Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
In 1949-1950, a new St. Patrick Church was built at the corner of 96th Street and 118th Avenue. The parish was originally financed and built with the help of Sacred Heart Parish, the parent-parish since 1933. Monsignor Canice Foran who was then the curate of Sacred Heart used to conduct the 9:00 o’clock Mass in a two-room schoolhouse called Fairview. As time went on, it became apparent that a church in that area was surely a necessity.
The sod-turning ceremony took place on July 27, 1949. Eleven months later, on June 11th, 1950, the church was officially opened and blessed by Archbishop John Hugh MacDonald. Monsignor O’Gorman then celebrated a solemn high Mass in the new St. Patrick church.
On the east wall, high above the main altar, a huge cross was cut and filled with amber cathedral glass. At a later date, this glass was replaced by a stained glass window depicting the Crucifixion. The nave windows as well as the large window above the main altar, were specially manufactured in the studios of E. Rault, Rennes, France.
A fire swept through the church on Wednesday afternoon of May 4th, 1977 and the church sustained extensive interior damage. After eight months of reconstruction the church opened its doors on December 1977 once again.
The pastors were: Rev. Edmund Donahue, 1949-1970; Rev. Francis Stempfle, 1970-1977, 1985-2018 and; Rev. Edward Purcell, 1977-1985.
In 1998, following the Transformation of Parishes Plan commissioned by Archbishop Joseph MacNeil, it was recommended that St. Patrick Parish be closed. However, parishioners requested that the parish stay open until it had celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2000. Archbishop Thomas Collins agreed for as long as Fr. Frank Stempfle could remain pastor and this decision was carried on by Archbishop Richard Smith.
In 2018, following consultations with the priests and pastoral councils and the archdiocesan Presbyteral Council a decision was made to close St. Patrick and merge it with St. Alphonsus Parish. The last Mass was celebrated at 10 a.m. on September 30th and Fr. Frank Stempfle retired from active ministry.
All sacramental registers have been transferred to St. Alphonsus Parish.