Body and Soul in Celestial Glory

Cardinal McGuigan leads a procession at Notre-Dame-du-Cap Shrine in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, on the Feast of the Assumption, 15 August, 1950. The church is Canada's national shrine to St. Mary.

PH 09N/04P
ARCAT Photograph Collection

On 15 August we marked the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, the day on which we celebrate God taking Mary, body and soul, directly to heaven at the end of her earthly life. Though Catholics have believed in the Assumption for centuries, it was not official doctrine of the Church until 1950, when Pope Pius XII defined the 'Dogma of the Assumption.' 

The 2 November, 1950 issue of The Globe and Mail explained, 

"Vatican officials said that a world-wide movement for that dogma was started in 1863 by the initiative of Queen Isabel of Spain. From that time the Vatican has received 2,600 petitions from cardinals, archbishops and bishops; 83,000 from members of the secular and religious clergy, and 8,000,000 from Catholic laymen. Pope Pius referred to these requests and said that they had become so numerous that on May 1, 1946, he decided to ask all bishops whether "your clergy and the faithful so desire." The replies were almost unanimously in the affirmative, the Pope said."

Here in the archives, we have a copy of the letter that Pope Pius XII wrote to the bishops: 

Deiparae Virginis Mariae

"In order that We may receive the gift of heavenly light, do you, Venerable Brethren, in pious competition, unite your entreaties with Ours. But, while paternally exhorting you to do this, thus following the example of Our Predecessors, and particularly that of Pius IX when about to define the dogma of the Mother of God's Immaculate Conception, we earnestly beg you to inform us about the devotion of your clergy and people (taking into account their faith and piety) toward the Assumption of the most Blessed Virgin Mary. More especially We wish to know if you, Venerable Brethren, with your learning and prudence consider that the bodily Assumption of the Immaculate Blessed Virgin can be proposed and defined as a dogma of faith, and whether in addition to your own wishes this is desired by your clergy and people."

1 May 1946

MG RC268.09

Cardinal McGuigan Fonds

Cardinal McGuigan was an ardent advocate of the dogma and had received many letters of support from clergy in the archdiocese. He replied to the pope's letter via telegram in August: 

"With heart overflowing spiritual joy have received Encyclical letter asking for expression opinion definition dogma Assumption Blessed Lady. Glad recall to Your Holiness occasion taking possession Titular Church Santa Maria Del Populo publicly expressed hope and ardent wish that this common belief faithful be solemnly proclaimed in these words: "What exulting joy would fill our hearts if, as Pius IX proclaimed her Immaculate Conception, it were the will of God that our present Pontiff, Pope Pius XII, should give to Mary her most radiant crown, and amidst the jubilation of the Church Universal, solemnly affirm the dogma of her Assumption into Heaven and declare her the Queen of Angels and of Saints, the mediatrix of all graces, the co-redemptress of mankind."

"Hence in the name clergy, religious, faithful express most ardent desire that Your Holiness declare corporal Assumption Blessed Virgin Mary Dogma of our Holy Faith. 

"On this glorious feast, all diocesans pray that she may indercede with her Divine Son for your continued health, strength and happiness. May God through her loving intercession preserve you to give serene courage and spiritual fortitude of soul to all who join you throughout the world in preserving precious heritage in Holy Faith." 

14 August, 1946

MG RC268.19

Cardinal McGuigan Fonds 

Cardinal McGuigan wrote a pastoral letter to the faithful of the archdiocese explaining the importance of devotion and prayer to Mary:

"The solemn definition of the dogma of the Assumption may well be one of the predestined ways of increasing devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and thus bringing down God's mercy to save mankind from the abyss to which it seems rushing, body and soul ... It is my most earnest wish that the faithful of the Archdiocese of Toronto, priests, religious, and laity, engage in a crusade of prayer that the Supreme Magisterium of the Catholic Church should soon give this glorious tribute to the Mother of God. St. peter, the first Pope, preaching on the day of Pentecost and proclaiming the truth of Our Divine Lord's Resurrection, applied the words of the psalmist, that God would not suffer His Holy One to see corruption. The three great prerogatives of Mary are her sinlessness, her charity or union with God, and Her royalty or Queenship over the universe. It is on these prerogatives that we base our belief that her body, from which the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity took His flesh, was not left in the tomb but was reanimated by her soul, full of grace, and was raised to Heaven by the side of Her Divine Son, where she reigns as Queen of Angels and of Saints and as Mother of all mankind through whom God bestows the treasures of His grace.

"Let us pray, then, for this special intention, that the dogma of the Assumption may be defined by the Church for the glory of God and the greater honour and love of His Mother among the faithful on earth. Let us strive in every way to increase our devotion to Mary, which simply means love of our Heavenly Mother. The Gospel tells us that the wise men from the East found Jesus with Mary His Mother, and assuredly we shall always find Jesus when we go to Mary."

14 August 1946

MG DA02.347

Cardinal McGuigan Fonds

On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII spoke ex cathedra in St. Peter's Square. The next day, The Globe and Mail described it this way:

"Pope Pius XII today proclaimed the dogma of the assumption. The pontiff spoke ex-cathedra as the supreme pastor of the church and the teacher of Catholic doctrine during an open-air ceremony of unprecedented pomp and magnificence to an audience of 36 cardinals and 480 archbishops and bishops in the grandiose setting of St. Peter's Square.

"A crowd of 200,000 faithful, including Holy Year pilgrims from so many countries that they could truly be said to represent the whole Catholic world, packed every inch of space of the oval-shaped square, which had been transformed for the occasion into a vast Christian temple.

""We pronounce, declare and define to be a dogma, revealed by God: That the immaculate Mother of God, Mary, ever a virgin, at the end of her earthly life, was taken up into celestial glory, in soul and body," the Pope said."

The new dogma and the reasoning behind it were published:

Munificentissimus Deus

"Hence the revered Mother of God, from all eternity joined in a hidden way with Jesus Christ in one and the same decree of predestination, immaculate in her conception, a most perfect virgin in her divine motherhood, the noble associate of the divine Redeemer who has won a complete triumph over sin and its consequences, finally obtained, as the supreme culmination of her privileges, that she should be preserved free from the corruption of the tomb and that, like her own Son, having overcome death, she might be taken up body and soul to the glory of heaven where, as Queen, she sits in splendor at the right hand of her Son, the immortal King of the Ages."

1 November, 1950

MG PS132.03

Cardinal McGuigan Fonds

To get a sense of the scale of the proclamation of the Assumption, check out the video posted by the Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales du Québec (BAnQ). See if you can spot Cardinal McGuigan!

All fired up for St. Lawrence

Photographs Special Collection, Slide #133-5A

Front entrance of St. Lawrence Martyr Parish on Lawrence Avenue, Scarborough, 1991.
The mosaic depicts the parish's patron with the instrument of his martyrdom, the gridiron.

Today is the feast day of St. Lawrence, a well known martyr of the early Roman Church.

St. Lawrence was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome, under Pope Sixtus II, who were martyred when the Emperor Valerian ordered the persecution of Christians in 258 A.D. He was killed on August 10th of that year.

If his hagiography is anything to go by, St. Lawrence was also one of the Church's earliest comedians (which is why we took liberties with the title of this post): as he was being roasted alive on a gridiron, he supposedly called out to his torturers something to the effect of, "Turn me over, I'm done on this side." He is now the patron saint of the barbeque and cooks.

Celebrate St. Lawrence's feast day with a barbeque tonight! And if you go camping this month, say a little prayer over your campfire as you roast your hot dogs and marshmallows.

Photographs Special Collection, PH 26 Series 2.2

Seminarians from St. Augustine's Seminary sit around a campfire on the beach at the base of the Scarborough Bluffs, 1950s.
At you next campfire cookout this summer, say a prayer to St. Lawrence Martyr:

O glorious Saint Lawrence, Martyr and Deacon, who, being subjected to the most bitter torments, didst not lose thy faith nor thy constancy in confessing Jesus Christ, obtain in like manner for us such an active and solid faith, that we shall never be ashamed to be true followers of Jesus Christ, and fervent Christians in word and in deed. Amen.

Photographs Special Collection, PH 102/0022/08P

There is one parish in the Archdiocese of Toronto dedicated to St. Lawrence Martyr, shown here in the late 1960s (photo by John Sexton for the Catholic Register). The parish was founded in 1959. Construction of the church started in 1960 and the official blessing took place on May 21, 1961.
The church was designed by architect James Haffa in the Romanesque style. St. Lawrence is also the patron saint of Rome.
See the church today.

Of course, fires are no laughing matter and this has been a terrible summer for wildfires raging across the country, especially in British Columbia and Ontario.

St. Lawrence is also the patron saint of firefighters. Take a moment on this feast day to pray for the safety of our firefighters and give thanks for their selfless fortitude.

Happy Sisters' Day!

The first Sunday of August every year is celebrated around the world as Sisters’ Day. The day is set aside to honour the special bond a person shares with a sister, and all that they do to encourage and motivate us.

The sisterly love Cardinal McGuigan's sister, Mother St. George, C.N.D., had for her brother is tangible in the scrapbook she kept to commemorate his appointment as Archbishop to Toronto. She was clearly proud of all that her brother had accomplished and held those memories, "traced in purple ink", close to her heart.

 

Scrapbook of Abp. McGuigan 1935 kept by Mother St. George, C.N.D., (The Cardinal's Sister deceased 1951)

ARCAT Scrapbook Collection Box 7 Item #9

 

 

"In this scrap book I have preserved memories that will be unforgettable.

My trip to Toronto is traced with purple ink in the depths of my mind. I left Villa Maria Tuesday afternoon March 19 1935 at 2:30pm with Sister Saint Agnes, the mother Superior and my darling Mother to witness the installation of my brother as Archbishop of Toronto. We arrived at Windsor station and boarded the train for Toronto at three o’clock. My dear uncle Father McGuigan and cousin Father Murphy traveled with us. We arrived in Toronto at 9:30pm.

I could never have conceived the joy and happiness that was mine at the installation scene at St. Michael’s Cathedral Wednesday night. Not only did the impressing of the many ceremonials fill my heart and soul with transports of jubilation – but it also gave me a greater appreciation of the grandeur and dignity of Holy Mother Church. Among the most touching incidents apart from the Archbishop’s tribute to his dear Mother was meeting with the Apostolic Delegate who thanked my mother in the name of the Holy Father for giving such a worth son to the church. This took place in my brother’s study, Wednesday p.m., awaiting his arrival.

With Bossuet, I for many, exclaim:  O Holy Roman Church, Mother of Churches, and Mother of all the faithful, to thee do we cling, thee will we ever obey. If I forget this, O Holy Church, let my right hand be forgotten, let my tongue cleave to my jaw, if I do not remember thee, if I do not make thee the beginning of all my joy "

  

ARCAT Scrapbook Collection Box 7 Item #9

Mother St. George arrives to the ceremony with her mother to witness the installation of her brother as Archbishop of Toronto.

ARCAT Scrapbook Collection Box 7 Item #9



 "Spring flowers that decorated tables at Notre Dame Luncheon, Sunday March 24"

ARCAT Scrapbook Collection Box 7 Item #9

 

Record of the Week: Vincere Vel Mori

From the rocky Outer Hebridean Isle of Barra came the clan from which descended Toronto's seventh bishop, Neil McNeil.

Clan MacNeil Fast Facts:

• The clan claims to descend from Irish king Niall of the Nine Hostages of the third century. 
• The motto is Vincere Vel Mori, which translates to 'Victory or Death.'
• Medieval Kisimul Castle is the seat of the clan's chief. 
• The clan was known for pirating in the 1500s.
• Archbishop McNeil would have come from the group of MacNeils who emigrated to Cape Breton in the early 1800s.

In the 1920s, the Clan MacNeil Association of America wrote to Archbishop McNeil to recruit him. Though they were successful with his brother, we're not sure if he actually joined the association. 

Reverend dear Sir:

Your forefathers came from the Isle of Barra, just a little island off the coast of Scotland, only eight miles long and four miles wide, and from no other place, for you are a Macneil and as such we extend an invitation to you to join the Clan Macneil Association of America.

This Association was organized nine years ago, and its purposes (as set forth in the Constitution) are "to foster and promote Scottish Clan traditions, sentiments and interests, especially those relating to the Clan Macneil; to cultivate social intercourse among the members; to uphold good citizenship of the Members in their respective countries; and to encourage cordial relations among the English speaking nations."

What do not appear int the Constitution are the goodwill created among the Members; the many friendships formed; the enjoyable programs of the Annual Meetings; the carrying to Macneils far and near of welcome word of each other through the Clan Macneil News; the tracing and recording of Members' genealogies; the several successes of the Association in making permanent and public records of the Clan's accomplishments in the development of America; and the fact that we are the only active individual Clan Association in North America.

The annual dues are $5.00 a year, which includes subscription to the Clan Macneil News. All officers in the Association serve without pay and all money goes for actual expenses. I am mighty proud of our name. I want you to join us. It would be a pleasure to have your application for membership addressed to me, personally, at 2095 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 

Cordially yours, H.N. McNeill

October 1, 1930

MN AA03.205a

Archbishop McNeil Fonds

Though there are many ways to spell MacNeil, all are welcome to join the clan!

Even bishops need a holiday!

Photographs Special Collection, PH09G/13P

Visiting Cardinals from Sydney and Westminster enjoy a glacial walk in Lake Louise, Alberta, as part of their Canadian Tour, 1947.

Summer is a great time for travel within our epically beautiful country. The opportunity to cross Western Canada by train is a hard one to resist - even for some hard-working bishops.

In August 1947, their Eminences Norman Cardinal Gilroy, Archbishop of Sydney, Australia, and Bernard Cardinal Griffin, Archbishop of Westminster, England, honoured Canada with a visit. They travelled by C.P.R. to Vancouver, Lake Louise, Banff, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, and Winnipeg before leaving for events in Toronto.

Along the way, local clergy joined the the party to serve as guides and for photo ops, of course. Our own Cardinal McGuigan accompanied the visitors from Vancouver to Toronto.

In making preparations for these esteemed guests, Cardinal McGuigan wrote to the various host bishops: "It is the wish of the Cardinals to make this something of a holiday and to avoid all ceremonial except when perhaps it might seem natural, as on Sunday."

We wish you all happy and safe summer travels that don't stand on ceremony!

Photographs Special Collection, PH09G/15P

Bernard Cardinal Griffin, Archbishop of Westminster, England, poses with some hoofed friends.

Photographs Special Collection, PH09G/11P

Their Eminences Bernard Cardinal Griffin, Archbishop of Westminster, England, and Norman Cardinal Gilroy, Archbishop of Sydney, Australia at Lake Louise

Photographs Special Collection, PH09G/08P

Labelled: At the Great Divide 5630' - Bishop Carroll at Western Boundary of his diocese

Left to right: Archbishop of Calgary Francis Carroll; Cardinal Griffin; Archbishop of Toronto James Cardinal McGuigan; Cardinal Gilroy; Bishop of Kamloops Edward Jennings

Photographs Special Collection, PH09G/14P

Cardinal McGuigan Fonds, MGFA13.71(a)

August 1, 1947: Cardinal McGuigan sent this letter to all the local bishops whose dioceses they would be passing through, outlining the visitors' itinerary. He notes that,
 It is the wish of the Cardinals to make this something of a holiday and to avoid all ceremonial except when perhaps it might seem natural, as on Sunday.

Record of the Week: Aboat Time for the Weekend

On this Friday afternoon in the middle of July, many of us can't help but think about weekend getaways and upcoming vacations. We wanted to share a photo we came across recently in Monsignor Clair's photo collection from a family boat trip in Parry Sound.  It sure looks like the perfect way to spend a hot, summer day!
 

Boating in Parry Sound, undated

Monsignor Clair Collection

 

Wishing everyone a great weekend, whatever your plans may be!

Toronto's Archbishops Live at Massey Hall

Last weekend Gordon Lightfoot played the last concert at Toronto's Massey Hall before two years of renovations. In its 124 year history, the greatest names in music including Igor Stravinski, George Gershwin, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Glenn Gould, Charlie Parker, Joni Mitchell, and St. Michael's Choir School amongst many others have performed in the space. It holds the distinction of being Canada's oldest concert hall, but its design has held up as an intimate space to hear world-class musicians.

Over the years, the Archbishops of Toronto have been invited to and have attended many events at Massey Hall including a 1933 protest against Hitler. In 1959 Cardinal McGuigan joined the St. Michael's Choir School boys onstage: 

Cardinal McGuigan addresses the crowd at a concert honouring Ukrainian Greek Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop Andrew Sheptytsky, OSBM.

December 13, 1959

PH 34/03P
ARCAT Photograph Collection  

Archbishop McNeil was invited to an event celebrating the opening of a house on Beverly Street by Sir Arthur Pearson to train men blinded in the first world war:

"Archbishop Neil McNeil, Toronto.

Dear Sir, -

I beg to enclose herewith a platform ticket for the Public Testimonial to be held at Massey Hall on Tuesday, January seventh, at 8 P.M. in honor of the Canadian Soldiers blinded in the war and Sir Arthur Pearson, Bart.

The Hon. W.J. Hanna, K.C., will preside and, besides Sir Arthur Pearson, there will be a number of interesting speakers.

On behalf of the institute, I am pleased to extend to you an invitation to be present and to occupy a seat upon the platform.

Yours faithfully,

L.M. Wood, President."

January 2, 1919

FW GC01.68

First World War Collection

In 1916 Toronto pastors were asked to announce a meeting at Massey Hall of the Associated Kin of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces, which was an association of relatives of First World War soldiers working to "promote and care for the best interests of the men who [were] fighting for King and Country."

"Dear Sir:-

On Tuesday next, the 5th of December, at eight o'clock in the evening, at Massey Hall, there will be a meeting of the ASSOCIATED KIN OF THE CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES. I am taking the liberty of enclosing you the Objects and Obligations of that Association with the request that you will be so good as to announce this meeting from your pulpit on next Sunday and say what you properly can with respect to the movement.

If you have kin at the front, I would be honored if you would kindly take a seat upon the platform on that evening.

Yours most respectfully,

William Renwick Riddell" 

1916

FW WE01.31

First World War Collection

The Catholic Youth Organization held a rally in 1938:

"His Excellency
The Most Reverend James C. McGuigan, D.D.
Archbishop of Toronto
invites you to be present at the
Catholic Youth Organization Rally
in Massey Hall
Wednesday Evening, January 19th, 1938
at 8.15 p.m.
Reserved seats will be held until 8.10 p.m."

MG TA01.115
Cardinal McGuigan Fonds

The National Chorus of Toronto performed annually from 1903 to 1928:

"The National Chorus
Announces its Thirteenth Annual Concert at
Massey Hall, on Tuesday evening, January 18th
With Mr. Morgan Kingston as the assisting soloist,
and the net proceeds to be devoted to Red Cross purposes.

Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Connaught and the
Princess Patricia have announced their intention of being present.

Tickets may now be procured at Tyrrell's Book Store, 780 Yonge Street, near Bloor Street."

1916

MN AH05.03
Archbishop McNeil Fonds

Admiral Earl Beatty of the British Navy visited Toronto in 1921:

"Dear Archbishop McNeil;-

On Monday, next, November 28th, at 2 P.M., Admiral Earl Beatty, O.M., etc., will be the guest of the Navy League of Canada at Massey Hall.

As Head of the Roman Catholic Church, we are enclosing a ticket, which will admit you, by way of the stage door, to the platform. Will you kindly be seated by 1.45, as the Admiral will enter at 2 o'clock.

Admiral Earl Beatty O.M., etc., will be in the City from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M., therefore, he will only be with us for half an hour, but the League feels happy in being thus honoured. Please reply by telephone, Saturday morning, if possible.

In view of the fact that platform space is very limited, it will be necessary for you to present this ticket.

Faithfully yours, Cecil S.Williams Lieut Colonel. Manager."

November 25, 1921

MN AH10.134
Archbishop McNeil Fonds

Archbishop Pocock was on the board of directors of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, which performed at Massey Hall until Roy Thomson Hall opened in 1982. He kept a copy of their 1964-1965 brochure. That year concert goers would hear the Canadian premiere of Britten's War Requiem, Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, and Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet, amongst other great classical works. The back of the brochure shows pricing for season tickets. Fifty dollars would get you fifteen concerts in one of the best seats in the house:

1964-1965 Toronto Symphony Orchestra Season Ticket price chart.

PO OOR22.02b
Archbishop Pocock Fonds 

Massey Hall holds a special place in my heart because it was the venue of the first rock concert my sister took me to when I was in grade 10. I've seen many of my favourite artists there since then, and I'm looking forward to seeing more after the renovations are finished. It will be exciting to see the changes! In the meantime, I'll watch the Live at Massey Hall series online.