March 2003

Pictured here with a small sampling of the documents Catholic Charities Maine has donated to the Franco- American Heritage Collection at USM's L-A College are seated (L-R) Donat Boisvert, Collection Coordinator and Tracey Mousseau, Collection board member and volunteer. Standing are Bonnie Bagley, Associate Director of Catholic Charities Maine and Deacon Denis Mailhot, Director of Special Projects for Catholic Charities.

The Franco-American Heritage Collection at USM’s Lewiston- Auburn College has recently received a significant donation of French documents concerning local and regional history from Catholic Charities of Maine's St. Paul Center in Augusta. Deacon Denis Mailhot, Director of Special Projects, Catholic Charities Maine, remarked “as a proud Franco-American and lifetime resident of Lewiston-Auburn, I am pleased that these historical treasures are being returned to the Franco-American community for everyone to enjoy.”

The Center was originally the mansion of former Governor John Fremont Hill (1901-1905) before becoming an Oblate Retreat House in the early 1950’s. Over the years, books and documents from many private collections came to be housed there. For instance, items from local institutions such as the Healy Asylum, St. Mary's Hospital, St. Joseph's Novitiate and the Marcotte Home are now being returned to Lewiston for historical preservation. These items, dating back to the mid-nineteenth century, provide valuable information on religious orders, such as the Sisters of Charity, the Ursulines and the Sisters of the Presentation who played vital roles in the development of Lewiston's Franco-American community.

“The Franco-American Heritage Collection is grateful for the opportunity to preserve and make available these precious materials,” noted Roger Philippon, Assistant Dean at L- A College. “These are certainly rare and valuable documents.” John Kerry, CEO, Catholic Charities Maine said “At Catholic Charities, we are proud of our programs and services located in Lewiston; Education Services for Blind & Visually Impaired Children, Nutrition Services, Refugee & Immigration Services, SEARCH Program and Therapeutic Foster Care, and in Auburn; the St. Joseph Child Care Development Center and St. Francis House.” “We are equally proud with our support for the Franco-American Heritage Collection at L-A College.”