[page 30] LA SAHRA The Society of Historical Archives of the Amiante region by Stéphane Hamann and Marie-Jasée Poirier The Society of Historical Archives of the Amiante region has just completed the treatment of the Community Television Fund of the Amiante region (TVCRA). It was in order to ensure the preservation of audiovisual productions that community television sold its archive to SAHRA in February 1991. The collection consists of 23 linear cm of textual documents and 1124 audiovisual documents produced between 1973 and 1992. These archives reflect the concerns of local people about local and national events. It is the oral and visual memory of the population, all aspects of regional life are discussed: school, municipal, religious, industrial, socio-cul turel, community, etc. Among other things, there are eloquent accounts of the qrèves and working conditions in asbestos mines. To facilitate consultation, we have developed a computer database. More than 450 hours of audiovisual material are described. It allows search by subjects, dates, titles, characters, series etc. SAHRA would like to thank, on its behalf and on behalf of future researchers, TVCRA for its trust in our organization. With this gesture, she joins the ranks of several donors who help to preserve the memory of our region. [photo] The management of TVCRA in 1977 while she was staying at 17 La Fabrique in Thetford Mines. She produced in black and white until 1980, when she moved to the Marie-Agnès Desrosiers Community Centre. Source: Amiante Region Community Television We welcome researchers and the public who wish to see this valuable material. We are located at Local 1111 near the Col-light library in the L'Amiante region. The centre opens Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and Tuesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. [page 31] Various St. Adrian Of Ireland Cave [photo] The cave at St. Adrian of Ireland The year 1958 corresponded to the centenary of the apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes. Raising a cave in honour of the Virgin was a response to a wish of the parishioners and the parish priest, Father Nelson Roberge, was the instigator of this project. A committee was quickly organized and soon the project was started. A young man who was finishing his studies in architecture, Paul-André Couette, made the plans. Another person offered to pay for the statue. Each parishioner wanted to make his party, so everyone was asked to bring a small round stone taken on their respective grounds. The place was chosen, near the church on the side of the mountain that dominated the parish of St. Adrian. Teams of volunteers were formed and the work was done quickly. The infrastructure was made of iron, we wanted the cave solid and durable, built on the rock. The roof alone required 50 tons of stones. At the end of the summer, the cave finally rose to the sky. In the presence of a crowd of several thousand people, the blessing of the cave took place on September 124, 1958. The day began with a solemn mass that closed the Forty Hours and also celebrated the solemnity of the feast of St. Adrian. In the afternoon, Monsignor Joseph Gingras, former parish priest of Saint-Maurice de Thetford Mines, presided over the ceremony. He had brought a vase full of water, coming directly from the cave of Lourdes, and mixed it with the water of the cave. [page 32] The procession left the church to go to the cave. Father Alphonse Guerard wore the Most Holy Sacrament. An honorary escort, trained by the Knights of Columbus of Thetford, accompanied the parade. When he arrived on the scene, Monsignor Gingras, then parish priest of Our Lady of Levis, gave a sermon of circumstance. The officiant was Father Alphonse Guérard, the deacon Father Edwin Doyle parish priest of Saint-Maurice de Thetford and the sub-deacon Father Albert Roger, parish priest of St. Noêl Chabanel Parish in Thetford. Joseph Bouchard, mayor of the place, in an official act, proclaimed the parish "Domaine Marial". Even today, we find the motto, "All to Jesus by Mary," above the cave. On a plaque on the far left of the cave, we can also read: To Mary Immaculate Mother of God on the occasion of the 35th anniversary priesthood of his first son-turned-priest: Father Alphonse Guerard And the golden jubilee of his first daughter turned nun: Sister St. Anastasia Sisters of Charity The parish of St. Adrian Acknowledging September 14, 1958 Bibliography The Thetford Progress, Friday, September 19, 1958, p. 1. Collective, St-Adrien-d'Ireland 1879-1979, Printing Le Guide, Ste-Marie, 1979, 600 pp. Conference on the "Abenakis" [photo] Marie Fatima Nicole O'Bomsawin gives a lecture on the Abenakis on May 3, 1995. On May 3, our company attended a conference on the presence of Abenakis in our region. Organized by the Disraéli Historical Society, it was hosted by Marie Fatima Nicole Obomsawin. From the beginning, we participate in an Indian ritual that consists of burning sage, directing smoke to the four cardinal points, in order to ward off evil spirits. Soon after, Mary directed the smoke towards her, on her eyes to see better, on her ears in order to be attentive and towards her mouth in order to speak wisely. According to their customs, people who participate in an assembly sit in a circle so that everyone can see themselves and be heard. As [page 33]