Catholic Shrines & Places of Interest in Canada
Canada is the world’s second-largest country in terms of land area, exceeded only by Russia. From north to south it spans more than half the Northern Hemisphere. From east to west it stretches almost 4,700 miles (7,560 kilometers) across six time zones (Pacific, Mountain, Central, Eastern, Atlantic, and Newfoundland and Labrador). Despite its size, it has only one-half of one percent of the world’s population.
The French missionaries arrived in the early 17th century and left an indelible impression upon Eastern Canada first, and then, as time went on, farther west. This was despite the many difficulties and martyrdoms suffered at the hands of the native peoples. There are many shrines dedicated to the early missionaries as well as to many saints and the Blessed Mother.
The the territory colonized by France became known as New France and began with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534. It ended with the cession of New France to Great Britain and Spain in 1763 under the Treaty of Paris.
The border between the U.S. and Canada is the largest un-defended border in the world: 5,525 miles, (8,891 km), running roughly along the 49th parallel from the Pacific west coast to Lake Superior and following the natural boundaries of the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River to the Atlantic Ocean.
Canada has ten Provinces and three territories.
The Ten Canadian provinces are:
Alberta; British Columbia; Manitoba; New Brunswick; Newfoundland and Labrador; Nova Scotia; Prince Edward Island; Ontario; Quebec; Saskatchewan.
In addition, there are three territories: Northwest Territory, Nunavut and Yukon.
Province of British Columbia:
Garibaldi Highland: Queen of Peace Monastery (Dominican)
Whistler: Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church in this popular vacation destination
Province of Manitoba:
Winnipeg: Shrine of Saint Gianna Molla, Bishop Velychkovsky Martyr’s Shrine
Province of Nova Scotia:
Halifax: cruise port of Halifax
Province of Ontario:
Comberemere: Madonna House Apostolate
Guelph: Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate
King: Marylake Retreat Centre
Midland: Canadian Martyrs Shrine
Ottawa: Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto
Schreiber: The Grotto at Holy Angels Parish
Province of Quebec:
Fortierville: Church of Saint Philomena of Fortierville (beautiful church with relic of St. Philomena)
Montreal: Many Catholic Shrines & Places of Interest
Quebec City: Many Catholic Shrines & Places of Interest
Near Quebec City:
Saint Anthony’s Hermitage (Ermitage Saint-Antoine de Lac-Boucette)
Shrine of Our Lady of the Cape (Cap du la Madeline) Trois-Rivieres
Sherbrooke: Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Michael (tomb of Mother Marie-Léonia)
Varennes: Shrine of Saint Marguerite d’Youville
Province of Saskatchewan:
Nunavut Territory:
Iqaluit: Our Lady of the Assumption Roman Catholic Church
Yukon (formerly known as Yukon Territory):
Haines Junction: Our Lady of the Way Catholic Church