“Seventy-five thousand dollars!” That’s what it cost to build St. Helen’s Roman Catholic Church back in 1908 and 1909. Today, we stand before a testament to faith and architectural beauty. This is St. Helen’s Roman Catholic Church.
St. Helen’s Parish has been a cornerstone of Toronto’s Catholic community since 1875. It started just outside the city’s western edge in Brockton Village. The parish branched out from St. Mary’s Parish. Rev. Father Shea was its first pastor.
Originally, St. Helen’s Church stood one block west of where we are now. It was on the southwest corner of Lansdowne Avenue and Dundas Street West. St. Helen’s Catholic School even started in the church’s basement. Later, they built a separate school building next door.
In the late 19th century, St. Helen’s became a focal point for Catholic life in Toronto’s west end. Despite being in a city with a Protestant majority, the area around the church was largely Catholic. Catholics here found work in local factories, railway yards, and foundries. The parish grew quickly.
The original church was demolished to make way for a grander structure. This new St. Helen’s Church was completed in 1909.
Arthur William Holmes designed St. Helen’s in the Gothic Revival style. Holmes was a well-known architect of churches. The spire wasn’t added until 1920.
Holmes designed St. Helen’s Roman Catholic Church with influences from English and Irish churches. Look at the front. The large rose window sits above a Gothic arch, similar to St. Mary’s Church on Bathurst Street.
Inside, the design reflects traditional Catholic values. It mirrors the style favored by Pope Pius X. He opposed modern trends in the Church.
St. Helen’s was once the second-largest Catholic church in Toronto. Only St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica was bigger. Later, Italian and Portuguese communities flourished here. The area became known as Little Portugal.
In 2000, St. Helen’s received a special blessing from Pope John Paul II. This marked the church’s 125th anniversary. St. Helen’s Parish received heritage status from the City of Toronto in 1990.
The St Helen’s Parish Rectory, located at 1680 Dundas St W, was constructed in 1911, and was also designed by Arthur William Holmes. Also the St Helen’s Parish Hall at 1674 Dundas St W, designed by James Michael Cowan, which was built in 1920 received heritage status in 1990 as well.
Today, St. Helen’s Roman Catholic Church continues to be a vibrant center of faith. It enriches the cultural landscape of Toronto. Its history echoes through these walls. Its presence offers solace and community to all who enter.