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Ministries: Pastoral Ministries

St. Ignatius Parish is a historic parish in Winnipeg, MB. It has been under the pastoral care of Jesuits since its founding in 1908.

Archbishop Langevin of St. Boniface created St. Ignatius Parish in 1908. Father Lewis Drummon, S.J., was appointed as its first Pastor. The boundaries laid down were – the north and east by the Assiniboine and Red Rivers, south by Parker Avenue and west by the districts of Tuxedo and Charleswood.

Mass was celebrated for the first time on 16 February, 1908, in a rented store at 109 Osborne Street. A borrowed table served as an altar and 140 parishioners used camp chairs as pews.

Within two months, property was acquired at the corner of McMillan and Nassau streets and a church bought from the Baptists was moved to the site. In November, Father John C. Coffee, S.J., was appointed parish priest.

Property at the corner of Corydon and Stafford, site of the present church, was purchased in 1909. Excavation for the church and school began in September, 1910. The school opened with 19 pupils on 8 January, 1912. Mass was celebrated in the church basement from 17 March on.

In 1928, the school was enlarged to eight rooms and work began on the church’s upper structure. Archbishop Sinnott blessed the church in February, 1929.

Father A. J. Primeau, S.J., was pastor from 1934 – 1938 when ill health forced him to retire. He was succeeded by Father R. Cadwallader who was followed by Father Earl Reddin, S.J. in 1939. In 1946, Our Lady of Victory Memorial parish was created and families in the extreme eastern and southern regions became members of that parish. Father R. MacGilvray, S.J. became pastor in 1947 and arranged for a complete renovation of the parish hall in 1949, providing additional facilities including a kitchen. The school was enlarged to 12 rooms also.

The parish was severed when St. John Brebeuf parish was created for River Heights and Tuxedo residents.

Under Jesuit Father V. Shaughnessy, D.H. McLarnon, and R.C. Chase the parish added classrooms, an auditorium, a convent and an administration centre which includes living quarters for the priests.

255 Stafford St, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
(204) 474-2351