farm folk as Father often talked about the family farm. Father’s youth and basic education took place “down east”, but when the call came for the priesthood, he headed west to attend St. Joseph’s Seminary in Edmonton. (Edmonton Archdiocese Archives)

From 1931 to 1935 Fr. Poirier studied at St. Joseph’s. At this time, the seminary was located on Victoria Avenue and 110 Street in Edmonton in the general area of the present St. Joachim’s Church. He was ordained by Bishop T.P. Ryan of Pembroke, Ontario on June 24, 1935 at St. Alphonse Liguori Church in Chapeau, Ontario.

In late 1935 or early 1936, Father Poirier was appointed parish priest in Barrhead and its missions including Mosside, Naples, Fort Assiniboine, Linaria, Belvedere, Camp Creek, Campsie, Topland, Timeu, Doris, Corbett Creek, Vega, Mystery Lake, and Moose Wallow. On October 12, 1939, Father Poirier also offered his services as chaplain for the Canadian forces.

In 1960, Fr. Poirier celebrated his twenty-fifth anniversary of ordination at St. Anne’s church and continued to serve the Barrhead parish and surrounding missions faithfully until 1971.

Fr. Poirier moved to Edmonton and for some time worked at the Salvation Army Hostel. In 1974 and 1975 he did social work at Holy Spirit Parish in Edmonton. In the seventies, Fr. Poirier decided to spend his retirement years on the family farm in Ontario. Although he stayed there for a short time, he admitted he was homesick for the West and returned to Edmonton. In the late seventies or early eighties, Fr. Poirier resided at St. Andrew’s Centre until his passing on November 14, 1991.

A funeral mass for Father Connolly Poirier was said at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church on Monday, November 18, 1991 with Fr. Leo Cordeau as the celebrant. Burial was in the Priest’s Plot of Holy Cross.