History

St. Michael’s Priory, Etobicoke (Toronto)

Brief history.

Back in 1976, Fr. Yves Normandin, who had been expelled from his parish in Montreal the previous year for the ‘crime’ of saying the Traditional Latin Mass, was invited to Toronto.  Mass was said in private homes and rented halls by Fr. Normandin, and other independent priests.  Fr. Gerard Rusak was the first SSPX priest who came to visit Toronto in 1989: coming from Shawinigan Qc, he was taking care of Holy Ghost church in Ottawa.  From thence, he came for missionary trips in Toronto and other locations in Southern Ontario.

In 1991, a church was purchased in Etobicoke by Fr. Jacques Emily, then SSPX Canada district superior, and it was named Church of the Transfiguration.  Two years later, in 1993, a house was purchased nearby to serve as a residence for the priests of the Society of St. Pius X who oversee the apostolate of the SSPX in Southern Ontario.  From 1993 until 2011, it was also the residence of the District Superior of the Society of St. Pius X in Canada.  Father Jacques Emily was the first prior until 2000.  He was followed by Fr. Jean Violette, Fr. Arnaud Rostand and Fr. Jurgen Wegner, who cumulated the functions of prior of St. Michael’s Priory with the one of district superior of the Society of St. Pius X in Canada.  Since 2011, the priors of St. Michael’s Priory have been Fr. Damien Fox, Fr. Dominique Boulet, Fr. Emanuel Herkel, and again Fr. Dominique Boulet for the present.  Other priests have worked at St. Michael’s priory, in particular Fr. François Castel, Fr. Dominique De Vriendt, Fr. Carl Sulzen, Fr. Dominic May, Fr. Frank Riccomini, Fr. Freddy Mery.  Several Oblate Sisters of the Society of St. Pius X worked also at the priory for many years: Sr. Mary-Raphael and Sr. John-Vianney.

Church of the Holy Face of Jesus, St. Catharines

This church was acquired by the SSPX in 1996.  It was served first by Fr. Marcel Nault, a retired diocesan priest who set up at our church in St. Catharines a Centre for the Apostolate to the Holy Face of Jesus. Since the time when Fr. Nault went to his eternal reward, the priests from St. Michael’s priory carried on with the apostolate of the SSPX in the Niagara Peninsula.

Church of the Canadian Martyrs, Orillia

Around the mid-1980’s, the Traditional Latin Mass was celebrated in Barrie area in private homes.  Later on, a chapel was set up at the farm of Mr. & Mrs. Freundorfer.  Then, in the fall of 1991, a church was purchased in Orillia, and dedicated under the name of Canadian Martyrs Church., in honour of the nearby shrine of Midland.

St. Philomena Mission, Sudbury

Sudbury has been served by the SSPX since the 1990’s.  Mass is said there once a month, in a rented hall.

St. Peter’s Church / Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy, New Hamburg

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy opened in the fall of 2008, as a primary and secondary school for the SSPX in Ontario with Fr. Peter Scott as a rector.  In 2015, Fr. Scott was succeeded by Fr. David Sherry.  Fr. Dominic May, Fr. Sean Gerrity and Fr. Marc Potvin have been assistant priests at OLMC over the years.  In the summer of 2016, a former Lutheran church was purchased in the town of New Hamburg, to be used as parish.