Past memories of Ottawa's Notre Dame Cemetery have been brought back to life. 

Final Testaments: Stories from Notre Dame Cemetery concluded its final show Sept. 20, marking the end of a unique dinner theatre experience and fundraiser that shared the stories of some of the most influential residents buried in the cemetery since its founding in 1872, which includes famed hockey players, war dead and politicians.   

Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Ottawa-Cornwall chose theatre as a fundraiser during what has been an extended celebration of Notre Dame's 150th anniversary, something managing director Marc Bisson says ended up being a fortuitous venture.

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“When I was brought in two years ago, it was already the year of the 150th anniversary and so I had just missed it. Regardless I wanted to do something to mark that important milestone,” he said. “After speaking with a nearby parish priest, he mentioned that there was a seniors group in the neighbourhood that did theatre productions. I met with the managing director and playwright and gave them the artistic liberty to choose among the 300,000 souls buried in my cemetery and bring their stories back to life.” 

The play was written and put on by Centre Pauline-Charron, a French-Canadian production team and community centre just five minutes away from the historic Catholic cemetery. The team decided to highlight the lives of a nun, hockey player, banker and politician, all of whom eternally rest at Notre Dame. 

Among those Carrière mentioned include: Mother Élisabeth Bruyère, founder of the Sisters of Charity (Grey Nuns) of Ottawa, NHL goaltender Alec Connell, former Canadian Prime Minister Sir Wilfred Laurier and Louis-Adolphe Olivier, a lawyer and Ontario’s first Francophone judge. Notre Dame is also notable for containing the war graves of 115 Commonwealth service personnel, comprised of 40 from World War I and 75 from World War II.

“It was the playwright who chose the people who became the subject of this play using a book that was written 20 years ago by a member of this neighbourhood. He wrote about the most well-known figures such as politicians, hockey players, social activists and clergy members who have called Notre Dame home across the last century or longer,” said Bisson. 

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Final Testaments tells the story of the individuals while grounding itself as an information-forward  play. The plot revolves around God sending down the chosen figures to help other people on Earth through their lives and journey to Heaven. While lighthearted, the play features a live PowerPoint presentation that provides the audience with important insight into the history of both the residents and the cemetery itself. 

Feedback from audience members at each of the four showings was overwhelmingly positive, said Bisson, saying many in attendance found a personal connection within the content. 

“All the people I have spoken to have said that the events were great and not just the value per dollar of having dinner and a show, but for the fact that most people attending either planned to be buried (at Notre Dame) or they have relatives that have been buried there,” he said. “Many said that they could see a Final Testaments play happening on a yearly basis with newly highlighted individuals.” 

Proceeds from each $35 ticket go directly back to care and maintenance at Notre Dame Cemetery. 

The more fundraising, the better. Notre Dame has been substantially under-capitalized along with other longstanding Catholic burial sites, said Bisson. 

“For every lot or crypt that gets sold in Ontario, a certain percentage is set aside and transferred to a care and maintenance fund. Before 1954, there was nothing contributed to this fund (at Notre Dame) and the cemetery was already half full by then. Even just having events like this that raise awareness that we need to raise funds if we want to keep maintaining Notre Dame to the level that we have today is great.” 

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With the curtain now closed on this year’s Final Testaments initiative, Catholic Cemeteries is already looking forward to its next step in celebrating and extending the life of one of the city's most prominent resting places. 

“We want to maintain the cemetery now but also for future generations to come,” Bisson said. “In our case, we aim to maintain it for perpetuity, which is kind of a long time.”