St. Mary's Church (Toronto)
| St. Mary's Church | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 43°38′43″N 79°24′13″W / 43.645143°N 79.403488°W | |
| Location | Toronto |
| Country | Canada |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | stmarysbathurst |
| History | |
| Founded | 1852 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Archdiocese of Toronto |
| Clergy | |
| Pastor(s) | Rev Fernando Couto |
St. Mary's Church is a Roman Catholic church located at 130 Bathurst Street at Portugal Square in the Niagara neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The parish was established by Irish immigrants in 1852. The Gothic Revival church was designed by Joseph Connolly and completed in 1889, with the tower finished in 1905. It stands as the picturesque western view terminus for Adelaide Street.
The rectory, convent and a school are also located along Portugal Square.
St. Mary's Church was built at McDonnell Square (now Portugal Square), which was one of several squares laid out in Toronto's 1834 'New Town Extension' plan such as Victoria Square, Clarence Square, and West Market Square. The cornerstone was laid on 15 August 1881 and the dedication took place on 17 February 1889, but the spire was not completed until 1905.
In late September, 2012, workers discovered the church had been built atop at least one mass grave. Press reports indicate the graves are of those who died in cholera outbreaks in 1832 and '34. The church said it would dedicate an appropriate monument to the dead.
Architect Joseph Connolly designed a building that was contemporary yet evoked Irish Roman Catholic church building traditions, which was important to the Irish priest and his predominantly Irish congregation at the time.
St. Mary Catholic School was founded with the parish in 1852 and was originally operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Christian Brothers. When the school outgrew the original structure on Adelaide Street, a new building was erected in 1918 facing McDonnell Square. This building was expanded in 1972. Currently, it is administrated by the Toronto Catholic District School Board, teaching Kindergarten through grade eight students.
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