In 1888 the first classes of l’Ecole Sacré-Coeur were taught in the church basement by Father Lamarche.

TORONTO, Jan. 30 /CNW/ -

Today, the Ontario Heritage Trust and the Sacré-Coeur Roman Catholic Church unveiled a provincial plaque commemorating the Sacré-Coeur Parish.

Toronto saw a surge in its francophone population in the mid- to late-19th century as French-Canadians began arriving due to the large number of jobs available in the manufacturing sector. The city’s early francophones attended religious services at English-speaking parishes, where French-speaking priests were occasionally invited to conduct services.

However, they were dissatisfied with this arrangement owing to significant differences in the culture and religious traditions of the French and English branches of the Roman Catholic Church. In 1887, Father Philippe Lamarche arrived from Montreal to found Sacré-Coeur Parish, the first Roman Catholic parish to serve the francophone community in Toronto.

“The Parish of Sacré-Coeur is widely considered to be the first established institution dedicated to serving Toronto’s French-speaking community,” said The Honourable Lincoln M. Alexander, Chairman of the Ontario Heritage Trust. “We are proud to commemorate the important spiritual and cultural role of this parish for so many francophones residing in the city of Toronto to this day.”

At its inception, Sacré-Coeur Parish included 130 families. They came primarily from Quebec, with some from Acadia and Europe. The parish’s first building, a former Presbyterian church, was located on King Street East, near Sackville Street. It was dedicated as a Roman Catholic place of worship in 1888 and that same year, the first classes of l’Ecole Sacré-Coeur were taught in the church basement by Father Lamarche. In 1896, a school was constructed, followed by the addition of a rectory in 1900.

By the 1930s, new downtown church facilities were required to accommodate the growing congregation. A new church was constructed in 1937 at the corner of Sherbourne and Carlton streets. In addition to operating as a religious institution, Sacré-Coeur also functioned as a centre for social and cultural pursuits. Numerous associations and clubs formed in the 1940s and 1950s, providing an opportunity for parishioners to socialize in their own language. Popular activities included sports, music and theatre.

“We are delighted to celebrate the contributions of Toronto’s early francophones in shaping the city’s cultural landscape,” said Culture Minister Aileen Carroll. “As a result of their spirit and determination, Sacré-Coeur Parish will continue to play an important role in the French-speaking community for generations to come.”

In the 1960s, Sacré-Coeur’s congregation decreased in size as families moved to the suburbs, where French schooling had become available. Despite this trend, the parish demonstrated vitality with the creation of new clubs and activities throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The return of families to the downtown core at the turn of the 20th century, coupled with the arrival of new French-speaking immigrants, particularly from African countries, contributed to a significant growth in congregation numbers by 2001.

“More than ever, the French church community finds its spiritual and social value in being a welcoming arm of the city of Toronto and more than ever, the city of Toronto extends its welcoming hand to a greater number of French-speaking people,” said Rev. Justin Desroches, Pastor of Sacré-Coeur Parish. “We need to be a community of faith made up of what is new and what is rooted in history in order to survive and prosper.”

Since its inception, the Parish of Sacré-Coeur has been both a spiritual and cultural centre for francophones across the city. To this day, Sacré-Coeur continues to serve as a cultural beacon for the French-speaking community in the Toronto area.

The Ontario Heritage Trust is an agency of the Government of Ontario, dedicated to identifying, preserving, protecting and promoting Ontario’s heritage.

The Trust gratefully acknowledges the Ontario Office of Francophone Affairs for its assistance and the Department of Canadian Heritage for its financial contribution to this provincial plaque through the Canada-Ontario Agreement on French-Language Services.

A List of Toronto’s Earliest Churches

ST. PAUL’S 1822 83 Power Street (Parliament & Richmond)

ST. MICHAEL’S 1848 200 Church Street (Dundas & Jarvis)

ST. MARY’S 1852 589 Adelaide St. W. (Bathurst & King)

ST. JOSEPH’S 1854 200 Morrish Road (Highland Creek: Kingston & Military)

ST. BASIL’S 1856 50 St. Joseph Street (Bay & Wellesley)

ST. PATRICK’S 1861 141 McCaul Street (Dundas & University)

ST. HELEN’S 1875 1680 Dundas Street (Dundas & Lansdowne)

ST. JOSEPH’S  1878 172 Leslie Street (Queen & Leslie)

OUR LADY OF LOURDES 1886 11 Earl Street (Jarvis & Wellesley)

SACRE-COEUR 1887 381 Sherbourne Street (Sherbourne & Carlton)

HOLY ROSARY 1892 354 St. Clair Ave. West (St. Clair & Bathurst)

ST. CECILIA’S 1895 161 Annette Street (Dundas & Keele)

Bookmark It

Hide Sites