Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church (Ottawa)
Encyclopedia
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church is a Catholic
church in the Glebe
neighbourhood of Ottawa
, Ontario
, Canada
. The parish was founded on March 25, 1913, with the first building being a simple chapel. When the current building opened in 1932, its plain design and lack of ornamentation caused local controversy because it seemed more Protestant than Catholic. However, the building later won plaudits for its modern design. Designed by M.J. Morton, it is considered an example of the Perpendicular Gothic style.
As with Ottawa's other old churches, declining church attendance
had caused problems for the church. For several years it served as home to Ottawa's Hungarian
Catholic community, though they left in 1997. Church attendance
began to increase dramatically when Ottawa Archbishop Marcel Gervais appointed Rev. Joseph (Joe) LeClair as Pastor, a turnaround that continues to regularly attract media attention.
The church's parish retains its original form. It covers the area north and west of the Rideau Canal
, south of the Queensway
and east of Booth Street.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
church in the Glebe
The Glebe
The Glebe is a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located just south of Ottawa's downtown area, with its northern border being demarcated by the Queensway highway. It is bounded by the Rideau Canal to the south and east. Many maps show the western edge as Bronson Avenue, but some also...
neighbourhood of Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, 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
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...
. The parish was founded on March 25, 1913, with the first building being a simple chapel. When the current building opened in 1932, its plain design and lack of ornamentation caused local controversy because it seemed more Protestant than Catholic. However, the building later won plaudits for its modern design. Designed by M.J. Morton, it is considered an example of the Perpendicular Gothic style.
As with Ottawa's other old churches, declining church attendance
Church attendance
Church attendance refers to the reception of religious services offered by a particular church, or more generally, by any religious organisation.-Participation statistics:...
had caused problems for the church. For several years it served as home to Ottawa's Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
Catholic community, though they left in 1997. Church attendance
Church attendance
Church attendance refers to the reception of religious services offered by a particular church, or more generally, by any religious organisation.-Participation statistics:...
began to increase dramatically when Ottawa Archbishop Marcel Gervais appointed Rev. Joseph (Joe) LeClair as Pastor, a turnaround that continues to regularly attract media attention.
The church's parish retains its original form. It covers the area north and west of the Rideau Canal
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
, south of the Queensway
Queensway (Ottawa)
The Queensway is a major controlled-access freeway running through Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, from Kanata in the west to Orleans in the east. It is the primary east-west transportation artery in the Ottawa-Gatineau area....
and east of Booth Street.