1950s |
Gallery |
The second wave of Slovenian immigration, numbering approximately 7,500 people, occurred between the years 1947 and 1951. As refugees, these people were stateless until they were permitted to apply for Canadian citizenship and a passport after five years of residency. Louis St. Laurent of the Liberal party was the Canadian prime minister during this time.
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After serving their mandatory one-year contract in other areas of the country, many Slovenians moved to the Toronto area, and soon Toronto contained the highest concentration of Slovenians in Canada. Various Slovenian missionaries visited to conduct religious services until 1948, when Fr. Jakob Kolarič of the Vincentian Fathers of Slovenia arrived in Toronto to become the permanent spiritual leader. To reach out to Slovenians living elsewhere, Fr. Kolarič published a monthly magazine called Božja Beseda (God’s Word).
The Slovenians of Toronto felt a need for their own church, and finally, with the arrival of Bishop Gregory Rožman of Ljubljana in 1949, the process was started. In 1950, at a meeting at Our Lady of Mount Carmel church in Toronto, attended by over one hundred Slovenians, a committee was elected to initiate the process of building a church, |
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with Gregory Mihelič as the first president. Within three months, two hundred people had committed to donating almost $10,000.00. In 1952, Fr. Janez Kopač arrived as the pastor and the property at 609 Manning Avenue was purchased for $9,700.00. By 1953, the architect, Peter Dimitroff, completed the drawings which were approved by Toronto City Hall, and Our Lady Help of Christians church (Marija Pomagaj) opened in 1954, with the first mass celebrated by Bishop Rožman. The choir was organized by Ignac Križman and the organist was Jurij Eržen. Soon, a Slovenian school was established, and various cultural activities, such as theatrical performances, concerts, special events, banquets and other social gatherings, were organized.
Stane Brunšek completed his contract on the railway and came to Toronto. There he established the Slovenian Cultural Association which provided social, educational and theatrical activities. Vilko Čekuta also formed a Slovenian Theatrical Club, and he performed in and directed over 140 performances.
In 1952, the Slovenian anti-communist fighters established a group called Tabor (Društvo Slovenskih protikomunističnih borcev) and published a newsletter for a period of time. They still continue to organize annual pilgrimages to the Martyrs’ Shrine in Midland to commemorate the domobranci who fell in 1945.
John E. Krek Credit Union was established in 1953 to provide financial assistance, and published a newsletter called Zadružna misel. Slovenia Parishes Credit Union was founded in 1957, and issued its quarterly newsletter called Naša moč.
The Slovenian Club of Manitoba obtained its charter in 1953 and was instrumental in establishing the Slovenian parish called Our Lady of Lourdes in 1963.
In 1954, Hurricane Hazel destroyed many parts of Toronto. At that time, the average wage was $250 per month and one could buy a three-bedroom house in Toronto for $13,000 with a mortgage interest rate of 6%. On Sundays, the Lord’s Day, everything was shut down, including stores and bars, and no shows or sporting events were scheduled. A strong censorship board controlled what was available to the public. The Yonge subway line also opened in Toronto.
In Montreal, the Baraga Society was officially registered in 1956 and its purpose was to unite the Slovenians in the Montreal area and to promote cultural activities. In 1957, Rev. Jože Časl of the Vincentian Fathers of Slovenia arrived in Montreal. Slovenians gathered for mass at St. Louis-de-France and opened a Slovenian school there as well.
In 1956, the parishioners of Our Lady Help of Christians church purchased 22 acres (8 hectares) of land north of Toronto near Bolton and transformed it into a summer camp. An additional 12 hectares was purchased five years later.
Also in 1956, the club Slovenian Evening Bell (Večerni Zvon) was founded, with most of the members hailing from the Prekmurje region in Slovenia. They purchased property northwest of Toronto. Their biggest annual event is Proščenje, a traditional feast for the people of Prekmurje.
By 1957, unemployment in Yugoslavia was very high, so to avoid unrest, the government opened the borders to allow approximately 15,000 Slovenians to emigrate and come to Canada. This was the third wave of Slovenian immigration and they were considered economic refugees (just like the first wave).
In 1958, the St. Joseph’s Society purchased a hall on Beach Road in the Niagara region. However, when the Slovenian parish of St. Gregory the Great was established in 1960, the hall was sold and the proceeds were donated to the St. Gregory building fund. . St. Joseph’s Society was not really active between the years of 1960 to 1980.
The Vancouver Slovenian Society was founded in 1958 and they purchased a hall in 1972.
Since many Slovenians had moved to the western areas of Toronto, another church committee with Stane Ulčar as president was established and in 1959, the property in Etobicoke on Brown’s Line was purchased for $37,500.00. Alonso Fisher was selected as the architect, and after city approval, the hall was built first, and church services were held in the hall until the church was built in 1962. Both the church, designed to seat 350 people, and the hall were built at ground level so there were no stairs.
The year 1959 was a very productive one:
Stane Brunšek completed his contract on the railway and came to Toronto. There he established the Slovenian Cultural Association which provided social, educational and theatrical activities. Vilko Čekuta also formed a Slovenian Theatrical Club, and he performed in and directed over 140 performances.
In 1952, the Slovenian anti-communist fighters established a group called Tabor (Društvo Slovenskih protikomunističnih borcev) and published a newsletter for a period of time. They still continue to organize annual pilgrimages to the Martyrs’ Shrine in Midland to commemorate the domobranci who fell in 1945.
John E. Krek Credit Union was established in 1953 to provide financial assistance, and published a newsletter called Zadružna misel. Slovenia Parishes Credit Union was founded in 1957, and issued its quarterly newsletter called Naša moč.
The Slovenian Club of Manitoba obtained its charter in 1953 and was instrumental in establishing the Slovenian parish called Our Lady of Lourdes in 1963.
In 1954, Hurricane Hazel destroyed many parts of Toronto. At that time, the average wage was $250 per month and one could buy a three-bedroom house in Toronto for $13,000 with a mortgage interest rate of 6%. On Sundays, the Lord’s Day, everything was shut down, including stores and bars, and no shows or sporting events were scheduled. A strong censorship board controlled what was available to the public. The Yonge subway line also opened in Toronto.
In Montreal, the Baraga Society was officially registered in 1956 and its purpose was to unite the Slovenians in the Montreal area and to promote cultural activities. In 1957, Rev. Jože Časl of the Vincentian Fathers of Slovenia arrived in Montreal. Slovenians gathered for mass at St. Louis-de-France and opened a Slovenian school there as well.
In 1956, the parishioners of Our Lady Help of Christians church purchased 22 acres (8 hectares) of land north of Toronto near Bolton and transformed it into a summer camp. An additional 12 hectares was purchased five years later.
Also in 1956, the club Slovenian Evening Bell (Večerni Zvon) was founded, with most of the members hailing from the Prekmurje region in Slovenia. They purchased property northwest of Toronto. Their biggest annual event is Proščenje, a traditional feast for the people of Prekmurje.
By 1957, unemployment in Yugoslavia was very high, so to avoid unrest, the government opened the borders to allow approximately 15,000 Slovenians to emigrate and come to Canada. This was the third wave of Slovenian immigration and they were considered economic refugees (just like the first wave).
In 1958, the St. Joseph’s Society purchased a hall on Beach Road in the Niagara region. However, when the Slovenian parish of St. Gregory the Great was established in 1960, the hall was sold and the proceeds were donated to the St. Gregory building fund. . St. Joseph’s Society was not really active between the years of 1960 to 1980.
The Vancouver Slovenian Society was founded in 1958 and they purchased a hall in 1972.
Since many Slovenians had moved to the western areas of Toronto, another church committee with Stane Ulčar as president was established and in 1959, the property in Etobicoke on Brown’s Line was purchased for $37,500.00. Alonso Fisher was selected as the architect, and after city approval, the hall was built first, and church services were held in the hall until the church was built in 1962. Both the church, designed to seat 350 people, and the hall were built at ground level so there were no stairs.
The year 1959 was a very productive one:
- Ciril Soršak founded the dance group Nagelj (The Carnation) and was the director and choreographer for many years.
- Nuns arrived from Argentina and assisted at Marija Pomagaj for six years.
- The Simon Gregorčič Association, started mainly with members from the Primorje region of Slovenia, purchased land near Highway 9 and 400.
- The Slovenian Sports Club of Toronto was founded with a focus on soccer and then later volleyball.
- The first Slovenian Day was held at the Slovenian Summer Camp near Bolton.
- Društvo Triglav purchased a hall on the outskirts of London, Ontario to start a social and cultural club for Slovenians in that area.