St. Augustine Church, built 1864. Dundas Museum and Archives – GN-0060.
About Us
Our parish of St Augustine’s is the Mother Parish of the Diocese of Hamilton. In 1827, Fr. James Campion built a small wooden chapel in Dundas, marking the beginning of St. Augustine’s Parish. The first baptism recorded in our register is August 06, 1827, and since then a vibrant community of faith has called St. Augustine’s home to this very day.
Register at Our Parish
To register with our parish, please fill out the parish registration form.
Chalice, presented to Father Feeney, Dec. 24, 1884
Parish History
A History of St. Augustine’s Church, Dundas, Ontario
The mother church of the Diocese of Hamilton
The oldest parish between Toronto and Windsor
Andrew F. Burghardt, 1998
THE PIONEERS
The first Catholic priests to visit the site of Dundas may well have been Father Jean de Brebeuf in 1626, and, somewhat later’ Father Louis Hennepin, who is said to have accompanied the famous French explorer, La Salle, in his exploration of this area, between 1668 and 1671. Probably because of the wetness of the terrain La Salle and Hennepin called this vicinity New Flanders. However no known European settlement or lasting missionary work followed for over a century.
Catholic priests probably visited the Niagara area steadily from 1783 onwards, largely because the British Army units included many Catholic Irish and Highland Scots, but there were no parishes. The entire area was within the Bishopric of Quebec, even after the establishment of Upper Canada in 1791. Ken Foyster has reported the tradition that in the autumn of 1819 two settlers in Trafalgar Tp. (Bartholomew O’Connor and Charles O’Hara) walked the forty miles to Dundas to persuade a Fr. O’Reilly to visit their area to present the sacraments and celebrate Mass in Mr. O’Hara’s cabin. Since there was not yet a priest resident in Dundas, this suggests (if true) that the chaplain from Niagara made the occasional side trip from Dundas to Trafalgar before returning to Niagara.
Perhaps because of such requests for a priest, on December 30, 1820 the Rev. Alexander MacDonnell of Kingston was appointed by Quebec to be Vicar Apostolic for all of Upper Canada. He designated a Fr. Connor to service Niagara and the Head of the Lake. Fr. Connor is said to have visited Dundas regularly from 1821 onward, to have said Mass and to have performed marriages and baptisms in private homes.
About Our Parish Staff
About Father Scott
Fr. Scott Whitfield, B.Journ., M.P.Th., Th.M, was born and raised in what is today the city of Mississauga, in that city’s district of Port Credit. Not baptized until the age of seven, his religious upbringing was in the Anglican Church of Canada. After graduating from Port Credit Secondary School, he attended and then graduated from Carleton University School of Journalism in Ottawa in 1989. He laboured at a brief career in journalism and public relations, working as a freelance writer, editor and media analyst for various NGOs and government departments before taking a position as an assistant to an elected councillor in the Ottawa-Carleton Regional government from the mid to late 90s.
It was at this time that he discerned a call from God to ministry. His first response was involvement with the youth ministry at St. Luke’s Anglican Church on Somerset St. W. in Ottawa. He also became heavily involved in its street outreach, The St. Luke’s Lunch Club. He was admitted to the ordination discernment process of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa. After initial rejection, he was endorsed by the bishop and entered theological studies at St. Paul University, a Catholic institution run by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) in Ottawa.
Ordained an Anglican priest in 2000, the doctrinal crisis of the Anglican community through the first decade of this millennium, and growing doubts about the validity of his orders and the sacraments he administered, led him to break with that community and enter the Catholic Church, being received into full communion at Annunciation of Our Lord parish in Hamilton, Easter 2009.
The Pastoral Provision of the Church’s canon law permits married, former Anglican clergy to receive Holy Orders. Having initiated discussions with Bishop Anthony Tonnos, then Bishop Douglas Crosby, OMI, he was sponsored under the provision and began formation for the priesthood in 2011. This involved both formal study at St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ontario, and a variety of jobs with the diocese including special projects for the bishop (e.g. a study of university campus ministry in our diocese), and being assigned as a pastoral worker at St. Patrick’s Parish in downtown Hamilton for three years.
He was ordained to the priesthood December 19, 2015 and has served as an associate pastor at St. Thomas’ in Waterdown and at Our Lady of the Assumption, the parish for Elfrida, Binbrook and Upper Stoney Creek.
Fr. Whitfield is married. His wife, Biserka is a native Hamiltonian from its large Croatian community. They have a daughter, Helena who is a student at Redeemer University in Hamilton.
Father likes pie.
Here is a link to Father Scott’s recent online messages to the parish.
About Cindy
I have lived in Dundas all my life. I became the Parish Secretary in 2004, previous to this I was involved with the Children’s Liturgy.
I am also, treasurer with St. Augustine’s Catholic Women’s Leagu.
I married my husband Michael in 1978 In St. Augustine’s Church, we raised three wonderful children and now my greatest joy is being a Grandma.
About Tom
I became the Church Custodian in September 2018. I am responsible for keeping our Church, Hall and Parish Offices stocked with all supplies and cleaned each week. I am also an Usher, Eucharistic Minister, Adult Altar Server and a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus Council 6579.
My wife Sheila and I have been members of St. Augustine’s since the Fall of 1975. We worked and raised our children here and I coached baseball and hockey.
About Paul
I have been a member of the Dundas community for almost 30years since moving here with my spouse, Kelly, who is also my business partner. We are proud Greensville residents, and have raised our two beautiful daughters here while enjoying the conservation lands that surround our home.
I have been a member of the Dundas community for almost 30years since moving here with my spouse, Kelly, who is also my business partner. We are proud Greensville residents, and have raised our two beautiful daughters here while enjoying the conservation lands that surround our home.
Parish Advisory Council
Consists of several active parishioner volunteers working in concert with Clergy and Staff to provide inputs on Parish decision making.
The members of the PAC are as follows:
Fr. Scott Whitfield, B.Journ., M.P.Th., Th.M, was born and raised in what is today the city of Mississauga, in that city’s district of Port Credit. Not baptized until the age of seven, his religious upbringing was in the Anglican Church of Canada. After graduating from Port Credit Secondary School, he attended and then graduated from Carleton University School of Journalism in Ottawa in 1989. He laboured at a brief career in journalism and public relations, working as a freelance writer, editor and media analyst for various NGOs and government departments before taking a position as an assistant to an elected councillor in the Ottawa-Carleton Regional government from the mid to late 90s.
I am a life-time resident of Dundas, and have been a member of St. Augustine’s Church for 42 years. I married my husband Michael in August, 1978 at St. Augustine’s Church. We raised three wonderful children Brian, Amy and Catherine and now my greatest joy is being a Grandma to two adorable grandsons Blake and Austin. For many years I was the Coordinator of the Children’s Liturgy Program. I am the treasurer of the St. Augustine’s Catholic Women’s League and I have the pleasure of being the Parish Secretary for the last 16 years.
Martin has been a resident of Dundas and a member of St. Augustine since 1982. In addition to being a member of the parish’s advisory council, he is also involved with St. Augustine as an usher, cash counter and member of the finance committee. Martin, a Knights of Columbus member for over 31 years, is presently the Financial Secretary for the Knights, Dundas council.
Martin is a retired banker having held various positions over his 42 years of service. His last position being a Private Banker with the Wealth Management group in the Hamilton office. Martin has been involved in various charities over the years, March of Dimes, Kidney Foundation and the chair/board member with the MS Society, Hamilton chapter to name a few.
Married to Debbie for over 40 years, father to 3 grown children, proud opa to 3 grandchildren.
Born in Trinidad. Educated in England and Canada.
Retired Principal of the Hamilton Wentworth Catholic District School Board. Proud mother of two adult daughters.
Served on the Board of Directors for Catholic Family Services; Past President of KIds for Kaga; Member of the Board of Directors for Immigrant Workers (Hamilton).
Presently serves on the Board of Directors for The African Caribbean Student Scholarship Awards.
I have been a member of St Augustine Parish for over forty years and have had the privilege of serving both as Eucharist Minister and Lector.
Dave is a long-time resident of Dundas and has been a member of St. Augustine’s since 1997. Over the years, he has been involved with the parish in a number of capacities, most recently as chair of the One Heart One Soul campaign.
Dave is senior partner at Sims Advertising in Burlington and very active in the community. He has recently joined the St. Joseph’s Health System board and is a new member of The Knights of Columbus here in Dundas.
Father to Alexandra and Mitchell, both grown. He became a grandfather to Charlee Grace in 2019 – and is spoiling her every chance he gets.