Diocesan Cathedral in Canada Hosts Ice Hockey Watch Party – With Pizza and Beer!

You can’t make this stuff up…

Diocesan Cathedral in Canada Hosts Ice Hockey Watch Party — With Pizza and Beer!

On Sunday, Apr. 19, 2026, the official ‘Roman Catholic’ Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist (Saint-Jean-l’Évangéliste) in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, was the public venue for an ice hockey watch party, and not just the run-of-the-mill kind.

The opportunity to follow live the match between the Montreal Canadiens (aka ‘Habs’) and the Tampa Bay Lightning teams was put together as an ‘immersive experience’ by a professional group of artists known as La Cargaison. On their web site, they advertised the event as follows:

Come experience the Habs’ playoffs like never before.

Every game night, the Saint-Jean-l’Évangéliste Cathedral transforms into a massive gathering place where sports, creativity, light, and heritage come together. The game is broadcast live on a 35-foot giant screen in the heart of the nave, surrounded by immersive projections that take over the walls and architecture of the space.

The experience goes far beyond a simple sports broadcast:

• An immersive musical and sound atmosphere, on-site entertainment, complimentary refreshments, and highlights designed to get the crowd excited.
• The cathedral organ will be put to use by official organist Mario Coutu, adding a spectacular and unprecedented dimension to the event
• The national anthem will be performed live by soprano Dominica Merola, while Lysanne Richard and Thomas Hodgson will host the event.

A highlight of this unique experience—and a first in Quebec—is that every time the Canadiens score a goal, the bell tower lights will illuminate, transforming the victory into a luminous signal visible across the cityscape.

An immersive celebration of our national sport.

A legendary venue.

A creative and collective experience

This initiative is made possible with the support of TVA Sports, as well as valued partners: Desjardins, the City of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, the Corporation Monseigneur-Forget, Sports Experts, Le Canada Français, Actiforme, and Doco.

(Source; bold and enlarged font in original. Translation from French using DeepL.)

Here is a wider shot of the madness that took place on Apr. 19:

The cathedral belongs to the diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil. The current boss there is ‘Bishop’ Claude Hamelin, although he is a lame duck of sorts now, as he is about to retire and his coadjutor, Martin Laliberté, is already waiting in the wings.

The cathedral’s Facebook page advertised the watch party using this promotional flyer or meme:

Some background information to this ‘immersive’ jamboree can be found at La Canada Français. The only English-language report we have been able to find so far is this very brief one from the NHL: “Canadiens fans flock to local cathedral for watch party”.

As advertised, food and drink were also available at this unholy event. La Cargaison posted these answers to frequently-asked questions:

What time do the gates open?

The gates open one hour before the start of each game.

Is food available on site?

Yes, you can buy Phil and Fred’s pizza in the hour leading up to each game.

Can we buy refreshments?

Yes, Lagabière products will be available for purchase, and there will be non-alcoholic options.

Can people under 18 enter?

Yes, people 18 and under are admitted (ticket required), and it’s free for children 5 and under—please note: high volume, immersive sound.

Can we buy tickets at the door?

Yes, you can purchase tickets at the entrance.

Are seats assigned?

No, it’s general admission, but you can see well from anywhere!

Can we eat on-site?

Yes, you can eat on-site during the games.

Can we bring our own food?

No, pizza and chips are available for purchase on-site.

(Source; bold print in original. Translation from French using DeepL.)

Now let’s look at some video footage of the abominable insanity.

The francophone web site TVA Nouvelles, which released a brief write-up on the sacrilegious event here, also published a 3-minute video report here (direct link):

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A 14-second video posted on Facebook (direct link) by Sportsnet shows the crowd cheering in the pews as the Canadian team scores a goal:

La Cargaison posted the following two videos on their Facebook page:

Apparently the cathedral is used as an event venue rather frequently. In fact, it seems that La Cargaison has been contracted by the diocese to perform all kinds of secular ‘immersive experiences’ on a regular basis. The next scheduled function there will take place Apr. 25 — a musical honoring the British rock group The Beatles.

The desecration of churches is a hallmark of the enemies of the Catholic religion. The only difference today is that these enemies claim to be, and are widely recognized as, the authorities of the Church themselves.

“And when you shall see the abomination of desolation, standing where it ought not: he that readeth let him understand: then let them that are in Judea, flee unto the mountains” (Mark 13:14).

Image source: X (MFRemillard)
Licenses: fair use