September 21, 2003
Mission of the Holy Spirit (continued)
The following is a brief update on the Mission of the Holy Spirit derived from newspaper coverage of a trial held in Fall River in 1925. More will follow on the trial. “The Mission of the Holy Spirit was founded in Montreal by Eugène Richer dit Laflèche in the early part of this [i.e., the past] century. The main principle of its teaching is the regeneration of the human race through the mother’s womb.
In the early 1920’s a small colony was established near Adamsville R. I. [sc. on River Rd. in Westport and on the island (Great Island) opposite] with the sole purpose of providing an environment of calm and serenity for mothers during their maternity.
In return for five years of their time and good will, during which time members were housed, fed, clothed and otherwise provided for, all members were guaranteed that they would be freed from work for the rest of their lives. Real estate holdings in booming Fall River would sustain all in comfort. However, greed and jealousy (of one family in particular) triggered a revolt amongst the small group. Sensing the on-coming treason, the founder quietly left with a few close followers. He died of a broken heart eighteen months later in Los Angeles. Fall River went bust. A major fire destroyed the business section. What remained of the Adamsville colony emigrated back to Canada.
[This last statement is not completely true, for members of the sect remained on the property into the 1980’s, but as residents, not members of the Mission.] W. F. Wyatt
Posted by Bill Wyatt at September 21, 2003 3:15 PM