The Francophone parish named after St. Francis of Assisi is a monumental landmark in Hintonburg dating back to 1915. The Parish’s roots run far and deep, and what greater evidence of this than the outpouring of over two dozen comments on the Chronicle’s Facebook page after I posted a few photos and a brief, initial write-up of my visit on July 26. Madeleine and Denise are among our readers who shared that they were baptized at Paroisse Saint-François-d’Assise in 1942. Eveline was married there in 1963, Debbie in 1975 and Paul in 1992. Patricia shared that this was her mother’s parish, born in 1919, while Suzanne noted that this was her family’s parish for many years, with memories of baptisms, first communions, confirmations, weddings and funerals. And Terence recognized the fabulous contributions of the Parish’s long-standing organist, Gilles Leclerc.
I joined 80 parishioners for 10:00 AM Mass on July 26 at 20 Fairmont Avenue. Built in the Romanesque Revival style, the interior feels uniquely open and wide for an early twentieth century church, as the nave doesn’t include any columns or archways. In its June 29 1914 issue, at the time of the laying of the cornerstone, The Ottawa Journal reported that the new church at the corner Wellington Street West and Fairmont was to be constructed at a cost of approximately $200,000. In its June 28, 1915 issue, The Ottawa Citizen reported in effusive terms about the St. Jean Baptiste Day celebrations in Ottawa, of their sheer scope, spirit and energy, and how the feast was elevated by the completion of the new church in Hintonburg. The report noted that the crowds were so large that the new church was filled to capacity, with hundreds attending the liturgy on the front steps. The Citizen shared:
Under radiant skies, amid scenes of intense enthusiasm, the fete of St. Jean Baptiste, the patron saint of the French Canadian race, was celebrated with due eclat on Sunday, by a procession through the city streets and the celebration of the Solemn High Mass at St. François d’Assise Church in the morning…Upwards of six thousand persons took part in the procession…the long procession proceeded down Wellington Street amid the waving of innumerable banners, to the music furnished by four bands and the singing by a number or massed choirs of French National airs…
A feature of the procession, and one which created a great impression, was the singing of the pupils of the St. François d’Assise Convent, 200 little girls dressed in red, white and blue, who lined up in front of the convent on Armstrong Street sang “O Canada,” “O Carillon,” and other French National airs, as the procession was passing…
The services at church were of a most impressive character…In his sermon, Rev. Father Alexis spoke on the early history, from the coming of Champlain and voiced the opinion that although the present conflagration in Europe is deplorable, still he thought it would accomplish one good end, in bringing the French nation back under the folds of the mother church, which they had shown signs of alighting.
The Ottawa Citizen also reported on the new church’s consecration in its July 5, 1915 issue — a celebration it noted was crowded with parishioners and visitors alike. In his address, Archbishop Charles-Hughes Gauthier called the Saint-François-d’Assise Church “the finest in [the] diocese and probably one of the finest in the Dominion.”
What hasn’t changed over the past 110 years is the monumental character of the church — it’s surely among the grandest of Roman Catholic houses of worship in the city, after the Cathedral and St. Patrick’s Basilica. But what has changed is the community’s demographic reality. On the one hand, it’s a smaller parish. But it’s also far more diverse, with a considerable number of parishioners of non-European immigrant backgrounds. Today, this grand and historic church is home to a second parish community as well. While French-language Mass is celebrated on Sundays at 10:00 AM, Holy Korean Martyrs Parish worships here too, with a Korean-language liturgy at 11:30 AM. The Korean parish had previously been located in its own church at 254 Argyle Avenue. But the deteriorating condition of the building led the faithful to move to Saint-François-d’Assise in 2021, with the shuttered Centretown church set to be redeveloped.
The Francophone community is served by Capuchin Franciscans, with Fr. Shibu George assigned as Pastor, assisted by Frs. Justin Richard Rabesahala and Josy Mullassery. The presider shared a brief homily, reflecting on Matthew 13 and Jesus’ words that “the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again.” Reflecting on this, the presider shared:
“Jesus invites us to ask ourselves: what is the true treasure of our heart? Often, we seek success, security, or recognition. Yet, only Christ can fulfill our deep desire for happiness and life. The net that gathers all kinds of fish recalls the end of time and the judgment. But it is also a symbol of welcome. This perspective should not frighten us, but guide our lives today according to the Gospel. And we ask the Lord for the treasure of wisdom, the courage to choose everything for Him, and the joy of sharing it with others through our way of living.”
A cantor and organist provided the music for the liturgy, mostly from the D’une même voix hymnal. The church’s organ, built by S.R. Warren & Sons, originally belonged to Knox Presbyterian Church‘s prior building at Elgin and Albert. Saint-Francois-d’Assise acquired the instrument in 1933 and since then has upgraded it on several occasions. The last major upgrade and rebuild took place in 1987. The rebuilt organ was inaugurated in 1988 in the presence of some 600 parishioners and guests, with Radio-Canada on site as well to record the special organ recital.
As July 26 was the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, the presiding priest invited the senior members of the community up to the sanctuary for a blessing. At the end of the liturgy, all were invited to gather in the former chapel of the Capuchin Brothers for coffee and cake. As the Francophone community socialized in this space behind the sacristy, Korean Catholics arrived in the church and began to prepare for their own Sunday liturgy. Today’s parishioners of this grand, imposing church that towers over Wellington Street West may look different from when it was built during the Great War. And yet over a century later, a vibrant faith and community life continues here.
Christopher Adam
Born in Montreal, Christopher Adam has called Ottawa home for the past twenty years. He received his MA from Carleton University, with a thesis focusing on twentieth century European church history, and a PhD in History from the University of Ottawa. Over the years, he has published widely and works in the faith-based charitable sector in Ottawa.