Provincial plaque commemorates Sacré-Coeur Roman Catholic Church

Historic church at Carlton and Sherbourne was the first to serve Toronto’s francophone Catholics

By Liane Nowosielski –

Join the Ontario Heritage Trust and the Sacré-Coeur Roman Catholic Church for the unveiling of a provincial plaque commemorating the Sacré-Coeur Parish.

Toronto saw a surge in its francophone population in the mid- to late-19th century as French-Canadians began arriving due to the booming manufacturing sector. The city’s early francophones attended religious services at English-speaking parishes, where French-speaking priests were occasionally invited to conduct services.

However, they were dissatisfied with this arrangement owing to significant differences in culture and religious tradition. In 1887, Father Philippe Lamarche arrived from Montreal to found Sacré-Coeur Parish, the first Roman Catholic parish to serve the francophone community in Toronto.

The parish’s first building (a former Presbyterian church) was located on King Street East, near Sackville Street. In 1896, a school was constructed, followed by the addition of a rectory in 1900. A new church was built at the corner of Sherbourne and Carlton streets in the 1930s to accommodate the
growing congregation. A number of associations and clubs were also created, providing an opportunity for parishioners to socialize in their own language.

Popular activities included sports, music and theatre. Since its inception, the Parish of Sacré-Coeur has been both a spiritual and cultural centre for francophones across the city. To this day, Sacré-Coeur continues to serve as a cultural beacon for the French-speaking community in the Toronto area.