Our Parish

St. Mother Teresa Syro-Malabar Catholic Parish is a Syro-Malabar Parish located in Ottawa, Ontario, under the jurisdiction of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. This parish was officially established on June 26, 2016, under the Syro-Malabar Exarchate. Fr. George Danavelil was appointed as its first pastor at that time. Originally named Blessed Mother Teresa Syro-Malabar Catholic Parish of Ottawa, the parish was renamed St. Mother Teresa Syro-Malabar Catholic Parish of Ottawa on September 4, 2016, coinciding with the canonization of Mother Teresa.

The roots of the Syro-Malabar Catholic community in Ottawa stretch back to 1976 when Fr. George Panikulam, who is now retired, celebrated the first Holy Mass in the Syro-Malabar rite. This first mass took place at St. Brigid’s Roman Catholic Church, now known as Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts, located in Lower Town. Over the years, the community shifted its location several times, moving from St. Brigid’s to Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Hintonburg, and more recently, to St. Maurice Catholic Church in Nepean.

At the request of Bishop Mar Jose Kalluvelil and the community, Archbishop Terrence Prendergast of Ottawa decided to allow the use of St. John the Apostle Catholic Church for weekly Sunday Mass and catechism classes for the congregation. This was part of the broader effort to establish a dedicated place of worship and community gathering for the growing number of Syro-Malabar Catholics in the region.

As the community grew, the parish expanded its operations to a larger church, moving to St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Shrine located at 952 Green Valley Crescent, Ottawa. The increasing demand prompted the parish to purchase a permanent establishment at 1 Stapledon Crescent, Nepean, ON. This site serves as the residence of the pastor and the office for parish operations.

Under the spiritual guidance of their chief pastor/vicar, the parish congregates every Sunday to celebrate the Holy Qurbana (Mass). This weekly gathering is not only a spiritual activity but also an opportunity for families to attend catechism and participate in various social and cultural activities, fostering a strong community bond among the parish members.

As the community continued to grow, the need for a larger space became apparent. In response to this need, the parish relocated to St. Ignatius the Martyr Parish Ottawa, situated at 518 Donald Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1K 1L7. This new location provides ample space for the growing congregation to gather for weekly Sunday Holy Masses, catechism classes, and various social and cultural activities.