In keeping with the recent increase in pilgrims and visitors, Saint Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal, Canada, saw large crowds this year for its celebrations surrounding the feast day of its patron on 19 March.

As in past years, the oratory’s celebrations began with a Novena to St. Joseph from 10-18 March. Tying into the Jubilee Year and “Pilgrims of Hope”, the novena’s theme was “Alongside Joseph, Let Us Walk in Hope”. The preachers in French were Fr. Éric Robichaud and Fr. Guy Jeanmonod. The preachers in English were Fr. Éric from 10-13 March and Fr. Roshan D’Souza, C.S.C., Pastor of St. Joseph Church in Toronto, Ontario, from 14-18 March.

On the Feast Day, 19 March, Saint Joseph’s Oratory held four large Masses, three in French and one in English. The Most Rev. Noël Simard, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Valleyfield, presided at the English Mass, while the Most Rev. Christian Rodembourg, Bishop of the Diocese of Saint-Hyacinth, and the Most Rev. Alain Faubert, Bishop of the Diocese of Valleyfield, presided at the first two French Masses.

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The Most Rev. Christian Lépine, Archbishop of Montréal, presided at the day’s final, principal Mass at 7:30 p.m. in the main basilica. Fr. Benard Antoine, C.S.C., Rector of Saint Joseph’s Oratory, concelebrated the Mass, and the Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal provided beautiful music.

Also on St. Joseph’s Feast Day, the French version of Zenit, an international, non-profit news agency that covers the Catholic Church from Rome, published an interview with Fr. Bernard on the ministry of the Oratory.

Founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross’s first canonized saint, St. André Bessette, Saint Joseph’s Oratory is the largest church in the world dedicated to the foster father of Jesus. Along with Notre-Dame de Sainte Croix Church in Le Mans, France, it is one of two Congregational Patrimonies for Holy Cross given its importance in the congregation’s history and to its charism.