On May 3, I joined 100 parishioners of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish at 1758 Alta Vista Drive for 11:00 AM Mass. Opened in 1955 during Ottawa’s postwar suburban boom, I found a friendly and multi-generational faith community with a robust choir. Upon arrival, I was welcomed warmly by a greeter. The most striking architectural features of this Mid-century modern church are the triangular stained glass windows, along with the triangular framing of the sanctuary. Several Catholic churches built in Ottawa during the fifties and sixties adopted an A-frame structure, but these triangular features are unique in the city. The stained glass windows incorporate a Modernist design — the coloured glass are arranged in angular, geometric panes. This mid-century style is called Dalle de verre.
The Parish was established in 1954 under the pastoral leadership of Fr. Lorne Reynolds. The first Masses were celebrated at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, in the Billings Bridge area. Construction on a new church began almost immediately and by August 1955, Archbishop Marie-Joseph Lemieux blessed the cornerstone of the new building. In its August 12, 1955 issue, The Ottawa Citizen reported that “scores” of parishioners participated in what the daily called “impressive rites” of dedication. The paper quoted the Archbishop as sharing: “The dedication of your church to the Immaculate Heart of Mary will be a monument to the Marian Year, during which your parish was established. It is testimony of the fervor with which you wish to pray to and honor, the mother of God.”
The church was built at a cost of $240,000 and the Parish counted 300 parishioners in its records. Fr. Reynolds told the Citizen that the number of parishioners in the new suburbs of Alta Vista and Rideau Park was growing so rapidly, that the Parish found it hard to keep up with the fast pace of growth. The Citizen listed by name dozens of clergy from across the Archdiocese in attendance at the dedication. The first Mass in the nave of the newly constructed church was celebrated in November 1955.
On May 3, over 10 choristers elevated the worship with sacred music. They sang from the loft and were accompanied by the organ and, for some pieces, by the piano. Both the lyrics of the hymns, as well as the words of the readings were projected on either side of the sanctuary. Among the hymns at this liturgy were “Sing Out Earth and Skies” by Marty Haugen, “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus,” and “Let’s Sing Onto the Lord a Hymn of Glad Rejoicing.” The talented choir really shined when it sang Robat Arwyne’s Benedictus. It’s clear that Immaculate Heart of Mary values excellent music at its liturgies.
The pastor, Fr. Frank Brewer, served as presider and homilist at the Mass. He spoke about unity among the faithful as they form the body of Christ, and how in the Church we are not only members of a community, but we are also brothers and sisters in baptism. We are called to help bring hope, healing, mercy and salvation to the world in which we live. Fr. Frank also noted that the Gospel reading for this Sunday, notably John 14, places the emphasis on faith in Christ. “It’s through faith that we plug into the power of God’s love poured out for us through Christ’s dying and his rising from the dead. This showed how powerful that love is. We are called to be open to letting God use us to do His will throughout the world,” Fr. Frank said. His homily focused on the relational aspect of Christianity — that at the heart of faith is a personal God and a personal relationship.
Fr. Frank contrasted the Greek and Hebrew understandings of the concept of knowledge or of knowing. While the Greek is philosophically oriented, the Hebrew is more experiential. We are to know about Jesus and we are also to know him personally.
The prayers of the faithful engaged many of the most pressing issues of our time. We prayed for an immediate end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and end to the cycles of hatred and violence in Gaza and in the Middle East more broadly, as well as the protection of children in the womb and for the most vulnerable in our society.
Following Mass, the Secular Franciscans hosted their monthly gathering for the community in the Parish Hall called “Heart to Heart.” All were invited for coffee and tea, accompanied by a wide variety of cookies and other baked goods. Parishioners sat at tables and spent time catching up with each other. I had the chance to chat with several parishioners involved in the Parish’s pastoral care ministry, as well as with Fr. Frank, who went up to each table to greet the faithful. In addition to the monthly coffee fellowship, the Knights of Columbus host parish breakfasts once per month after both the 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM Sunday Masses. The Immaculate Heart of Mary is a vibrant and community-focused parish.
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.