PARISHES OF

• A chapel was erected in the village Corbeil under the leadership of Father Thomas George Gagnon of Bonfield. This chapel was dedicated to the Sacred Heart and blessed by Bishop Lorrain in 1893. At first, the village of Corbeil was a church mission of Bonfield and subsequently in 1902, it became a mission of Astorville. During Father Sloan’s regime in 1916-1920, the basement of the church was constructed. Further construction was delayed due to the influenza epidemic of that time. In August 1920, Corbeil became a parish. Reverend Daniel J. Breen was the first pastor and work begun on a parish rectory and a two-classroom school. Father Breen also had a mission station in Feronia and served several stations and lumber camps along the Ontario Northland Railway.

• In 1930, Mr. and Mrs. Oliva Dionne became the proud parents of the five quintuplets, who were
  baptized by Father McNally. Due to the birth of the Dionne quintuplets, the area of Corbeil and
  Callander became a centre for news and publicity for years to come.

• In 1941, Reverend W.H. Lafrance set to work to direct the completion of the Sacred Heart Church.
  In 1950, the Sisters of the Sacred Heart became the teaching staff of the four-classroom school at
  the time. The old rectory became a convent and a new presbytery arose on the north side of the church. On June 1, 1977, a heavy cross fell on the parish when lightning struck and caused the church to burn to the ground. The long and arduous task of organizing committees for building a new church and planning fundraising, took place.

• Father Adrien Koens, along with a group of dedicated parishioners, oversaw the rebuilding of the
  now existing church. The construction was completed in 1980. The church, built to conserve
  energy, has windows on the roof facing west to let in plenty of sunlight. The wide seating area and wide sanctuary can allow up to 270 people to sit close to the altar. Much like in its beginnings, today the Sacred Heart church in Corbeil is a location of spirituality to practice one’s Christian faith in the northern part of the Municipality of East Ferris.

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