Honouring Our History

For more than 120 years, St. Boniface Catholic Church has stood as a place of faith, community, and continuity on St. Joseph Island. Long before the church was built in 1906, Catholic families, Jesuit missionaries, and visiting priests sustained a vibrant spiritual life across the Island.

This page shares the story of how Catholic ministry first took root here, how St. Boniface Church was established, and how generations of parishioners have cared for and celebrated this historic mission church.

Early Catholic Presence on St. Joseph Island (1600s–1800s)

Catholic life on St. Joseph Island began long before a church existed. Jesuit missionaries travelled through the Great Lakes region beginning in the mid‑1600s, ministering to Indigenous communities, fur‑trade settlements, and seasonal encampments along the North Shore.

Their travel routes connected Sault Ste. Marie, Garden River, Manitoulin Island, and the North Channel, passing directly by St. Joseph Island. Although no surviving Jesuit documents name the Island specifically, it lay on the main missionary corridor, meaning Catholic ministry was present in the region centuries before a permanent church was built.

St. Mary’s Church at Sailors Encampment (1800s)

The earliest documented Catholic worship site connected to the Island was St. Mary’s Church at Sailors Encampment. Originally located at Garden River, the church was moved to the southern tip of St. Joseph Island to serve voyageurs, fishermen, and families living near the shipping channel.

Priests from Sault Ste. Marie visited when travel allowed, celebrating Mass and providing sacraments. St. Mary’s functioned as a mission church and provided the first known Catholic gathering place on the Island.

By the late 1800s, several changes led to the decline of St. Mary’s Church at Sailors Encampment:

• Catholic families increasingly settled in Hilton Beach and surrounding farms.

• St. Mary’s was small, aging, and never intended for a growing parish.

• Missionary priests found Hilton Beach more accessible as roads and docks developed.

• The creation of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie in 1904 encouraged permanent parish churches, making St. Mary’s insufficient for the community’s needs.

The Founding of St. Boniface Church (1906)

With diocesan support and a growing Catholic population in Hilton Township, the community sought a permanent church. The turning point came when George and Rosa D’Erina Von Tom initiated a fundraising campaign to purchase land and build a church. Rosa D’Erina provided decisive leadership, and George Von Tom trained the first altar boys at a makeshift outdoor altar.

The land was secured through three legal transfers between 1903 and 1904, culminating in the property being transferred to the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation.

In 1906, Island families, Catholic and non‑Catholic, built the church in a single day following the tradition of barn‑raisings. The first Mass was celebrated that summer, and St. Boniface became the new center of Catholic life on St. Joseph Island.

Early Parish Life After 1906

St. Boniface began as a mission church served by visiting priests from Sault Ste. Marie. Priests such as Fr. Mulligan, Fr. Cowan, Fr. Hussey, Fr. Hogan, Fr. Baker, and Fr. Comisis regularly travelled to the Island to celebrate Mass and provide pastoral care.

The church quickly became the spiritual home for Catholic families in Hilton Beach and the surrounding area.

1984 Church Extension

In 1984, St. Boniface underwent its first major renovation since 1906. The project added a new front entrance, an indoor washroom, and improved accessibility. Guided by parish leadership and supported by parishioners, the extension reflected the community’s commitment to caring for the historic mission church.

100th Anniversary Celebration (2006)

In 2006, St. Boniface celebrated 100 years of faith and community. Parishioners, summer residents, and friends gathered to honour the generations who built and sustained the mission church. Messages from Bishop Jean‑Louis Plouffe and Fr. Veselko Kvesic highlighted the parish’s long tradition of hospitality, service, and dedication, marking the anniversary as a moment of gratitude and renewal.

120th Anniversary Celebration (2026)

In 2026, St. Boniface Catholic Church marked its 120th anniversary with gratitude for the generations who built, sustained, and cherished this historic mission church. Parishioners, families, summer residents, and visitors gathered on August 16, 2026 for a joyful Anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop Thomas Dowd, during which several parishioners received the Sacrament of Confirmation.

After Mass, the community continued the celebration at the Hilton Beach Hall with a reception, historical displays, and the cutting of a special anniversary cake. The day honoured our past, celebrated our present, and renewed our commitment to carrying the faith forward.

Continuing the Legacy of St. Boniface

For more than 120 years, St. Boniface Catholic Church has been shaped by the faith, generosity, and dedication of the people of St. Joseph Island. From the early missionary days to the building of the church in 1906, from the families who sustained Catholic life to the celebrations of our 100th and 120th anniversaries, each generation has carried the mission forward with gratitude and hope.

As we honour our history, we also look to the future with confidence that the same spirit of faith, service, and community will continue to guide St. Boniface for many years to come.