The Deep Roots of St. Andrew's Oakville

By Terry Murphy

April 3, 2017

St. Andrew’s Roman Catholic Parish in Oakville, Ontario celebrated its 175th anniversary two years ago through a fundraising campaign to help the Diocese of Cornerbrook and Labrador, whose priests spend much of their time traveling to far-flung missions to minister to the faithful. This was a fitting means of celebrating their anniversary since St.

Andrew’s Roman Catholic Parish in Oakville, Ontario celebrated its 175th anniversary two years ago through a fundraising campaign to help the Diocese of Cornerbrook and Labrador, whose priests spend much of their time traveling to far-flung missions to minister to the faithful In the past fifty years, the adult choirs led by Tim Elia, Brian Isherwood, Jerzy Cichocki, and Charles Demuynck have not only provided fine music for the liturgies at the church, but they have also contributed to the musical life of the Oakville community Perhaps it is because people have worshipped for 177 years in this, the only original, pre-confederation church structure still standing in the Town of Oakville, that visitors and regular parishioners feel a special spirit when they enter this old, but well-maintained building Andrew’s story began nearly 200 years ago as a mission parish, almost four decades before Oakville became a municipality and five decades before Confederation  The fact that the Presbyterian town founder donated the land and that an Anglican businessman donated electrical fixtures (as well as indoor plumbing for the school) emphasizes the long history of cross-denominational friendship fostered between the community of St

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