Fr. O’Neil was the first resident priest of St. Patrick’s Kinkora. Coming to Kinkora in 1869, he lived in the parish for 35 years. It was during his time that the present church was built. In 1882 there were about 105 families belonging to the parish. As a testament to their faith, they succeeded in building one the finest examples of gothic architecture in rural Ontario. The Cathedral in the Country, as it is now nicknamed, was built for a sum of $30,000.

The Architect was Joseph Connolly, a foremost architect in the 19^th century who also designed St. Peters Cathedral in London, St. Mary’s in Toronto and the Church of Our Lady in Guelph.