The Church of St. Vincent de Paul is located on one of the main streets in Montreal – the largest and most populated province in Quebec, Canada. The church had been closed since 2008, except on Friday nights, when it was used to host fights such as MMA (mixed martial arts), also known as full-contact unarmed combat events.

Meanwhile, the Universal Church in Montreal needed a bigger place to hold their meetings. Initially, a hall with the capacity for 100 people was rented, but it was no longer enough.

As soon as the property was put up for sale, the Universal Church decided to buy it. The problem of not having enough space was now solved: the building had the capacity to comfortably accommodate 800 people.

The next step was to spread the word about the new location. Announcements were printed in a newspaper and 30-second commercials were made on a local radio station – inviting people to the inauguration.

Last Sunday (19), with a temperature of -5 degrees, 244 people showed up to the inauguration of the new Universal Church. Though it was snowing heavily, 170 people attended the morning meeting in French, and 14 people were present in the evening. Sixty people attended the Spanish meeting.

Because it was colonized by the French and British, Montreal is considered the second largest French-speaking city in the world. This is why the meetings, lead by Bishop Ricardo Souza, in French are fundamental.

This was just the first of three “Day of R” Sundays, which is an event that is happening in every country where there is a Universal Church. Those who came seeking spiritual help had their faith renewed and hope to have their lives restored in the Lord Jesus. But, mainly, as bishop Ricardo said, “They were able to rebuild their relationship with God and obtain the salvation of their souls.”

During the deliverance prayer, a woman was healed of back pain. But this is just the first of many testimonies that will be professed in the new temple, which is open every day to proclaim the glory of God and the good works of His hands.

If you’re in Montreal or plan on visiting, be sure to come by the Church, which is located downtown, at 2330 Rue Saint Catherine Est.