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The Shakers:
1793 Enfield Shaker Society was “gathered” on the Jones farm, the future site of La Salette Seminary
1840s Peak of religious fervor
1923 The seven remaining Shakers transfer to Canterbury, NH
1927 Dec. 1: Deed to Enfield property passed
When the Shakers settled on the west shore of Mascoma Lake, they called their home the "Chosen Vale." Nestled in a lush valley between Mt. Assurance and Mascoma Lake, it is easy to see why this site has been cherished for two hundred years.
Founded in 1793, this village was the 9th of 18 Shaker communities to be established in this country. At its peak in the mid-19th century, the community was home to three "Families" of Shakers. Here, Brothers, Sisters, and children lived, worked, and worshipped. Here, they practiced equality of the sexes and races, celibacy, pacifism, and communal ownership of property. Striving to create a heaven on earth, the Enfield Shakers built more than 200 buildings (including the Great Stone Dwelling, the largest Shaker dwelling ever built), farmed over 3,000 acres of fertile land, educated children in model schools, and followed the "Shaker Way" of worship.
In 1923, after 130 years of farming, manufacturing, and productive existence, declining membership forced the Shakers to close their community and put it up for sale.
In 1927, forgoing a much more lucrative offer from a New York syndicate, the Shakers sold the site to the La Salette Missionaries, an order of Catholic priests and brothers, ensuring the continued tradition of spiritual, communal life on the site.
The La Salette Missionaries also continued the very active agricultural use of the land as well as establishing a seminary and high school.
In 1985 the property changed hands again when the remaining buildings and grounds were purchased by a group of private investors.
La Salette Missionaries in Enfield
1927 Jan.: Fr. Zotique Chouinard (picture to right) learns that the Shaker property in Enfield is for sale. He and Frs. Donat
Fluet (1896-1951) and Simon Forestier (1875-1950) travel there to explore this property.
Dec. 1: Deed to Enfield property passed
Dec. 24: Midnight Mass on Christmas in North House
1928 Jan. 2: Arrival in Enfield of Father Wilfrid Boulanger
July 16: Arrival in Enfield of Father J. Alphonse Dutil.
Aug. 17: Arrival in Enfield of Father Arthur Deneault and of Fr. Elméric Dubois
Aug. 20: Arrival of four Sisters of St. Martha from their Motherhouse in St-Hyacinthe, Quebec
1928 Sept. 10: Opening of the High School Seminary; 37 freshmen enrolled from all of the New England States, except
Rhode Island, and New York State
1930 June 19: Blessing of the cornerstone of the Mary Keane Memorial Chapel.
July: Opening of Camp Pius XI for boys.
1931 Aug. 22: Isaïe Douillard and Philippe Authier are the first brothers to profess vows in Enfield
1932 June: The Enfield Seminary holds its first commencement. 15 students are graduated.
1945 Sept. 19: The Enfield Vice Province becomes the Province of the IHM.
1946 Centenary of the Apparition of Mary at La Salette rekindled desire to establish a Shrine in commemoration of the
Apparition
Aug. 22: Consecration of Mary Keane Memorial Chapel by the Bp. Joseph Guy, O.M.I., Ordinary for Canada’s Indian
Missions.
1948 Oct. 10: Departure ceremony for the first La Salette Missionaries to the Philippines
1951 Dedication of La Salette Shrine in Enfield on May 30
1953 Autumn: Junior college transferred from Enfield to East Brewster, Massachusetts
1966 Enfield High School Seminary accredited by the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools
1968 Feb. 24: The General Council approves Master Plan for proposed constructions in Enfield.
1969 Spring: Construction begins.
1971 One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Anniversary of Mary’s Apparition at La Salette
1974 June: High School closed due to lack of vocations from student body and rising expenses
1975 Last summer for the Camp Pius XI Camp
1977 Celebration of Fiftieth Anniversary of the arrival of La Salette Missionaries in Enfield
1985 Apr. 30: Sale of Enfield Property to a group of private investors
2001 Fiftieth Anniversary of Enfield Shrine
Shrine History
1930 June 19: Blessing of the cornerstone of the Mary Keane Memorial Chapel.
July: Opening of Camp Pius XI for boys.
1945 Sept. 19: The Enfield Vice Province becomes the Province of the IHM.
1946 Centenary of the Apparition of Mary at La Salette rekindled desire to establish a Shrine in commemoration of the
Apparition
Aug. 22: Consecration of Mary Keane Memorial Chapel by the Bp. Joseph Guy, O.M.I., Ordinary for Canada’s Indian
Missions.
1951 Dedication of La Salette Shrine in Enfield on May 30
1971 One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Anniversary of Mary’s Apparition at La Salette
1977 Celebration of Fiftieth Anniversary of the arrival of La Salette Missionaries in Enfield
1985 Apr. 30: Sale of Enfield Property
2001 Fiftieth Anniversary of Enfield Shrine
La Salette Seminary
1928 Sept. 10: Opening of the High School Seminary; 37 freshmen enrolled from all of the New England States, except
Rhode Island, and New York State
1930 June 19: Blessing of the cornerstone of the Mary Keane Memorial Chapel.
July: Opening of Camp Pius XI for boys.
1932 June: The Enfield Seminary holds its first commencement. 15 students are graduated.
1946 Aug. 22: Consecration of Mary Keane Memorial Chapel by the Bp. Joseph Guy, O.M.I., Ordinary for Canada’s Indian
Missions.
1953 Autumn: Junior college transferred from Enfield to East Brewster, Massachusetts
1966 Enfield High School Seminary accredited by the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools
1968 Feb. 24: The General Council approves Master Plan for proposed constructions in Enfield.
1969 Spring: Construction begins.
1974 June: High School closed due to lack of vocations from student body and rising expenses
1975 Last summer for the Camp Pius XI Camp
1985 Apr. 30: Sale of Enfield Property