On May 1st 1870, our very first priest, Fr Lapierre, celebrated mass in a wooden chapel. Twenty years later, the stone church was built.
The parish was legally created in 1875. It is what canon law calls a territorial church, not linked to any particular language but to the territory of Pointe-Saint-Charles. For the first eight years, the church served both the English and the French Catholics of the Pointe. In 1883, Saint Charles was founded and the French church was later erected in the lot next to Saint Gabriel’s.
In 1956, the church was completely destroyed by fire, except for the stone walls. But as always, the people of the Pointe rose to the occasion and the church was rebuilt, with a different style.
The Irish in particular are very fond of the parish to this day. The Mass of Anticipation has been celebrated in the church each March on the Sunday before the annual Montreal Saint Patrick’s parade.
Today, our Christian community is enriched by people of other cultures and remains vibrant and open to all.
Pastors of St. Gabriel's
The priests who served as pastors at St Gabriel's
1875 - 1886
1886 - 1890
1890 - 1919
1919 - 1927
1927 - 1935
1935 - 1957
1958 - 1963
1963 - 1973
1973 - 1980
1980 - 2000 (Emeritus until 2021)2000 - 2001
2001 - 2017
2017 - 2018 (Admin)Sisters who served
Served the parish for more than 55 years !!!
Other priests who served (with photos found):
Other priests who served: Fr Brissette, Fr Brown Forget, Fr Burke, Fr Carley, Fr Casey Heffernan, Fr Cordier, Fr Devlin, Fr Ducharme, Fr Fahey, Fr Fitzpatrick, Fr Frank Walsh, Fr Gadoury, Fr Gorman, Fr Hall, Fr Hoyden, Fr Jimmy Flood, Fr Jones, Fr Leduc, Fr Martineau, Fr McDonald, Fr McGinnis, Fr Michael McKenna, Fr Mooney, Fr Nugent Desnoyers, Fr O'Hagan, Fr Pelletier, Fr Riley Fr Brosseau, Fr Robillard, Fr Shea, Fr Singleton, Fr Sutton, Fr Thibault, Fr Tom McEntee, Fr Vrydaegs.