Catholic Church celebrates a blessed 60th anniversary

Lisha Van Nieuwenhove

UXBRIDGE - On Sunday, July 26, Archbishop P.F. Pocock solemnly blessed the new church and auditorium of Sacred Heart parish here in the presence of many parishioners and friends.

After the blessing, the archbishop celebrated Dialogue Mass, which was the Mass of the Sacred Heart, to Whom the new building is dedicated.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, at 70 Toronto St. N., in Uxbridge, celebrates 60 years in this unique building this Friday, July 26, with a special Mass of Thanksgiving. Submitted photo

These are the first two paragraphs of the top story in the Canadian Register, Toronto edition, of Aug. 8, 1964 (now called the Catholic Register), announcing the opening of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church here in Uxbridge. For those unfamiliar with the church, it’s the unique round building located at 70 Toronto Street North.

The Uxbridge Times-Journal featured a photo of the Archbishop and other dignitaries on its front page just days after the official ceremony, as well as a photo showing “the beautiful black Italian marble altar during a moment of prayer.”

This Friday, July 26, at noon, Sacred Heart is inviting the community to join it during a special Mass of Thanksgiving being held to commemorate 60 years within the Uxbridge community. Next February, the church will celebrate 160 years in this parish.

According to the 1964 Canadian Register article, the first baptism in the parish was performed in 1845 by a Rev. H. Fitzpatrick. Mass was celebrated in the home of Michael O’Neil, which was located on the corner where the CIBC now sits.

The first church was built in Uxbridge in 1864, and the first mass was celebrated in Sacred Heart Church on Feb. 3, 1865.

In August 1963, demolition of the almost 100-year-old church began in order to make way for the church that now stands on Toronto St. N.

Sharon Soares, the secretary for Sacred Heart, remarked on how this church has seen many events in Uxbridge over the past 60 years, including the tornado that went through in May 2022.

“We survived the tornado,” she said. “Our grotto (the small display at the front of the church that features the Virgin Mary) wasn’t touched during the storm. The flower pots there didn’t blow over, and behind it, the little shoes there weren’t blown away - it was truly amazing it wasn’t completely destroyed.”

To learn more about Sacred Heart parish in Uxbridge, visit sacredheartux.archtoronto.org