St. Peter the Apostle Roman Catholic Church, Clinton

This is the third iteration of the St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church. The original version had been completed in 1865 and was rebuilt in 1892 out of the logs and materials from the first structure.
This church is valued for its strong Francophone connection to the Oblate Order.
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate came to Canada from France in 1841 to promote Christianity to Indigenous people and new settlers. While many of their contributions were celebrated in the past, they have more recently issued apologies for their role in the residential school system and for the part they played in the “cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious imperialism” towards Indigenous people.
Following deterioration of the church into the 1940s, the current structure was completed and blessed in 1952, across from the original site. Character-defining elements that remain there today include the original altar from the first church, the picture of The Last Supper, the first statues and other artifacts. That the church was repeatedly rebuilt also shows the commitment of the Church and its congregation to ensure that the structure and what it represents remains an active part of the community.