Brittany Priests

Priests from Brittany affiliated with St. Joseph Parish Many of the early priests at St Joseph church came from Brittany or Bretagne, France. Two of the most important priests were: Bishop De Goesbriand of the Diocese of Burlington, who served as the pastor at St. Joseph’s for a short time. Bishop De Goesbriand was initially buried in front of the Cathedral rectory in 1899, then moved to the crypt in the Cathedral and after the 1972 fire that destroyed the Cathedral he was moved to the Resurrection Park cemetery in South Burlington. Monsignor Jerome M. Cloarec who was the pastor of St. Joseph’s from 1871 to 1920, over 48 years.

He was buried under the altar in the Chapel of St Joseph Church on February 1920. Priests buried under the Bretagne / Breton Cross Six other priests were affiliated with St. Joseph’s parish, some by serving at the parish in some way, and some by desiring to be buried in a special burial plot in the Old Mount Calvary cemetery dedicated to the priests from Brittany. The site of this plot (numbers 855 and 856) was assumed to be where the original St Joseph Chapel stood beginning in 1835. Rev. Francois Marie Yvinec Father Yvinec was born on 3 May 1852 in Guiclan, Bretagne, the son of Yvon Yvinec and Francoise Fouillard. He arrived at St. Joseph’s from Quimper, Bretagne in December 1877 and remained until October 1878. In January 1885 he was re-assigned at St Joseph’s and stayed until 8 September 1889. He was at the blessing of the cornerstone of the new church in 1884. He donated the “Bretagne Medallion” on the ceiling of the new church and his name is imprinted on each of the 3 bells. Father Yvinec, Cure of Newport, died at the Hotel Dieu (Hospital) in Montreal on 31 May 1892 and was the first to be buried in the Brittany plot in the Old Mt Calvary cemetery. Rev. J. M. P Duglue He was born 3 September 1834, one of 7 clerics brought from Bretagne, France by Bishop De Goesbriand in 1855. He was once the rector of St Mary’s in Burlington and served at Middlebury, Fairfield, Brandon and Harrison, NY. He died in the hospital in New York City on 3 June 1897 at age 63 and was buried on 11 June 1897 in the Brittany Priest Plot. Rev. Jean Marie Coathuel He was born of Jean Coathuel and Marie A. at Briec, Finisterre, Bretagne in 1850. He was ordained by Bishop De Goesbriand in Brittany in 1874. He served in Fair Haven, White River Junction and in Newport VT and was assigned to St. Joseph’s on 1 February 1890 and remained until 1892. Then assigned to Hyde Park, and at St. Joseph’s again from 1893 to 1902. He was the private secretary of the Bishop for 5 years. He was at the blessing of the cornerstone in 1884, and at the 1886 Vespers at the church. He died of a heart disease 7 December 1902 at age 52 and was buried in the Brittany plot. Jean Louis Marie Cam Father Cam was born on 23 Jan 1831 and he was also brought from Bretagne, France by Bishop De Goesbriand in 1855. He served in Swanton. He died on 24 Oct 1903 and was buried in the Brittany Priest Plot. Rev. Jerome Gelot He was born in 1852 at Quimper, Bretagne, France of Jerome Gelot and Catherine Tressard. He was ordained in 1875 in Troy, NY and he served in Middlebury, Fair Haven and Ludlow. He died on 5 December 1904 at age 52 and was buried in the Brittany Priest Plot. Rev. Jean M. Gelot He was born in 1854 at Quimper, Bretagne, France of Jerome Gelot and Catherine Tressard. He was ordained in 1878 and was in Burlington in 1881. He served in Rutland, Poultney, Middlebury , Fair Haven, and then at Fanny Allen Hospital where he died on 28 May 1907 at age 53 and was buried in the Brittany Priest Plot.



GELOT GENEALOGY: Their Father and Mother Jérôme GELOT Born 9 March 1826 (Thursday) - Pluguffan, 29216, Finistère, France Deceased 19 August 1868 (Wednesday) - Pluguffan, 29216, Finistère, France, aged 42 years old Parents Jérôme GELOT 1783-1828 Catherine CORNEC 1793-1862 Spouse Married 20 June 1848 (Tuesday), Pluguffan, 29216, Finistère, France, to Catherine Marie Corentine TRESSARD 1833 with Daughter and sister of the Gelot priests Marie Corentine GELOT 1850-1883 Above genealogy from the Geneanet website. 







SOURCE: Most of the above information was taken from the “History of St. Joseph Parish, Burlington, Vermont  1830‐1987. Robert G. Keenan and Rev. Francis Prive. Some dates were from the VT Vital records, the Burlington  Free Press, and some from the Brittany Cross in the Old Mt Calvary cemetery.  John Fisher, July 2019