Ottawa Churches Chronicle

09/06/2026

This morning I joined over 100 parishioners of Blessed Sacrament Parish in the Glebe for 10:00 AM Mass. Completed in 1932, the church's architecture has elements of the Collegiate Gothic style that was popular in North America during the early twentieth century. Fundamentally, however, Blessed Sacrament is a serious and austere historic landmark in the Glebe. The rich stained glass on either side of the nave, and a beautiful rose window in the sanctuary lend colour to the interior.

Fr. Tim Nelligan, the Pastor, presided at Mass, while Fr. Thomas Skaja, Fr. John Hayes, and Fr. Paul Mwalongo concelebrated. What stood out the most was the quality of the music. Blessed Sacrament has a robust music ministry featuring the organ, piano, violin solos, and talented choristers. Full article coming soon. Photos: Ottawa Churches Chronicle.

09/04/2026

St. David & St. Martin Presbyterian Church at 444 St. Laurent Boulevard began as St. Martin’s Presbyterian Church in June 1959, when it was dedicated and opened to the faithful. The Ottawa Journal covered the dedication in its June 19, 1959 issue calling it a “splendid” structure and noting that it was built at a cost of $132,000. It was designed to accommodate up to 300 people. The church’s unique Mid-century modern architecture, incorporating a hint of Neo-Gothic, is marked by a steeply pitched roof and grand windows designed to let in lots of natural light. Read the full article here:

Built in 1959, St. David & St. Martin Church in Manor Park is a mid-century structure with a light Neo-Gothic twist. On August 16 at 11:30 AM, I joined 30 members of the friendly little congregation, with several more connecting virtually, for their Sunday service. The gregarious David Wright, one o...

08/30/2026

This morning I joined 60 members of McPhail Memorial Baptist Church at 249 Bronson Avenue for their 10:30 AM Sunday service. Built in 1893, this redbrick church is a great example of late Victorian era architecture, drawing inspiration from both the Queen Anne Revival and Romanesque Revival. The church includes a unique turret on the south side of its facade.

Before the service began, the friendly minister, Reverend Steve Zink, took a seat in the pew next to me and we chatted for a good 10 minutes about churches in Ottawa, liturgical differences, and Baptist communities in the city. What stood out most during the service was the variety and the high quality of the music. Mostly based on traditional hymnody, the organ, a grand piano, the violin and a vocal solo all appreciably elevated the worship experience. The church also shared a little of the generations that have passed through it, with a commemorative plaque introduced in memory of the late Mr. And Mrs. Laing, two dedicated members of the congregation for decades. The Laing family presented the plaque to the congregation. Photos: Ottawa Churches Chronicle.

08/27/2026

This publication reserves a small space for churches located farther afield. Glasgow’s St. Aloysius, a parish served by Jesuits, certainly fits the bill. I came to this church perched on a hill in a roundabout while vacationing in Scotland’s largest city. And I'm glad that I did. Its architecture was inspired by the Italian Renaissance, as well as Byzantine, and Baroque styles. The vibrant colours of its painted dome and ceiling shined as the gentle afternoon sunlight streamed in through the stained glass. The rich marble and intricate painting make this a uniquely lavish church in Scotland and more in keeping with what one might expect to see on the continent. Here's the full article on my visit:

This publication reserves a small space for churches located farther afield. Glasgow’s St. Aloysius, a parish served by Jesuits, certainly fits the bill. I came to this church perched on a hill in a roundabout while vacationing in Scotland’s largest city. It’s all thanks to Glasgow’s former ...

08/24/2026

This evening, I joined over 100 parishioners of the Annunciation of the Lord Parish at 2414 Ogilvie Road for 6:00 PM Mass. The Parish also offers Sunday Masses at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM, both of which frequently fill to capacity. Built in 1984, the church's cornerstone was blessed by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Canada. One of the first things that stands out is the meticulously maintained garden, with a plethora of flowers.

The music at the evening Mass was provided by a pianist, alongside a guitarist who also served as cantor. The songs were primarily of the praise and worship genre. Fr. Dan Ramos, CC presided. He gave a homily that was conversational in tone, incorporated PowerPoint slides, and spoke of faith as primarily experiential, personal and relational. Full article coming soon. Photos: Ottawa Churches Chronicle.

08/20/2026

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 page after I posted a few photos and a brief, initial write-up of my visit on July 26. When it first opened its doors, Archbishop Charles-Hughes Gauthier called Saint-François-d’Assise “the finest church in the archdiocese and probably one of the finest in the Dominion.” Read the full piece here:

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 page after I posted a few photos ...

08/16/2026

This morning, I joined the friendly little congregation of St. David & St. Martin Presbyterian Church at 444 St. Laurent Boulevard for their 11:30 AM service. St. Martin's Presbyterian Church, as it was known before its amalgamation with St. David's, was completed in 1959. Located in Manor Park, it's a Mid-century modern A-frame church with a light twist of Gothic.

One of the elders, David, came up to introduce himself to me in the pews and to make sure I knew that refreshments were available after the service. He was a warm presence throughout the liturgy. The tight-knit congregation is very community-oriented, with several birthdays and anniversaries recognized at the service, and with volunteers thanked by name for their contributions. A pianist, also serving as organist, accompanied the singing of hymns, and she helped to establish a sense of solemn reflection by playing preludes beautifully before the service. Full piece coming soon. Photos: Ottawa Churches Chronicle.

08/09/2026

I recently purchased a handful of old postcards depicting churches in the Ottawa area from a seller in Saint-André-d'Argenteuil, QC. This one depicts the original Notre-Dame de Lourdes Church at 435 Montreal Road, in Vanier. It was built in 1888 and was destroyed by fire in 1973. The community built a new and more modest church on this site in 1975. The postcard refers to Eastview, the City of Vanier's former name. As such, it would date pre-1969.

07/30/2026

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Vanier has very humble origins. It started as a house church in the 1920s, with Mass celebrated for a community of English-speaking Catholics in a parishioner’s private home. Today, the Parish is an example of the diversity that characterizes Roman Catholicism in major Canadian cities. Read the full story here:

On July 19, I joined 100 parishioners of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, at 320 Olmstead Street in Vanier, for 9:30 AM Mass. The parish’s history originates in the 1920s, when the area’s English-speaking Catholics gathered as a house church in a parishioner’s home. The curren...