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 The Catholic Church in Canada has a young history that spans a little over 400 years.
Catholicism took root in Canada with the arrival in the new world by of the Europeans. On July 7, 1534, on the shores of the Gaspé peninsula, a French priest accompanying the explorer Jacques Cartier celebrated Mass for the first time on what was to become Canadian territory.
A Missionary Country
Colonization began in New France with the founding of Quebec City in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain and the establishment of Ville Marie, now Montreal, by Sieur Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve in 1642.
Many French religious congregations sent men and women to New France to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ, beginning a major missionary initiative. The Recollect Franciscans, the Jesuits, the Sulpician Fathers, the Ursulines, the Hospitaliars of Saint-Joseph and the Augustinians came and founded schools, established hospitals and opened seminaries. Two important Canadian religious orders were founded: the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame, by Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys in 1658, and the Grey Nuns, by Saint Marguerite d’Youville in 1737.
In 1658, Bishop François de Laval was named Apostolic Vicar for Canada, and later became the first Bishop in America. He was responsible for most of the territory that today covers Canada and the United States. There were martyrs in the early Church of the new world: six Jesuits and two lay associates were killed between 1642 and 1649.
From Atlantic to Pacific
In 1759, with the abolition of the French Regime following the defeat of the French forces at the hands of the British, the Catholic Church continued to grow despite the fact that in Great Britain Catholics were not allowed to practice their faith in public. A well-implanted parochial structure and the witness of many religious men and women convinced the British legislators that the Catholic Church should continue. Many years later, with the restoration of rights for Catholics in Great Britain, the Church was able to expand into English Canada. The Archdiocese of Kingston was established in 1826, Toronto in 1841 and Ottawa in 1847. In 1841, the Act of Union gave the Church in Canada full legal standing.
In 1820, the episcopal district of the Red River was established which, in 1871, became the Archdiocese of Saint-Boniface. This was the start of a large missionary endeavour by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Western and Northern Canada, particularly among the Aboriginal peoples, a work that continues to this day. The Church was established from the Atlantic to the Pacific with the erection of dioceses in St. John’s in 1784, Halifax in 1842, and Victoria in 1846 followed by Vancouver in 1873.
The Rich Diversity of the Church in Canada
The Eastern Churches have also played a major role in the development of the Catholic Church in Canada, especially in Western Canada where there were large migrations of people from Eastern Europe, particularly from the Ukraine. Today, the Ukrainian Church is the largest of the Eastern Churches in Canada. Its founder, Bishop Nykyta Budka, was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2001. Other Eastern Churches in Canada serve Slovaks, Armenians, Greek-Melkites, Maronites, Syrians and Syro-Malabars.
A Canadian Portrait
Canada is a vast territory with a northern climate. Most of the population is located along its southern border with the United States, leaving many larges areas of the interior and north with few people. Canadian society is a mosaic of many languages and cultures from around the world. As a reflection of its historical development, Canada is constitutionally bilingual with English and French as the two recognized official languages. According to statistics from the Government of Canada, 83% of the population calls itself Christian. There are more than 30 Christian denominations in Canada. The major Christian Churches include the Catholics, the United Church, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Baptists, Orthodox and Pentecostals, accounting for 91% of all Christians. Catholics in Canada account for more than half of all Christians. There are 71 dioceses in Canada including the Military Ordinatiate and eight eparchies (Eastern Catholic Church).
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Church in Canada and World 
