Photo of the Week

The St. Jude gym & spa in Montreal

In 1905, the neo-gothic style St. Jude Church was built in Montreal, Canada, to provide for the spiritual needs of the Irish community. In 1953, the care of the parish was transferred to the Dominicans, who reformed it in 1954, giving its interior a more modern look. Later, this interior suffered still more alterations to fit the Vatican II agenda of adaptation to the modern world. A photo from some years ago, above, reproduces its façade and interior.

In 2006, when the Dominicans announced their intention to sell it, hundreds of parishioners petitioned both the Archdiocese and the City to prevent such a sale. The petition was disregarded, and in 2007 the church was desecrated and sold.

The State of Quebec has a Religious Heritage Council to assist with the restoration and maintenance of its churches. In 2003 this Council reported that Quebec had 2,751 churches, mostly Catholic. Since then 400 have closed and 160 were demolished. Council officials estimate that one church closes every week.

Consequently, public funds are being given not only for the preservation of the churches, but also to help those who want to give the sold/abandoned buildings a new use.

This is what happened with St. Jude Church. Its façade was preserved, but it was given a new name and purpose: it became the St. Jude Gym & Spa. The photos on this page register the new activities of the once sacred site: the first set of photos below show its gym; the second, its spa; the third, the yoga training rooms.

This is another consequence of the great disaster called Vatican II, which put Religious Orders in crisis, reformed the Mass and caused the faithful to abandon the churches.

Articles on this topic can be read here and here; videos promoting the gym and spa can be watched here and here.

Photos from the Interne, first seen in Fratres in unum

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Posted August 10, 2014

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