| St. Augustine's Church | ![]() |
|
The Wilcox Parish Church also serves as the religious home of Notre Dame College. It was rebuilt in 1960, the design greatly influenced by Monsignor Athol Murray, and is dedicated to St. Augustine of Hippo. The bronze entrance doors were designed by Roman Kowal and donated by Joseph Ashley of Newfoundland, Canada. The Cross, located above the entrance doors, was given to the College by the Town of Rouleau. It came from the Catholic Church in Rouleau where Père celebrated Sunday Mass for the community. The simple warmth of the interior of St. Augustine's Church is welcoming and provides a special spiritual awareness for all visitors. The nave was originally furnished with donated red and green plush theatre seats, most unusual for a Church! In 1988, renovations took place and the old theatre seats were replaced with oak pews and carpet. The stained glass windows are stories in themselves and well worth the time to study. Père was responsible for selecting the Church leaders depicted in the west windows: Laval, Leo X111, Mercier, Chesterton, Belloc, Maritain, Knox, Gibson, Carr and Dawson. On the east side, the windows depict Saints of the Church to whom the Notre Dame community has special devotion. They are: Gregory, Leo, Benedict, Francis, Aquinas, More, Breboeuf and Newman. On both sides are the Stations of the Cross. In the Sanctuary, the window of St. Augustine is dedicated in memory of the 67 Hounds who gave their lives to the City of God during the Second World War. To the left of the altar you will find the Ephesus Grotto, Our Lady of the Wheat stained window and Notre Dame des Prairies, which was painted by Monsignor Metzger of Kronau, about 1922, for the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis. It marked the establishment of their Convent in Wilcox. The Parish and College combined resources to acquire a new organ for the church in the fall of 1990.
|