Sequel to Paddy's Rock Story
Bryan sent me some clarifying information he found on the Internet about the Paddy Moriarty story. In those days, St. Francis de Sales Parish was a Mission Parish of Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Brudenell. The Parish Register record from our Lady of the Angels Church in Brudenell is available on the web and there, we read the following entries for July, 1910.
Item #4 Page 343 #B18 Michael Leo Madigan:
"July 31st, 1910. We the undersigned baptized Michael Leo, born on the twenty-seventh day of the same month, of the lawful marriage of John Madigan and Johanna O'Brien. The sponsors were Thomas O'Brien and Mrs. James Comerford. Francis L. French, P.P."
Item #4 Page 344 #S12 Patrick Moriarty:
"July 25th, 1910. We the undersigned blessed the body of Patrick Moriarty who was drowned in the Madawaska River on the twenty-third of last March, aged ? The body was afterwards buried in the cemetery of St. Francis de Sales, Raglan, in the presence of John Madigan and John Gallagher. James McGuire. O.M.I."
Thus, according to those records, Paddy drowned on Wednesday, March 23, and was buried on Monday, July 25, two days before Leo was born. So, Jim and Bridget may have gone down the river on Saturday, or on Sunday afternoon, but the body must have been left on the verandah over Sunday night. Mom's recollection of the event was pretty close.
Bryan (and I) find it interesting that Fr. McGuire, an Oblate, officiated at the funeral. One would think that Fr. French would have celebrated the Mass, especially after the miracle of the loaf of bread. ;)