3196 Dollarton Highway

Infant Jesus of Prague Church
Tsleil-Waututh Nation

Tsleil-Waututh Nation sign on Dollarton Highway

The Tsleil-Waututh Nation is located on the north shore of Burrard Inlet, south of the eastern section of the District of North Vancouver, B.C. Canada. The sign in the  photo above announces the eastern border of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation.

Marion Shrine

The church is a mission of St. Paul's Catholic Church and operated by the Oblate Order.  "The church was planned in 1958, the same year Czechoslovakia was taken over by the Communists.  The Pope sent out a directive stating all newly built Catholic churches worldwide were to call themselves Infant Jesus of Prague, and the parishioners were to offer their prayers for the Czechs." (REF.) The Marion Shrine sits to the east of the church.

The Christ Child

The small white shingled church with its set of double crosses sits on up the slope on the north side of Dollarton Highway.  From its perch it views the blue waters of Burrard Inlet and  the shores of Burnaby beyond.  Above the double front doors is a statue of  The Christ Child blessing all who enter.

Sanctuary

Inside the Sanctuary the center aisle between two sets of pews painted blue leads to the chancel with the wood altar, the Crucifix and the Pieta above.

Pi eta 

(Above the Chancel)

Flowers and candles grace the many statues in the Sanctuary.  A statue of the Virgin Mary is placed on the left hand side of the Chancel.  A statue of Joseph with the Child Jesus is on the right hand side.

Virgin Mary 

(Left Chancel)

Joseph holding the Child Jesus

(Right Chancel)

Other statues in the Sanctuary include: Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary with the Child Jesus, Ignatius of Loyola, and Christ of the Sacred Heart.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

(In front of Chancel at the right wall.)

Mary with the Child Jesus

(In front of Our Lady of Guadalupe.)

Ignatius of Loyola
(East rear wall corner.)

Christ of the Sacred Heart

(Rear of Sanctuary)

Along the sides of the nave are nine panel plain glass windows topped with a three panel pointed arch.  Between the windows are plaques of the Stations of the Cross.

West wall of Sanctuary
Windows and Stations of the Cross Plaques

Station of the Cross Plaque
(East Wall of Nave)

On the east side of the Narthex in the rear of the Sanctuary is a narrow curved wooden stairway leading the the small balcony.  Sitting and filling the entire west wall of the balcony is the old pump organ pictured below.

Pump Organ in Balcony

Thank you: To  Brenda Baptiste, Chief Administrative Officer, Twleil-Waututh 
                         Nation for permission to photograph the church.
Photos: Taken in July 2014 by SW.
Reference: Echoes Across Seymour, by Janet Pavlik, Desmond Smith, and
                         Eileen Smith,  page 111.

Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen (SW.