My birthplace is filled with beautiful churches. St. Joseph's Oratory is one of the best! This Catholic Church is one of the "must visit" destinations in Montreal. I took my wife here during the off peak season so it was not crowded. Most of the time I have been here, there have been busloads on f people.
If you start your self-tour at the bottom of the hill, then you will be burning some calories. Better have some comfortable walking shoes. We were amazed to see some people going up the long staircase on their knees (stopping to say a prayer on each step). St. Joseph's Oratory is a pilgrimage site for many Catholics.
There are a couple of chapels here. A mass was being conducted in French at one of these chapels. The Church is truly impressive both inside and outside. It is massive. Plenty of photo ops here. Make sure to grab one of the pamphlets that gives more information and details about St. Joseph's. There is so much to see and admire here. Unfortunately, we did not see the Gardens Of The Way Of The Cross. It was closed for the season.
My wife and I are Catholic so we really loved our trip here! It was an awesome 4 hours spent here for us. Does not matter if you are religious or not, one can still find something to admire.