Brief history of the Parish

The church building was constructed in 1955 and originally belonged to the Anglican Church, named St. James the First. In 1968, the Archdiocese of Toronto acquired the building, and Archbishop Philip Pocock renamed it St. Norbert after the nearby school.

Under the leadership of Father Francis Aresi, a temporary priest's residence was built in the same year, the hot water heating system was installed in 1969, and the sanctuary was renovated in 1970.

Father Luciano Biasi oversaw the renovation of the building, including the addition of a new entrance facing Ancaster Road. He decorated the church with statues, light fixtures, and the Stations of the Cross and built a permanent rectory and parish office. 

Father Salvatore Denaro installed the Statue of Our Lady of Lourdes on the front lawn. 

Father Giuliano Costato coordinated the installation of tile flooring in the rectory and parish hall kitchen. He also oversaw the construction of a retaining wall in the front garden area.

In 2008, during Father Xavier De Pinto's time, St. Norbert Church celebrated its 40th anniversary. 

In 2014, Father Paolos Beraki renovated the sanctuary with marble flooring. 

As part of the preparations for the 50th Jubilee, Father Gigi Philip organized a successful fundraiser to resurface the parking lot, remove and replace roof shingles, and install new LED lights outside walls and in the Church. 

In July 2022, Father Augusto Menichelli became Pastor and worked to bring together the community that was scattered after COVID-19. Several renovations were made to the church, including repainting some statues, including the risen Jesus and the backdrop of the altar, to give it a theological meaning. The sanctuary was cleaned and improved with new lighting, and the tabernacle was moved to the center of the church. A wooden platform was built on the side for the presiding chair, and the covering of the kneelers was changed. The sound system and the choir loft were improved, and a new organ was donated. The office areas and the parish hall were repainted and renovated with new furniture. New tables and chairs were purchased for the catechism class, and new projectors were installed in the church and rooms downstairs. New entrance doors were installed for the office and parish hall, and panic bars were added to comply with legal requirements. The heating system for the church and rectory was improved. A 15-camera security system was also installed to protect the church and rectory. The rectory was completely renovated and repainted, with a new kitchen, floor, furniture, blinds, and appliances. New liturgical books and items were purchased to facilitate the celebration of the masses and the worshiping of the congregation.

Pastors/Administrators

Francis Aresi 1968 May 25

Luciano Biasi 1976 Oct 1 

Salvatore Denaro 1982 Feb 2

Michele Perrella 1993 Sep 1

Hector Villa (Adm) 1998 Oct 1

Giuliano Costato 1999 Oct 4

Xavier DePinto 2006 Jun 28, 

Ruggiero DiBenedetto CS (Adm) 2013 Oct 1

Paul Beraki OFM Cap 2014 Jul 3

Gigi Philip 2015 Jul 2  

Peter Paul C.C.E. (Adm) 2022 April 1

Augusto Menichelli 2022 Jun 29

Number of registered families in the parish

Approximately 650 families