Refurbished St. Michael’s Cathedral resumes its place in the heart of Toronto

It didn’t start out as the mammoth project it eventually became

The Catholic Register
TORONTO (CCN)

After a six-year, $128-million renovation, St. Michael’s Cathedral is finally ready to open its doors, rededicate its altar, and give thanks to God for its new life in the heart of Toronto.

No corner of the cathedral was overlooked as the 168-year-old building, from spire to crypts, was stripped down, repaired, and expanded.

It didn’t start out as such a mammoth project for the Archdiocese of Toronto, but God laughs when we make plans.

“It needed repair. It needed to be fixed,” said Cardinal Thomas Collins of Toronto. “It’s a sign, to the whole diocese, of the kingdom of God, and it’s a sign to the secular world. One of the things we need to point out to people is the vibrant presence of Christ in the midst of our life.”

That vibrant presence will receive a two-day, 21st-century coming out party with an invitation-only rededication Mass of the cathedral Sept. 29 and a Mass of Thanksgiving at noon the next day, followed by a party outside the cathedral on Bond Street.

A Friday night concert featuring St. Michael’s Choir School and the cathedral’s brand new Opus 3907 Casavant Organ is sold out. Space is tight for all the events, but the occasion will call the attention of the entire city.

“I’m sure we will have such a celebration,” Mayor John Tory told The Catholic Register. “It will be very broadly inclusive of all the people of Toronto, not just people who are Catholics.”

It all started when the front doors of the cathedral needed repainting. Old paint that needed scraping off contained lead. Underneath nearby plaster was asbestos. On it went.

Now the cathedral has new doors, a new choir loft that seats about 260 people, new pews, new marble flooring, new and restored stained glass, new and restored statues, and new lighting, sound system, and elevator. A new chapel in the crypt will seat about 300.

The spire has a new steel interior structure; it had been in danger of falling over. Inside, crumbling pillars, which had threatened to bring down the roof, have been stabilized.

Rector Father Michael Busch said St. Michael’s hasn’t been restored for merely historical or esthetic reasons. “I’m not interested in building a museum,” he said. “This is not a historic relic for me. This is a living, vibrant community that we’re building for.”