Beaton, Fr. Ronald

Ronald Beaton was born in Broad Cove, Inverness County, Nova Scotia on Dec 3, 1874. He studied at St. Francis Xavier University and in Roman and he was ordained for the Diocese of Antigonish on Aug 15, 1902, [or May 24] at St. John Lateran. Fr. Beaton came to Calgary in May 1914, encouraged by his Archbishop Neil McNeil, to whom Bishop McNally had appealed for priests. Beaton was sent straight to Coleman as the population of the mining communities of the Crow’s Nest Pass was growing and had only one priest. Beaton took charge of Blairmore, Frank, Bellevue, Hillcrest and other smaller missions, living in a hotel in Frank and later at the Belevue Hotel. A church was built in Bellevue with the help of parishioners and the first Mass was celebrated privately on May 1, 1915. Beaton lived in rooms over the sacristy and did his own housekeeping. He blessed the church on May 9 and dedicated it to St. Cyril after a church near Lochaber in Scotland, the home of his ancestors, and in recognition of the many Slavic peoples of the Pass. After three years in the Diocese, alone and labouring hard, his health was compromised. He was given permission to move to the Diocese of Victoria in 1916/1917. For his services there he was made Domestic Prelate in 1938 by Pope Pius XI. Monsigner Beaton died Mar 4, 1948.