Our Mission


Emmaus House is a co-operative agency, operated by the Roman Catholic  Basilica of St. John the Baptist, the Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, St. Michael’s and All Angels and St. Thomas' Anglican Parish. The purpose of Emmaus House is to serve those in need, and in particular to provide emergency food relief to members of the co-operating parishes and to those who look to these parishes for help. In this we seek to exercise the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ to the poor, and to manifest the Kingdom of God. 

Our History

In the early 1990’s Dean Harvey at the Anglican Cathedral and Sister Catherine Bellamy at the Basilica of St. John the Baptist ran food banks for their respective parishes.  The people who needed assistance came from areas beyond the boundaries of either parish.  It was then that Emmaus House was founded. Initially there were five parishes participating. They were The Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, St. Michael’s and All Angels, St. Patrick’s, St. Thomas’, and the Roman Catholic Basilica of St. John the Baptist.  Emmaus House is administered by a board of volunteers comprised of representatives from each of the parishes. Each parish makes financial contributions to Emmaus House and individuals make generous donations to assist us in the achieving our goal of helping the most needy in our community.


Our Team

Pastoral Leaders 


Rev. Cecil Critch V.G.   -  The Basilica 

Rev. Gail MacDonald  - St. Thomas 

Very Rev. Roger Whelan - The Cathedral 

Board Members 


Dave Tipple………………….  St. Thomas’

Dave Warford ….................... St.Patrick’s

Donna Hoskins ……………...  St. Michael’s

Eric Albrechtsons …………..   Treasurer

Gary Sooley ………………...  The Cathedral

Dr. Georgie Chalker ………… Purchaser

Heather Thomson ………….    Vice-Chair

Joan Dawe …………………..  St. Michael’s

John Barrington ……………   The Basilica

Mike Keough ……………….  The Basilica

Rev. Derrick Bishop ………..   The Cathedral

Rudy Singleton ……………..   Chair

Sharon Reddy ………………   Secretary

Shirley Hearn ………………   The Cathedral

Teams from each parish take one day each week to look after our clients.