Toronto's Church wreckovations - Holy Name on Danforth

Who destroyed Toronto's churches?

One of the great deceptions forced on Catholics was the iconoclastic period immediately following the Second Vatican Council. Lest anyone think this writer rejects the Council, they might first point to where the Council Fathers said this should happen to Holy Name Church on Danforth Avenue in Toronto.

Isn't it so much better now?

I took this photo from the parish website. I congratulate the current pastor, Father Eric Rodrigues, for having the courage to post this on their weekly bulletin now that the parish has been rid of the "CSC's" the Holy Cross Fathers who still possess the historic St. Ann's on Gerard Street, where this abomination occurred back in 2006.

So, let me restate the question. 

Who destroyed Toronto's churches? 

About 15 years ago, I was asked to drive retired Toronto Auxiliary Bishop Pearce Lacey to and from a Knights of Columbus dinner. He was well into his 90's and died shortly thereafter at 98. He kept up a little "ministry" and was the darling of charismatic-type Catholics. On the way home, he was sad as we drove by Loretto Abbey and recalled that he had sisters who were nuns there and was sad that they were no more. He then told me that he was so happy when Latin was gone because he could finally understand the daily Office. How was he praying before that? If Lacey was not taught to read Latin in seminary, having been ordained in 1943, how many other priests prior to the Second Vatican Council could not? How was this allowed to happen at the "master's degree" level of a seminary when Latin was the language and still remains so in the Church? How could he read any document from the Council, which were all written in Latin and in the early to middle 1960's has not been translated? Lacey then got excited. He told me whilst sitting in the passenger seat of my car, how enthused he was as a priest in 1966, when he was appointed by Philip Pocock, the only Archbishop of Toronto since McGuigan not named a Cardinal, as Rector at St. Michael's Cathedral. There, he did such a fine job with the destruction that Pocock put him in charge of doing it across the Archdiocese of Toronto. He waxed on about "this conference" and "that conference" and how the "Dominicans advised this," and then he suddenly became very quiet.

I asked him, "Bishop, are you okay?"

Bishop Lacey responded in his shaky and squeaky voice, "I think we went too far."

My only response could be similar to that of Sir Humphrey Applebee: "Yes, Excellency."

A few years ago, I was recalling this story to an elderly priest ordained during that iconoclastic time. He told me about Pocock's order to Lacey to implement this alleged Vatican II order and Lacey's zeal to act. He described it as "ruthless."

He told me they closed Holy Name after Mass on Sunday for the week. The pastor, who did not go along, sat in the pews watching and weeping. He also said that you could go for a walk today in the neighbourhood around Holy Name, north and south of Danforth Avenue and you will find marble from the communion rail being used in people's gardens as decoration and retaining walls. 

Want the proof?

I posted this picture on my Facebook page as a friend that posts lots of old church photos has posted it. Another friend commented, and I quote:

"That's the parish of my youth. I remember when they started the wreckovation. My aunt was particularly upset. It was in 1967, two years after the council. No other church did this at the time. I believe it was ordered by Archbishop Pocock, as co-adjutor. Cardinal McGuigan was bishop then, but I think Pocock was actually running things. (Nota bene: McGuigan had dementia) They did have a sign on the rubble that read something like "if you would like some lumber, please help yourself. That was the lawn on the east side of Gough Avenue."

Lumber from this altar and marble from that communion rail, "please help yourself."

There were children of the Irish who were the first Catholics in that community who were denied leather shoes or new toys so that their parents could sacrifice to build this beautiful edifice for the worship of God, and someone came along and destroyed it and more in the name of a Vatican II that did not exist. This was done according to the "spirit" of Vatican II. 

It was an abomination.

There is not one communion rail in the Archdiocese of Toronto which survives intact, only a few remnants here and there. Few of these magnificent high altars remain, and many have been modified. But no church suffered the indignity as did Holy Name Catholic Church, which still bears the inscription carved into the stone in the dead language of Latin from St. Paul's letter to the Philippians 2:10-11: (Oh, and then there's St. Paul's Basilica!) 

In nomine Jesu omne genu flecatur ...