Our Cathedral Gardens
This special page is meant to celebrate the beauty of our three main Cathedral Prayer Gardens, to invite our Parish Groups to make use of them and to thank those who volunteer each week to care for them and enhance their beauty.
Our parishioner, Rita Legarde, our garden specialist, gathers together volunteers to help her each week to keep our gardens beautiful all summer long.
Most of the photos shown on this new site were taken by one of her helpers and our own Rectory Caretaker, Erick Villanueva.
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RECENT GARDEN NEWS!
October 4, 2024
A GOOD DAY’S WORK
Rita and Kim taking a well deserved rest after a day of rewarding work in our Parish Prayer Garden.
Photo by Erick Villanueva.
September 10, 2024
WORKING HARD BUT STILL HAVING FUN IN OUR PRAYER GARDEN!
Thanks to our fun workers Rita, Angele, Madeleine and Erick (Kim could not come on this day but she is usually always there)!
July 10, 2024
OUR BEAUTIFUL PRAYER GARDEN IS COMING BACK TO LIFE!
The vibrant colours are back and the beauty of our garden has returned to us, thanks to the many volunteer work hours of Rita, Erick, Kim and their helpers. If you would like to help, call our Office at 807-622-5389.
…photographs: Erick Villanueva
May & June, 2023
ONGOING GARDEN BEAUTIFICATION
Despite the roof construction restrictions to our entry into our Prayer Garden, our gardener, Rita Legarde and her team of gardening volunteers continued to beautify our “park” gardens across the street from the Cathedral (property now sold), our flower beds around the Church and Rectory and any parts of our property that have no restricted entry. We thank Rita, Erick, Patrick, Kim and the rest of her team along with Erick Villanueva for capturing the work on film.
September 25, 2022 after the 10:30 am Mass
OUR C.W.L ANNIVERSARY PLANT BLESSING
Our C.W.L. fall gathering took place on Sunday, September 25th following the 10:30 Mass! Due to the rain, we were not able to meet outside in the prayer garden, so Msgr. Pat blessed the hydrangea bush that Rita LeGarde and her team planted for us to celebrate the League’s 100th anniversary, in the Auditorium prior to the gathering.
September 1, 2022
ONGOING VIGOROUS GROWTH AS WE APPROACH THE FALL
Photos by Erick Villanueva
August 2, 2022
MORE NATURAL COLOUR AND BEAUTY
Newer and older growth. (photos by Erick Villanueva)
August 1, 2022
AFTER A JOB WELL DONE!
Rita Legarde, Jeannette Pyrick, Deacon Derek West and Erick Villanueva (also taking this photo) recently unearthed and discarded the dead tree stumps to clear parts of our garden for new growth.
July 26, 2022
BEAUTIFYING OUR GARDENS EACH WEEK
These volunteers gather each week to keep our Gardens beautiful.
We thank:
(l to r) … Jeannette, Rita, Kim, Cathie and Madeleine for donating your time and your many talents . (Photo: Angèle Ste. Marie)
July 22, 2022
EXAMPLES OF THE VIBRANT ARRAY OF COLOURS IN OUR PRAYER GARDEN
Photos by Erick Villanueva
July 11, 2022
C.W.L. 100th ANNIVERSARY MEMORIAL GIFT TO OUR GARDEN
In 2020 the Catholic Women’s League of Canada celebrated 100 years of Ministry in our nation and many League Councils have marked the anniversary in a variety of ways.
Our own Cathedral members decided to memorialize the jubile by
donating a large and beautifully flowering hydrangea bush to beautify our Cathedral’s main Prayer Garden.
Many thanks to our Parish League Council, to Rita Legarde and Jeanette Pyrick for planting it and to Erick Villanueva for taking these photos. The plant and area will be dedicated with a souvenir commemoration plaque and formally blessed later this summer.
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OUR THREE MAIN CATHEDRAL PRAYER GARDENS
THE PRAYER GARDEN AND SHRINE OF THE HOLY FAMILY
Our main Garden is a beautiful prayer shrine which is located adjacent to the Cathedral and which celebrates family values and inspires reflection and prayer. It is complete with a gazebo, a prayer labyrinth and granite benches. The statues of the Holy Family, the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Anthony of Padova are also displayed in this beautiful green space filled with trees, shrubs and flowers. It was made possible through the donation of our parishioner, the late John Martinuzzi, given in memory of his parents.
More recent photos of this Prayer Garden Shrine
A Fall and Winter Wonderland
The warm and verdant colours of Spring and Summer
Many thanks to Erick Villanueva for capturing this garden’s beauty with his camera.
OUR CATHEDRAL’S PARK FLOWER GARDEN
(This garden property was sold in 2024)
This colourful and meditative flower garden is located across the street from the Church and is also a portion of our Cathedral grounds. The garden is occasionally used for Liturgical Prayer and/or festivities.
For many years, one of our parishioners, who wished to remain anonymous would purchase all the plants and volunteer to plant them in this Garden to beautify the Cathedral Grounds.
After his death, Cheryl De Lorenzi and David Ronchi volunteered to continue the work of this beautifying ministry.
Now, in 2022, Rita Legarde and her volunteers have taken up the challenge of restoring this Garden to its original beauty.
This Garden’s First Formal Blessing in 2015 …
In 2015, after a weekday 9:00 am Mass, a formal blessing of our Park Garden took place with many in attendance. Here, in the photo to the right on either side of Msgr. Stilla, are Pasquale Giancola, our longtime Mass server, (with the Holy Water container) and our volunteer gardeners, David Ronchi and Cheryl DeLorenzi.
More recent photos of this garden’s re-birth …
Rita and her volunteers, Cathie, Madeleine, Kim and Jeanette come together each week to clean, trim and split shrubs and plants to restore the beauty of this and all our Gardens in 2022. Erick Villanueva who takes the photos, also provides his help, input and love of gardening along with his expertise for capturing the beauty in these souvenir photos.
More recent photos of this garden and of various Cathedral flower beds, from Erick Villanueva …
OUR CHRISTIAN MEDITATION PRAYER GARDEN
This tranquil corner, conducive to personal prayer and reflection, is located beside our Garden Shrine. This sacred outdoor space was originally conceived and developed by Alice Ward and the members of our Christian Meditation Prayer Group. All are welcome to spend time in personal and private prayer in this quiet corner.
