St. Peter's Parish - Villeneuve Alberta, Canada

A parish of the The Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton

	The hamlet of Villeneuve located on the S.W. 3 Sec. 17, TWP. 54, Rage 26, W4, includes a beautiful church, a community hall, a confectionary, and numerous homes both old and new. Situated on prime agricultural land, the hamlet is surrounded by several farms established over a century ago. The first settlers from Quebec arrived in the area around Big Lake in 1891 under the Colonizer Rev. Jean Baptiste Morin. Other arrived in subsequent years. This settlement, of largely French-speaking Catholics was considered part of the St. Albert Parish, but the distance to the Mission over the early trails was formidable. Consequently, on June 18, 1897, Bishop Vital Grandin O.M.I., granted the local parishioners their request for their own parish. A forty acre site was later chosen by bishop Grandin's successor, Bishop Legal, O.M.I. and Father Dauphin for the first church, with the parish being given the name of "St Pierre". At this time, the Chief Michel Calihoo Reserve was located simply one half mile west of the hamlet of Villeneuve. Therefore, Chief Michel Calihoo decided to offer the logs necessary for the construction of this new church, on the condition that his people be allowed to worship at the new church. Ideal for all, the agreement was made and a log church was built that same year.
A second, much larger church, was later built in 1911 at the present site and served the parish until 1932, when fire destroyed it. The third, and present church building was erected in 1933 withe the addtion of the St. Peter's Centre in 1995.

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