I’ll bet you didn’t know Guelph had a B.A.C. That’s a Big Ass Cathedral. It’s right downtown and its proper name is the Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. Or just the Basilica of Our Lady for short. If you want the brochure bit:
The Basilica of our Lady Immaculate has been a place of worship and reflection for over 125 years. The Basilica is constructed of local limestone in the Gothic Revival style. It towers over the Guelph community as a constant reminder of God’s love and a community’s resilience. Designated a National Historic Site, it is the most visited tourist destination in the city of Guelph.
After an intensive five phase restoration spanning many years, the restoration was completed in December 2014. There was a special dedication mass at the Church on December 8, 2014, and it was at this mass that Bishop Crosby announced that our Holy Father Pope Francis had elevated our church to the status of a Basilica in honour of its rich history and the importance of this parish in the Diocese of Hamilton and the City of Guelph.
In the fall of 2015, the Basilica of our Lady Immaculate was recognized for the restoration of the church. The Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals awarded their 2015 Award of Excellence to our Church. This is the largest respected collective of heritage professionals involved in the preservation of our national heritage properties. In November we received the Peter Stokes Award by the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario.
You can read a lot more, and see professional pictures at their website.
I’ve been inside it exactly once, to listen to a chorus a friend was singing in.
This is a view from the parking lot.
And this is the view taken standing in the same spot as the first picture, but turned around and looking at beautiful downtown Guelph. Photos have a way of flattening hills. If you look over that hedge there are three steep flights of steps leading up to the cathedral. That street is a long way down.
Anyway, there’s your local tour. Drop by and visit anytime!
Alex Good 
That IS a BAC! Lovely architecture.
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It really does dominate the downtown up on its hill. I’m not as fond of the interior, but nobody asked me. 🙄
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Write to the Pope. Let him know you don’t approve and I’m sure he’ll put you in touch with the correct people.
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I could do that. We even speak the same language, which is something new.
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If it would put him at his ease, write in Faux Latin. That should help break the ice and you can avoid any awkward moments.
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Open up a vendors stall of bookmarks to take advantage of the tourists. Preferably a stall that is actually a little wagon cart that you haul around. And a large hand bell that you ring at people as they try to studiously ignore you.
At least you know where to go if there is ever a zombie outbreak.
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The Knights of Columbus will sort the zombies out, I should think they have sharp swords.
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I thought all the Knights orders of the RCC were about 80 years old, like the Pope? Can you imagine him swinging a sword? 😀
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That’s an interesting history on the website. Wonder how St.Patrick felt being displaced by Bartholomew, and then Bart was trumped by Lady Mary! Disgruntled chaps I should think.
Also the Knights of Columbus! Swashbuckling around Guelph since 1910, they sound fun guys. 😁
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See, 120 years old. Those 80 year old youngsters! Don’t even know how to hold a sword properly these days. Back in my day….
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Doesn’t matter, the swords will have magic powers and the Knights are immortal. The zombies have chance zero!
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⚔️
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I’ve never used a sword so I might be in trouble. I’d need some help from the knights. I have always wanted to dump boiling oil on people from a great height, but I doubt that would do much to zombies except melt off some more flesh.
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Yeah, oil is for people, swords are for zombies.
Kind of like Trix are for kids, silly rabbit!
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Crossbows are for zombies too. At least according to The Walking Dead. But I don’t know how many arrow slits they included with the reconstruction. I hope they were thinking ahead to possible issues like this.
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If bullets don’t do it, except head shots, I’m not sure crossbows would be any better. Plus, they are heavy and really hard to aim.
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Darryl Dixon is the character who uses a crossbow on The Walking Dead. He never seems to miss a head shot. Most people agree it’s not the most practical weapon, though it has the advantage of being silent and you can reuse the ammunition. For some reason everybody in that series always seem to have no trouble finding more ammo for their guns though. I mean, I know you have a lot in storage just in case …
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America is the gun storage locker of the world. I mean, in my state alone we could probably fuel a small war with just the ammo we all have on hand. But none of this ripping off a bajillion bullets through a 50caliber though. We’d be plinking and conserving at every moment.
I say let Darryl keep the crossbow. That way he won’t use any of our ammo. Everybody stays happy that way 😀
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Got to admit I like a church that says, Look at me, I’m a church!
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They’re not hiding their light under a bushel!
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They’re hiding it under a basilica 😉
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If you can believe it, that’s a church emoji.
They need to do better.
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Looks like good old Protestant church with a steeple.
From which they can hang heretics! 😉
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