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Joseph Ernest Vaccarest was born in Manchester on December 4, 1894. He was the first American-born pastor of Ste. Marie. Indeed, he was ordained at Ste. Marie by Bishop Guertin on August 31, 1919.
He served at St. George in Manchester, St. Denis in Harrisville, St. Joseph in Epping and St. Edmond in Man
chester before he was appointed pastor of Ste. Marie on May 14, 1954 at the age of 64.
On January 11, 1951, he was elevated to the rank of Domestic Prelate by Venerable Pope Pius XII, with the rank of right reverend monsignor. This honor gave him the right to a coat of arms. In the upper left section of his coat of arms a lily indicates his French ancestry. On the right was a maple leaf indicating his French-Canadian ancestry. A lily at the center of a cross indicates his affiliation with the Diocese of Manchester. The chevron at the bottom indicates his first name, Joseph. On the base of the lily a lance indicates St. Ernest, a martyr who was impaled on a picket. The cross which divides the coat of arms is from the House of Savoy indicating the origin of his father, and the province of La Spezzia Italy.
In addition to his job as pastor, Mgsr. Vaccarest served the diocese in many roles including diocesan council consultant, notary on the matrimonial court, examiner of the clergy, chaplain of the N.H. Catholic nurses association, director of the deaf, mute services for the diocese as well as director of the N.H. Catholic Rural Life Conference and the Displaced Person Program of the Diocese.
By the mysterious work of divine providence Msgr. Vaccarest remained pastor of Ste. Marie less than two years before he died suddenly in the rectory on January 6, 1956. He was buried at Mount Calvary cemetery.