St. Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal -- Montreal, Quebec, Canada

(CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz)

Destination:  “The oratory is one of Quebec’s best-kept secrets,” said Guy Cormier, president and CEO of Desjardins Group, who is leading a fundraising campaign for an upcoming renovation at the church. At just over 100 years old, it is one of the newest major churches in Canada.
Masses are offered in English in the crypt church Monday-Saturday at 12:15  p.m., Tuesday and Thursday at 7: 30 p.m. (19:30), and Sunday at 11:15 a.m.; Sunday Masses in the basilica are in French at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Spanish Mass is offered on Sunday in the Crypt Church at  3 p.m. (15:00) following adoration and the rosary at 2 p.m. (14:00).
Why to go: From the small Chapel of Origin to the great Basilica, the beauty and diversity in the architectural heritage of Saint Joseph’s Oratory make it worth a visit before — and probably during — the upcoming renovation.
The changes are intended to “modernize many of its infrastructures” and, in 2022, after extensive work, “give a new experience” to the 2 million visitors who visit the oratory each year, Cormier said.
St. Joseph Oratory, managed by the Congregation of the Holy Cross, was founded in 1904 by St. Andre Bessette, known as Brother Andre. The oratory is located on Montreal’s famed Mount Royal.
Among its musical treasures is its organ, built by German organ maker Rudolf von Beckerath (1907-1976), and ranked among the top 10 in the world. Some of its 5,811 pipes are as long as 32 feet. Built in 1958 and 1959 in Germany, it took seven months to install it in Montreal. On Nov. 13, 1960, the organ was blessed and played for its first recital by a famous French organist, André Marchal.
Accessibility: Elevators, reserved parking and accessible areas throughout the oratory make it accessible to people with limited mobility.
(Grand) Kid friendly: Usual church behavior is expected.
Info: Address — Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, 3800 Queen Mary Road, Montreal (Quebec) Canada, H3V 1H6
 Phone — 1-877-672-8647
Website — https://www.saint-joseph.org/en/

— CNS, Sharon Boehlefeld contributed to the story
Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org