A Downtown Stroll

On July 14, 2019 By reneemarie31In TravelLeave a comment

On Sunday morning, we finally received our luggage, after having been in Canada since Thursday night! I decided to do a bit of exploring on my own, while my husband and daughter went swimming and watched the soccer game. I headed downtown to take a look at St. Patrick’s Basilica.

It is another pretty church, opened in 1847.

The church was built for the Irish immigrant population in Montreal. I liked seeing all of the Saint Patrick details.

Since Saint Patrick’s is the main English speaking Catholic church in Montreal, I decided to stay for Mass. There was a little park area out front (and down the many steps) where I spent a little time by myself before Mass began. The parishioners and visitors attending Mass made quite the diverse cultural group.

Since it was Sunday morning, I timed my visit to the next church to be between Masses. As I approached the Cathedral of Marie Reine du Monde (Mary, Queen of the World), Mass was just ending. I walked inside for a look around. The thing that makes this church unique is that it is a miniature replica of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. I’ve never been to Rome, but one day!

On my way back to the hotel, I passed Place du Canada, where it appeared some sort of gathering or concert of Muslim people was happening. I couldn’t tell exactly what was going on as they weren’t speaking English over the loudspeaker, but everyone was carrying the same flag. Montreal is definitely a diverse and international city with many cultural influences.

L’Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont Royal

On July 13, 2019 By reneemarie31In TravelLeave a comment

Another major church on my tour of Montreal is Saint Joseph’s Oratory. This is a huge Catholic shrine dedicated to St. Joseph. It was founded by St. Brother André. The oratory is located on top of a mountain and there is a lot of stair climbing involved in visiting. It is a pilgrimage site.

Due to the great amount of walking, stairs, and lack of air conditioning, I did a lot of the exploring on my own. My husband and daughter saw some of the sights, but also chose to sit and rest, while I explored. The first area I explored was the Gardens of the Way of the Cross. As you walk up and around the expansive gardens, you follow the stations, which are statues depicting Christ on the day of his crucifixion.

The whole sight is dedicated to Saint Joseph, Jesus’ father on Earth. There are several chapels located throughout the property, along with the main church.

I liked these statues of the twelve apostles located in the main church.

Brother André, the founder of the Oratory, was canonized a saint in 2010. As the humble doorkeeper at Notre Dame College in Montreal, he welcomed and prayed with and even healed countless visitors. There are several areas of the Oratory with presentations on Saint André Bessette.

his tomb
crutches left by those who have been healed
a recreation of his office

I walked to the original chapel, where Brother André lived on the top floor.

If you enjoy visiting churches and religious sites, as I do, then I definitely recommend a visit to Saint Joseph’s Oratory. Just be aware that there is a great deal of walking and climbing involved, although there are escalators inside. You can get a great view of the city from the top. There are many people visiting, but also some quiet spots for prayer, where no pictures are allowed. Mass was also being held in the crypt chapel during my visit.

Notre-Dame Basilica

On July 11, 2019July 11, 2019 By reneemarie31In TravelLeave a comment

One of the most popular tourist sites in Montreal is La Basilique Notre-Dame. It is located in Vieux Montreal. We headed straight there on our first morning in the city. We had to wait for a few minutes in line to get in, but I noticed that later in the day, the line had gotten much, much longer. So I definitely recommend heading there in the morning to minimize your wait.

The church’s construction began in 1672, in the earliest days of Montreal. In the early 1800’s, the old church was torn down and construction began on the current basilica. It is a beautiful church, rich in historical significance.

The elaborate altar pictured above is gorgeous. The pulpit, pictured below, is also quite ornate and beautiful.

The stained glass windows tell the story of the early days of Montreal, which makes them quite unique and fascinating.

There were many places throughout the church to light candles for prayer intentions.

This was the first of many Catholic churches I visited in Montreal. My husband and daughter are not quite as interested as I am, so I went to several of them on my own. I love visiting beautiful churches and seeing the different ways artists and architects have chosen to honor God.