Description of Historic Place

Sts. Donatien and Rogatien Roman Catholic Church is a Municipal Heritage Property situated on approximately one hectare of land on a hill in the Village of Prud’homme. The property features a large, wood-frame church.

Heritage Value

Sts. Donatien and Rogatien Roman Catholic Church is valued for its status as one of the oldest churches in the Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon. Built in 1907, the church continues to serve what was the second French settlement in the north-central region of Saskatchewan.

The heritage significance of this property also lies in its Romanesque architecture, a style often identified with Roman Catholic churches in French Canadian communities. The most notable feature of the church is the large bell tower, surmounted by a drum-shaped colonnade, that was added to the original building in 1922. Typical of many Catholic churches, several rows of pews face an elevated chancel and are divided by a central walkway. The arched ceiling is supported by several pillars.

The heritage significance of this site also lies in its connection to the Right Honourable Jeanne (née Benoît) Sauvé. After a distinguished career in journalism, Sauvé was elected to the House of Commons and served in several Cabinet posts during the 1970s. In 1980 she because the first female Speaker of the House of Commons. She was appointed Governor General of Canada in 1984 and served until 1990. A native of Prud’homme, Sauvé was baptized in the church in 1922 and later visited the building as Governor General in 1984. Her father, Charles Benoît, was responsible for adding the bell tower to the church in 1922.

Source:

Village of Prud’homme Bylaw No. 139.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the St. Donatien and Rogatien Roman Catholic Church resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements that illustrate its status as one of the oldest churches in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon and its association with the Right Honourable Jeanne Sauvé, such as its location;
-those elements reflective of the Romanesque style, such as the drum-shaped colonnade, the lower rows of arched windows, upper rows of circular stained glass windows, the large central bell tower and two flanking bell towers at the front of the building, and the semi-circular shape of the back of the building, the pews and the arched ceiling supported by pillars.