Saint Patrick's Basilica has a long history in the City of Ottawa, being the first English-speaking Roman Catholic Parish in the original city. The present church was completed in 1875 and was declared a Basilica on Saint Patrick's Day, March 1995.

Beautiful as it is, Saint Patrick's Basilica is primarily a place of worship and reconciliation - Catholics citywide make use of the confessional at Saint Patrick's. It also serves the downtown core and offers Masses before work, during lunch, and after the workday, with Confessions before each Mass, and six Masses for Sunday Obligation.