Christ Church Cathedral

Gavin Elbourne

Gavin came to Montreal three months before the rest of his family in 1973. Feeling quite lonely he went to the Cathedral the first Sunday after he arrived. He was welcomed, taken out to lunch by John Foreman, and immediately embraced the Cathedral as a second family and spiritual home. If you talk to people who knew him they will mention his gaudy ties and tone-deaf but vigorous singing, both, however, symbolic of the passionate enthusiasm with which he embraced life, even during the two years when he was dying of lung cancer. The sermon he preached on the first anniversary of his diagnosis is on the Cathedral website and has helped many people facing crises. He called it “Therefore Choose Life.”

Fourteen years of wonderful memories
By Sam Keuchguerian

Fourteen years ago, when my son Arek became a member of the trebles' choir at Christ Church Cathedral, he was in grade two. It was a completely new environment, and as all children his age, he was a bit shy. As for me, I already knew the church, rather, I knew the old organ with its console located on the side of the baptistery, and the pipes, near the chapel. I had played on this instrument on two separate occasions -- weddings, to be specific. I don't remember the date of these events, but I do know that the grooms of both weddings have long passed away.

I remember my son's first day at Christ Church Cathedral in 1995.

I do remember when I first set foot at the cathedral.  It was in the 2001 spring a couple of weeks before Easter.  Maybe it would be good to tell you about my mental health at that time.  I’m a gay guy.  Born in a Roman Catholic family in the Abitibi-Temiscaming region.   Being gay in that region and in my family is simply evil.  They have rejected me and it was forbidden for me to be alone with my nephews.  For them being gay means also being pedophile.  No words could be harsh enough to describe their disgust about me.  Let’s say that whore was the less offensive word used by my own mother when she first suspected my sexual orientation at 14 years old after I spilled the beans about being abused by one of my brothers for 7 years.  When I did my coming out, I was sent at 24 year old to Medjugorie in the former Yugoslavia, a very popular pilgrim place at that time, to beg the Virgin Mary to be healed that I might be acceptable and worthy to her son, our Lord Jesus Christ (meaning be worthy to her and my family).    I can also speak about all the mistreatment I passed through at school by the teachers, how I as a dyslexic I had been declared by those people to be too stupid to be able to do something good in my life.    Let's say that I’d had been taught to never believe in myself and not to have self-respect.  

Now, back to the first time ever I came to this cathedral. 

What a gift

During my years of worship and community here at Christ Church Cathedral, I of course have made many wonderful friends, as you have. These days I am remembering one whom you may never have met; so let me introduce Jane to you as I reminisce about her and recount some of our CCC adventures together.