Néomédia Vaudreuil-Soulanges continues its series this week on the history of the region's churches.

The Church of Saint-Michel de Vaudreuil, so named by the Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec, located in Vaudreuil-Dorion, has been classified as a heritage building since 1957, and is a regional gem in Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

Protection applies to the exterior and interior of the building, but not to the grounds. Twenty-three classified heritage objects are associated with the site. The building was erected between 1784 and 1789, and opened in 1787.

History

Saint-Michel church was built between 1784 and 1789 to serve the parish of the same name, founded in 1771 in the seigneury of Vaudreuil. The parish was named in honor of seigneur Michel-Eustache-Gaspard-Alain Chartier de Lotbinière (1748-1822).

With the help of Sébastien Daviau, Head of Collections at the Musée régional de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, Néomédia took a tour of the magnificent church. Mr. Daviau holds a Master's degree in History and a Master's degree in Museology from the Université de Montréal.

Here are a few historical facts Mr. Daviau brought to light:

“In 2024, we're talking about the 241st year of construction of Saint-Michel de Vaudreuil church. The seigneuries of Vaudreuil and Soulanges were created in 1716. Until recently, it was thought to be 1702,” says Mr. Daviau.

“Saint-Michel parish was founded in 1773; before that, it was served by Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue parish, the Mission de l'île aux Tourtes and Saint-Joseph-de-Soulanges (Les Cèdres), Saint-Régis and Saint-Anicet parishes (19th century),” adds our guide.

“Mr. Chartier de Lotbinière didn't build the church where he originally wanted it. Originally, he wanted to position it near his 1765 manor house (now demolished), located near today's Taschereau Bridge,” recalls the museum director. The censitaires, whose lands were located in Anse de Vaudreuil, thought it was too far away”.

A consensus was reached with Bishop Jean-Olivier Briand and Seigneur Chartier de Lotbinière, who chose the present site.

By 1787, the church was practically empty, with only the pews of the first presbytery-chapel (1772) installed. It wasn't until 1792 that Abbé Jean-Baptiste Deguire, in charge of church construction, chose renowned sculptor Philippe Liébert to build the first pieces of furniture: the tabernacle for the high altar in 1792, and the tomb and pulpit (vat and lampshade) in 1793.

Around 1798, Liébert also made the altar candlesticks (covered in silver leaf), the Paschal candlestick and the two side altars, one dedicated to Saint-Joseph, the other to Saint-Louis. The figure of Saint-Louis holds up the Chartier-de-Lotbinière family coat of arms, asking for divine protection. “As art historian Édith Prégent points out, this is a unique iconography in Quebec, with a heritage component that identifies it exclusively with the parish,” says Mr. Daviau.

The crypt of Saint-Michel church

According to the Vaudreuil-Soulanges archive center, the church includes a seigneurial chapel located in the building's right transept. It is dedicated to the Chartier de Lobtinière-Harwood family. Since the church was built, members of the seigneurial family and their descendants have been buried in the church crypt beneath the chapel.

Funerary stelae installed on the chapel walls recall the existence of some of the deceased. The last burial of a descendant of the seigniorial family in the crypt took place in 2013. The church crypt was closed by Quebec government law several years ago. According to Mr. Daviau, some 150 bodies are buried there. He also points out that there are still descendants of the Chartier de Lotbinière-Harwood families living in the region.

According to the Quebec Cultural Heritage Directory

Between 1856 and 1859, the façade was demolished and replaced in keeping with the neoclassical and neogothic trends. Today, it has lost the crenellations that once adorned the gable railing. The sacristy was lengthened in 1868. Two years later, the bell tower was destroyed in a fire and immediately rebuilt to the same design. In 1871, the parish acquired an organ built by Louis Mitchell (circa 1823-1902). It was installed in the gallery of the north arm of the transept.

The interior took on its present appearance in 1883, when painter-decorator François-Xavier-Louis-Édouard Meloche (1855-1914) created the trompe-l'oeil decoration with the assistance of his collaborator Toussaint-Xénophon Renaud (1860-1946). During construction, some of Achim's ornaments were lost, and the organ was moved to the rear gallery.

The church of Saint-Michel was listed in 1957. The presbytery, parish cemetery, convent, former courthouse and former Collège Saint-Michel (listed in 1961) still surround the church. The church is home to 23 items of movable property, classified in 1965.

Saint-Michel parish today

Saint-Michel parish is located at 414, boulevard Saint-Charles. For the past three years, it has been run by Gabriel Parent, parish manager: “I love this job, I'm learning a lot, it's very motivating,” confides the man in charge.

The parish runs a food bank serving Vaudreuil-Dorion and 151 families, as well as an emergency food service. 

“A fundraising event is also organized every year with the Club Optimiste Vaudreuil-Dorion to raise funds for the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation, for young people from Vaudreuil-Dorion, Vaudreuil-sur-le-Lac and Pointe-des-Cascades,” adds Mr. Parent.

“The Saint-Michel parish also organizes an annual food drive (guignolée), overseen by Élyse Schmidt Viau,” adds the manager.

In addition to masses, funerals and sacraments, the parish also organizes various training courses, including catechism classes: you can request a registration form from the parish office. To find out more about the courses, contact the parish or consult their website for full details. Classes start on October 6 and 7 in the basement of Très-Sainte-Trinité church.

Mr. Parent is delighted that Mass attendance at Saint-Michel has increased, as has the amount of money raised in collections over the past year. However, we're not rolling in dough; tithes have decreased, as have funeral services.” 

The Ministère de la culture et des communications covers part of the costs, but often on a project-by-project basis. “Everything we receive is immediately deposited in our “heritage” bank account,” says Parent.

Mr. Parent recounts that several part-time employees sometimes increase their workload without being compensated for overtime, because of their insufficient budget.

He would like to see tours of St. Michael's Church organized again, as was once the case, but a subsidy was lost.

According to Mr. Daviau, of the Musée Régional de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, Saint-Michel church is not in danger, is in very good health and attracts many visitors.

However, as we know from all the churches that have eventually changed vocation and been transformed, nothing is ever a foregone conclusion.