Église Saint-Simon-Apôtre

Did the architects of Église Saint-Simon-Apôtre ever imagine their creation would house a credit union? This unique church, built in 1956, has an interesting story. Église Saint-Simon-Apôtre, nestled in Montreal’s Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough, isn’t just a place of worship. It’s a fascinating blend of the sacred and the secular. The church’s design, a collaborative effort by architects Robillard, Jettė et Baudouin and Deslauriers et Mercier, stands as a testament to mid-20th-century architecture. Its construction, undertaken by Z. Lavigueur ltée, was completed in 1956. Église Saint-Simon-Apôtre served the Catholic community until 2007. Then, its parish was dissolved and merged with Saint-Benoît. But the building itself continued to hold a special place in the community. Interestingly, a Caisse populaire Desjardins, a credit union, now occupies a part of the building. This unusual cohabitation makes Église Saint-Simon-Apôtre a truly unique landmark. The church’s striking facade, a combination of glass brick and stone, hints at the modern design within. The main walls are primarily brick, while the roof is asphalt shingle. Imagine attending a service here in the 1960s, sunlight streaming through the glass brick, illuminating the single-nave interior. The organ, originally built in 1908 by J.E. Pépin for the Brothers of Saint-Gabriel in Pierrefonds, found a new home in Église Saint-Simon-Apôtre in 1957. Restored and reinstalled by Odilon Jacques, its music filled the space for decades. Église Saint-Simon-Apôtre stands between Reims, Waverly, and Saint-Simon streets. Its presence is a reminder of the evolving role of religious buildings in our communities.