For a second straight year, the Martyrs’ Shrine will remain shuttered.
The move has led to a “significant number of staff layoffs, the restructuring of administrative and seasonal staffing, and a considerable reduction to operational expenses – including capital work to infrastructure,” the facility, also known as the Canada's National Shrine of the North American Martyrs, noted in a release.
The Shrine says the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and public-health restrictions implemented to help curb the spread of the virus mean it can’t safely reopen its church and grounds to visitors this year.
“The pandemic has had a critical, long-term, impact on the financial stability of the charitable not-for-profit organization,” the release stated.
“As a result, Martyrs' Shrine has taken immediate action to mitigate further financial burden caused by its forced closure to in-person visitation.”
A request for comment regarding how many jobs have been lost along with what infrastructure projects are now on hold wasn't received by press-time.
However, the Shrine noted in the release that these measures have a significant direct impact on the local economy. Besides the resulting job losses and suspended contracts for local services, the move results in an estimated $26.6-million loss in regional economic impact generated from visitation to the site.
“However, these measures are essential to ensuring the national shrine's continued operation,” the release further states.
“Martyrs' Shrine takes its responsibility to public safety seriously. Since the beginning of the global pandemic, it has closely monitored and adapted to the latest public health guidelines."
The Shrine notes that one of its core activities involves welcoming pilgrims to congregate and worship on its sacred grounds; often thousands at a time.
“The necessary precautions and limits surrounding public gatherings, the emergence of new, more contagious strains of the virus, and the extending federal immunization schedule, continue to make it unfeasible to resume normal operations in a safe and financially viable way," it noted.
That means, the Shrine will again adapt how it serves others to ensure compliance with ongoing restrictions on gathering sizes.
“Over the next 12 months, Martyrs’ Shrine will reach out to its pilgrims, providing Mass, prayer services, spiritual conversation and faith-based programming in new digital and modified formats, as the Jesuit Fathers here continue to offer prayers for the healing of the world,” the release noted.
The release also noted that donations, which are eligible for a receipt for income tax purposes, will be critical to ensuring support for a return to regular operations in May 2022.
