St. Joseph’s Oratory

Inuit Nativity Scene

 Catherine picked up Professor Laurel Thatcher Ulrich from the airport, in anticipation of a lecture she was giving at McGill’s Birks Heritage Chapel.

We had part of the morning and early afternoon to spend together.

Catherine suggested a trip to the top of Mount Royal to see the view of the St. Lawrence and then finishing off at the Nativity Display at St. Joseph’s Oratory.

I spent two happy afternoons there when Catie was a baby, so I was happy to go back and Laurel said she would enjoy that as well.

Close up of Inuit Scene

Catherine knew that there were massive renovations going on at St. Joseph’s, since Brother Andre had been made a saint.

But she had not been up there to see what had been going on, so she was happy to go there as well.

She told us that her favourite part of the basilica is downstairs where faith healings occurred.

There is a wall onto which have been put the crutches and prostheses of people who have been healed.

medium shot of Inuit scene

long shot of modern Nativity scene

She said as a physician she is always interested in alternative ways of healing, especially ones where people can leave their crutches and go away whole.

So we saw that part of the church.

As well, there is the coffin of Brother Andre and in a different place, his heart which is preserved.

Its value was inestimable for someone, for it was stolen and not returned for several years.

Now it is housed behind a locked gate, but still available for viewing.

Joseph is taking a selfie
Mary has a peace sign and a cup of coffee

We were sure to see that.

The new gift shop is fantastic!

More nativities for sale than I have seen for a long time.

If I get back there I am going to be sure and buy a 13 piece acrylic one for $53.95.

There is less than $8 for each figure and four year old Alice loves playing with crèche sets any time of the year.

Everything so sweet.

The big disappointment was the nativities.

 There used to be 400 or more of them of all sizes, on display.

3 wise men of modern scene
notice cow is 100% organic

Now they have cut the display down to 1/10th of that and some of my previous favourites are in storage and there is no estimate of how long it will take until the renovations are finished and they are all out on view again.

For a lover of 400 crèches, a big disappointment not to have seen it all.

In this case, less is not more.

Arta