Reflections on the heritage, life & work of faith communities in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario
You are the salt of the earth — those words from Jesus, recorded in Matthew 5:13, were at the heart of the 10:00 AM Sunday liturgy I attended on February 15 at Russell United Church, a historic house of worship built in 1887. By the end of it, everyone walked away with savoury surprise gifts…
Built in 1909, MacKay United Church at 39 Dufferin Road is a Romanesque Revival architectural jewel. I visited the church on February 8 for their 10:30 am service, alongside around 50 members of the congregation who gathered in person, with several more following a live-stream remotely. I found a crisp, bright interior and a multi-generational…
It’s best not to underestimate small-town Ontario: they have some of the grandest churches in the province. Arnprior’s St. John Chrysostom Parish, completed in 1908, is an example of the best in ecclesial architecture in our rural communities. Admittedly, Arnprior is increasingly a commuter town, located just beyond the western peripheries of Ottawa, merely 65…
St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Kanata is a bright, crisp and modern house of worship built in 2004 as the third church to be constructed on this site. The traditionally-designed cruciform church is a reminder of two prior Anglican houses of worship that stood here, the first built in 1874 and the second in 1937….
St. Augustine Parish may be the most enthusiastically welcoming church I’ve visited in a long time, thanks in large measure to Deacon Christopher Moffat. When I arrived at 1060 Baseline Road on Sunday, January 25 for the 10:30 AM Mass, he greeted me at the entrance with a wide smile and a warm, impromptu blessing….
More than 200 parishioners filled the pews of a beautifully preserved church older than Canadian Confederation itself, and heard a homily from a joyful priest committed to ecumenical dialogue and compassion. On January 18 at 11:00 AM, on the Sunday opening the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, I attended Mass at Our Lady of…
Built as a Presbyterian church in 1906, Centretown United Church boasts beautifully preserved Gothic Revival architecture and is the only house of worship along the downtown segment of Bank Street best known for its eclectic array of restaurants and shops. I visited the congregation on Sunday, January 11 for their 10:30 AM service, alongside around…
St. Theresa’s Parish is one of the best examples of Romanesque Revival architecture in Ottawa. Completed in 1930, the rich red brick and cut granite facade, the sturdy, square bell-tower and the interior’s rounded arches set this church’s architecture apart from the lighter, soaring style incorporated in Neo-Gothic churches. I visited the church at 95…
The Feast of the Epiphany was the first time I visited St. Ignatius the Martyr Parish in over 20 years. Two decades ago, a Hungarian historian and political scientist, Fr. Leslie László, served as the Pastor of St. Ignatius and I visited him and a Hungarian-language liturgy celebrated there. The mid-century modern church at 518…
First Baptist Church, at 140 Laurier Avenue West, is one of Ottawa’s religious landmarks and a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture. In 1877, Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie, a Baptist convert, laid the building’s cornerstone. I visited the church on the Fourth Sunday of Advent and found a liturgical community that places a keen focus…