A Sacred Gem in Small Town Ontario
45 minutes east of Ottawa; population 1,000.
From miles away, a Roman Catholic church gleams in the evening sunlight; double-spired, silver-clad, and absolutely luminescent. I was driving past, running late. I couldn’t stop, couldn’t drink it in. For a fleeting moment I was sure I could live there, in that 1,000-person community. Gazing wondrously every day, the way Vancouverites gaze at the mountains, and Parisians imbibe the Eiffel Tower.
On another occasion I turned off the main rode, parked nearby, and snapped surprisingly decent photos with my iPhone. Another early evening. A half-dozen boys aged nine or so are gathered on the front step, right up against the front door, with their bicycles. This is Sacred Heart - a French-language church, with a French school, and a French daycare across the street. But those boys also speak perfect English. They chat amongst themselves, not a word of profanity, just the warmth of friendship.
Bourget, Ontario is a small village out in the country, 45 minutes east of Ottawa. I plan to return; I must see inside this building. The boys behaved as though I was an ordinary part of the evening. Strangers doubtless stop in often to take pictures.
For twenty minutes I stood at the foot of this silver-clad magnificence - as it broadcast glory.
The church’s website is here. Here it’s translated into English by GoogleTranslate.
The town reminded me of Alexandria ON, so I looked at the map; the 2 towns are very close. Huge Scottish/French presence, tough pioneer roots, strong religious ties.
Salt of the earth people
how gorgeous.