Heating and Cooling our Parish Home
Four months ago, we reflected on the idea that “mission needs a home — and we are the stewards of both.” Starting Monday, June 15, that stewardship becomes visible as construction begins on a new heating and cooling system that will serve our parish for many years to come as
Our existing system has served us faithfully for nearly thirty years and has reached the end of its useful life. The new system will help ensure that Our Lady of Sorrows remains a welcoming, comfortable, and accessible place of worship, prayer, formation, and community.
As we prepare to begin work on this project, the Finance Council has determined that some related work to repair and insulate the church attic is best completed at this time as well. The rationale being that improving the energy efficiency of the insulation layer and strengthening the building envelope while we are upgrading the heating and cooling equipment makes good sense rather than performing these repairs and upgrades at some point in the future. As a result, the revised and updated project cost is $1,120,000.
Thanks to previous parishioner contributions to the Family of Faith Campaign and more recently in respect of the heating and cooling replacement project in 2025, we began this project with $565,000 already set aside. Your continued support this year has raised 74% of the funds needed for this project.
During construction, there will be no air conditioning in the church. Temporary fans will be available to help keep the church as comfortable as possible. Most of the work will take place in the parish hall, so disruption in the church should be minimal. Please note that the parish hall and downstairs washrooms will be closed during construction. Portable washrooms will be available in the piazza on the Cliveden Avenue side of the church.
We are deeply grateful for the remarkable support we have received through the monthly maintenance collection, special gifts, online donations, and prayerful encouragement. This strong response reflects the love parishioners have for their parish home and confidence in its future.
How can I support?
Support via the weekend collections, online or TipTap Pay. Your gifts will be matched up to $125,000 by a generous parishioner!
All donations are tax-deductible; official tax receipts are issued for contributions in February of the following year.
Every contribution makes a real difference. There is no suggested amount to give, as giving depends on each person’s personal financial situation. As Catholics, we are called to live our faith by sharing our time, talent and treasures. Each of us has limits on how much we can give in these areas and with prayer, we can help discern what is right for us. If a one-time gift feels difficult, one helpful option is to set up a monthly automatic withdrawal for the coming year. Spreading your contribution over twelve months often makes giving more manageable. Automatic withdrawals can be arranged through your bank account or credit card. Please see the form online, at the parish office, or at the back of church.
The new system and project schedule
VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) provides reliable heating and cooling for a large, intermittently used church, performs well in Toronto’s winter climate, and offers strong energy efficiency. It also allows for better zoning and comfort control throughout the building, making it the best choice for our parish. We also explored solar and geo‑thermal options for this project, but VRF technology remained the most practical and cost-effective option for our parish.
We are aiming to complete the work during the summer months of this year (July and August 2026). We understand how important access to the church and church hall are to our community and will do our best to minimize any disruptions. More information will be shared once project schedules and timing are confirmed.
Thank you for supporting and nurturing our spiritual home — The place where children encounter Christ, where families gather in prayer, where faith is nurtured, and where community is built. Over the past several years, we have invested deeply in parish programs and ministries, and rightly so. But even the strongest programs need a place where people can gather, pray, learn, and serve — comfortably and safely.
Want to hear Fr. Chris's homily that shares more details about this fundraising campaign? Click here.
Photo by Eric Maxmonko
