St. Antoine, Riviere Aux Raisins / "The Cross Leads Generations On"

St. Antoine, Riviere Aux Raisins, also, "The Cross Leads Generations On". . , St. Antoine, Riviere Aux Raisins , On October 15, 1788 a letter was sent to the Bishop of Quebec by local Catholic French-Canadians asking to establish a parish at la riviere aux raisins (river of grapes). Louis Mommini, father and son, sold a parcel of land for the church, with Joseph Hivon and Joseph Hiraque each donating. This was the first St. Antoine church farm., Father Edmund Burke was the first resident pastor, and the parish was dedicated November 16, 1794 to St. Anthony of Padua. The rectory had living quarters and a second floor chapel. A burial ground was blessed to the north of the building., The River Raisin Catholics came under the direction of the American Bishop of Baltimore. Maryland in 1796. In 1801, by his request, the Bishop of Quebec traveled to the River Raisin by canoe to administer the sacrament of Confirmation to over 200 persons., "The Cross Leads Generations On" , In later years a succession of priests ministered to the people here. When outgrown by the needs of the parish, after much debate the parish moved about 2 1/2 miles downriver to Monroe. This second St. Antoine church was another church farm once belonging to Pierre Solo and his family., The unoccupied original church land was sold and farmed, with a small part later occupied by "Little Custer” school. A first historical marker was installed here in 1957, followed by the memorial granite cross in May of 1959., During subdivision excavation in 1999, the original St. Antoine cemetery was rediscovered. After investigation, three vacant lots were added to the park with a second cross and walkways. Here the bones of their faithful ancestors remain at peace today.