Church of the Sacred Heart, Mildmay, Ont. and Immaculate Conception Church Formosa, Ont. Aug. 29, 2010

Immaculate Conception Church Formosa Ontario


Interior Immaculate Conception Church Formosa Ontario


Today we ventured north west into Bruce County and visited 2 churches - one a Joseph Connolly creation and one a personal journey. I'll begin with the latter first.

Sacred Heart Church, Mildmay Ontario

We began our journey very early on a warm and sunny August morning by travelling North on highway 86, north west on highway 7 and continued north west on highway 9 to arrive at Mildmay, Ontario. Pardon the emphasis on nautical direction, but my companion loves the beauty of North-South-East-West and it begins to rub off on one a little bit. This morning was a bit of a journey into my own history as we visited the church my parents were married in more than 50 years ago and where 40 years ago I was flower girl at my aunt and uncle's wedding and where less than 6 months ago I attended her funeral mass.

As always, we were welcomed in this church, this time by Father W. Terence Sehl who spent at least 20 minutes with us before mass began sharing with us Church history . The cornerstone for Sacred Heart was laid on July 23, 1912 and next summer the church celebrates it's 100th anniversary. He told us about the church website and seemed genuinely enthused about our church project. We also studied a photo taken in the early 50's of the altar before the redecoration in 1969 due to fire and smoke damage. I plan to look through my parent's photos to see if I can find any other views although I know photography tended to be discouraged during ceremonies in those days (I truly was born during the wrong era!). While not a Connolly church, it shares the Gothic style so close to Connolly's heart and is perhaps one of the last churches built of this style as World War I loomed and energies and manpower were focused elsewhere. The post-war world had moved beyond these Gothic style churches and the design style of churches built during the twenties and thirties have a decidedly modern and angular influence.

As we pulled away from Milday and pointed the car towards Formosa, I thought again about North-South-East and West. The roads that bring us home and the roads that take us on new journeys. What provides the compass is the bedrock itself.

Immaculate Conception Church, Formosa, Ontario 11:00 am service

The farming community of the tiny hamlet of Formosa built their own bedrock of faith out of the handcut limestone from local rock as well as sandstone laboriously shipped by train to Mildmay and then carted by horse to the top-most peak of the valley. Father Stephen LaCroix shared this and other interesting stories about Immaculate Conception Church. The foundation for this Joseph Connolly designed church was laid in 1875 - several years earlier than "Our Lady" in Guelph or "St. Peter's Basillica" in London. Perhaps Connolly landed his commission in those cities based on his work here. Designed by Connolly, it was built as funds allowed by the hands of the largely German immigrant farming population. The shell wasn't completed until 1880 and it is this date that appears over the doorway. At this time the old wooden church underneath was dismantled but the interior itself wasn't completed until 1885, a full 5 years later. We learn much from these early settlers whose approach was methodical, focused, measured, and sustained. Much like the rock itself.

He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock." - Luke 6:48

I'm sure those early farmers had many moments when storms beat vehemently against their doors - but their church? Their church they built on the "ever-fixed mark" and still it stands today.
Miss M.



Origins


Bird's Eye view of Formosa
Rev. Gaspar Matoga , a Jesuit missionary, visited the area in January 1853, on one of many trips to minister to the new settlements of the region. Upon seeing the valley in which the present day hamlet is situated, he described it as 'formosa', the Latin word for beautiful.

This day started much like any other for me, I woke a little after 05 00 and jumped in the shower. As the hot water and soap cleared the cobwebs, I went over the running list in my head for today. We were travelling North today to the heart of the German settler region of Bruce County and to the town of Formosa. I quickly packed a cooler and clothes for the day. I had set things out the night before in case I slept in. My camera,batteries, Ipod and cell phone, wallet, keys and lets go …..

I left in the dark and felt like I was sneaking out. I left my little family safe in their beds, locked the house and sat in the car without starting it. I always warm my car for a minimum length of time but this am I turned the key until it caught and pulled it into drive. I "choke" drove down my street as the car warmed up. I had choices this am and time was my friend sitting in the big car with me. I am quite often asked why I drive big cars and trucks and this morning I led by example quietly enjoying my drive in overstuffed seats in an eighteen year old vehicle that is perhaps a little loose in her stays. As I travelled past a local inn there was a photo op that presented itself in the front parking lot. There were 2 cars from the past parked and in very nice shape indeed. There was a red and white 1955 Chevrolet parked alongside a 1964 Chevrolet and the 55 had a look of longing for the road parked in the last spot before the driveway. The fog on the river only lent to this scene.

Leaving Stratford eastbound I bought a coffee at Tim‘s, and as the aroma of breakfast encompassed my Roadmaster from the drive thru window I wondered if my travelling companion was awake yet. I left town and since I was alone on the highway I could relax behind the wheel. I put her in the middle of the road and rolled it on until I reached cruising altitude where I very gently came off the throttle. As a self described practicing Catholic I don’t feel at liberty to tell how fast that is.

What I can tell you is that I have a fascination for a certain valley. This particular valley runs from Kincardine on Lake Huron down to Long Point on Lake Erie. It holds scenic riches all along the path that await discovery and this am was no exception. I approached New Hamburg from the west and the pea soup fog was set hard in the fields tempting the big red morning sun to come after it. I stopped the car to photograph the glorious sunrise and had to run across Highway 7 to capture Our Holy Family’s steeple standing above and clear of this morning’s foggy blanket.

Steeple of Our Holy Family Church New Hamburg Ontario Aug 29 2010 am


As I approached my coauthor and drive behind this expedition‘s house I phoned her and was relieved to hear her voice answer the phone. I was in fact almost 2 hours ahead of time. I offered to buy her a coffee and that would give her precious extra moments to get ready for the day. We loaded her car and set off for the 2 plus hour drive from Kitchener to Formosa Ontario situated in South Bruce County. The geography of the land visibly changes and as we travelled north we took in as much as we could driving through the rolling landscape.

We stopped in Mildmay Ontario, which is quintessential small town Southern Ontario;and located the Sacred Heart Church . Upon entering this church we met three very warm and friendly people who we introduced ourselves to. One of the three was Father Terry Sehl, the parish priest and advocate for this very nice church. He informed us of upcoming open houses involving churches in the Bruce County area and of Sacred Heart’s history including a fire in the Sacristy and the weight (900 lbs and 1800 lbs ) of the two bells in the bell tower. The tower and other parts on this church have met their misfortune by tornadoes and handymen and Father Terry is fervently working on a solution and repair to her ailments. We regretfully couldn’t spend any more time in his company and continued on our path. I think that attending mass here at a later date is a very good and reasonable idea. Thank you Father Sehl!

My companion told me of her ancestral roots here in Mildmay and Formosa and their relationship with her family. Looking at the landscape the pioneers would have a tough life and worked hard for their farms and family. The land would yield whatever it had been granted and the back breaking labour would have paid off handsomely. Faith and church are the backbone of any settler’s life and in this area they happened to be German of the Catholic doctrine.

Approaching Formosa from the south we entered a four sided valley or bowl with a river winding across the bottom of it.The Immaculate Conception Church can be seen for miles thanks to her steeple. The drive through the village of Formosa was quiet and we looked upon the brewery which has been in operation since 1870. The church is located atop the northeast hill of this beautiful valley. The music that was coming from my Ipod and that was being amplified by the car’s sound system was inadvertently the very same as our visit to St, Peter’s in London. As we pulled into the parking lot in the very same manner as in Guelph we could hear Knopfler’s Baloney Again with the very same lead. My companion and I noted the similarities and the location in the song when we parked.

Pulling in we parked right out back, got out and stretched,grabbed our cameras and walked around photographing this big building. This church was built in a decade without the help of contractors in the typical sense. Joseph Connolly designed it and then local parishioners who would be mostly German immigrants built it. They built around and over the original wooden church and must have used that structure for scaffolding for the new build. After the main church was completed the old wooden building was taken down and removed. The winter chapel was built after on the same property and was used in winter when it was impossible to heat the big church.
The stone is 90 % “Formosa Reef” a term applied to the rough, porous, locally abundant and cheap stone. The smoother limestone was brought by train from Guelph and then by wagon over to the church site. This smoother and most likely expensive stone was used only for a small portion of the church’s construction including the first few rows of the foundation, trim and pointing of detail(soldiering). The Sacristy, Chapels and tower appear to be part and parcel of the original build and her huge bells were from the old wooden church. Their size alone shows that the wooden church would have been a modest size herself.

Entering the church the first thing I noticed was the width or appearance of width that the nave had. The light paint amplified the little amount of light streaming in through the windows. We walked up to the crossing and watched as a summer morning sunbeam lit a window in the front of the church and came to rest on a pew first behind the crossing. The spot on the pew was inviting but I resisted, instead I admired the sun’s work for a moment and then photographed the rest of the church. This church was built by poor farmers and built well. In 1880 a larger percentage of men than today were skilled in other trades other than working their farms. You built your own house or went without in the 1800’s rural Ontario and these very skills were used in erecting this church. Immaculate Conception Church was designed by Joseph Connolly and built in the gothic revival style that he has attached his name to so many times before and after this church. The pillars are of a plaster and masonry , are structural and have been painted in a yellow paint and Indian ink mixture or of something similar in an attempt to portray wood grain. The original plaster work is an amazing testament to the original builders and the flying buttress and pillar is of a different style here. Our Lady in Guelph is much wider and has a clerestory to hang in mid air problem that needed to be addressed. This building has a common roof and the walls are made of square blocks of stone! The peaked roof is simply placed atop the walls making it simpler, squatter and stronger than the flying buttress style. This design was largely due to the fact that there was a church inside the church to work around and her construction was paced by available funds.

In previous entries I have typically went into detail about the structural components and not about the day or the service but today’s sermon changed that for at least this entry. I have tried to live my life as the sermon of today preached. Today’s sermon was told by Father Stephen LaCroix , who charged us with acting responsibly and to help our fellow man , to find solace in the humble stance.

“For every one who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

This gospel hit home as I looked around this church knowing that it was put up by faithful parishioners who were just poor farming folk determined to make a life for themselves in this rural outpost.
After the mass ended we met with Fr.Stephen LaCroix, CSB, Pastor who was informative and genuinely interested in our journey. The anniversary of the church is upcoming and the work of the church is never done. We stood on the rear steps of the church and overlooking the valley I could see standing on this hill today why Matoga said “Formosa” meaning beautiful 157 years ago.

Leaving town we drove in silence for a few moments until bearings were needed. We returned to Mildmay looking for an open bakery or store to buy bread goods and my eye for detail spied something of great detail! I immediately mounted the curb and jumped from the car in my excitement. There in a driveway at the side of the road was a very clean and very straight 1965 327 black 2 door Caprice! I walked back towards the car and shook the owner Dave’s hand as he was just getting in a 55 red and white Chevy to return it to storage. I told him that I stopped to see the black car and not him ..…he understood completely being an old Chevy man. He invited me to look at her while parked his 55 , the same 55 he had went to Stratford and attended a wedding with the day before. I told him that I seen his 55 this am and they way she was parked at the river inn beside a 64 Chevy. He told me that the 64 was his brother’s…so 2 Chevy men in the same family ! The same red and white 55 that had that longing for the road look to her. Well she got her wish and she and Dave plied the roads on a gorgeous summer’s morn slightly after my own journey.


The lord is my shepherd
He leadeth me in pastures green
He gave us this day
Our daily bread and gasoline
Go under the willow
Park her up beside the stream

On our return trip we picnicked in a river side park in Drayton and ate fresh fruit and bread, while sitting on a blanket beside a stream under a willow enjoying good company. I learned a little more of who I am today and grew as a soul. I would like to tell of my appreciation of thoughts and beliefs of an era gone by. I have adapted to and share some of the ideas and things from the past. The belief of building it too big and too strong so as you don’t have to worry about it that was applied to building churches , houses and modes of transportation.Sadly, the word craftsman brings to mind an ideal that is since gone. In today’s world it is easy to lose track of who we are. Gothic churches, old wood, fat Labradors and even fatter Chevys from the past bring me back to the humblest chair at the table and to my origins.

Lorne

Holy Family Church, New Hamburg August 22, 2010

What is in a name?

Today we attended Holy Family Church located in New Hamburg, a very picturesque small town (population 8739) located on the Nith River and nestled in the Huron valley tract. Dedicated in 1882, it fits our criteria of a 19th century church but is admittably not designed by our mentor Joseph Connolly. Time was against us today and we didn't have the leisure necessary for a Connolly expedition so we set our sights on New Hamburg, an easy distance for us both. While not on our list of Connolly churches, I'm glad we had the chance to attend this church.

Holy Family presents a quiet demeanor - her brickwork not ornate but solidly done and with foundations excavated by hand in 1882, most likely by the original 60 Catholic families of the parish. Today Holy Family is home to 275 Catholic families. Inside there is no marble, no gold embellishment, no mosaic tiles, no ornately carved woodwork or statuary. Her lines are smooth, modest, uncomplicated and serene. The stain glass windows are beautiful, especially the window above the main doors with the name "Holy Family Church" entwined in the panes of glass. Perhaps the one extravagance the original families allowed themselves.

I'm always struck by how each church we have visited has been shaped by it's location and community. Holy Family is part of a rich heritage of community churches which cover South Western Ontario and which played such a vital social and familial role in our early settlement. "Family" was the theme felt in this church and even their monthly newsletter aptly named "News From Your Family" reflects this. People knew and greeted each other when they entered and it's evident even from their newsletter that they have a very active "parish family" through the efforts of the "Catholic Women's League" and the "Holy Family's Men's Club" (the first one I have seen and I wish they had a similar one in my companion's parish because I think he would enjoy it immensely!)

It's true I have tremendous awe and respect for the Connolly churches - something in my soul sings when I am in one of his magnificant masterpieces. But another part of me really likes the feeling in these modest 19th century churches too. Churches built by the hearts and hands of hardworking people for their families and communities. Families come in all descriptions - the ones we are born into, and the ones we create ourselves by seeking out those who speak to our heart. We all seek family.

Holy Family Church. What is in a name?
Miss M.



The Last Shall Be The First



Our Holy Family

Today’s entry is as different to this blog as this morning’s visit was to our journey. Today we visited Our Holy Family Church in New Hamburg. She is a yellow brick church that sits atop a hill in the flood prone Nith Valley. She stands strong on a stone foundation and secures a home for faith for 275 Catholic families. The back of the church has a single and centrally located bell house. Her shake clad steeple stretches upward and is adorned with a simple but effective cross. Said cross can be seen for miles around and would have been a welcome beacon to travellers and faithful alike on a long dusty road entering this picturesque valley. Built in 1883 by local families this building is a testament of faith and hope that people realized settling here. The area is called New Hamburg suggesting German roots however I witnessed Irish, Scottish and Indian parishioners this am all answering their call to god in this warm home like parish.

The interior is freshly painted touting spring greens and warm woods. Natural Oak(refinished) pews shone in the ample light coming in from the windows. It was overcast this am entering this building but the church was still inviting. Upon entering the back doors my tireless companion and I were met by a smiling man that had his right hand outstretched in greeting. Here we met Pat Langford a strapping man who offered us a Sunday Missal and welcomed us into his parish. I always seek out the “Pat’s” of this world and this man proved to me why I hold such a habit. After asking Pat a few questions he told us that it was his wife Judi the church’s organist that we wanted to speak to about emails and such. I admire Pat’s stance on life and did enjoy meeting him. He made us feel welcome and dispatched us to our seats.

The warm woods made me feel at home and the church was vibrant with life. This church has that feel of home and regular parishioners where furthermore the attending congregation were comfortable in their surroundings. From behind me I could hear Scottish female voices and the lilt of which brought me to Cape Breton and my mothers kitchen in my mind. The lilt of a mother’s voice, the security of a father’s voice and hand held, unquestioned faith and hope for the future are all part and parcel of a building such as this. This church has served faithful in this area for 127 years and has endured and prevailed through natural disasters and the ebb and flow of our nation. The many spring floods, the dark curtain of war and the great depression have all darkened her doorway, yet still she stands atop the hill firm in her foundation and place within the community serving all who enter her doors.

The service was led by Monsignor O’Brien, a retired priest who resides in Hamilton and has been sharing the word here at Our Holy Family for the past 3 weeks. O’Brien has a very distinct and likeable approach to the pulpit and I listened to the service quite intently and enjoyed it thoroughly. To my left was a little girl of Indian descent. She was a very precocious toddler who had the biggest dark eyes I have ever seen .We liked her right away, largely due to her endearing smile and angelic coos.

After mass ended my much braver than I companion dragged me into the spotlight of the public eye once again to meet the one and only Judi Langford, the organist of the day and beloved wife of Pat. Judi was very insightful and informative. She listened intently, told us stories and asked if we had or planned to attend various churches in the Nith Valley area. Judi is involved with church’s monthly newsletter and plays the organ. It is enlightening to see that kind of involvement in the church and Judi is genuine in her affairs with the church. My companion has such a wealth of talents; she might very well consider a similar effort with her own home parish.

Upon leaving the town of New Hamburg I stopped and parked my car at the top of the hill edging the Nith Valley. I leaned on the car and photographed the church steeple that stood above the tree line and imagined this road and what view it afforded those before me. It would have been a dirt road with a wooden bridge over the river and traversed by horse traffic and the dust coming off hooves and wagon wheels would have hung in the air. A simpler time indeed.
As I edged back into traffic heading west I could see the church in my rear view mirror and I admired her for a moment before focusing on the drive home and absorbing my experience in New Hamburg on a cool August morning.


Lorne

St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica, London, Ont. Aug. 7th 6 p.m. Service

The more one begins to write and think about these 19th century churches, the more tempting it is to compare one to the other. It's a somewhat dangerous past-time - much like comparing the qualities of beloved children because each has her own unique features and what might be first perceived as weakness sometimes becomes the strong point. St. Peter's Basilica in London presents such a case.

Driving into the heart of downtown London, it was difficult not to long for the pastoral setting presented by Kinkora or the gothic giant of Our Lady towering over the city of Guelph. St. Peter's, by contrast, stands squarely in the urban mix of downtown London. We even had diffulculty locating her as surprisingly her towers were dwarfed by concrete condominiums and office buildings. The open fields of Kinkora have been replaced by busy downtown sidewalks, passing pedestrians, and angry car horns that make up city life.

At first I was disappointed by this. But then I realized that St. Peter's provides the centre calm and sturdy steadfastness so often necessary in city life. I myself seek out places of tranquility and calm in my own city and London is no different. Her cathedrals house 12 bells, each named after one of the 12 apostles and were added in 1926 in celebration of the city's 100th jubilee. They ring each quarter hour. This church is not silent and makes her presence known in this busy downtown. In fact, her magnificant bells chimed for a at least a full 15 minutes when we first pulled up to her doors - they peeled in celebration of a wedding taking place that afternoon but I couldn't help but notice how they began to chime the minute we left the car. It was almost comical because I had just finished saying "let's take some pictures while it is quiet before the evening mass" and it was at that moment her bells began to gloriously ring - quiet no more. I have never heard a sound like it in my life.

Later that evening we attended evening mass. It was a breezy evening and the church doors we wide open to catch every breath of breeze - we could also hear passing traffic and diesel buses but as we rose to sing the entrance hymn, the great organ (purchased in 1926 for $23,000 dollars and which has 59 stops and 3,869 pipes) bellowed in fellowship and drowned the city sounds and seemed to shake the very foundations of the building. A lone soprano sang in accompaniment and I actually smiled with delight. This church really paid tribute to Connolly's design acoustics and when the introductory hymn was finished I turned to my companion and said "that alone was worth the drive to London". It was the first Connolly church in which we heard the organ playing and I felt somewhat like a mission had been fulfilled as I had been longing to hear the organ play in one of his churches.

This basilica values it's history. They have a wonderful website that provides a wealth of information - far better than I could ever summarize on this blog and I think this is largely due to the efforts of Larry Lewis, the church Sacristan, and church historian. Larry kindly gave us a tour after mass ended and told us much about the history, materials, the stain glass windows, the chapels, the nave, the marble floors, the canvas paintings, the church organ, the wood carvings. He even kindly gave us the DVD "St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica - The Journey". Father Jim Mockler also gave us the booklet "Celebrating 125 Years of the St. Peter's Basilica". We promised to send Father a link to our blog and tried to do the same for Larry, who had been so kind and helpful to 2 strangers but he is a self-proclaimed "luddite" which I have more sympathy for than one can imagine - ironically being one of the authors of this church record. We must think of another way to thank him for his kindness for perhaps there is no greater gift than knowledge shared.

Oh, and I had to look up the definition of "basilica" much to my chagrin as a one-time English major. The Catholic encyclopedia defines a basilica, in the architectural sense, as a Christian church designed under the principles of public buildings of ancient Rome - namely, a central nave, with an aspe at one or both ends and 2 side aisles formed by side columns. In a canonical sense, "basilica" can also be assigned "to important churches that enjoy privleges of an honorific character".
I am far from a church scholar, but I believe St. Peter's Basilica of London qualifies as both.

I realize as I finish writing this entry that I have said little about St. Peter's history, materials, and construction - there are others with far greater knowledge than I who can this in much better detail than this one-time English major. I can only say with absolute certainty that she has fulfilled her holy mandate first articulated at her dedication on June 28th, 1885 to stand as "an eloquent and enduring monument" to our Lord and to welcome all who enter her doors.
Miss M.

Basilique Saint-Pierre

I promise this entry to be all over the literary map so please bear with me. I discovered so much on this adventure it is hard to keep it straight. I learned more about Joseph Connolly’s work and passion today and perhaps more about the whole picture. We as humans have finite time on earth and I have just recently learned how to fully enjoy that fact. My companion and I had decided to visit London Ontario next in our itinerary and to attend St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica. We planned to view and photograph the Cathedral, document what we could and attend mass.

Our road trip was very good, enjoying each other's company in the car all the while listening to one the world’s premier guitarist Mark Knopfler. I have been a fan of Knopfler for over thirty years and he and I collectively get better with age. My companion and coauthor of this blog truly enjoys Knopfler as well and only mildly noted about my shiny gadgets (ipod,cell phone) invading her car and personal space! We entered London Ontario a full four hours early via hwy 7 from the N. listening to guitar work and seeing some gorgeous S. Ontario’s farmland. As we entered the downtown area I, having been to St. Peter’s before started looking for her towers and was disappointed by not being readily able to see the church at all. Circling around the maze of well displaced one way streets I made my way from the West and....

Driving South on Richmond St (old Ontario hwy 4) I could see the front of the church and mixed with the strains of Knopfler’s Baloney Again I heard my companion state “oh that is so different “ . As I navigated the turn onto Queen St. and found a parking spot first in curbside on the right my ears were filled with this lead…

The Lord Is My Shepherd
He Leadeth Me In Pastures Green
He Gave Us This Day
Our Daily Bread And Gasoline
Go Under The Willow
Park Her Up Beside The Stream

(As my head swiveled to the left to view the church Maureen exclaimed ‘OH it’s a wedding!”)

Shoulders For Pillows
Lay Down Your Head And Dream
Shoulders For Pillows
Lay Down Your Head And Dream


Upon shutting the car and music off we could hear the hammering of church bells from the huge twin towers that stand at the back of the church. There was a wedding and it was just ending as we arrived. As we exited the car we could see the wedding party and guests in fine clothes standing in the sun. We grabbed our cameras and walked around the church where we photographed this big church which is The Cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of London and the wedding party. My eye for detail spotted a lone man away from everyone else sporting a very nice camera. Being of very little nerve I shyly introduced my companion and myself to none other than Jamie Jardine, a local artist (with upcoming exhibitions) who informed us that his favourite church view was in fact down the street at the site of another beautiful London Church. You can see the spires and steeple from a good distance away on that church Jamie told us. Jamie was waiting patiently on the East corner for the “shot” to come back. The sun had decided to hide momentarily behind the clouds. As we ended our circling of the church I was coaxed to get a shot of the young bride on her big day. I walked across the lawns towards the wedding party which was in stages of getting photographed and asked the boys in tuxedos (male wedding party) what the young bride’s name was… they all replied “Steph”. Summoning up what little nerve I had left I walked up to the bride and congratulated her, introduced myself and asked if I could get a photo of her on her very special day which she agreed. After photographing Steph, I was granted the opportunity to photograph my friend Maureen who was a beautiful sight indeed. We then decided to go on our picnic having almost three full hours before mass started.

We drove around aimlessly for the next ½ hour not speaking but bickering and arguing trying to find parking near the river and dodging all of the three dozen weddings. Every time I turned around Maureen would squeal “theres another one!! and then faint . She had taken over operations of my Ipod as soon as I put it in her self proclaimed Luddite hands and had turned it off but that only left an uncomfortable silence in the car when she was unconscious from her fainting.

Before and after our picnic in a very nicely maintained and beautifully treed Springbank Park which was also the backdrop to at least four wedding photo shoots we drove around London which is itself is a varied mix of old and new, disrepair and development. Downtown London is primarily big corporate buildings and old highway 4 store fronts that have been leased to death and spruced up to offer the flavor of the month. The front exterior wall of the Cathedral is blocked from view by a 1970’s clay brick school gymnasium that has fallen into disrepair. The church’s location would have been at the far west end of London when it was conceived. I love the following quote which was written fifteen years prior to the start of construction of St. Peter’s Basilica. It is from a fellow by the name of Henry Edward Dormer who was stationed in London Ontario describing London in an 1866 letter to his mother.

“I am afraid that there is not too much exaggeration in the abusive account that everybody gives to this place. It has absolutely no resources of its own, no shooting , no fishing , no skating, and a very indifferent society, no libraries, no clubs and no walks except a high road up to your knees in mud.”

Dormer died the same year at the tender age of 22.

This cathedral was named after the first Pope, St. Peter the gate keeper and it has a very warm and inviting feel to it. The outside grounds are well kept and are of simple design.We returned to the church intent on discovering, where we met Father Jim Mockler, Rector and he informed us that there was a man that we needed to talk to if we were interested in learning about this church and we could find him after mass. He also told us where the washrooms were to be found as we needed to change into nicer clothes. We entered the back of the church via the main doors and into the massive Narthex. It has been changed over the years to accommodate the needs of the church but this is definitely a Joseph Connolly building. The three doors in Guelph’s Our Lady have been replicated here however the outer doors were closed and the side entrances are intact on this church and their traffic empties itself through arches into the Narthex. There is a massive pool for a fount filled with holy water just inside the main doors and the word grandeur came to mind. This very narrow room in between the outside doors and the main body of the church was used for baptism. The philosophy behind this is. Baptisms should take place outside and not in the church and therefore you enter the church through Baptism.


This church is trimmed in Oak and it was the wood that caught my gaze immediately upon my walking up the three steps that separate the Narthex and the main body of the church. The nave or center hallway is wide and the space you enter rolls ahead waiting for you in anticipation of discovery. Oak Rib Vaulting encases the entire ceiling with a spectacular "web" over the Apse. The pillars are my favourite part of Gothic Churches these being of a very beautiful “Dusty Rose” and of course they are colossal in diameter and height. The roof, spires, stone chimneys and stone exterior walls that are up on the clerestory are held up by flying buttress framing and these pillars, an engineering marvel indeed. This same pillar and buttress design has been employed since the 13th century with great success for longevity. We moved up and sat ten or so rows from the front just in on the right Center aisle.

Looking around this big building in awe and wonder I noticed a few things. My friend is devout and has a thing for God and as I watched her in prayer I knew that she is one of God’s gifts. The sun was in the west and the fact that it was shining in the side wall at 6 pm was a little odd. I tried to get my bearings and thought that this church isn’t sitting correctly. This is true and the reason is that the old church, the church of St. Lawrence was sitting out back and it ran East/West and the Cathedral was built in such close proximity that the builders simply couldn’t place it differently. That explains the stain glass window on the right hand side (east) of the main entrance depicting Baptism. The sanctuary floor, altar and podium are made from marble and it is huge (we got to stand on it!) My friend was impressed immediately by her size and shape; however I suspect she is still looking for her favourite Connolly piece so she is cataloguing them as we travel this journey.

The front wall is completely different than Our Lady and yet very similar. It has 7 arches that are filled in with plaster instead of being archways like Guelph. The reason for this is simple, that the sacristy was not built in the original build as was done in Guelph but rather erected in front of the church. There is a small doorway from the front wall into the sacristy. The main difference is size, Our Lady is much bigger with a lot more stone work. Given the location of both churches can lend knowledge to this question. The materials for St. Peters were imported from all over the world New York, Kentucky and Michigan but as far away as Austria. The pieces that make up the round window over the main doors were made in Austria, shipped to London Ontario, reassembled and installed. The windows located at the transepts are magnificent and the sun that was playing tag behind the clouds outside broke loose and shone its light through a saint in that window. The sunbeam shone completely and solely on my companion. We later learned that this window depicts the Twelve Stations . There is a light gold coloured scroll intertwining throughout the image which is made even more spectacular by the sun. We have been fortunate to have had sun on each day that we have visited a Connolly church and a looming storm for Our Lady which only lent to her mystique and sheer size.

I couldn’t hide my excitement of seeing a woman in a bright Fuchsia sweater come in and put her notes on the wooden podium at the right corner of the sanctuary. I attended the Rite Of The Blessing Of The Oils in this church and she sang at that ceremony. The Organ played during mass and this woman sang today. After mass I dug into my courage bank account once again and went and introduced myself to the lovely songbird. She is Gloria Gassi (no R) and is reported to also teach at a local University. Gloria has such a powerful voice and should be heard. She is a regular soloist here at St. Peter’s. This musical experience was enriched by the organ that is 30 % bigger than it needs to be and the fact that a very large percentage of the attending congregation sang!


Much akin to Father Jim Mockler’s words we looked for the man that we had to meet after mass. This fellow is a marvel of both knowledge and grace. He is none other than Larry Lewis; a self reported Luddite and St. Peter’s Basilica very own authoritarian. If you want to know about this building you just go see Mr. Lewis and he will tell you. His expansive vernacular was only out done by his linguistic gymnastics and depth of knowledge. We only received the very condensed version of his “tour” and again we learned more in the half hour we spent in his company than we could a week of reading. He fed (crammed) us information, all factual about windows , the placement of parts of the church , the mason strike where the apse was in danger of incompletion only to be rescued by pulling a mason from retirement, the recycling of materials to complete twin towers nearly 75 years after the church received its own start. This description is merely a sliver of what was transferred into our hands. He showed us the Lady Chapel and explained its purpose in a fantastic way. Larry was very happy and quite interested in our journey and has done a similar mecca of sorts of his own. He has visited other Connolly churches including Kinkora which he adored. The best of luck, health and happiness to Larry Lewis! Thank you Larry. I am aware that if Larry ever reads this I will be told of run on sentences and other grammatical debauchery.

This enlightening experience wasn’t entirely our doing but rather a flow of charity in our direction. We were helped, welcomed and appreciated wherever we went today and that is the best way to spend any day. Don’t you agree?

Shoulders For Pillows
Lay Down Your Head And Dream

God Bless
Lorne

St. Patrick's Church, Kinkora Aug. 1, 2010

Today we left Waterloo Region and travelled into Perth County to visit St. Patrick's in the tiny village of Kinkora. Coming off the grandeur of "Our Lady" in Guelph, my expectations weren't very high for this much more modestly sized church built in 1882 by a largely Irish congregation. Further, we had heard that half the tower had been removed somewhere along the lines by unsympatheic renovators and the vanished steeple could no longer be seen for miles as the original builder intended. My expectations plumetted still further. But I believe there is a little magic left yet in the Emerald isle and Kinkora, the "Place of Beauty", stills charms all who enter her domain.

Rather than sitting atop an imposing hill, St. Patrick's sits comfortably at the crossroads of this quiet hamlet. Peace sits over this village unlike anywhere I have visited in Southern Ontario. A warm sun smiled rays of amber beams on her sturdy brick. We approached the neatly maintained lawns and well-swept sidewalks of the church grounds - so different from the oceans of concrete at "Our Lady" in Guelph. We met the grounds and church keeper, Frances Ryan (who said it was ok to mention his name in this blog), carefully carrying out his duties. Happily we learned from Frances that plans are underway for renovation and restoration - her mighty steeple might one day again cast her mighty shadow across the countryside.

The church doors were wide open, most likely to bring the fresh breeze inside, but they seemed to welcome us in greeting. Kinkora retains the friendliness of an era gone-by - from the helpfulness of Frances, to the passing greeting of a cyclist who momentarily took his hand off the handlebar to make the sign of the cross as he passed holy ground. There are still a few Irishman left in this now largely Dutch community for surely this was the gesture of the Irish. Inside the walls are painted a rich coffee cream colour that blends with the warm whiskey coloured shades of wood. A magnicicant stained glass window is situated above the main entrance and the circular patterns repeat in varying combinations - three, four, five, six - throughout the church. The three circles within the larger circle made me think of the shamrock, so symbolic of the Irish hands which built this church, but also of the trinity which, as any good Irishman will tell you, symbolizes this sacred union.

More than any other church we have visited, St. Patrick's of Kinkora transported me back to another time. Except for our modern clothes, we may well have been celebrating mass in 1910 - from the saying of the rosary before mass began, to the ringing of the church bells, to the well-behaved and cleanly dressed children, to the clear voices unadorned by instruments, to the gathering of friends and neighbours outside the church after mass for coffee and Sunday socializing. We were noted as new by Father Paul Nicholson when we left but were so warmly greeted by all. Father Paul was very interested in The Church Project and was off to Hamilton the next day where perhaps he will discover Connolly's other churches. This church even celebrates a latin mass, "unus antiquior" at noon every Sunday.

My expectations were turned on their ear for this church. I expected little but was so richly and unexpectantly rewarded and realized how easy it would be to love this church and community, this piece of the Emerald isle, this "place of beauty".
Miss M.


The Cross

The crossroads, the cross and the big footprint that are made from the Gothic Church are akin to a union of human and Holy Spirit. The trinity is based upon this very belief and without it we would be in shallow waters.

I had one of my best days today, a descendant of Irish immigrants to this country I visited a home to hope and well being. The stop today was of course St. Patrick's Church in Kinkora, a crossroads village located just 19 kilometres NW of Stratford. Kinkora in Gaelic means "a place of beauty" and this spot is certainly that. I walked away from home today in anticipation of what lay ahead of me. I wore just jeans and an impossibly heavy red shirt and fully expected to see a girl that was fully expecting to see me. There is a sense of new and anticipation when I am in her company and I think that shapes the entire experience.


Joseph Connolly built this church and perhaps sold the plans to 105 Irish families that commissioned him to erect it. Like any S. Ontario lot the bush around Kinkora would have been cleared and burned for heat and winters would have been cold. There is a small chapel on the NE side of the church that is nestled into her side. The “winter” chapel would have been easier to heat in the winter and is still used today by the priest. It houses his Vestments and he could prepare for the day’s sermon in it . This building could have been the original church while the main church was being constructed. There is a big rectory on the property and the entire property was immaculate. The pride of this parish was obvious and this church is in pristine condition. As we walked through the front door the nave was open and airy thanks to the doors being open. There was a man who was set to task of sweeping and readying the church for the morning mass. He is none other than Frances Ryan and he told me more in the 5 minutes I talked to him than I could read in a week. He is 56 years old and cannot remember any saints being on this building. There are spots reserved for them on the rear wall of the building and a statue of this church’s namesake St. Patrick has been returned to his location at the top of the rear wall. There has been a massive restoration to this building and the main steeple that was knocked down for safety might be going back up. According to local lore this church has a benefactor who very generously left a legacy. There is an unveiling of a plaque and plans on Oct 2 2010 which may very well be a replacement of the missing top 70 ft of steeple.

The interior of this building although smaller than the big church is very well appointed. Her main framing consists of flying buttresses and rib vaulting. The rib vaulting was done in Oak and has been untouched by restorations. The stained glass windows are beautiful and this church is sitting perfectly on an East/West axis. The rear wall is facing west and the cemetery which is located across the road. The basement windows have been removed and cemented over and there was some soldiering work done on the rear of the building that I could not make any sense of. I looked for old scarring and couldn’t find any. The entire exterior is of yellow and red line brick. The soldiering is European and I have seen similar brick work on the old brick roadways in Stratford. Local lore tells of possibly a German influence in the brick work. The rectory is of all red clay brick and is of a different style than the church itself. The roof is all slate and well preserved. There are big old growth maples on the lot which would protect her but the winters would be harsh on this rural crossroad.

The parish Priest is a very humble and engaging man by the name of Father Paul Nicholson who gave a very passionate sermon that has me engaged a full day after hearing it. My companion and I met Father Paul on the main stairs after mass ended. We quickly exchanged greetings and then after his parishioner's had dispatched him he asked more detailed questions about our adventure. Both parties were glad we met because we both knew of churches that Connolly had built that the other didn't. All in all a good day!

The village itself is tiny but you get the sense of true community when the parishioners started coming. I realized that we would be recognized as outsiders but we were made to feel welcome. After mass there was a table set up with coffee. The entire attending congregation was out back, standing around talking and exchanging pleasantries. It was an incredible feeling that these people were dressed up in fine clothes , their children were clean and well behaved. This was the social event of the week for them and you could see they were enjoying themselves. There were chores to do before church and after mass (cows don’t milk themselves) but for now it was church. I had an incredibly good time and all I did was attend mass in a little village.
Lorne