Well-known Aylmer priest Father William Marrevee retires

Well-known West Quebec priest Father William Marrevee celebrated his 80th birthday and his retirement on July 3. A ceremony took place at Saint Mark the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Aylmer in the presence of Chelsea Mayor, Caryl Green, Hull-Aylmer MP Greg Fergus, and Archbishop Paul-André Durocher.

Currently serving at Saint Stephen's Parish in Chelsea, Father Marrevee will officially retire on September 1, 2016; 56 years after coming to Canada from the Netherlands to study at Saint Paul University.

The church ordained Marrevee in 1963 and in 1966, the 29-year-old Dutchman started teaching at the same university.

Several years later, Father Marrevee met former Aylmer Mayor Neil O'Donnell’s daughter, Margaret, at the Riverside Hospital. Extolling Aylmer, she was instrumental in convincing Marrevee to visit Aylmer.

Afterwards, Marrevee started volunteering at Saint Mark’s on weekends and helped Father Michaud. In 1981, Saint Mark’s destruction allowed Marrevee to become more involved in the community.

The church reopened in 1982 just in time for Easter as parishioners celebrated Jesus Christ’s resurrection and Saint Mark’s revival. In 1991, Father Marrevee was named as Saint Mark’s Pastor.

He would later serve other communities in West Quebec, such as Buckingham and Mayo before returning to Aylmer in 2007. He left Aylmer in 2013 and is serving today in Chelsea.