Church of Our Lady Immaculate, Guelph
Encyclopedia
Church of Our Lady Immaculate (known locally as the Church of Our Lady) is a Roman Catholic church located in Guelph
, Ontario
, Canada designed by Joseph Connolly
. It is considered Connolly's best work. To serve a Roman Catholic parish of predominantly German settlers this Gothic style-church was built between 1875 and 1883. The monumental church contains decorative carving and stained glass executed by skilled craftsmen.
The church was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1990.
, Ontario
on April 23, 1827, he allocated the highest point in the centre of the newly founded town to Roman Catholics as a compliment to his friend, Bishop Alexander Macdonell, who had given him advice in the formation of the Canada Company
. A road was also later cleared leading up to the hill and named after the Bishop, called Macdonell Street.
According to the Guelph Public Library archives, John Galt, founder of Guelph, wrote the following statement in the deed transferring the land on which the Church of Our Lady would one day stand: "On this hill would one day rise a church to rival St. Peter's in Rome."
The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady Immaculate is the third church to stand on this site, high above the streetscape, overlooking the city of Guelph. The first church, a framed wooden church named St. Patrick's, had been built on the hill by 1835 and was the first structure in Guelph that was painted on both its interior and exterior. It burned to the ground on October 10, 1844.
Construction on St. Bartholomew's Church began shortly after St. Patrick's was destroyed. The new building was completed in 1846. The following inscription appeared on the cornerstone of St. Bartholomew's Church: "To God, the best and greatest. The faithful of Guelph, of the diocese of Toronto have built this new Church, in honour of the blessed Apostle Bartholomew, the first church having been consumed in flames."
Construction of the new church, based on the Cologne Cathedral
, began in 1877 under Irish-Canadian architect Joseph Connolly
who had designed many churches in Ireland
, England
and Ontario
, notably St. Peter's Cathedral
in London
, Ontario.
Built of local limestone in Gothic Revival style, the Church of Our Lady is considered to be Connolly's masterpiece. Matthew Bell, a well-known Guelph artisan, was responsible for some of the carvings on the exterior as well as on the interior pillars of the church. He died in 1883 as a result of injuries sustained in a fall while working on the building. In 1888, almost twelve years after construction commenced, the church was dedicated to Our Lady Immaculate
. The twin towers, which rise to a height of over 200 feet (61 m), were not completed until November 13, 1926. The completed church stands at the head of MacDonell Street as an imposing view terminus, similarly to another major project by Connolly, St. Mary's Church
in Toronto
.
In 1958 a new entrance from Macdonell Street was constructed, but aside from this, the exterior appearance of the Church has changed very little since 1926.
The complete building of the Church took more than 50 years, probably qualifying it as the longest construction project in the city's history.
The Church of Our Lady is one of the 122 parishes in the Diocese of Hamilton
and boasts 2,600 families in the congregation.
Long-awaited restoration of the church began in April 2007. Talk of restoration began in the early 1990s, with work on the slate roof completed in 1992. Subsequent plans for renovating the interior generated some controversy and were put on hold. The estimated cost of the inside and outside restoration is between $10 million and $12 million, including renovations to the towers ($1.2 million), roof, windows and doors, interior and basement. The entire church restoration should be completed by the end of 2008, with funding coming from both the congregation and the diocese of Hamilton.
Accordingly, views of the Church from different aspects, in different seasons, times of day and lights, against different skies, form indelible impressions in the minds of residents and visitors. The following array of images illustrates some of these views:
Guelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada designed by Joseph Connolly
Joseph Connolly (architect)
Joseph Connolly was an Irish Canadian architect, born in Limerick, Ireland. He trained as an architect under J.J. McCarthy in his native Ireland before coming to North America. Connolly specialized in Gothic Revival design...
. It is considered Connolly's best work. To serve a Roman Catholic parish of predominantly German settlers this Gothic style-church was built between 1875 and 1883. The monumental church contains decorative carving and stained glass executed by skilled craftsmen.
The church was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1990.
History
When John Galt founded GuelphGuelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
on April 23, 1827, he allocated the highest point in the centre of the newly founded town to Roman Catholics as a compliment to his friend, Bishop Alexander Macdonell, who had given him advice in the formation of the Canada Company
Canada Company
The Canada Company was a large private chartered British land development company, incorporated by an act of British parliament on July 27, 1825, to aid the colonization of Upper Canada. Canada Company assisted emigrants by providing good ships, low fares, implements and tools,and inexpensive land....
. A road was also later cleared leading up to the hill and named after the Bishop, called Macdonell Street.
According to the Guelph Public Library archives, John Galt, founder of Guelph, wrote the following statement in the deed transferring the land on which the Church of Our Lady would one day stand: "On this hill would one day rise a church to rival St. Peter's in Rome."
Construction on St. Bartholomew's Church began shortly after St. Patrick's was destroyed. The new building was completed in 1846. The following inscription appeared on the cornerstone of St. Bartholomew's Church: "To God, the best and greatest. The faithful of Guelph, of the diocese of Toronto have built this new Church, in honour of the blessed Apostle Bartholomew, the first church having been consumed in flames."
Construction of the new church, based on the Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral
Cologne Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church in Cologne, Germany. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and the administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne. It is renowned monument of German Catholicism and Gothic architecture and is a World Heritage Site...
, began in 1877 under Irish-Canadian architect Joseph Connolly
Joseph Connolly (architect)
Joseph Connolly was an Irish Canadian architect, born in Limerick, Ireland. He trained as an architect under J.J. McCarthy in his native Ireland before coming to North America. Connolly specialized in Gothic Revival design...
who had designed many churches in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, notably St. Peter's Cathedral
St. Peter's Cathedral (London)
St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica, located at 196 Dufferin Avenue, in London, Ontario, Canada, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of London.- History :...
in London
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, Ontario.
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
. The twin towers, which rise to a height of over 200 feet (61 m), were not completed until November 13, 1926. The completed church stands at the head of MacDonell Street as an imposing view terminus, similarly to another major project by Connolly, St. Mary's Church
St. Mary's Church (Toronto)
St. Mary's Church is a Roman Catholic church located at 130 Bathurst Street at Portugal Square in the Niagara neighbourhood of Toronto's west end. The parish was established by Irish immigrants in 1852. The Gothic Revival church was designed by Joseph Connolly and completed in 1889, with the tower...
in Toronto
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...
.
In 1958 a new entrance from Macdonell Street was constructed, but aside from this, the exterior appearance of the Church has changed very little since 1926.
The complete building of the Church took more than 50 years, probably qualifying it as the longest construction project in the city's history.
Present day
Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, Ontario
The Diocese of Hamilton was created on February 29, 1856 by a division of the Archdiocese of Toronto. It remains a suffragan of that archdiocese. The Diocese of Hamilton comprises the counties and regions of Brant, Bruce, Grey, Halton, Waterloo, Wellington, Wentworth, as well as four Townships in...
and boasts 2,600 families in the congregation.
Long-awaited restoration of the church began in April 2007. Talk of restoration began in the early 1990s, with work on the slate roof completed in 1992. Subsequent plans for renovating the interior generated some controversy and were put on hold. The estimated cost of the inside and outside restoration is between $10 million and $12 million, including renovations to the towers ($1.2 million), roof, windows and doors, interior and basement. The entire church restoration should be completed by the end of 2008, with funding coming from both the congregation and the diocese of Hamilton.
City by-laws
The City of Guelph's zoning by-laws establish "protected view areas" that are designed to ensure clear sight lines to the Church of Our Lady from various vantage points in the downtown core. Any communication towers or other buildings built in the downtown area must not obscure the view of the church. Also, no new buildings in Guelph are allowed to be taller than the Church.Accordingly, views of the Church from different aspects, in different seasons, times of day and lights, against different skies, form indelible impressions in the minds of residents and visitors. The following array of images illustrates some of these views: