St-Jean-l’Évangéliste Cathedral Used for Montreal Canadiens Viewing Events

Apr 26, 2026, 14:27

Introduction

The St-Jean-l’Évangéliste Cathedral in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, has hosted several public events to watch Montreal Canadiens NHL playoff games. These events are organized by a nonprofit multimedia group called La Cargaison.

Main Body

The events take place inside the cathedral's sanctuary, which is equipped with a 35-foot screen, professional lighting, and DJs to create a shared experience for fans. These gatherings have attracted many people, including those who do not usually attend church. Some attendees have even used humor by pretending to be religious leaders, such as David Ouellet, who led fake prayers dedicated to the former player Maurice Richard. Isabelle Brulotte, the head of the Corporation Monseigneur Forget, which manages the venue, emphasized that using church spaces for sports is consistent with the traditional role of churches as community centers. Although some people have criticized these events as inappropriate, Brulotte asserted that they help the church attract younger people and serve the local community. In fact, data shows that 10,000 non-religious visitors entered the cathedral in 2025, and some of them later decided to attend Mass. Different people have different views on the link between sports and spirituality. Montreal Canadiens player Cole Caufield claimed that the passion of the fans is similar to a religion. On the other hand, Matt Hoven, a scholar of Catholic education, argued that while sports provide a sense of identity and ritual, they do not answer deep life questions like formal religion does. He further noted that in Quebec, hockey and Catholicism have a long history together, as Francophone priests once promoted the sport.

Conclusion

The cathedral will continue to host these sports events as a way to reach out to the community, even though experts and individuals disagree on whether sports fandom can be considered a form of religion.

Vocabulary Learning

consistent (adj.)
constant / in agreement with other facts or behavior一致的；連貫的
Example:Using the church as a community hub is consistent with its traditional role in the neighborhood.
emphasize (v.)
stress / to give special importance to something強調；重視
Example:The organizers emphasize that these gatherings are meant to foster a sense of community among local residents.
identity (n.)
character / the qualities that make a person or group different from others身份；認同
Example:Sports can provide fans with a strong sense of identity and belonging to a group.
inappropriate (adj.)
unsuitable / not suitable or proper in a situation不恰當的；不合適的
Example:Some critics argued that watching hockey in a cathedral was inappropriate for a religious setting.
promote (v.)
encourage / to support or encourage the progress of something推廣；促進
Example:In the past, local priests often promoted sports to encourage healthy activities among the youth.

Sentence Learning

These events are organized by a nonprofit multimedia group called La Cargaison.
Passive Voice: This structure shifts the focus from the performer of the action to the recipient of the action, which is common in formal reporting.被動語態: 此結構將焦點從動作的執行者轉移到動作的承受者，這在正式報導中十分常見。
The events take place inside the cathedral's sanctuary, which is equipped with a 35-foot screen, professional lighting, and DJs to create a shared experience for fans.
Non-defining Relative Clause: The 'which' clause provides additional, non-essential information about the sanctuary, separated by a comma.非限定性關係子句: 'which' 子句為「聖所」(sanctuary) 提供了額外的補充資訊，並以逗號隔開，這些資訊並非句意成立的必要條件。
Although some people have criticized these events as inappropriate, Brulotte asserted that they help the church attract younger people and serve the local community.
Concession Clause: 'Although' is used to introduce a contrasting idea or a counter-argument to the main point.讓步狀語從句: 'Although' (雖然) 用於引出與主句觀點形成對比的資訊或反對意見。
He further noted that in Quebec, hockey and Catholicism have a long history together, as Francophone priests once promoted the sport.
Reason Clause: In this context, 'as' functions as a formal conjunction meaning 'because' to explain the reason for the historical link.原因狀語從句: 在此語境中，'as' 作為正式連詞，意思等同於 'because' (因為)，用以解釋歷史聯繫的原因。
The cathedral will continue to host these sports events as a way to reach out to the community, even though experts and individuals disagree on whether sports fandom can be considered a form of religion.
Noun Clause with 'Whether': The word 'whether' introduces a clause that explores a doubt or a choice between two possibilities.使用 'whether' 的名詞子句: 'whether' (是否) 引導一個子句，用以探討在兩種可能性之間的懷疑或選擇。