Saint Mary’s and the Halifax Explosion — Saint Mary's Cathedral Basilica Foundation

“Amid the calamities which of late have befallen our people there has been little need or occasion for words. Ruin tells its own story, desolation has left its visible record. Sorrow has come upon us, to be felt and shared but not to be described. The suffering of each is the suffering of all, and the general affliction has become a personal grief. In time of rejoicing we may go on our separate ways; but now we tread the same path; adversity brings us together.” – Archbishop Edward McCarthy, Feb. 7th, 1918

The history of the First World War is a catalogue of horrors. Across Canada, 400,000 young men answered the call to enlist and went overseas as a part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. From 1914-1918, they fought all across the Western Front, and 50,000 remained there as casualties, never to return home. But the war truly came home for Canadians on December 6th, 1917. The Belgian relief ship Imo collided with the heavily laden French munitions vessel Mont Blanc in Halifax Harbour (carrying over 2,500 tons of high explosives). The resulting explosion was the largest human-made explosion at the time, releasing the equivalent energy of roughly 2.9 kilotons of TNT. Approximately 2000 people were killed in the explosion or died shortly thereafter from their injuries. About 9000 people sustained injuries. The suffering was made worse by a blanket of snow that fell over Halifax later in the day of the Explosion.

Every building within an almost two-mile radius was destroyed or badly damaged. Although Saint Mary’s Cathedral was outside the blast radius, she was not spared from the terror. The Cathedral itself sustained heavy damage, amounting to $41,000 ($703,150 in 2020), and the Archbishop’s Residence, Glebe House, and Parish hall suffered another $8,066 in damage ($138,331 in 2020). The damage to Saint Mary’s, an icon of faith and stability throughout its long history, was severe; over a hundred years after the disaster, the scars can still be seen on the seaward side of the structure. The stained glass windows were blown out, and the sandstone structure heavily battered by the storm of debris that exploded from the Mont Blanc. Five parish churches were destroyed, as was St. Joseph’s Catholic School and the nearby convent. Several other convents, chapels, and church buildings were also heavily damaged. The Halifax Infirmary was also hit by the blast; founded by the Sisters of Charity, it was one of the most important medical facilities in the city at the time.

The spiritual response to the disaster was immediate. Archbishop McCarthy recalled priests from rural parishes to comfort the dying and the bereaved. He called upon the faithful of the city to open their homes and their hearts to the homeless after thousands of homes were destroyed in the cataclysm. His Grace also called together the other bishops of the Maritime Provinces, and within two weeks they drafted a message to Prime Minister Borden advocating for the victims of the Halifax Explosion. Their words carried great weight, and the Federal government took full responsibility for the damage and budgeted $30,000,000 for rehabilitation and restoration ($514,000,000 in 2020).

Even in times such as these, there are still beacons of hope. Friends around the world donated $10,000,000 to provide for the victims and rebuild Halifax. And the parish community of Saint Mary’s came together to restore their spiritual home. Shortly after the explosion, a fundraising campaign was launched to restore the damage done to the Cathedral, as well as the destruction of churches, schools, convents, and other buildings. The Knights of Columbus (including Archbishop McCarthy, a charter member of the Halifax chapter), gave over their clubhouse to house the victims. Their charity was recognized by the naming of Columbus Street in the Hydrostone neighbourhood in their honor. Aside from the Archbishop, other members of the clergy distinguished themselves. Countless priests from Halifax and communities across the province tended to the spiritual needs of the victims, providing comfort in their final hours and counsel to the survivors. Fr. Charles McManus (later made a Monsignor), was also recognized for the important role he played in managing the Archdiocese’s response to the disaster, despite the fact that during the crisis, his own mother was passing. His funeral oration states that “so well developed was his relief and identification system that it was regarded as a masterpiece of social organization. It was generally conceded that Monsignor McManus was admirably equipped to deal with the needs growing out of the Halifax disaster.”

Shortly after the explosion, people began to clear debris, repair buildings, and establish temporary housing, but the rebuilding of Halifax began in earnest the following spring. Saint Mary’s Cathedral would be restored and welcome back its parishioners to their spiritual home. Standing proudly over the city, it remains a symbol of strength for the community and a reminder, in the words of Archbishop McCarthy, “through affliction at home and warfare of hatred abroad, a gleam of hope is shining.”