Whistler welcomes Catholic sanctuary

When the doors of Whistler’s new Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church finally opened for its consecration on the Feast of the Visitation, May 31, pastor Fr. Andrew L’Heureux stood inside a space that, while still slightly unfinished, carried the sense of years toward a completed vision. 

Now, months later, the formal grand opening on Sept. 19 transfigures that feeling into quiet certainty: the years of struggle and physical labour across millions of dollars raised were all worth it. In that same church, the newest expression of Catholicism in the small mountain resort town found itself finally ushered in. 

This occasion united local Catholics, the Whistler community at large and donors who helped the nearly $8 million project come to fruition. While the sheer beauty of the parish’s new alpine-laden look took the breath away of many in attendance, L’Heureux attested they weren’t the first to feel that way. 

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“Stepping in for the first time was a surreal experience, and it took a while for it to sink in. Anyone who's restored a building knows the suffering involved, and so it was incredible to see the many beautiful miracles that happened to get us to where we are and how the parishioners were a part of that,” he told the Catholic Register. 

“We’ve seen how valuable and worthwhile the suffering was, because the product at the end is just so good. When we got the tabernacle, the altar and the communion rail in, we started to see how special this would be. Some of the donors came in crying when they saw it for the first time, one saying, ‘This is exactly what I would have envisioned a church in our Whistler to look like,’ he expressed. 

The statement rings true by the very nature of the building, with Our Lady of the Mountains now sporting countless elements that celebrate both traditional Catholicism and the unique expression of Canada’s West Coast outdoors, winter and ski culture. 

In what was once a mere recreational hall that could seat a maximum of 200 parishioners, now stands an expansive, wooden chalet-esque structure with the capacity to seat 500 with the use of the hall and additional seating. 

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As L’Heureux explains in detail, while he remains blessed and thankful to inherit the parish's former Holy site, the product of the restoration project has become far more than a new structure, but rather a celebration of the faith, Whistler, and Catholicism's special place in Whistler.  

“There is just something very powerful about the building; the upper part resonates and comes alive beautifully with voices, the circular window on the west side of the church with a cross through it so it looks like a big Eucharist that shines like a spotlight in the afternoons, and even the new eight-sided baptismal font that represents the eight days of creation and us becoming a new creation when we're baptized as the spiritual entrance into the church,” he said. 

“There is a potential donation of the window over the front door of the Annunciation to coincide with the Coronation of Blessed Virgin Mary that is seen over the altar; meanwhile, the space looks like an upside-down boat, like being in the boat with Peter,” he continued, nearly running out of breath describing the extensive layout. 

The church also features one parishioner's special painting, a massive image of Our Lady of the Mountains, which adds to the beauty,  and the welcoming and tranquil feeling as you walk into this house of worship. The site’s altar foundation is even connected directly to the building that rests on 70 piles driven 70 feet deep. Parishioners brought ~300 rocks, complete with their names inscribed, that were then placed in a form and filled with cement under the altar.

The grand opening celebrated the generosity, prayers, and continued dedication toward the new spiritual home for the next generation of Whistler Catholics. In the presence of all of these distinct attributes, through guided church tours, thanksgiving, and Holy Mass, Fr. L’Heureux spoke to just how meaningful the new hub is set to truly become. 

As he reflected, the project called to mind Noah building the ark. Now built, although not 300 cubits in length, the faithful continue to show up nonetheless. 

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“God just kept putting the money and the right people forth throughout all of this, and everything just kind of happened through a life of its own,"  L’Heureux said. "Since we have opened up, our daily Mass attendance has doubled to triple every day, and our weekday Mass attendance sees us full most of the time,” 

“ I've had three weddings of parishioners, and I most likely will have five by the end of the year, as well as another two or three baptisms when we usually may have only one," he exclaimed. "The beauty of what God has done here is mind-blowing — just incredible miracles of His goodness are continuing."

A version of this article appeared in the September 20, 2026 issue of The Catholic Register with the headline "Whistler welcomes Catholic sanctuary"