The first church built by the Roman Catholics in Bay de Verde was constructed about 1810 under the tenure of Father Thomas Ewer who was parish priest at Harbour Grace. It was located north of the present day church in the Old Chapel Rock Cemetery.
In 1896, construction began on the present church under the tenure of Father Joseph V. Donnelly who had become parish priest in 1883 just three years after Bay de Verde had become a parish. The new church was built just to the south of the old church on land donated by James Noonan. Because of the unique architecture of Father Donnelly’s church plans, three master carpenters were hired for its construction. They were James O’Neill and John Brady from Bay de Verde and Thomas Hogan from Northern Bay.
Parishioners gave freely of their labor when needed. The new Church of the Assumption was ready for use in 1897 and was officially consecrated by Bishop McDonald in 1903.
