Stations of the Cross

Dear Parishioners, friends and family in Christ,

In November last year, His Eminence  Thomas Cardinal Collins (who was then Archbishop), made his first-ever visit to our parish during the Second Week of Advent. You may recall that the visit coincided with the implementation of the New Roman Missal as part of church services across Canada.

Cardinal Collins noted his great delight with our parish and our strong and growing faith. Cardinal Collins also made some observations about our church. One such observation related to the Stations of the Cross - that while there were inscriptions of the Roman Numerals on the Floor, we didn’t have the actual Stations of the Cross. 

The Stations of the Cross originated in the early medieval period when the Muslims took over the Holy Land and prevented Christians from making the pilgrimage to the Holy Sites. 

As a result, the Franciscans created the Stations of the Cross, which are “Artistic Depictions of Our Lord’s Passion,” and included a Cross and the Roman Numeral. Hence the name, ‘the Stations of the Cross'.

What we have in our Church today are the Roman Numerals, but no artistic depiction of our Lord’s Passion or the Cross. 

Cardinal Collins instructed me to place the Stations of the Cross in the Church, as is the custom and the tradition in the Catholic Church. 

Tasked with this mission, I did some research and found that the original Stations of the Cross from the Old St. Francis de Sales Church were in Notre Dame High School. I also discovered that the old Stations of the Cross were installed by the 15th pastor, Fr. Bernard Kyte, in 1942. This year marks the 70th anniversary of those Stations of the Cross.

I am sure many of you vividly remember the old Stations of the Cross, which was blessed and displayed in the old Church. It had been part of a decades-old tradition which has enriched and nourished this faith-filled Community. Some of you may have even had a particular attachment to the old Stations of the Cross as members of your family may have contributed towards the cost and installation of the Stations of the Cross. 

Rather than purchase new Stations of the Cross for our parish, I have commissioned an accomplished artist, Carlos Nunez, who has done many major renovations in the diocese including those at St.Paul’s Basilica, St. Augustine’s Seminary and St. Michael’s Cathedral, to work on our old Stations of the Cross. 

I am happy to inform you that the fully restored Stations of the Cross will once again adorn our Church at the beginning of the Lenten Season, re-establishing the rich and enduring tradition of the Catholic Church. 

I pray that the restored Stations of the Cross remind us of our Lord's Passion and lead us to experience God’s infinite love for us.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Peter Jae Choi