A Brief Explanation of the Interior of the Church

By Sister Mary Stanton

The monogram of Christ is the architectural motif of the interior of the church.

Entrance

As you enter the church from Percy Street through the richly traceried oak doors, leading to a spacious nave, which in turn is separated from the Body of the Church by leaded glass windows, the visitor is permitted a view of the church.

Interior

The interior finish of the walls of the church consists of Caen Stone plaster, with a background of acoustic plaster. The caen stone plaster has the same sober colour scheme as the Indiana limestone on the exterior. The barrel-vaulted ceiling with its cork panels, as well as the acoustic plastic, provide the church's perfect acoustic properties.

The floor of the church consists of terraza, an excellent type for this floor. It should be noted that the church, from its steel-decked roof (covered with copper) to its concrete floor covered with terraza, is absolutely fireproof.

Altars

The altar (against the wall) is Bothnia granite. Its sacrificial table is a solid block of granite weighing seven tons. The engraved letters PX form the first two letters of the name of Christ in Greek. The tabernacle of solid granite is ornamented by a brass door. The Altar of the Blessed Virgin on the south is made of dark oak, with carved posts and a large carved pelican in the center front. The Pelican is symbolic of the Blessed Sacrament.

Crucifix

On the reardos wall of the church is a seven foot bronze Corpus on an eight foot by nine foot wooden cross. This concept was based on our Saviour's triumph over death on the cross, a concept that was at the heart of the Romanesque period of the church. It should be apparent that the figure is without tension or suffering, beyond suffering humanity. The figure is Jesus Christ triumphant over death, a redemptive Christ. The artist is Gerard Trottier. Of this work, Mr. Trottier writes "It was under Monsignor Lesage's advice and counsel that the work was created. If the work is worthy of my Baptismal Church, much is due to Monsignor Lesage". A second casting of the crucifix was made and purchased by the National Gallery of Canada for their permanent concept and has toured the country in a National Gallery Sculpture Exhibition.

Altar Rail

The communion rail consists of Bothnia granite. The words "Panis Vitae - Bread of Life" are deeply incised in the rail. The marble base of the pulpit is square with dark oak front and sides. On the front is a bronze image of a dove, representing the Holy Spirit. The seating capacity of the church is 750.

Stations of the Cross

The Stations of the Cross, in base relief, made expressly for this church, present a straightness nd simplicity of view - modernistic, from another medieval. The inscription on each station was composed by the grade 13 class of Immaculata High School in 1932.

 

Statues

The Carrara Marble statues were donated by parishioners.

Water Fonts

The four Holy Water Fonts around the church are a design unique in Canada. Each pillar is of dark gray granite called Canadian Ebony. A bowl-shaped recess contains the Holy Water. The font is sheer granite, inscribed with a prayer. Every object in the church has a meaning and inscribed with a prayer or a symbol.

Windows

The most striking feature of the church is the Stain Glass Windows:

"Beautiful windows can be -
Sermons which reach the heart through the
Eye instead of entering the ears -
They can be poems in glass."

High above the altar is the rose window. It has eight medallions in its circumference. Seven of them depict adoring angles bowing down before the Blessed Sacrament, represented by the circle in the center which is made of solid stone. At the base of the window is the Tree of Hope. As God in heaven is perpetually adored by hosts of angels, so here are angels represented adoring the real presence perpetually.

The theme of the nine large windows is the Eucharistic - the body and blood of Christ for the spiritual nourishment of the souls of all. The subject of each window is inspired by quotations from the Old and New Testaments. The six windows in the loft depict figures of persons whose lives typify the life of the church.

North Wall - Window of Learning

The window depicts theologians, philosophers, scientists and scholars who have been famous in the intellectual life of the church..

South Wall - Window of Inspiration

In this window are figures of martyrs, missionaries, representative of monastics, discoverers and artists, people who inspired the church and her teaching, and for the love and glory of God performed prodigious feats. What they did remains to inspire the church for all time.

West Wall - Windows of the Holy Women

The windows depict Rulers and Administrators, both Lay and Clerical.

The windows are the work of world-famous sculptures from Munich, Germany and rate among the most beautiful in North America and beyond. Such windows could encourage generations to learn more of each person depicted.. In themselves they will be sermons in colour - and they will give, perhaps, a new perspective to many who have some interest in a subject so close to the heart of the first pastor, Rev. Dr. John J. O'Gorman.

Click here to see images of the church.