inside the Butter church

Father Peter Rondeault was a 33-year-old Quebecois who arrived in Fort Victoria in June 1858 and later set out for Cowichan with just a sack of flour, a gun and his breviary. After hiking to Brentwood Bay he paddled a canoe to Comiaken where, in the words of Father Joseph J. Cyr, nothing awaited him: "no house, no furniture, no church, and often no food."

In 1870 Father Rondeauld with native helpers built the stone church on Comiaken Hill. It is known as the Butter church as he paid his helpers with funds raised from the sale of butter from his dairy herd on the mission's farm.

To his dismay, the church was only used for ten years as Bishop Demers orderd a new church be built on land with clear title. The other church, which is still used today, is St. Ann's church.

N 48° 46.153 W 123° 38.545

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This church is now used by children who play in it. A rope swing hangs from the rafters that looks like a noose.