St. Michael’s Cathedral to Close for Extensive Restoration

TORONTO (June 17, 2015) St. Michael’s Cathedral, mother church of the Archdiocese of Toronto, is temporarily closing its doors as part of its extensive restoration efforts.

Since the mid-1800s, local and global pilgrims have visited St. Michael’s Cathedral and work has been underway for the past three years to restore the historic church, one of Toronto’s greatest landmarks and home parish of Cardinal Thomas Collins. Until this point in the restoration, the cathedral has remained open for weekend services and special celebrations. However, the next phase of restoration will require its closure full-time to allow for work that will preserve the cathedral for years to come.

Father Michael Busch, Rector of St. Michael’s Cathedral, commented on the most recent developments: “Due to the invasive nature of the restoration efforts and recognizing safety as the first priority for our parishioners and visitors, we have made the decision to close the cathedral at this time. I want to ensure the faithful that Catholic churches in the area are ready to welcome you. We deeply appreciate your patience and thank you for journeying with us through this v​​ery important chapter in our history.”

A timeline has been forecast as follows:

• June 17, 2015 – mid-December 2015 - full closure of St. Michael’s Cathedral.
• Mid-December 2015 – January 2016 - cathedral will open briefly pre/post-Christmas.
• January 2016 – March 2016 - full closure of St. Michael’s Cathedral.
• March 2016 – September 2016 - cathedral will open prior to Holy Week and Easter, remaining open while work continues through September 2016.
• September 29, 2016 - goal to complete this phase of restoration. This date is also the Feast of St. Michael, patron saint of the Archdiocese of Toronto.
• Daily Mass will continue to be celebrated in St. John’s Chapel, a small worship space accessible from 200 Church Street. Nearby, St. Paul’s Basilica will provide additional weekend Masses beginning in July, featuring music from St. Michael’s Choir School to accommodate the cathedral closure. Catholics are encouraged to visit www.stmichaelscathedral.com for additional resources.

Nearby churches to St. Michael’s Cathedral:

• St. Paul’s Basilica – 83 Power St. (one block east of Parliament St., off Queen St.)
  (416) 364-7588 www.stpaulsbasilicaparish.com
  Weekend Masses: Saturday: 4:30 p.m., Sunday: 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
  Additional Masses to commence July 11, 2015 – Saturday: 6 p.m. Sunday: 9:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m.
  Confession: Saturday: 3:45 - 4:15 p.m.
  
  
• St. Basil’s Parish – 50 St. Joseph St. (off Bay St., north of Wellesley St.)
  (416) 926-7110 www.stbasiltoronto.org
  Weekend Masses: Saturday 5:00 p.m., Sunday: 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12 noon, 4:30 p.m.
  Confessions: Monday to Friday: 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturdays: 4:15 to 4:45 p.m.
  
  
• St. Mary’s Parish – 588 Adelaide St. West (just west of Bathurst St.)
  (416) 703-2326 www.stmaryschurchtoronto.ca
  Weekend Masses: Saturday: 5:00 p.m. (English) Sunday: 8:30 a.m. (Portuguese), 10:00 a.m. (Portuguese), 11:30 a.m. (English)
  Confession: Monday-Saturday​ before 5 p.m. daily Mass
  

For a list of additional parishes and Mass times in the area, click here.​

The Archdiocese of Toronto is Canada’s largest diocese, stretching from Toronto north to Georgian Bay and from Oshawa to Mississauga. It is home to 1.9 million Catholics and 225 churches, with Mass celebrated in more than 30 languages each week.

Media Contact:
Neil MacCarthy – Director, Public Relations & Communications, Archdiocese of Toronto
Office: (416) 934-3400 x 552 Cell: (416) 879-2846 neilm@archtoronto.org