Launching Extraordinary Ordinaries

Extraordinary Ordinaries: A History of the Bishops of the Archdiocese of Toronto

On Tuesday evening, ARCAT staff had the pleasure of attending the book launch of Extraordinary Ordinaries by Fr. Séamus Hogan, a priest of the Archdiocese of Toronto.

Although there have been books written about some of Toronto's Catholic bishops and archbishops, this is the first time that biographies of all twelve ordinaries - from Bishop Michael Power to our current Cardinal Thomas Collins - have been brought together in one coherent volume. The book attempts to reach a broad readership with stories of how these Catholic leaders responded to the social, economic and political events of their times in extraordinary ways.

This book is the capstone of the Archdiocese of Toronto's 175th Anniversary celebrations. (It is now available for purchase.)

Congratulations Fr. Séamus!

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Father Séamus Hogan graciously signs copies of his new book for the Archives staff. We even got a shout out in the Acknowledgements.

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The book launch started with a few words from Fr. Séamus to the audience gathered in the crypt chapel of St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica. Is it a little weird to hold an event in the crypt chapel? Not at all! This new chapel is one of the last stages in the major cathedral renovation project and the tomb of our first ordinary, Bishop Michael Power, rests behind the altar.
Fr. Séamus also spoke of his connection to the crypt. As the son of the cathedral's then sacristan, he was often sent to the crypt through a trap door to retrieve altar candles. He and his siblings also played in the low, dark crypt among the haphazardly arranged tombs.

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Left to right: Author Fr. Séamus Hogan, priest of the Archdiocese of Toronto; Thomas Cardinal Collins, the twelfth ordinary of Toronto who also contributed the book's foreword; outgoing rector of the Cathedral, Fr. Michael Busch, who will be writing his own book about the twelve-year renovation project; and Most Rev. John Boissonneau, bishop of the Western Pastoral Region of Toronto and head of the Archdiocesan 175th Anniversary Committee. 

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Building the new crypt chapel required digging down 26 feet from the crypt's original height of 5 feet. Many of the tombs were relocated to the periphery of the space. However Michael Power's tomb remains under the altar of the upper sanctuary, where it was placed when he died of typhus before his cathedral was completed.
Much of the furnishings were recycled from the pre-renovation cathedral, including the Marian side altar, throne and ambo.

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The crypt chapel construction has progressed steadily since we last saw it in September 2017 (above). The tomb of the five original Loretto sisters invited to Toronto by Bishop Power was covered at the time. Now the statue that marks the tomb, depicting the three Marys, has been unveiled (see below). 

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Though the chapel is awaiting some finishing touches, it has been open for mass since Easter. Fr. Busch told us that a school group was in the chapel recently and one of the children asked if he was opening a restaurant. When asked where his got that idea, the student pointed out all of the pizza ovens.

2017 Catholic Archivists Group Conference in Toronto

This past week, the ARCAT archivists had the opportunity for some professional development and fellowship at the Catholic Archivists Group Conference.

The gathering was especially significant for us because it was held in Toronto and our staff was involved in its planning. Toronto had seemed like an appropriate locale because the archdiocese is in the midst of celebrating its 175th anniversary and archivists are often involved in commemorative projects. We also wanted the chance to show off the newly restored St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica after 15 years of renovation.

Our theme was "Keeping Archives in the 21st Century," and the program addressed such topics as best practices for electronic records keeping, digitization projects, and commemoration.

This annual conference is a wonderful opportunity to learn from other diocesan and congregational archivists who share the same organizational structure and face similar challenges.

His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, addresses members of the Catholic Archivist Group during the opening reception. The conference was held at Queen of Apostles Renewal Centre in Mississauga.

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The Idea Fair featured displays from ten different repositories, including the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto Archives and the Diocese of Hamilton Library & Archives, whose staff brought their newly acquired Heritage Edition of the Saint John's Bible.

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We demonstrated our humidification chamber at the Idea Fair.  This was also featured on a previous post.

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The keynote speaker, Dr. Mark McGowan, Professor of History at the University of Toronto, gave a talk entitled "2017 – The Year of Commemorations: the role of historians and archivists."  In this photo, he describes being on the set of Death or Canada, a docudrama about the Irish immigration to Toronto during the Great Famine. In the still being projected, Bishop Michael Power is portrayed administering to the sick in the fever sheds.

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A field trip to the recently renovated St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica included lunch in the new Atrium addition beside St. John's Chapel.  We were treated to a presentation by Terry White of +VG Architects, the lead architect who has worked on the building's restoration for the past 15 years.

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Rev. Michael Busch, rector of the Cathedral Basilica, led a tour of the building. The sanctuary features the original stained glass window purchased by Bishop de Charbonnel, which has been carefully restored and repaired.  Also original are the wooden carvings of the apostles along the screen. The new floor features a Celtic knot design to honour the poor Irish immigrants that physically built and paid for most of the Cathedral with money raised through penny drives.

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The crypt chapel is still under construction. The crypt was originally just a crawl space; it has been excavated to a reasonable height. There are 67 burials located here, including the first three Loretto Sisters who came to Toronto at the invitation of Bishop Michael Power.  Their tomb is newly marked by a sculpture of the Pietà depicting the three Marys in honour of the Sisters.

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Three of Toronto's early bishops are buried at the Cathedral Basilica. Michael Power's tomb, shown here, is located directly under the sanctuary.

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The Year of Consecrated Life: Celebrating the Loretto Sisters

The Year of Consecrated Life began at the end of November 2014 and will conclude on February 2, 2016.  The objectives for the Year of Consecrated Life are: gratefully remembering; and embracing the future with hope. To support these objectives we will post one blog per month featuring a religious order currently present in the Archdiocese of Toronto throughout the Year of Consecrated Life.

We begin the celebration by focusing on the first female religious order to establish itself in Toronto, the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (I.B.V.M.), commonly known as the Loretto Sisters.

In 1847, Bishop Michael Power, the first bishop of the still new Diocese of Toronto used an ad limina visit to Rome to conduct a recruitment drive for priests and religious in Europe. On June 1, 1847 he visited Mother Teresa Ball at Rathfarnham, Ireland and the two agreed that sisters would be sent to establish schools in Toronto.

Five sisters arrived in Toronto on September 16, 1847 amid the typhus epidemic. No one greeted them upon their arrival as Bishop Power had not yet received the letter (below) detailing their travel plans. Despite the circumstances, they had set up their first residence on what is now Adelaide Street within a week and opened a school.

Religious Orders fonds: Sisters of Loretto (I.B.V.M.): General Correspondence, 1816-1849, July 20, 1847.

"Loretto AbbeyRathfarnhamDublin20th July 1847

Most Honored Lord,

"I was gratified with your Lordship's letter, dated from Toronto, 25th of last June.  I wrote today to inform Dr. O'Connell P.P. of Sts. Michael and John's Chapel that five of our Nuns will be prepared to sail from Kingstown to Liverpool 2nd August to proceed by the Packet, which will sail 3rd August for Boston U.S.

"The sixth Religious selected to complete the number desired by your Lordship exchanged this life, we trust, for heaven 5th of last July: possibly a candidate for Religious life may offer at Toronto and be trained to supply the place of one, who we hope, will intercede for the little colony, who go to propagate the holy faith under the auspices of the sacred hearts of Jesus and Mary and under the patronage of our glorious protector St. Michael. 

"No Titles[?] can be more appropriate for the numbers of our Institute, than that of the Diocese.It will not be easy to supply the places vacated by our Sisters, who volunteer for Canada we wish to send steady persons, who will be creditable abroad, as they have been edifying in their native country.

"Since writing the above Dr. O'Connell P.P. called and will be ready for our five to sail from Kingstown 10th August and from Liverpool to New York U.S. 11th August by the "Garrick". Passages for each from Liverpool to New York 25 pounds[?]."...

Religious Orders fonds: Sisters of Loretto (I.B.V.M.): General Correspondence, 1816-1849, July 20, 1847.

..."We have chosen Mrs. Anne Hutchinson for Reverend Mother she is 30 years of age; her religious appellation is Mary Joseph Loyola.

"Her assistant will be Mrs. Fleming, called Mary Gertrude she is aged 27 years.Mrs. Dease in religion Mary Teresa is well educated and intimate with Mrs. Phelan known to us, by the name of Mary Bonaventura and prized.

"The fifth is Sister to Reverend Mother, we style her Mary Valentina, she was educated in our school.All enjoy health and are are amiably disposed.If it meet your Lordship's wishes I can have a person with a religious vocation trained in the model school Dublin who can forward free schools in Canada by introducing the most approved plans for conveying knowledge.

"Two were already benefited, a third is to join a class in the Model School next month.

This is the 14th anniversary of our first filiation from this Abbey. Toronto will be the 10th Foundation from Loretto, Dublin. May it be equally prosperous with the preceding establishments.

"Since I received the honor of your Lordship's visit, a very beautiful demesne superior to Rathfarnham has been added to our acquisitions: a fine house too on it.

"All our Sisters enjoy their usual health.Soliciting the benefit of your Lordship's prayers,

"With esteem and respect,

Your humble servant in Jesus Christ

Frances Teresa Ball

"To Right Rev. Dr. Power"

Within a month Bishop Power had died of typhus. By March 1851, three of the five original sisters had died and were buried in St. Michael’s Cathedral crypt. Another had returned to Ireland. This left Teresa Dease as superior.  She took up the mantle of leadership and spent nearly four decades shaping the growth of the I.B.V.M. in North America.

First page of the entry entitled, "Sisters of Loretto"
 PH 31P/228AL, Religious Orders of the Archdiocese of Toronto Album believed to have been created in the 1960s.

In 2009, the Lorettos celebrated 400 years since their foundation by Mary Ward. A display celebrating this milestone was erected in the Pastoral Centre lobby:

ARCAT staff photo.

The Loretto Sisters currently work in education, the promotion of justice, and ministries of spirituality and pastoral care. They are truly contemplatives in action responding to the needs of the time.  For further information on the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (I.B.V.M.) please see their website.

For further historical information please contact the Institute Archives of the Canadian Province.

For information on vocations please contact: Sr. Lynn Cira, IBVM, Loretto College, 70 St. Mary Street, Toronto, ON Canada M58 1J3; Phone: 416-925-2833 ext. 5231; E-mail: lorettovocations@bell.net

For general information on vocations please contact the Archdiocese of Toronto's Office of Vocations.

For further information on The Year of Consecrated Life, please see the November 28, 2014 post on the Archdiocese of Toronto blog.

Record of the Week: The Diocese of Toronto is erected

Happy Birthday Archdiocese of Toronto!

Today is a pretty special day for the archdiocese - one that its archivists have etched into their brain matter.

On this day in 1841, Pope Gregory XVI erected a new see encompassing the western half of Upper Canada. On the same day, Michael Power was appointed ordinary of the diocese, making him the first English-speaking bishop born in Canada. The pope also allowed Power to choose the episcopal city (lucky for us, it was Toronto).

Also celebrating a birthday today is Pope Francis, who turns 77! Buon Compleanno!

Parchment brief of Pope Gregory XVI erecting a new See in Upper Canada and
allowing Michael Power to choose the episcopal city.
Bishop Michael Power fonds, Roman Correspondence, PRC2302

Visit our historical timeline for more information on the early years of the Diocese of Toronto.

Record of the Week: St. Michael the Archangel, Our Patron Saint

Blessing and laying of the cornerstone of the new cathedral of this city to be erected under the invocation of St. Michael the Archangel "whom we had already and publicly announced as the Principal Patron - protector of the City of Toronto"

Special Collections: Letterbooks, LB01.133

This past Sunday, September 29, 2013 the whole Archdiocese of Toronto celebrated the Solemnity of St. Michael the Archangel, our patron saint.  One hundred and sixty-five years ago on September 29, 1848, St. Michael’s Cathedral was dedicated.  The naming of the Cathedral and the dedication of the diocese to St. Michael the Archangel has much significance.  Not only was our first bishop, Michael Power named for him, but as a warrior and protector, St. Michael would have been a powerful and fierce saint to invoke in nineteenth century Ontario.  Toronto was at the edge of the frontier and the Catholics of the time would have felt the need to keep the forces of evil and Protestantism at bay.

The image above is the record of the laying of the cornerstone of St. Michael’s Cathedral on May 8, 1845.  This record can be found in a letterbook, which is an oversized bound volume.  Before photocopiers and even carbon paper, letterbooks were the way bishops in the past kept copies of outgoing correspondence, recorded special events, and documented important appointments, policies and regulations of the Diocese.