Reflections on the heritage, life & work of faith communities in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario
When I was a kid, my dad would haul me out of bed early on a Sunday morning, order me into my ‘Sunday best’ including tights without holes and shoes that pinched my feet because I only wore them occasionally, and pack all of us into the VW van to go to church. We were…
The Ottawa Pastoral Care Training Program, an ecumenical initiative offering laity formation in pastoral care since 1979, has opened up registration for its Fall 2025 Basic Course. The course is geared to those who volunteer with church-based pastoral care teams. Participants can register for either the in-person course, hosted at St. Paul Presbyterian Church (971…
Sixty years ago, new churches were springing up like wildflowers in the sprawling suburbs of metropolitan Ottawa. On April 4, 1964, an Ottawa Citizen article by J.A. Hume on this church boom gives a sense of the energy that surrounded bustling and growing faith communities in the sixties, especially in the case of the United…
A stranger walked into the town Crowds were attracted to him from all around He is but an ordinary man people would exclaim Yet such a message had never before been proclaimed Little children drew to him steadily In his arms he embraced them readily And as only a child is apt to do Would…
The lowly sparrow — the poor in spirit The cuddly rabbit — the gentle The bellowing seagulls — those who hunger and thirst The cooling droves — the peacemakers The graceful swans and scented lily pads — the pure of heart The rocks hammered and beaten by the waves — those persecuted for justice The…
Reverend Lynne Gardiner ministers at Bethel United Church in Perth, where the current church has stood since 1895. Rev. Gardiner began her ministry in Perth in 2019, having completed her Master of Divinity from Queen’s University in 2015, followed by ordination in 2017. In the piece below, Rev. Gardiner reflects on the unique gifts and…
Douglas Roche, the retired parliamentarian and senator who turned 96 this summer, wrote an essay for the Spring 2025 print edition of the Island Catholic News quarterly in which he shared memories of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s involvement at St. Joseph’s Parish, in Ottawa. We’re sharing an excerpt from this piece below. Mark Carney had…
The St. Joe’s Supper Table, the community meal programme and food bank operated by St. Joseph’s Parish in Sandy Hill, is getting some help from a passionate teenager and parishioner — the 17 year-old Louis Jacques. The determined young man is running 1,500 kilometres between Ottawa and Prince Edward Island in a campaign to raise…
The following story, written by Terry Byrne, appeared in the newly released paperback anthology 100 Stories from the History of St. Joseph’s Parish. The 438-page book is available for purchase through Amazon. We’re sharing one of the dozens of stories included in a book that explores the colourful history of this historic Ottawa church. *** I’d…
There’s one image of Fr. Jim Bleackley that – at least to me – stands out above all others from his nearly three years as Pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish. The Pastor’s office is located right down the hall from mine in the rectory. Each morning when I’d visit the bookkeeper across the hall to…