about

Saint Mark the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, located at 160 Principale Street in the Aylmer sector of Gatineau, Quebec, was established in 1955 to serve the local English-speaking Catholic community. The church building was completed in 1957 but was severely damaged by fire on February 1, 1981. During repairs, Mass was held at St. Mark’s School until the church was restored and re-dedicated on Holy Thursday, 1982.

Aylmer, originally called Symmes Landing, was renamed in 1831 in honor of Lord Mathew Aylmer. The area has a long history, having been used as summer camps by the Algonquin First Nations for centuries. By 1889, the construction of the Deschênes Dam provided electricity to a trolley line connecting Ottawa and Aylmer.

Aylmer’s religious heritage is reflected in its early churches, including Christ Church, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian, St. Paul’s Catholic, and Aylmer United. Before Saint Mark’s was established, English-speaking Catholics attended Mass at St. Paul’s and the Redemptorist Monastery chapel. The church was named in honor of the evangelist St. Mark and initially belonged to the Diocese of Ottawa. Its first church bell was repurposed from a retired ship.

In the 1970s, as immigration to the area increased, St. Mark’s played a vital role in supporting newcomers by assisting with housing, language learning, and community integration.

ORIGINS
The church is part of the Archdiocese of Gatineau, which provides information on parish activities and events. The church building, constructed in 1957, featured a rectangular floor plan with a gable roof and a prominent bell tower.  The church floor plan was changed to the current state in 2019.