Christ's Church Cathedral
Christ's Church Cathedral is the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Niagara and the seat of the Bishop of Niagara. With the Anglican Church of Canada it proclaims and celebrates 'the gospel of Jesus Christ in worship and action' and values a heritage of 'biblical faith, reason, liturgy, tradition, bishops and synods'. It says it welcomes everyone without exception, believing that everyone is 'a beloved child of God', and that it has long supported equal marriage and the full inclusion of 2SLGBTQIA+ people in the life of the church.
Christ’s Church Cathedral stands on the east side of James Street North in the lower city, on land given by Nathaniel Hughson, and it has been on the site since 1835; the cathedral speaks of its deep roots in the Jamesville neighbourhood. The city’s heritage inventory records that the original church, a stuccoed timber building designed by Robert Charles Wetherell, the architect of Dundurn Castle, had its cornerstone laid on 13 October 1835 and opened in July 1839. Work on a stone Gothic Revival church to a scaled-down design by William Thomas began in 1852, built around the wooden one. In 1873, anticipating its choice as the cathedral of the new Diocese of Niagara, the congregation took down the frame church, and Langley & Burke added three more bays to the nave and a new west front; the completed cathedral opened in 1876. A longer chancel designed by William Palmer Witton followed in the 1920s.
The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Niagara, the Right Reverend Susan Bell, and it hosts confirmations for parishes across the diocese. Its rector is the Very Reverend Dr. Tim Dobbin, Dean of Niagara. The cathedral’s history page credits it with starting the Hamilton Children’s Choir and the Jamesville Bennetto Early Learning & Child Care Centre, among other organizations.
On Sundays a Holy Eucharist is held at 8:30 a.m. and a Choral Eucharist, livestreamed on YouTube, at 10:30. During the week Morning Prayer is said in the cathedral at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, and a Holy Eucharist is celebrated on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m.
What to expect
There is no dress code. Greeters hand each person an order of service, and newcomers are told not to worry about when to stand or sit and to join in when they feel comfortable. Communion is celebrated at the weekly services: people come up to the altar rail to receive the bread and the cup, and anyone who does not wish to receive may come forward with arms crossed for a blessing. A collection is taken. The cathedral describes itself as committed to excellence in music and liturgy, 'but we're not pretentious about it', and the dean invites questions after the service.
About this listing
Sources: cathedralhamilton.ca, niagaraanglican.ca, hamilton.ca.
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