3 Best Churches in Ottawa, ON

"Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica is a masterpiece created entirely by its architects and sculptors. They belong to a class of wooden and stone churches that bear witness to a fine building tradition, and it ranks among some of the inspired works whose great beauty comes as much from their magnificence as from the profound faith of the artisans who crafted them. In 1847, the church was designated the cathedral of Bytown, and Joseph-Bruno Guigues was appointed the first bishop. The archdiocese currently has 131 diocesan and 58 religious priests, 638 religious brothers and sisters, 71 permanent deacons, and an ever-increasing number of lay pastoral staff serving the international Catholic population of nearly 400,000 Catholics in 110 parishes and missions.

"Saint Patrick Basilica's Gothic style, Saint Patrick Basilica is made of local stone. The construction of the present church began in 1869. The initial planner was Augustus Laver of the Fuller and Laver company, the architects of the East and West Blocks of the Parliament Buildings. In 1872, the foundation stone was blessed by Bishop Guigues, the first bishop of Ottawa, and laid by Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first Prime Minister. In the beginning, Saint Patrick's had pastoral care for all English-speaking Catholics in Ottawa and across the river in Hull. Gradually, as the Catholic population increased, new parishes were established. Today, it is a downtown parish in a neighbourhood that is commercial as well as residential.

"Saint Charbel Parish is a community of hundreds of families gathered to pray, help nurture one another, contribute to the greater community, and spread the word of God daily. This place is for God's glory and the preservation of the Lebanese Maronite heritage. The church thrives on its parishioners and their dedication to the church. Donald Street was designated an honorary street by His Beatitude Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Raï, His Excellency Bishop Paul-Marwan Tabet, Mayor Jim Watson, members of the City Council, Father Henri Imad, clergy, parishioners, and community leaders. Thousands of families gathered at Saint Charbel Parish to pray, help grow the culture, and spread God's word. The church honours more than 1600 years of culture, faith, and resilience.