In the days before the parish was founded, the families of River Canard had to travel to either St. John the Baptist Church in Amherstburg, or Assumption Parish in Sandwich (now Windsor) for Sunday masses and other religious services. The journey was difficult because of the primitive roads. Beginning in 1852, Father Laurent, a priest from St. John the Baptist, began to come to the area to say mass, visit the sick and carry out other religious services. Mass was celebrated at the house of Mr. Laurent Beneteau and Mr. Charles Beneteau.
In 1864, Father Francois Marseille saw a need for a parish to be developed in River Canard. At this time approximately 64 French Canadian families lived in this area. St. Joseph was chosen as the name for the parish because Father Marseille had a great devotion to this saint. The first chapel was built by the parishioners on land donated by Alexandre Beneteau. It was built approximately where the rectory driveway now stands. The chapel was a 16 x 14 foot wooden plank structure. In October 1864, the first mass was celebrated by Father Marseille assisted by Jeremie Renaud, the first altar boy.
In 1870, Father Marseille decided to construct the first church. It was situated on the spot on which the present church stands. The church measured 80 x 45 feet, and was of a gothic style. The church cost $400.00 to build. Imported statues of the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, St. Anthony, and St. Francis, still stand in our church today.
In 1896, Fr. Marseilles succeeded in having a separate school and convent built for the Holy Names Sisters next to the church.
In October 1910, Father Marseille, age 83, retired to Hotel-Dieu Hospital in Windsor, where he died on September 26, 1914. He was the first person to be inhumed in the crypt of our present church.
Father Joseph Albert Loiselle replaced Father Marseille in 1910. As early as 1911, the first church was demolished and the construction of our present day church began by the energetic Father Loiselle. It was designed by J. O. Turgeon of Montreal and built at a cost of approximately $75,000. It was constructed of brick and stone and also contained a crypt in the basement, one of the few in the southwestern Ontario. Each able parishioner had to deliver his share of loads of materials. Crushed stone from the Amherstburg quarry, gravel from Leamington, and brick from Windsor. Thirty wagon loads back then are equivalent to one truck load today. On June 13, 1913, His Excellency Monsignor F. Fallon, blessed the cornerstone of the church. On Sunday, April 18, 1915, the parishioners were officially allowed to enter the basement of the new church.
The first baptism in the new church was held on April 15, 1915. Marie Louise Cecile, born to Honore Beneteau and Elmira Bezaire, was baptized. The first marriage was the union of Raymond Cousineau and Laura Cote on May 31, 1915. On September 16, 1916, at about 10:30 a.m., the church bells rang out for the first time. Mr. Louis Loiselle, brother of the priest, rang them.
Because of his hard work and dedication to the region, Father Loiselle decided to change the name of River Canard to Loiselleville. This change caused a lot of confusion within the post office because there was already a Louisville near Chatham and one in Quebec. A few years later, the parishioners decided to return to the original name of Rivière-aux-Canards.
The parish and its many pastors have seen many changes over the intervening years. The convent was demolished in 2001 and replaced with a beautiful garden. St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School is located beside the garden and is the English-speaking grade school within parish boundaries. St. Joseph Parish ministers to the French-speaking children at l’École Msg Augustin Caron on Martin Lane in LaSalle. With the clustering of St. Clement and St. Joseph Parishes in 2006, the Faith Community of St. Clement and St. Joseph Parishes also tends to the specific needs of the other French schools in the area: l’École Ste-Ursule in McGregor and l’École Ste-Jean Baptiste in Amherstburg. Our two historic parishes now share one pastor, Fr. Dwayne Adam, and one Mission Statement.
Renovations to the current building were first started between 1958 and 1974 to the cost of $40,000. 1991-1999 saw new storm windows, repairs to entrance steps and a new roof put on the church, but major exterior renovations to the exterior masonry formally began with phases I-IV in 2001 and 2002.
On September 23, 2005 the Town of Amherstburg officially designated St. Joseph Church as a Heritage Site. The Town recognized the distinct impact this parish has had on the community in and around River Canard.
In 2009, both belfries had to be removed due to structural damage, at a cost of $150,000. The long-term goal is to rebuild these belfries but current attention has centered on the interior of the church.
In 2013, a condition report found that the Rectory required extensive, costly repairs. Approval for its demolition was obtained from the Town of Amherstburg, with the pastor relocating to an off-site residence.
Part I of Phase V began and centered on some interior upgrades, including a new expanded parish kitchen, crypt renovation, basement lighting updates, septic tank elimination, moving the parish office to the basement of the church, structural upgrades including replacing wooden beams in the basement with steel beams, incorporating a backup generator, and a new heating/cooling system.
Phases I to IV, the removal of the belfries, and the initial part of Phase V have been completed at a cost of close to $2 million, which was completely paid off due to the generosity and hard work of our parishioners before the next phase was started.
In 2016-17, the second part of Phase V focused on restoring the interior plaster walls and artwork of the church, lighting upgrades and painting of the walls. This was a major undertaking and completed at a cost of about $2.7M.
In 2017 – 2018, new kneelers, a new main floor accessible washroom, and a new audiovisual system that serves the main sanctuary and basement, were added.
As 2019 begins, preparation for the replacement of the concrete exterior entrance steps is underway.
We continue to reach out to minister to people in whatever way Jesus calls us to, building on our Faith Community Mission Statement:
“As one Eucharistic community, we welcome with joy, embrace with respect, and love with sincerity all who desire to make Jesus the center of their lives, proclaiming and living the Gospel in fidelity to the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church.”
“Ensemble, nous bâtissons une communauté eucharistique accueillante, vivante et fidèle à l’Évangile, qui témoigne de la foi en Jésus-Christ.”