Church Tour

1.  Let us begin our tour. As you move you will see the original Baptismal font on the right behind a gate. We do not use this font.  For baptisms we have a portable font that we place near the altar.  If you look carefully to the left of the font you will see three bottles of Oils that are used to anoint the sick, and to celebrate Baptism and Confirmation.

2. Turning the corner to go up the aisle you will notice a series of seven bas-relief pictures. These are the second half of a series of fourteen Stations of the Cross showing various moments in the last days of Jesus's life.  The first one of the wall is actually the eight in the series, since the first seven stations are on the opposite wall.  The fifth station of this side (12th of the overall 14) shows the death of Jesus on the cross.

3. As you walk along, you see a number of stained-glass windows showing pictures of religious significance to the donors who paid for them.

 
4. As you move up the right aisle to the front you will see on your right the statue of Saint Brother Andre welcoming you with his extended right hand and in his left hand holding a set of keys reflecting his ministry as a door keeper at St. Joseph's Oratory in Montreal.  

5. On a wall above Saint Brother Andre is a Statue of St. Joseph, the spouse of Mary. In the south east corner you will see a statue of Jesus.

 
6. Moving towards the front of the church, you may notice that the building becomes wider.  The wider part is called the transept.  It helps give the floorplan the shape of a cross.  There are three main parts in this style of Church, which is based on the traditional European design – the nave, the long narrow part that we have been in so far, the transept which we are just entering and the sanctuary which includes the altar.

7. On the east side of the transept is the choir.  Like in many older churches, there is a choir loft at the back, but we like having the choir much closer to the rest of the congregation. 

8. The theme of the east side of the transept is a meditation of Mary, the Mother of Jesus.  On the wall behind where the choir sits and on either side of the organ pipes, you will see two stained-glass windows.  The picture on the left shows the announcement by the angel that Mary is to become a mother of a child, whom she is to call Jesus The window on the right shows Jesus as a baby with Mary and her husband St. Joseph in the stable where he was born.

9. Looking to the left you will see a statue of Mary in the traditional style.  Mary is venerated in the Catholic Church for many reasons.  She is a model for all Christians, men and women both, as one who recognized and embraced her role in bringing about the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth. 

10. Turning to move along the front aisle, you come to the Altar.  There is where the Priest leads the congregation in the celebration of Mass, the central liturgical ritual in the Catholic Church, and the source and summit of our Christian Life.

11.  On the wall behind the altar is the traditional Crucifix of the dying Jesus.  If you turn around and look at the far wall at the other end of the church over the old choir loft you will see another statue of Jesus, The Risen Jesus.  This is to remind us that Jesus's death was not the end, but that we are to take the good news of Jesus's Resurrection out into the world.

12. Turning back to the sanctuary you will see windows that show two view of Jesus.  The one on the east side is of the Sacred Heart, symbolic of Jesus's deep love for us.  The smaller one on the west side has a Latin motto which translates as "This is my body" – words Jesus spoke at the Last Supper when he commanded the disciples to commemorate his actions.

13.  There is a podium on each side of the altar.  The ambo to your left is used to read the word of God and for preaching.  The podium to the right is where the cantor leads the singing during services.

14. Moving westwards along the front aisle you will come to a small altar on which is a box called the Tabernacle.   In here consecrated Eucharistic bread from previous celebrations is stored with respect. It is the real, continuous presence of Jesus in our world.  This Eucharistic bread is also brought to the homebound and others too sick to attend our services.

15. In front of the small altar there is a stand containing a number of small candles. (You passed similar stands at the beginning of your tour, near the Baptismal pool and in front of the statue of Mary.) Members of the parish and visitors often light a candle then take a few moments to contemplate quietly or say a prayer.

16. On the west wall of the transept are windows that share a theme of childhood and the role of the proper religious formation of the young.  The window on the right shows the Infant Jesus being presented at the Temple in Jerusalem, as part of his family's religious practice.  The other highlights Jesus's rebuke to his followers who
wanted to keep local children away from him as he spoke.  "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

17. Here you will encounter three more statues: St. Therese of Lisieux known as "The Little Flower" (holding the roses), St. Anthony of Padua above the confessional, and in the corner to your right another statue of Jesus pointing to his heart under the title of The Sacred Heart. This is symbolic of Jesus's great love for us.

18. Proceeding down the long aisle towards the back of the church you will pass the first seven Stations of the Cross and pictures of other religious figures.

19. As you stand on the steps outside the entrance door when you leave the building, you will notice a Latin inscription "IN NOMINE JESU OMNE GENU FLECTATUR".  This is taken from St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians. The English version of the complete line is "AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHALL BEND.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO VISIT OUR CHURCH.

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