A memorial for Fr. Edgar Burns SJ will be held in Toronto on Monday, 21 June, at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, from 7 to 9 pm.

Fr. Burns, who was born in Montreal, died of heart failure at his home in Darjeeling on 17 May 2010. He was 85. When his funeral was held in Darjeeling two days later, the entire town came to a standstill for the funeral procession.

Moved by a spirit of service and by dedication to the cause of the poor, Fr Burns always sought to reach out to those most in need. Perhaps his best-known project is the Hayden Hall Social Centre, which he founded and directed until 2009, and which has served some of the poorest people in Darjeeling for more than four decades. His life and work were supported over many years by hundreds of friends in Canada and all over the world, through visits, letters, phone calls and financial support.

The memorial on 21 June will honour Fr Burns' life and work. Mass will be concelebrated by Fr Jim Webb SJ, Provincial of the Jesuits in English Canada, Fr Joseph Horrigan SJ, Fr Bill German SJ, Fr Mike Hawkins SJ and Fr Dick McDonald SJ, all of whom were missioned to Darjeeling.

The memorial will be followed by a light reception in the adjacent Lynch Hall. We hope you are able to join us. If you have any questions, please email us at cji@jesuits.ca or call toll free 1 800 448 2148.

Directions to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish
Our Lady of Lourdes is at 520 Sherbourne Street East, Toronto, Ontario.

Driving From North/East
Take the 404-Don Valley Parkway south
Exit Bayview Bloor
Turn Right travelling West on Bloor towards Sherbourne
Turn Left on Sherbourne and travel South towards Wellesley.
520 Sherbourne will be a few blocks south of Bloor on the right.

Driving From West/South
Take the Gardiner Expressway East and Exit Lower Sherbourne
Go North on Sherbourne towards Wellesley
520 Sherbourne will be just north of Wellesley on the left

Parking
The Parish has a small parking lot and there is limited street parking available in the area. There may be additional parking available at Msg. Fraser School, 146 Isabella (one street north), and Rosar Morrison 467 Sherbourne St (about 150 m to the south)

Transit Directions
The closest Subway station is Sherbourne subway station on the Bloor line. Our Lady Of Lourdes is south of the station on Sherbourne and is a walking distance. There is a Sherbourne bus which runs from this station and has a stop at Wellesley.