"A parish is three things," Montreal's Archbishop Christian Lépine told parishioners at Sainte-Catherine-Labouré's 11 a.m. Sunday Mass on Aug. 16: a sanctuary, a place of solidarity and a centre of mission.

A parish is first a sanctuary, he said, a house of prayer open to all. It is also where solidarity with those most in need is put into practice. And finally, it is called to be a centre of mission, a place of outreach where those who do not yet know Jesus Christ can hear of him and come to know him.

United in Belief and Action

Archbishop Lépine also spoke of the communal dimension of faith. When the faithful say "I believe" in the Creed, they make that profession together. In the same way, a parish community prays, lives out solidarity with those in need, and carries out its mission of evangelization together. For the archbishop, this mission carries particular importance today, as many young adults search for a deep and lasting sense of purpose in their lives.

Accompanying Young Adults in Search of Meaning

Archbishop Lépine noted that a growing number of young adults are seeking to explore life's deeper questions and to discover faith. Some now ask for baptism, not having received it as children. Others were baptized and confirmed at a younger age but now feel a desire to know their faith more fully.

Faced with this search for meaning, the Church is called to be present. "We cannot not be there," Archbishop Lépine insisted, inviting parish communities to reflect on how they can welcome and support these individuals in their search.

For the archbishop, this movement is a source of hope: God is already at work in people's hearts. The responsibility of the community, then, is to be present, to welcome them, and to accompany them on their journey.

Rooted in Prayer and Hope

On the occasion of this 75th anniversary, Archbishop Lépine encouraged the parishioners of Sainte-Catherine-Labouré to remain deeply rooted in prayer, recalling how closely faith and hope are bound together.

Marking this milestone, the parish is invited not only to give thanks for the years behind it, but also to look ahead: to continue being a house of prayer, to care for the most vulnerable, and to become ever more a place where all can encounter and come to know Jesus Christ.

A Parish Family, Gathered in Gratitude

After Mass, the celebration continued in the parish hall, where many parishioners came together for a time of fellowship.

Several parishioners shared, with visible emotion and gratitude, what Sainte-Catherine-Labouré means in their lives, recalling journeys of faith, chance encounters and moments they still carry with them. For many, they said, the parish has become far more than a gathering place: a community in which to grow in faith, form lasting bonds and journey together.

Father Alexandre Tran, pastor of the parish, joined the celebration, which brought together 75 years of Sainte-Catherine-Labouré's history in an atmosphere of joy and gratitude.

A celebration turned at once toward the years behind and the years ahead, carried by the shared desire to see Sainte-Catherine-Labouré's mission continue in faith and in hope.

Maribel Mayorga
Press Officer, Archbishop's Office and
Director, Communications and Media relations
Archdiocese of Montreal