Archbishop Leo’s Visit to Presentation Manor

On April 15, Archbishop Francis Leo spent the day with the residents of Presentation Manor, a non-profit senior’s residence in Scarborough, Ont.

Presentation Manor boasts an entirely unique feature in its residents: about half of them are religious women and men.

They include residents from: Loretto Sisters, Basilian Fathers, Our Lady’s Missionaries, Presentation of Mary Brothers, De La Salle Christian Brothers, the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame, Sisters of Service, Good Shepherd Sisters, Irish Christian Brothers, Faithful Companions of Jesus, Scarboro Foreign Missions and diocesan priests.

Alongside celebrating Mass, Archbishop Leo was welcomed with a luncheon followed by visiting the many floors of the retirement home with individual meetings with staff, residents and their families. 

Presentation Manor launched in 2019 and aims to live out the values of respect, inclusivity, reverence, creativity and gratitude. The spiritual welfare of residents is a primary focus. As such, the Catholic chapel on-site is central to community life and Mass is celebrated daily, in combination with other liturgical services.

They chose the name “Presentation” for this residence, based on the New Testament story from Luke’s Gospel of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem by his parents. Among them was Simeon, an elderly faithful priest and the wise, also elderly prophetess, Anna. They were elderly persons of deep faith in God, and they had the ability to bless the new life presented to them by Mary and Joseph. For this reason, the icon of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple of Jerusalem is the centrepiece of the chapel.

Fittingly, the group presented Archbishop Leo with a stone carving of the Presentation of our Lord, asking him to remember their community when he looks at the artwork each day.