Wasn’t it St. Ignatius of Loyola who said “Love is shown more in deeds than in words”? Welcome to St. Ignatius of Loyola Church in Montreal. This Roman Catholic Parish church stands in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Montreal West Quebec.
St. Ignatius of Loyola Church has a rich history deeply intertwined with the Society of Jesus. The Society of Jesus founded it in 1917. It served as an English-speaking parish. You will notice it is conveniently located next to Loyola High School. Also, the Loyola Campus of Concordia University is in close proximity.
Let’s take a step back to 1896. Loyola College came into existence because of English-speaking Canadian Jesuits. Originally, it was the English-speaking section of Collège Sainte-Marie de Montréal. Then it branched out to establish itself as an independent entity.
In 1917, the parish of St. Ignatius began ministering to the local English Welsh Scottish and Irish community. Masses were initially held on the campus of Loyola College. Imagine attending services in those early days full of hope.
As the years passed, Loyola High School became independent in 1964. By 1966, a new church building emerged. It was intentionally constructed as a separate structure from the college. Discussions started in 1968 regarding the merger of Loyola College with other colleges. This led to the creation of Concordia University on August 24 1974.
In 1982, Loyola High School relocated to a new building. The Jesuits entrusted the administration of the church to the Archdiocese of Montreal. The Archdiocese continues to serve the parish to this day.
Adjacent to St. Ignatius of Loyola Church is the Ignatian Centre. Its origins trace back to 1910. Interestingly, St. Ignatius church now stands in what was once the house’s garden. It holds the distinction of being the first building on West Broadway Street. The Jesuits acquired the building after the First World War. It served as a residence for teachers on the upper floors and housed an elementary school on the ground floor.
As Loyola College merged to form Concordia University, the building no longer served its original purpose. In 1976, Leonard Crowley Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Montreal, approached the English-speaking Jesuits. He requested they establish a spirituality center. The intention was to promote the benefits of spiritual direction to the local English-speaking community. The house underwent renovations at a cost of $40000 to transform it into a spirituality center.
The Ignatian Centre provides prayer guides. It offers direction in Ignatian spirituality. There is a ‘daily life’ program available. It stands as the primary English-speaking center for Ignatian spirituality in Montreal.
St. Ignatius of Loyola Church holds three Masses on weekends. These occur at 4:30 pm on Saturday afternoon. Sunday morning at 10:00 am and Sunday evenings at 5:00 pm are also service times. Weekday Masses take place at 9:00 am on Wednesday and Thursday. Also, a service occurs at 6:30 pm on Tuesday.
Reflecting on St. Ignatius of Loyola Church, one cannot help but admire its enduring legacy. From its humble beginnings within Loyola College to its present-day role. It continues to serve as a spiritual anchor for Montreal’s English-speaking community. A testament to faith, education, and community, St. Ignatius of Loyola Church stands as a welcoming beacon.