Link to:
Clerics | Photos & Coordinates | Sources
The Enfant-Jésus Heritage Site is home to the Roman Catholic Church built in 1913 by the local French Canadian and Métis community under the guidance of architect Joseph Alphonse Hudon. In addition there is a cemetery and a former convent of the Sisters of Saint-Joseph of Saint Hyacinthe. All the buildings are located on thirteen acres donated by Pierre Michaud and his wife Hélène Favreau in 1904.
The Catholic Church has a distinct Romanesque architectural style as shown by its rounded arched windows, doors and tower openings and statuary niche. The interior boasts a barrel vaulted ceiling supported by two rows of six columns, each column complete with Corinthian style capitals. The black marble altar was designed by renowned French sculptor, Hubert Garnier. A grotto built in 1954 is dedicated to Notre Dame de Lourdes who appeared to a peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirou.
Renovations to the church in the 2000s were done as part of the Manitoba Prairie Churches Project and the building is a municipally-designated heritage structure (2008). The building has now been converted to a community museum and inquiries should be directed to Yvonne Fontaine Godard (204-422-9369).
Period
Cleric
1904-1910
Alexandre Defoy
1910-1919
Albert Beaudry
1919-1939
Désiré Claveloux
1939-1950
François Xavier Normandin (1904-1965)
1950-1956
Édouard Fontaine
1956-1957
Albéaric St-Laurent
1957-1965
Pierre Gagné
1965-1969
Eugène Hébert
1969
Louis Philippe Jean
1969-1981
Gérard Magella Lévesque
1981-1987
Henri Prescott
1987-1989
Jean-Paul Gagné
1989-1993
Edmond Baril
1993-1995
Réal Gingras
1995
Édouard Bonin
Site Historique Enfant-Jésus Heritage Site (c1980)
Source: Patricia Gendreau
Site Historique Enfant-Jésus Heritage Site (March 2012)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
Interior of Site Historique Enfant-Jésus Heritage Site (May 2018)
Source: George Penner
Interior of Site Historique Enfant-Jésus Heritage Site (May 2022)
Source: Rose Kuzina
Enfant-Jésus Heritage Site Cemetery (July 2019)
Source: Rose KuzinaSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.65794, W96.45406
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Joseph Alphonse Hudon (1886-1918)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Municipally Designated Historic Sites
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Prairie Churches Project / Manitoba Prairie Icons Project
Obituary [Francois Normandin], Winnipeg Free Press, 6 July 1965.
We thank Christy Henry, Patricia Gendreau, and Rick Dondo for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Marcel Gauthier, Rose Kuzina, George Penner, and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 3 October 2026
Historic Sites of Manitoba
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