Exhibit Opening: Love Your Neighbour as Yourself

Last Thursday, we had the pleasure of attending the launch of Love Your Neighbour as Yourself: Catholic Social Teaching in Toronto, an exhibition at the John M. Kelly Library, University of St. Michael's College.

The evening began with a public lecture by Most Rev. Paul-André Durocher, Archbishop of Gatineau, entitled Echo Chamber or Megaphone? The Church in Canada and the Prophetic Voice of Pope Francis. Archbishop Durocher gave a brief history of Catholic Social doctrine, which is constantly enriched through the writings of the popes. Specifically, he highlighted quotes by Pope Francis on each of the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching and also shared anecdotes from his own life and career. We were left with a sense that Catholics really are lucky to have the Church's wisdom on social issues to guide their own decisions.

At the reception that followed, we had a chance to see the exhibit for the first time:

ARCAT Staff Photo

Guests peruse the display cases during the reception.

ARCAT Staff Photo

Catholic social doctrine has its roots in scripture and the writings of the saints, such as St. Augustine and St. Francis of Assisi.
However, the Church's contemporary Catholic Social Teaching really began with the publication of Rerum Novarum, the 1891 papal encyclical by Leo XIII on the rights of workers.

This introductory case features the Kelly Library's treasured copies of Rerum Novarum.

ARCAT Staff Photo

This timeline plots the publication dates of the papal encyclicals and letters that contributed to Catholic Social Teaching. Also included are the establishment dates of the religious orders that were fundamental to education at St. Michael's College - the Basilian Fathers, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto and the Loretto Sisters.

The exhibit was curated by James Roussain, Outreach Archivist at the Kelly Library, who decided to organize content around the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching. St. Michael's College's community partners, including the Archdiocese of Toronto, were invited to contribute brief narratives that exemplify the themes. Many of these stories highlight active ministries and programs, underscoring the fact that Catholic Social Teaching is active and relevant in the College community.

Special Collections from the Kelly Library are also featured, including material from The Henri J.M. Nouwen Archives and from the G.K. Chesterton Collection.

ARCAT Staff Photo

The theme of the case (above) is "Life and Dignity of the Human Person." ARCAT contributed archival material from ShareLife to illustrate this theme. ShareLife is the annual charitable appeal of the Archdiocese of Toronto. It was established in 1975 to ensure that Catholic fundraising would not be used to support abortion counselling and referrals.

ARCAT Staff Photo

The exhibit also includes the art pieces installed along the back wall.

ARCAT Staff Photo

This case allowed each of the participating archives to highlight individuals from their organizations whose careers particularly embodied Catholic Social Teaching.
Top left: ARCAT contributed a biography of Henry Somerville (1889-1953), an ardent socialist and Catholic journalist. With the support of Archbishop of Toronto Neil McNeil, Somerville brought the Catholic social teachings of Rerum Novarum to the attention of Canadians through his work at The Catholic Register.

Curating archivist James Roussain (Kelly Library) and Dr. James Ginther (Dean of the Faculty of Theology) with the archivists of the Loretto Sisters, Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, Archdiocese of Toronto, and the Basilian Fathers, who contributed material to the exhibition.

You can visit the Love Your Neighbour as Yourself exhibition on the ground floor of the the John M. Kelly Library, 113 St. Joseph St., Toronto, until June 8, 2018.

Year of Consecrated Life: The Congregation of St. Basil

Fr. Joseph Lapierre, CSB,
first Superior General.

This month we are highlighting The Congregation of St. Basil, one of the first religious orders to come to Toronto. Their origin can be traced back to the end of the 18th century in France, where political turmoil made being a Catholic priest and teacher dangerous; however a priest named Fr. Joseph Lapierre secretly operated a school in the small mountain village of St-Symphorien-de-Mahun.

A few years later when it was safe, Fr. Lapierre, with the help of a few other priests, began operating a school in the nearby town of Annonay. On November 21, 1822, 10 priest-teachers formed an association to ensure the continuation of education in the Annonay area and for life in common.

Collège du Sacré-Coeur, Annonay
1867 

One of their former students was named Bishop of Toronto: Armand-Francois-Marie de Charbonnel. The Bishop knew that he would need help establishing schools and staffing parishes in his new See. He approached his former teachers for help, and in 1850 he arrived in Toronto with Patrick Molony, who was a native of Ireland.

Molony described his arrival in Toronto with Bishop Charbonnel thus:

"We went up the magnificent St. Lawrence as far as Kingston, which is a bishopric. From there we continued our journey over Lake Ontario for one beautiful night in the clear moonlight, and at 7 o'clock on the morning of September 21, I caught sight of Toronto. Monseigneur gathered around him on the bridge of the ship and there we recited in choir the Litany of the Saints and the Salve Regina. It was known in the city that we were due to arrive, and consequently our fine people, poor children of Erin, made much ado. They gave us no time to disembark but crowded about us, pressing close to see and throwing themselves down before the Bishop. The quays, and all the streets were blocked with people. We were conducted in procession to the Cathedral. The Bishop of Montreal and several priests from that city were with us. We were received like true apostles. The following day Monseigneur took solemn possession of his See. He officiated at Vespers preaching in English to a congregation of 3,000 persons, Catholics and Protestants." 

Captain Elmsley

Fr. Molony was soon joined by four other Basilians, and they established what eventually became St. Michael's College. By 1856, with the support of John Elmsley, the college moved to its present location on Clover Hill (near the intersection of the present day Bay and Wellesley Streets). St. Basil's Parish was also established. The school operated as a high school, a college and a minor seminary. In 1950 the high school moved to its current location at Bathurst and St. Clair Streets. The Basilians went on to staff other city high schools such as Michael Power, and parishes such as Holy Rosary.

As the Basilian Congregation in Toronto grew, members spread to the Windsor area, into Michigan and New York State, and eventually down to Texas, Mexico and Colombia. They have administered and staffed many high schools, colleges and parishes across North and South America while maintaining a small presence in Annonay. Five Basilians have been bishops, including Vancouver's current Archbishop Miller, London's current Bishop Fabbro, Toronto's Archbishop O'Connor, Bishop Ramirez of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and George Bernard Cardinal Flahiff, who was Archbishop of Winnipeg. 

The Basilian Fathers have been integral to the Archdiocese of Toronto since their arrival. Their influence can be seen in the thousands who have been educated at their schools. They continue to teach, but are also beginning to run workshops for Catholic teachers to ensure that the philosophy behind their motto, "Teach Me Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge," spreads even further.  

An unidentified 19th Century Basilian

An unidentified 19th Century Basilian

"A few of the '28 '29 Novices"
Basilian Novitiate, near Bathurst and St. Clair Streets

Novices circa 1930

Basilians on Strawberry Island (Lake Simcoe), 1936. The Basilians used the island as a vacation and retreat centre from the mid-1920s until the mid-2000s. They played hosts to Pope John Paul II when he was in the area for World Youth Day in 2002.  

The newly built shrine on the Island.
August, 1936

Cardinal McGuigan tours Strawberry Island with Father McCorkell
1936

Sports have always been an important part of Basilian Education. The St. Michael's Majors hockey team won the Memorial Cup four times. One of their players, David Bauer (left), went on to become ordained as a Basilian. As a priest, he coached Canada's Olympic hockey team in the 1960s, and was awarded an honorary Olympic medal for sportsmanship. He was inducted into the Order of Canada in  1967 and into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989. 

Sports were also an important part of student recreation.
St. Michael's College, 1946-1947.

All images courtesy of the General Archives of the Basilian Fathers.