Benedict Labre House
308 Young Street,
Montreal, QC
H3C 2G2
(514) 937-5973

Contact Info
Kat Gray

kgray

benedictlabre.org

A brief history

Watch a brief history spoken by Tony Gray

A group of individuals came together in the early 1950's who formed the catalyst for starting Benedict Labre House. Jim Shaw, Dr. Magnus Seng and Patricia Connors, Murray Ballantyne were among the earliest people involved in the endeavour. They were strongly attracted to Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement in New York. They dreamed of a similar enterprise in Montreal, complete with a newspaper. When Tony Walsh arrived in Montreal from British Columbia the group moved from the philosophical to the practical. He was ready to get something underway! Tony Walsh was oriented towards getting a house and living with the poor, to give food and shelter to the "down-and-outers" in Montreal. In late 1952 a house of hospitality was established on the upper level of 418 Lagauchetière. One of the early hallmarks of the house was the Tuesday evening talks given by committed Christians which were followed by lively discussions.

In 1955 the group launched Unity in the tradition of The Catholic Worker. The editorial meetings of Unity were often held around the bed of a key member of the team who was bedridden with arthritis. Dixie MacMaster was a deeply spiritual woman with good writing skills and insights. Others involved in the writing of the newspaper were Tony Walsh, Father William Power, Marjorie Conners, David Marvin, Murray Ballantyne, John Buell and Leo MacGillivray.

In the same year the house moved from Lagauchetière to 122 Duke Street for a few months and then to our current location on Young Street. It was at the Duke location that we received a brief visit from Jean Vanier. Later he wrote, "I was deeply touched by Benedict Labre House. The evening I spoke there were quite a few people there, all friends of the house. In the group I felt a deep yearning for the Gospel and a desire to live close to the poor. The spirit that prevailed was one of simplicity, friendship and a closeness to the poor in the name of Jesus."

Dorothy Day also visited Montreal and spent time at Patricia House (a hospitality house for women, named after one of Benedict Labre House’s founding members, Patricia Connors) and Benedict Labre House. She visited in the midst of moving from one location to another. She observed, "Even if they have to move again and again, each place they visit will be a home, a center and the impress will remain among the people with whom they settle. There are weekly meetings, and the new paper called UNITY, will deal with the work of the lay apostolate."

Griffintown was a neighbourhood in those days and around the streets where Patricia House and Labre House were located on Murray and Young streets. There were dilapidated dwellings teeming with low income families. The whole area was heavily populated. Benedict Labre House did not have to go far to find people to care for in the community. In the fifties the house was closely associated with the Little Sisters of Jesus who were new to Montreal and working in the same neighbourhood. Their devotion and work made a significant impact on Benedict Labre House.

In May, 1954 Cardinal Leger made this plea to St. Benedict Labre: