Photo Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
P13176 |
Description |
Former St. Ann's Catholic Church, 2642 Gladys Avenue, and manse, 2638 Gladys Avenue. Local Catholics began to meet in 1910 when Sunday mass was celebrated at the De la Giroday family home. They had dedicated a small room as a Chapel in which people could come and worship. The De la Girodays had moved to Canada from Madagascar to raise poultry. Mrs. De la Giroday was a known concert pianist and was devoted to the Mother of the Blessed Virgin, Saint Ann. In 1912, the small congregation had a small church built by local contractors, Hammond & Son, on Old Yale Road at Campbell Avenue on a free site secured by Mr. De la Giroday from the Vancouver firm of J. J. Banfield. It was noted in the Abbotsford Post at that time that not a few non-Catholics had liberally contributed to the building fund, showing a commendable spirit of broad-mindedness. Named St. Ann’s Mission, the church was opened by Archbishop O’Neil of Vancouver on July 7, 1912 with an auspicious ceremony attended by Catholics from Mission, Sumas, Washington and nearby communities. The parishioners of the new St. Ann’s Mission continued to be served by traveling priests from Vancouver, Mission City, and Chilliwack. The Church suffered two fires and had to be rebuilt each time, most recently in April 1924. When the church was rebuilt it was enlarged to accommodate the 220 parishioners. In 1929 the people received their official establishment as a parish. Under the leadership of their priest, Fr. D. O’Carroll, the church was moved down the hill to a new location at Hazel and Gladys Roads in June 1931. In 1948 a large addition was added using materials from the Presbyterian church on Essendene Avenue, recently vacated when Trinity Memorial United Church was built in 1947. The addition housed a sanctuary in the centre, a sacristy in the south end and a small vestry in the north end. The area of the church formerly sectioned off as a sanctuary was cleared and seating for an additional eighty worshippers added, bringing the total seating capacity to 200. Shortly after, the small front porch entry was extended into a steeple that rose above the roofline. Hungarian members of the congregation spearheaded a campaign to obtain a bell to call the parishioners to worship. Ordered from Germany, the bell was raised in special ceremony on June 21st, 1953. In 1959 it became apparent the small building could no longer accommodate the increasing congregation. It was Fr. Csaki and Fr. Bach who arranged for the purchase of nine cleared acres at the corner of Mayfair and Sandalwood Roads. In 1966, following the construction of the present St. Ann’s on Mayfair Avenue, the church at 2642 Gladys Avenue was desanctified and sold. The building was purchased by local businessman, George Feltrin, who used the vacant building as warehouse space for his "Old Curiosity Shop." In November 2003 the building was demolished to accommodate widening of Gladys Avenue. |
Date |
7/22/1992 |
Object Name |
Print, Photographic |
Source |
Staff Photograph |