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

 Destination: We suggested a visit to Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal in Montreal, Canada, in 2019 when it was to begin a $110 million (US$82 million) makeover  under a plan to make the popular site more attractive to tourists.

Now that the border is open, it may be time to plan a trip to see some items that are part of the free Year of St. Joseph exhibit at the oratory.

Masses are offered throughout the day in French and English at the oratory. Check the website for details.  

Photos: Statues (top) and tools (middle) are among the items in the basilica's Year of St. Joseph exhibition. (Observer photos/courtesy www.saint-joseph.org/en/)
Visitors (below) are seen outside St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal in 2017. (CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz) 

Why to go: The Oratory Museum team has gathered paintings, statues, ex-votos and other works of art representing the world of St. Joseph and reveals the ties that unite the Congregation of Holy Cross to the patron saint of the universal Church. The oratory was founded in 1904 by St. Andre Bessette, known as Brother Andre. 

Accessibility: Elevators and reserved parking make it accessible to people with limited mobility.

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, 3800 Queen Mary Road, Montréal (Quebec) Canada, H3V 1H6
Phone — 514-733-8211 
Website — https://www.saint-joseph.org/en/

— Sharon Boehlefeld compiled this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org

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