St. Patrick's is the only English-speaking parish in the Archdiocese of Quebec. Founded in 1832, the parish has occupied several different buildings as the population of English-speaking Catholics, primarily Irish, in Quebec City has swelled and shrunk.
Before St. Patrick's was established, the Irish were allowed use of the Basilica and the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church in Place Royale for their services. English-speaking Catholics in the city were organized into a separate congregation with a dedicated priest in 1822. Father Patrick McMahon was the priest of congregation from 1822–25 and again after 1828. McMahon was instrumental in raising the money for a separate church and lobbying the French-speaking Church Wardens who guarded their powers jealously. The first St. Patrick's was built on what is now McMahon Street (named for Father Patrick) inside the walls of the old city in 1832. This church was replaced by a larger church in 1914, but was still used occasionally until 1967. It was destroyed by fire in 1971, and its outside facade was reused as part of an annex of the Hotel de Dieu hospital.
The 1914 church was build on Grande-Allée, and was used until it was demolished in 1988. This was replaced by the current, smaller, church on De Salaberry Avenue.[1]