Description of Historic Place

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church is a 2 1/2–storey Gothic Revival style church located at the corner of Gondola Point Road and Station Road, overlooking the northern most corner of the Rothesay Common in Rothesay.

Heritage Value

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church is designated a Local Historic Place for its new architecture combined with heritage elements from the Catholic community, as well as for its religious significance in the community.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church is recognized for its architecture. The church building itself is significant in the way it combines new architecture with heritage elements. Our Lady of Perpetual Help has had three locations, and currently resides on Gondola Point Road, bordering the Rothesay Common. The original Our Lady of Perpetual Help was built in the 1850’s in Quispamsis by the original Irish Catholic population in the Kennebecasis Valley. Unfortunately, the original building burned down in 1941 due to unknown causes, and was rebuilt the next year on Gondola Point Road across from its current location. In 2004, a new church was built to accommodate a rapidly growing congregation.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church is also recognized in the way it has incorporated design elements from the previous church building. In the interest of retaining the heritage quality of the Rothesay Common area, the new building is designed to echo the Gothic Revival design of the second church. Many of the historical features such as the former High Altar, the wainscoting under the choir loft, the baptismal fount, and the brass altar candles and the pews have been salvaged and now furnish the new church. One of the oldest features, and the only thing to survive the fire in the 1850 church were the pure copper hanging lights. Other features, such as the Letourneau organ, one of only 3 copies of El Greco’s, “The Death of the Count” and the Madonna painting by Toronto artist John Young also contribute to the interior space. Features which are not original to either church but which have a local historical significance are the kneeler, or prie-dieu, that belonged to William Dollard, the first Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Saint John, the Baptismal from Saint Paul’s Valley Church, which dates back to the 1770’s and the ambry belonging to Bishop Medley, the first Anglican Bishop of Saint John.

Source: Rothesay Living Museum, "Our Lady of Perpetual Help"

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church transferred from the 1942 church building include:
- overall Gothic Revival style reflecting the historic architecture of the previous 2 churches;
- High Altar;
- wainscoting under choir loft;
- baptismal fount;
- brass altar candles;
- pews.

The character-defining elements of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church transferred from the 1850 church building include:
- copper hanging lights lamps.

The character-defining elements relating to the collection of artefacts, artwork and furniture located inside Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church include:
- prie-dieu belonging to Roman Catholic Bishop William Dollard;
- ambry belonging to Bishop Medley;
- copy of El Greco mural, “ The Death of the Count”;
- Madonna painting by John Young.