Who was Father Cheray?
Born In Brittany, France in 1879,
Louis Cheray, after receiving his bachelor’s degree, travelled to Winooski
Park, VT where he received his novitiate and co-founded the Saint Michael’s
Institute. In 1906, he was officially ordained in Montreal, Quebec to the
Society of Saint Edmund. During his time in Vermont, Fr. Cheray taught and
studied both mathematics and Theology.At the outbreak of the First World War, Fr. Cheray was called home to his native France where he was to be enlisted in the French armed services. After completion of his tour of duty, Fr. Cheray returned to the Society of Saint Edmund where he served in both England and Vermont before becoming the resident pastor in Whitton, England. In 1939, Father Cheray and his fellow Edmundites opened the doors to a new church and parochial school.
The outbreak of The Second World War ushered in a period of hardship for Fr. Cheray. On October 29th 1940, the Whitton congregation was dealt a severe blow when a German oil bomb decimated the parish. Amongst the utter confusion of war, Cheray was fighting a losing battle for his health. A 1943 bout with arteriosclerosis confined Cheray to weeks of bed rest, and rendered him handicapped for the duration of the war. Despite his failing health, Cheray vehemently labored to raise funds to replace his ruined church. Unfortunately, rest did not provide the solution to his health woes. Immediately following the war, in 1946, Cheray underwent an invasive oral procedure to remove a tumor in his mouth. Multiple surgeries followed directly on the heels of the 1946 surgery, effectively removing Cheray from the day to day activities of the Whitton Chapter of the Edmundites.
In 1947, Father Cheray tenured his resignation from Whitton, to return to Vermont for medical Reasons. It was hoped with a lighter workload, and access to better medical care, Cheray’s health would be restored. Unfortunately, after undergoing multiple surgeries at Fanny Allen Hospital, the tumor continued to spread. The last efforts of the doctors proved futile, as Cheray’s illness could not be contained. Weakened by painful and exhausting medical procedures Cheray finally succumbed to pneumonia on March 30th 1949.
The outbreak of The Second World War ushered in a period of hardship for Fr. Cheray. On October 29th 1940, the Whitton congregation was dealt a severe blow when a German oil bomb decimated the parish. Amongst the utter confusion of war, Cheray was fighting a losing battle for his health. A 1943 bout with arteriosclerosis confined Cheray to weeks of bed rest, and rendered him handicapped for the duration of the war. Despite his failing health, Cheray vehemently labored to raise funds to replace his ruined church. Unfortunately, rest did not provide the solution to his health woes. Immediately following the war, in 1946, Cheray underwent an invasive oral procedure to remove a tumor in his mouth. Multiple surgeries followed directly on the heels of the 1946 surgery, effectively removing Cheray from the day to day activities of the Whitton Chapter of the Edmundites.
In 1947, Father Cheray tenured his resignation from Whitton, to return to Vermont for medical Reasons. It was hoped with a lighter workload, and access to better medical care, Cheray’s health would be restored. Unfortunately, after undergoing multiple surgeries at Fanny Allen Hospital, the tumor continued to spread. The last efforts of the doctors proved futile, as Cheray’s illness could not be contained. Weakened by painful and exhausting medical procedures Cheray finally succumbed to pneumonia on March 30th 1949.