Our Parish Story: From Mission Roots to Christ the King
A legacy of faith, resilience, and community in the heart of Sudbury.
If you stand in front of Christ the King Church today, it’s easy to feel the weight of history in its brick walls and twin towers. But the story of this parish begins long before the building itself — back in the early 1900s, when Sudbury was growing, families were settling, and English‑speaking Catholics were looking for a spiritual home of their own.
Christ the King Church - a beacon of faith for generations.
First Church, First Parish (1883 – 1904)
Where Sudbury’s Catholic story begins.
Sainte‑Anne‑des‑Pins, Sudbury’s first Catholic parish (1894).
Sudbury’s Catholic history began in the 1880s, when the arrival of rail lines and the discovery of ore transformed a small settlement into a booming industrial town. Between January 1886 and January 1887, the Catholic population nearly doubled — from 193 to 376 members. Father Nolin’s small chapel could no longer serve the growing mission, and under Father Hormidas Caron, the faithful undertook the construction of a permanent church.
In the fall of 1887, Monsignor Thomas Joseph Dowling, Bishop of Peterborough, blessed the cornerstone of the new church during his first pastoral visit, confirming thirty‑six parishioners.
Two years later, in 1889, the first Mass was celebrated in the completed building — and Sainte‑Anne‑des‑Pins officially became Sudbury’s first Catholic parish.
The original structure was ambitious: a church, a school, and a parish hall under one roof. But in March 1894, tragedy struck when fire destroyed the building. A smaller church was rebuilt that same year, supported not only by Catholics but by members of other Christian denominations — a remarkable sign of the harmony that characterized early Sudbury.
By 1904, the Diocese of Peterborough divided, and Sainte‑Anne‑des‑Pins became part of the newly formed Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie under Monsignor Scollard. That same year, the parish built Jubilee Hall (located next to Ste Anne's), which quickly became the beating heart of parish and community life.
Growth, Diversity & New Needs (1904 – 1928)
As Sudbury expanded, Sainte‑Anne‑des‑Pins served a remarkably diverse Catholic population. Ukrainian Catholics, who had no church of their own until 1928, were welcomed into Sainte‑Anne’s space, often celebrating their rites with visiting priests. The parish was large, multilingual, and culturally rich — but this diversity also created new pastoral needs.
By 1914, the English‑speaking Catholic population had grown significantly. Opinions were divided: some wished to maintain a unified bilingual parish, while others
A parish serving many cultures and languages.
Jubilee Hall (1904) - The center of parish and community life.
recognized the need for English‑language pastoral care. The pastor chose patience, enlarging Sainte‑Anne church to accommodate both communities while discerning the right moment for change.
The Birth of St. Joseph’s → Christ the King (1917 – 1930)
The English‑speaking Catholic community finds its home.
Eventually, the English‑speaking congregation formed St. Joseph’s Parish, marking the first major division of Sainte‑Anne‑des‑Pins. This new parish would later evolve into Christ the King, carrying forward the legacy of Sudbury’s earliest Catholic community.
Construction of a permanent church began in the 1920s. The basement was completed in 1923 and served as a temporary worship space blessed in January 1924. By 1928, the parish was ready to build the full church — a year filled with milestones.
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On June 28, St. Joseph’s ordained its first priest, Rev. J.A. Mulligan, in the basement.
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On September 25, Bishop Scollard blessed the new church bell, donated by David B. Mulligan of Montreal.
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On December 23, the first Mass was celebrated in the newly completed church.
The cornerstone of St. Joseph's Church was laid in June 1928. But the most unforgettable moment came when Sudbury’s famous winds blew one of the church walls outward while parishioners were inside. No one was hurt.
“A story for the grandchildren,” parishioners said after the miraculous windstorm.
Parishioners called it a miracle; builders called it “a story for the grandchildren.” The wall was repaired, strengthened, and the church completed — a testament to faith and perseverance.
On September 29, 1929, Bishop Scollard dedicated the finished church, and 125 children received Confirmation that same afternoon. St. Joseph’s had become a true home.
Through the 1930s and 1940s, Sainte‑Anne continued to divide as Sudbury grew:
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In 1930, 600 families formed Saint‑Jean‑de‑Brébeuf.
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In May 1949, another 400 families established Saint‑Eugène.
Yet even after these divisions, Sainte‑Anne still counted 1,200 families by the fall of 1949 — a testament to its size, vitality, and foundational role in Sudbury’s Catholic life.
Christ the King Emerges (1928 – 1947)
Fire, rebuilding, and the rise of a new parish identity.
St. Joseph’s Parish, serving the English‑speaking Catholic community, grew steadily. The parish built its first church on Beech Street, a modest structure that quickly became a spiritual home for miners, railway workers, and families settling in the city’s west end.
When Bishop Ralph Dignan arrived in 1935, he noticed the diocese already had a St. Joseph’s Parish in Chelmsford. To avoid confusion (and misdelivered mail), he renamed the Sudbury parish Christ the King. It also reflected a growing identity and a desire for a name that expressed strength, hope, and devotion.
The parish thrived — but in 1947, disaster struck when the church was destroyed by fire. The community rallied, and a new, larger Romanesque Revival church was built on the same site, the one that stands proudly today.
Rebuilt in strength and faith after the 1947 fire.
A Parish That Builds More Than a Church (1936 – 1955)
Christ the King as a mother parish to Sudbury’s Catholic community.
From its earliest years, Christ the King did more than serve its own parishioners — it helped build Catholic life across Sudbury. As the city expanded, Christ the King became the spiritual anchor from which new parishes grew, each serving emerging neighbourhoods and cultural communities.
Parishes inspired or supported by Christ the King include:
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St. Clement (1936) — serving Sudbury’s West End. In 2002, St. Clement’s amalgamated with Our Lady of Perpetual Help to form Our Lady of Hope.
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Holy Trinity (1937) — established in the Donovan. In 2011, Holy Trinity was reunited with Christ the King, and the Burton Street church closed in 2013.
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All Saints (1938) — founded in Minnow Lake to serve families in the growing east end.
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St. Anthony’s (1953) — created to serve Sudbury’s Italian Catholic community.
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St. Patrick’s (1953) — established to meet the needs of Catholics in the South End.
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St. Andrew the Apostle (1955) — serving the rapidly developing New Sudbury neighbourhood.
Each of these parishes carries a thread of Christ the King’s legacy — a legacy of growth, outreach, and a willingness to meet people where they are.
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St. Andrew the Apostle (1955)
A Parish Rooted in History, Ringing Into the Future
Honouring tradition, restoring heritage, and calling the faithful to prayer once again.
Christ the King’s story is woven from moments of resilience — fires survived, walls rebuilt, winds endured, and communities formed. Among its most cherished symbols is the church bell, whose story spans nearly a century.
On September 25, 1928, Bishop Scollard blessed the new bell during a large ceremony. One side bore the names of the Bishop, Pastor, and curate; the other carried the inscription:
“This bell was presented to St. Joseph’s Parish, Sudbury, Ontario, by David B. Mulligan, Esq., Montreal, Canada.”
During the ceremony, the bell was rung for the first time by Dr. W.H. Mulligan, brother of the donor. For decades, its voice echoed across the city, calling the faithful to prayer.
But after nearly 20 years of silence, the bell needed restoration. In 2011, Christ the King undertook a major $500,000 project to repair the two towers and restore the historic bell. When the work was completed, the bell rang again — once more sounding across the heart of Sudbury, just as it had for generations.
Today, Christ the King stands as a parish deeply rooted in its past yet fully alive in its mission. It remains the spiritual home of thousands, a place where history and hope meet, and where the bell continues to ring — calling the faithful to prayer, community, and service.