St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church (Toronto)
Encyclopedia
St. Vincent de Paul is a Roman Catholic church in Toronto
, Canada
, part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto
. It has been served since 1995 by clergy of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri who reside at the mother parish of Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Parkdale
. It is located on Roncesvalles Avenue
west of downtown Toronto.
in the 1960s, a second parish was created out of St. Vincent de Paul's on that street: St. Joan of Arc. Meanwhile, many older families had left the area and St. Vincent de Paul church began to fall into serious decline as the congregation dwindled.
By the 1990s, the parish had become a centre for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
's work with Toronto's native Canadian community. The site was poorly chosen for this as few native Canadians lived in the area and this work is now carried out at St. Anne's Parish in Toronto's Riverdale neighbourhood. In 1995, responsibility for the declining parish was given to the fathers of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri
who had moved to St. Vincent de Paul's mother church of Holy Family
a number of years before. For a time the community considered splitting between the two parishes but this was later rejected and the clergy who serve St. Vincent's today reside at the oratory in Holy Family Parish. With the extension of a general permission to celebrate the traditional 'Tridentine
' Mass, weekly celebration of the mass using the old rite began at St. Vincent's in addition to the new use.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto is a Roman Catholic archdiocese that includes part of the Province of Ontario. Its archbishop is also the eccesiatical provincial for the dioceses of Hamilton, London, Saint Catharines, and Thunder Bay. The Archbishop is Thomas Christopher Collins, with...
. It has been served since 1995 by clergy of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri who reside at the mother parish of Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Parkdale
Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Parkdale
Holy Family is a Roman Catholic church in Toronto's west end neighbourhood of Parkdale and within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. It has been served since 1979 by clergy of the Oratory of St Philip Neri who also run a seminary from the location....
. It is located on Roncesvalles Avenue
Roncesvalles Avenue
Roncesvalles Avenue is a north-south arterial street in Toronto, Canada. It connects Queen Street West, King Street West and runs north to Dundas Street West. Roncesvalles Avenue takes its name from the Battle of Roncesvalles, which took place in the Roncesvalles gorge in Spain in 1813...
west of downtown Toronto.
History
In 1900, Holy Family Church was created in the Parkdale neighbourhood, out of Toronto's original west end parish of St. Helen's, Brockton at a time when development was already spreading north from Parkdale to the new 'Howard Park' residential district. By 1914, at the end of the first large wave of non British immigration to Toronto, many Catholics had arrived in the city and the population was considered sufficient for a second parish near Parkdale on Roncesvalles Ave which was developing as a commercial heart of the Howard Park neighbourhood. St. Vincent de Paul Church and School opened in the centre of the Howard Park neighbourhood as the First World War began and immigration to the area came to a halt. After the world wars, many Catholic Polish families arrived in the area and a decision was taken to create a separate Polish Church (St. Casimir's) for them on Roncesvalles Ave. out of St. Vincent de Paul Parish. As the area to the north continued to urbanise, especially after the construction of a subway along Bloor StreetBloor Street
Bloor Street is a major east–west residential and commercial thoroughfare in Toronto, in the Canadian province of Ontario. Bloor Street runs from the Prince Edward Viaduct westward into Mississauga, where it ends at Central Parkway. East of the viaduct, Danforth Avenue continues along the same...
in the 1960s, a second parish was created out of St. Vincent de Paul's on that street: St. Joan of Arc. Meanwhile, many older families had left the area and St. Vincent de Paul church began to fall into serious decline as the congregation dwindled.
By the 1990s, the parish had become a centre for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816 by Saint Eugene de Mazenod, a French priest born in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France on August 1, 1782. The congregation was given recognition by Pope...
's work with Toronto's native Canadian community. The site was poorly chosen for this as few native Canadians lived in the area and this work is now carried out at St. Anne's Parish in Toronto's Riverdale neighbourhood. In 1995, responsibility for the declining parish was given to the fathers of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri
Oratory of Saint Philip Neri
The Oratory of Saint Philip Neri is a congregation of Catholic priests and lay-brothers who live together in a community bound together by no formal vows but only with the bond of charity. They are commonly referred to as Oratorians...
who had moved to St. Vincent de Paul's mother church of Holy Family
Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, Parkdale
Holy Family is a Roman Catholic church in Toronto's west end neighbourhood of Parkdale and within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. It has been served since 1979 by clergy of the Oratory of St Philip Neri who also run a seminary from the location....
a number of years before. For a time the community considered splitting between the two parishes but this was later rejected and the clergy who serve St. Vincent's today reside at the oratory in Holy Family Parish. With the extension of a general permission to celebrate the traditional 'Tridentine
Tridentine Mass
The Tridentine Mass is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published from 1570 to 1962. It was the most widely celebrated Mass liturgy in the world until the introduction of the Mass of Paul VI in December 1969...
' Mass, weekly celebration of the mass using the old rite began at St. Vincent's in addition to the new use.
Pastors
- Rev. Mineham
- Rev. Bennett
- Rev. Driscoll
- (Missionary Oblates of Mary ImmaculateMissionary Oblates of Mary ImmaculateThe Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816 by Saint Eugene de Mazenod, a French priest born in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France on August 1, 1782. The congregation was given recognition by Pope...
) - Rev. Daniel Utrecht, C.O.
- Rev. Martin Hubert, C.O.
- Rev. Thomas Trotteir C.O.
'Children' Parishes
- St. Casimir's Polish Roman Catholic Church
- St. Joan of Arc Roman Catholic Church
See also
- Roncesvalles, Toronto
- Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, ParkdaleHoly Family Roman Catholic Church, ParkdaleHoly Family is a Roman Catholic church in Toronto's west end neighbourhood of Parkdale and within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto. It has been served since 1979 by clergy of the Oratory of St Philip Neri who also run a seminary from the location....
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of TorontoRoman Catholic Archdiocese of TorontoThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto is a Roman Catholic archdiocese that includes part of the Province of Ontario. Its archbishop is also the eccesiatical provincial for the dioceses of Hamilton, London, Saint Catharines, and Thunder Bay. The Archbishop is Thomas Christopher Collins, with...