About the Parish
Saint Bartholomew’s, Regent Park, affectionately known as ‘S. Bart’s’, was founded in 1873 on the west bank of the Don River and moved by horses and logs to its present location in 1910. We’re the Anglican Parish for Regent Park and southern Cabbagetown. Whether you have ever attended the Parish Church or not, all those who live within the bounds of the Parish are already considered parishioners, and as such, entitled to sacramental ministry and pastoral care free of charge. Our Parish has a rich legacy of ministry to the spiritual and physical needs of all who come to our doors, and many of those who consider S. Bart’s their spiritual home live outside of the parish boundaries. Wherever you live, be assured of a warm welcome.
‘A wonderful place to worship and an integral part of my formerly secular life… the leadership at St B’s have been gracious hosts and shining examples of the Christian life. I am proud to call St B’s my spiritual home.’ – Jean
Sunday Worship
Sung Mass is offered on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. A smaller spoken service (‘Low Mass’) is also offered each Sunday at 9:00 a.m. and a brief service of Mattins is said between the services at 10:00 a.m. All are welcome to join us for Mass and Daily Offices (Morning and Evening Prayer), whether on a Sunday or during the week. The weekday schedule changes from week to week, but you can find the current times here. Following the 11:00 a.m. Sunday service, a time of fellowship and hospitality is enjoyed in the hall downstairs. If you are new, please do join us.
You’ll find that our liturgy is a timeless form of worship that involves the whole person — body, mind, and spirit. We’re an Anglo-Catholic parish whose people cherish the traditional theology of the Catholic Church as expressed in the beautiful liturgical language of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. Our worship exemplifies all that is best in the Catholic liturgical tradition, and is characterised by the use of Eucharistic Vestments, incense, and the sanctus and Angelus bells. Our Choir sings at the Parish Mass on Sundays and major festivals throughout the year. Its repertoire includes Gregorian chant, early polyphony, French Baroque, and twentieth-century English and French compositions.
If you’ve never attended an Anglican service of worship before, you can expect to find a quiet but friendly assembly of people from all walks of life. Most people arrive a few minutes early, collect the service leaflet from the greeter, and take a moment to prepare their heart and mind for worship.
‘When I was in a very difficult in my life, I found myself at St. Bart’s. The community here have been so supportive and I now think of this as my parish in every way. The strength of the parish community combined with service to the surrounding neighbourhood (as well as excellent and intellectually stimulating teaching) give this a church a really rich flavour. The liturgy is conducted with care and dignity, in such a way that someone like myself, who previously had little background in Anglican worship, could find himself completely drawn into its rhythms.’ – Drew
Ages and Stages of the Christian Life at St. Bart’s
Baptism, Confirmation, Weddings, and Funerals are all part of the Pilgrimage that is the Christian Life. We offer Sacramental Ministry for every ‘age and stage’:
- Baptism begins our Christian lives by making us members of Christ’s Body, the Church.
- Confirmation, generally offered when children reach the age of 10 or 11, confers upon us the graces by which we live the Christian life as adult Christians.
- Christian Marriage is a Sacrament of the Church — an objective means of grace whereby the Couple draw closer to God as their love for one another deepens.
- Funerals are the Church’s loving commendation of the human soul to God as into the hands of a faithful Creator and most merciful Saviour. Care for the body of the departed and burial of the dead together form the final corporal (bodily) work of mercy that we offer the departed.
‘It is my home when I am there, it is my home when I am away – the spirit of Christ is there, as I was able to see even on my first Sunday attending.’ – Caleb
Works of Mercy
When S. Mother Teresa of Calcutta asked in 1986, ‘Where do they feed the poor in Toronto’, she was brought to our parish. For generations S. Bart’s has been known as the place where people are fed.
We currently offer:
- A Breakfast Ministry: Breakfast is served Thursdays between 6:00 and 8:00 a.m. (5:45 to 6:45 a.m. in July and August).
- An Emergency Food Bank: Mondays and Thursdays 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. (except during July and August).
‘Love this place! Beautiful and thoughtful liturgy, strong community spirit, and a commitment to humbly serving others.’ – Will
