Unique Christmas Present

In 1938, Dr. Emmett J. Mullally of Montreal sent an unique Christmas message to Rev. A.A. Sinnott, Archbishop of Winnipeg. George Mullally of Souris has this card or pamphlet in his possession and kindly allowed me to quote from it. Page one has an engraved Christmas greeting from Dr. Mullally and a handwritten note to the Archbishop: “In this Christmas remembrance of 1938, some verses were written about sixty years ago by a young man shortly before he left home to join a religious community in California. The young man and his brother were among the pioneers of the many Prince Edward Island men and women who went to the Western States of the U.S.A. and to Canada in order to work in the service of the church. “

The introduction states that John Joseph MacDonald was born in 1850. His father, Captain Angus and his mother Isabella MacDonald were descendants of two MacDonald clans - Clan Ranald and Lord of the Isles. When John was a young lad, his father, Captain Angus, a builder of trading vessels which he captained himself, moved with his family from Head of Hillsboro to Souris West. There were eventually nine sons and three daughters in the family.

Around 1878, John and his younger brother, Ronald went to California to join the religious Community of Blessed John the Baptist de la Salle, commonly known as the Christian Brothers. In religion John was known as Brother Willibald and Ronald as Brother Valerius. They taught in schools of their Order in San Francisco, Martinez and Oakland.

The following are some of the verses about Souris composed by John before he left home. One wonders if he was ever able to revisit the Souris he loved so well in his youth.

Souris
John J. (Brother
Willibald) MacDonald

Fair Souris, loveliest village of this Isle,
The first on whom the glorious sun doth smile
When it arises crowned with golden light
To drive away the darkest shades of night.

In this Dominion, though so great and vast,
Whose noble scenery may not be surpassed
In all America, you no place may see
In gentle beauty to compare wlth thee.

Enshrined upon the banks of Colville Bay,
Its gentle beauty stretching far away
To the horizon where unot the eye
The ocean seems unlted with the sky.

With ships and vessels sailing to and fro
Accordlng as the wayward breezes blow,
Their snowy Canvas spread to catch the winds
Bearing thelr produce off to forelgn climes.

Beyond doth rise a shady hill, so green
And verdent, woodlands in the distance seem.
The Church that tops the hill with cross on high
A finger points to realms beyond the sky.

And round thy suburbs thou hast many charms,
Green shady hills and cultivated farms.
And lovely shady gardens here and there,
Whose balmy odours scent the summer alr.

The beach, that long low ridge that doth divide
The eastern village from the western side,
Here lovely maidens walk with lovers brave
And listen to the murmur of the wave.

And Souris West upon the farther, side
With bridge that spans the harbour's flowing tide,
The peaceful river winding far away
Along the verdant hills of Gowan Brae.

Fair Souris, may thy beauty still incresse,
May plenty reign with happiness and peace,
And may you grow as years shall pass away
Until a city stands by Colville Bay.

- John J. MacDonald, was born in
Souris West. He was a Christian
Brother known as Brother Willibald.
He resided in Los Angeles.

Copyright
Waldron H. Leard