The Convent

Built in 1906 to house Father Placide Desrosiers and his clergymen, the building became the presbytery of the Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson parish.

On February 19, 1922, fire destroyed the church that dated back to 1871 as well as the adjoining convent. Determined to preserve what they had before the unfortunate blaze, the community worked with the diocese to find a solution. Instead of simply reconstructing the convent on the same site, it was decided to sell the presbytery built in 1906 to the Sisters of Providence. With the addition of a major annex at the back, they were able to offer young girls a place to board and to teach all the village children.

At the same time, a new presbytery was built on the other side of the street. Finally, the church was rebuilt at the same location, creating a solid institutional entity.

In 1949, the Sisters of Providence welcomed Sister Anne-Félicité (Délia Dugas 1890-1964), who attracted a cult-like following for her alleged healing powers. However, due to the growing number of pilgrims coming to visit her, she was recalled to the Mother House in 1951. The Sisters of Providence remained until 1964, at which time the building was transformed into an assisted living residence for seniors. Vacant for a number of years, the building was acquired on June 15, 2012 by Linda Coulombe and her brother, George Coulombe.

Committed to preserving the legacy of this heritage building, the new owners undertook major renovations until April 2014 to preserve its original character and authenticity, as is demonstrated by its windows, its brick façade surrounded by a long wooden porch and its pitched roof with six dormers.

On April 14, 2014, the village of Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson rented the building to use as its town hall. On July 3, 2017, the municipality purchased.