St. Mary’s Cathedral began as a mission church on the west side of the Red River as part of the French-speaking Archdiocese of St. Boniface.

By the late 1800s, the west side of the river was booming with English-speakers. In fact, so many came that the Church saw fit to establish a separate archdiocese to serve them. So it was that the Archdiocese of Winnipeg was founded in 1915.

Today there is a substantial Filipino community in the Winnipeg area; its members, too, have found a spiritual home downtown at St. Mary’s.

A Franciscan Friary is housed within the parish boundaries; it includes a Franciscan chapel. The friars assist the cathedral rector — the lone priest stationed here — by making themselves available to hear confessions four to five hours each day. The friars also ensure that folks downtown have three daily Masses to choose from, celebrating two in their chapel while the cathedral offers one.

From the outside, the countenance of the cathedral is tall and stately. It might come across as intimidating were it not as warm and humble as a mission church — albeit a gigantic one.

Inside, the nave features Romanesque arches; seven columns line each side aisle. About 700 people can fit in here, but upper galleries on either side accommodate an additional 100 or so. A soaring choir loft is in the rear.

Immediately under the choir loft, where the organ is also located, is the entrance and baptismal font. This was placed to allow people to bless themselves straight from the baptistery as they enter the cathedral. Nearby is a stained-glass window depicting the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist.

Mary’s Men

The stained-glass windows throughout are works of art in their own right. They’ve been featured in many journal articles and in several books.

The Stations of the Cross are mounted on the exterior wall, with each of the 14 scenes offset by a corresponding stained-glass window.

Candles along both walls of the nave designate the place where the cathedral was anointed when it was consecrated by the archbishop of Montreal on Sept. 25, 1887. The first leader of the new archdiocese was Archbishop A.A. Sinnott, who, on Dec. 8, 1918, named St. Mary’s Church a cathedral. During its first 40 years, St. Mary’s was staffed by priests of the Oblates of Mary religious order. Since then it has been under the stewardship of secular priests.

The archbishop’s chair has a prominent place. The chair was given to the second archbishop of Winnipeg by the children of St. Mary’s school. On the back of the chair is the coat of arms of the current archbishop, V. James Weisgerber.

Above the chair is a crucifix that was commissioned about 15 years ago. The corpus was crafted by an artisan in Montreal. Originally, the corpus was affixed to steel girders as a type of contemporary expression. But, several years ago, then-Archbishop Leonard Wall requested that the stylized steel cross be replaced by a wood crucifix, which is more in keeping with the Romanesque architecture of the cathedral.

On the main altar is a grand piano that was purchased several years ago as an addition to the cathedral’s music program.

To the right of the main sanctuary is the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. Here, the Eucharist is reposed. Immediately across is a statue of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower. To the left of the main sanctuary is the Chapel of Mary.

The sanctuary features a statue of St. Joseph, the archdiocese’s patron. There’s also a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, one of St. Anthony feeding the hungry and a very striking Pieta.

The cathedral has not one, but two plaques commemorating visits from Pope John Paul II. The first time he came, in 1969, he was Cardinal Karol Wojtyla of Krakow. (Bet you didn’t know that Winnipeg has a sizable Polish community.) The next time he stopped by, he was Pope.

Because the Filipino community is greatly devoted to the Infant of Prague, there’s a statue thereof mounted on the wall.

Bible Base

The cathedral enjoys two choirs. One sings from the choir loft, utilizing the church organ and singing traditional hymns. The other is a young-adult choir; it uses the grand piano.

Four Bible-study groups meet at the cathedral during the winter months. There is also a St. Vincent de Paul group; it provides clothing and basic supplies to people in need.

The rector and his staff meet with parents and their children four to five times a year and spend three to four hours preparing for upcoming events in the life of the Church. The event becomes the catechetical moment for passing on the faith.

Such activities are fitting, for they are consistent with the catechesis this cathedral puts forth physically — even to those who just stop in to pray awhile.

Joseph Albino writes from

Syracuse, New York.

Planning Your Visit

Daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Friday at 12:10 p.m. The Saturday Mass of Anticipation is at 5 p.m.; Sunday Mass is at 9:30

and 11:30 a.m. A beautiful bell in the cathedral tower is hand-rung before and after each Mass. Confessions are heard daily at the nearby

Franciscan Friary from 9 a.m. until noon and from 1 to 4 p.m. For information, call (204) 947-0294.

Getting There

St. Mary’s Cathedral is in the heart of downtown Winnipeg. Follow one of the main arteries into the city

— Portage Avenue, St. Mary Avenue or Main Street. All of those avenues meet at the center of the city where the cathedral is located.