St. Francis Xavier Church Rebuilt after Fire

Following the April 2021 fire in which St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church was burned down in Attawapiskat, the church has officially been rebuilt and opened in 2026, reports Timmins the Daily Press.

The official announcement of the opening was on August 25. The community of the James Bay Coast celebrated together, starting with a traditional drumming ceremony and a dance on the riverbank next to the church. Then followed the consecration of the new church.

Father Kingsley Njoku, the priest, led the consecration and he was joined by both Bishop Pierre Olivier Tremblay from the Diocese of Hearst-Moosonee and Bishop Alan Edward Campeau from the Diocese of Thunder Bay.

17 other regional priests also attended from Northern Ontario, Northern Quebec along with representatives from the Anishinabe Spiritual Centre based in Espanola.

Fr. John O'Brien from Martyrs' Shrine, Midland, also attended bring relics of St. Kateri Tekakwitha with him. St. Kateri is the first North-American Indigenous woman to be canonized as a saint in the Catholic Church.

Chief Sylvia Koostachin-Metatawabin gave an address during the ceremony to the Catholic leaders, thanking them for new church. 

The celebration felt much needed after the loss that the community experienced following the fire.