Rev. Charles Dauray
A Sacred Vision
In 1875 the Rev. Charles Dauray was appointed pastor of Precious Blood parish, with its partially completed church. In February of 1876 a gale destroyed uncompleted sections of the new church and left the building in ruins. Undaunted, the young pastor supervised the reconstruction and completion of the beautiful Gothic styled edifice which was finally dedicated on July 17, 1881.
Soon after the completion of the church, the parish under Father Dauray’s leadership constructed a parochial school. He secured the services of sisters in “les religieuses de Jesus-Marie” order to teach in this bilingual school. His insistence on bilingualism transformed Precious Blood from a French-Canadian to a Franco-American parish. When the sisters moved from the convent on Hamlet Avenue to a new residence on Park Avenue, Father Dauray transformed the old building into a separate bilingual school for boys, the well-known “Petit College”, staffed by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart.
Under Father Dauray’s leadership, the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary arrived from Canada, and after initially operating a day care center for the children of working parents, established St. Francis Orphanage on Bernon Heights. A well-known Woonsocket physician, Dr. Joseph Hils, left money for this orphanage, and he also left $25,000 to Father Dauray for the building of a home for the elderly. Father Dauray secured the services of the Grey Nuns of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, to staff this home. L’Hospice du Saint Antoine was originally located on Hamlet Avenue, but later moved to North Smithfield, RI and is still in operation today.
On July 2, 1918, Father Dauray was elevated to the rank of Monsignor. Soon afterwards he began a fundraising drive for the erection of a secondary school for boys. In 1924 the parish celebrated the dedication of Mount Saint Academy. Since then, the school has grown into a coeducational Catholic junior-senior high school, known for its academic and athletic programs, notably its hockey academy which has produced numerous NHL players.
Monsignor Dauray died on February 22, 1931. By a special city ordinance, permission was granted that he be buried in front of Precious Blood Church. His 56-year ministry to the people of Woonsocket touched every aspect of their lives, and the institutions he established still continue to serve the community today.
