Catholic Mission To The Inuit

The community of Kugaaruk (68 53’ N, 89 51’W; population 539, 94% Inuit) is located at the mouth of Kuugarjuk River in southeastern Pelly Bay. The first recorded contact between Inuit and Europeans in this region occurred when John Ross’s Northwest Passage expedition of 1828-33 wintered here.

Until a federal day school was opened in 1962 Oblate priests were the only non-Inuit residents in the community. The Arviligjuarmiut in the region converged on the mission to celebrate Christmas and Easter.
Fr Andre Goussaert OMI was instrumental in promoting the co-operative movement in this community and later in the federation of co-ops in the Northwest Territories (Arctic Co-operatives Ltd).

The name of the community changed from Pelly Bay to Kugaaruk in 1999. This refers to a river running through the community.

SAINT PETER Roman Catholic Mission	Foundation of the mission Fr. Pierre Henry founded the Pelly Bay mission in 1935. Pelly Bay became famous for its buildings constructed with local stone and clay mortar mixed with seal oil. At one time there were 7 buildings. Two structures remain today including the famous stone church (built in 1941). The building, constructed with a wooden interior measures eight meters by five. The local Inuit helped to haul the stones from a nearby island. The cross atop the belfry of this church was donated by the famed Corporal Henry Larsen of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1942. Pelly Bay was the site where the most important film documentary prepared on the Canadian Inuit was filmed in the 1950s (the Netsilik Eskimo Film Series - currently distributed by the National Film Board) Fr Guy Mary-Rousseliere OMI was the Assistant Director and played an instrumental role in the success of this production. [Go up]	Greetings from Kugaaruk... [Larger picture] [Larger picture]
Oblates who served the mission: Fr. Pierre Henry, 1935-45, 1947 Fr. Franz Van de Velde, 1938-1965 Fr. Joseph Leverge, 1955 Fr. Guy Mary-Rousseliere, 1955-57, 1960 Fr. Robert Paradis, 1956-1957 Fr. Andre Goussaert, 1966-1974 Br. Jerome Vermesch, 1966-1974 Fr. Georges Lorson, 1967-1974 Fr. Joseph Meeus, 1975-1990 Fr. Tony Krotki, 1994-2001 Fr. Bogdan Osiecki, 2001-present Fr. Daniel Szwarc, 2004-present	The Catholic Church in Kugaaruk	More history... The life-long efforts of missionary Franz Van de Velde OMI to record the life of the people in the region through photographs, the collection of Inuktitut geographic names, and family genealogy is monumental. The community is predominantly Roman Catholic. The parish is facilitated with the help of local lay leaders who have served their church faithfully for many years. Initial programs to form local lay leaders for the Diocese (6 couples) were undertaken in a “school for catechists” operated from 1969-71 in Pelly Bay. [Go up]