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The changing mission of religious spaces 

By Karen Herland

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Organ music filled the chapel of the Grey Nuns Mother House as researchers, academics, university administrators, students and the sisters themselves marked the launch of the international conference, Religious Houses: A Legacy.

As President Judith Woodsworth commented in her opening remarks on Oct. 7, the setting for the event “could not be more appropriate.” Concordia acquired the property in 2007 and has worked with the Sisters of Charity to map out the transition of ownership and use of the property over several years. One wing is occupied by students in residence while the Grey Nuns continue to use the rest of the building, “this unique cohabitation continues in perfect harmony,” said Woodsworth.

This special partnership exemplifies one solution to the growing heritage challenge facing underused or unoccupied convents, abbeys, and religious residences across the world; the theme of the five-day conference.

The evening was emceed by Clarence Epstein, Director, Special Projects and Cultural Affairs in the Office of the President. Along with Woodsworth, Dean Ginette Legault of UQAM and Michel Lavoie, President of the Conseil du patrimoine religieux du Québec, representing the other two sponsors of the international conference, welcomed the several hundred delegates and guests.

Luc Noppen, UQAM’s Canada Research Chair in Urban Heritage, offered a richly illustrated overview of the history and range of religious buildings in rural and urban contexts across the province. Noppen pointed out that many Quebec towns have a Rue du Couvent, testimony to the centrality that these buildings had in civic life.

Christopher Jackson, former Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, was slated to play the 1892 Casavant organ that had been built for the Chapel. Jackson is also leading the campaign to raise funds to convert the Mother House into the home of the Faculty of Fine Arts. Unfortunately, an injury prevented him from performing but his close colleague, Réjean Poirier of UdeM, took his place.

Guests were invited to a reception afterwards. They were also treated to a sneak peek of Préoccupations, the commissioned FOFA Gallery exhibition about the Mother House curated by Martha Langford, Concordia University Research Chair in Art History. The show represents the reflections of a series of photographers on the historical and future role of the Mother House. It opens officially on Oct. 15th — the 308th anniversary of Ste. Marguerite d’Youville’s birth.

Gallery Director jake moore said some of the sisters attended the sneak preview and provided personal memories of some of the people and objects depicted in the images.

“One of the sisters told me herself that the exhibit allowed us to truly share the space and its history,” moore said.