June 2022

Bishop Mark Hagemoen joined Fr. Clement Boachie Arthur to celebrate Mass with First Holy Communion and Confirmation celebrations at St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Saskatoon on Saturday, June 18, 2022 (submitted photo).

First Holy Communion was celebrated June 18 at St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Saskatoon (submitted photo).

-30-

Those in attendance for the 100th anniversary celebration of St. Michael Parish included (l-r) Tramping Lake Pastor Fr. Greg Roth, Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen and Msgr. Raymond Senger, who grew up at Tramping Lake. (Photos by Kiply Lukan Yaworski)

By Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News

Parishioners, former parishioners and their families gathered together June 11, 2022 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of St. Michael Catholic Church, constructed in 1922 at Tramping Lake, in the heart of St. Joseph’s Colony.

Bishop Mark Hagemoen celebrated Mass to open the celebration, joined by St. Michael pastor Fr. Gregory Roth of Unity, Fr. Edward Gibney of Biggar, Fr. Santhosh Thekkekulam, VC, of Wilkie, and retired diocesan priest Msgr. Raymond Senger, who is originally from Tramping Lake. Fr. Dan Yasinski of Kerrobert was also in attendance.

Music ministry was led by Marie Volk, with a choir that included many returning community and family members. Cantor was James Nestmann, and Donalda Senger and Alicia Simon were readers for the Eucharistic celebration for the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity.

                      “This is indeed a beautiful church,” said Bishop Mark Hagemoen, as he joined the community in celebrating and thanking God for 100 years of faith and service. “On the Feast of the Trinity we celebrate how God is made manifest to us,” the bishop said. God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are revealed in the readings for the solemnity, he said, and also in the life, mission and ministry of the parish over the past 100 years. “It is a deep relationship, not merely a membership.”

The theme of gratitude and mission also echoed in the prayers of intention during the anniversary Mass, presented by Alicia Simon.

“Let us give thanks that for the past century, the St. Michael’s Church spire has encouraged us to look heavenward. Under the shelter of its steeple, the bell tolled in mourning and sadness, pealed happily, sharing joy and gladness, and rang with the call to community prayer. Under its roof many found inspiration to continue life’s journey, and others celebrated joyous occasions,” she prayed.

“Today we remember and pray for all who had the foresight and charity to offer prayers, time, talents and finances to build, furnish and maintain this building, providing a place where all may come to adore, praise and grow in the love of God,” continued the community prayers, which went on to call upon on the intercession of both St. Michael, the patron saint of the parish, and St. Joseph, the patron saint of the historic St. Joseph’s Colony, established in 1905 by a group of German Catholics from Russia.

Although the present St. Michael Church building was built a century ago in 1922, the parish was first established 16 years earlier when the colony itself began, those in attendance heard during history of the parish presented by Gwen Barschel at a banquet in the community hall that followed the anniversary Mass.

In those early days of the parish, Mass was celebrated in homes, in a tent and then in a sod church built in 1906, before a wooden church building was constructed in 1910. In 1921, the pastor of the Tramping Lake congregation, Fr. Theodore Krist, OMI, led the community in planning for a new church in the Village of Tramping Lake, with construction starting June 15, 1922, and the first Mass celebrated in the new building on Christmas Eve, 1922.

The new Romanesque-style church building was 135 by 50 feet – the largest brick church in St. Joseph’s Colony, situated at the colony’s geographical centre, Barschel noted. The cost to build was between $40,000 and $48,000 – the equivalent cost today would be about $685,000 to $822,000, she said.

“All built by volunteers, it is a church still admired far and wide for its beauty,” Barschel said.

Over the years, construction and improvements continued, with the completion of the steeple, exterior finishing in white stucco, interior painting and the addition of statues, artwork and a huge 22- by 11-foot  altar, built along the back wall of the sanctuary, designed in Italian Renaissance style using Italian white marble, flanked by pedestals capped with Belgian black marble. One-third life size stations of the cross were purchased in 1970 from St. Joseph Church in Winnipeg, and brought to St. Michael’s in a parishioner’s half-ton truck.

The 100th anniversary program also included greetings from Tramping Lake Mayor Christine Lang, and representatives of the Catholic Women’s League and Knights of Columbus, before parishioners and visitors were invited to share memories and messages via an “open microphone.”

-30-

Video of 100th Anniversary Mass and Presentations:

-30-

St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon recently recognized the outstanding actions of four protective services staff members who responded quickly, calmly and bravely to a frightening incident earlier this year when a person entering the hospital pulled out a grenade.

In a noon-hour ceremony June 8, Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen presented officers Candice Nolan, Bryan Melnychuk, Lee Cowles and Amra Martin with a St. Paul’s Hospital Distinguished Service Award for their actions in handling a potentially life-threatening situation.

St. Paul’s Hospital Executive Director Tracy Muggli described the incident of Feb. 14, 2022, when – without knowing if the grenade was live or inert – hospital protective services officers Candice Nolan and Bryan Melnychuk quickly restrained the man who pulled out the grenade, and removed the device. Officers Lee Cowles and Amra Martin also responded to provide assistance before Saskatoon Police Services arrived. In the end, it was determined the device was inert, but there was no way to know that at the time.

“With their immediate and brave response, the officers kept all of us safe from a potential harm that presented itself,” said Muggli, expressing her gratitude to the officers for their bravery and commitment.

The four members of the hospital’s protective services staff were also recently awarded the Saskatoon Police Chief’s Community Service Award for their swift action.

Read the full news report: LINK

Bishop Mark Hagemoen noted how St. Paul’s Hospital is dedicated to the health and the care of the whole person “inspired by Christ and the religious faith of the community.” Thanking the four officers for their heroism, the bishop also acknowledged so many others at the Catholic hospital “who are sharing in the shepherding role of Christ.”

Bishop Mark Hagemoen presented St. Paul’s Hospital Distinguished Service Awards to protective services officers Bryan Melychuk, Lee Cowles, and Candice Nolin. Ross Fowler (right) accepted the award on behalf of their colleague Amra Martin, who was not present at the June 8 celebration. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

-30-

By Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News

Students, staff and special guests gathered at St. Mary’s Catholic school in Saskatoon June 8 for an outdoor Treaty 6 medal celebration, featuring drumming, song, art and student reflections and presentations about the history, meaning and importance of treaties.

Read the full news report: LINK

In his address to students, Bishop Mark Hagemoen of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon described how when he was a bishop in the north, an Indigenous artist gave him a beaded cross, which he often wears alongside a crucifix made in a European style. Wearing the two together has become for him a sign of the “right relationship” of love, harmony and respect that God wants for all people.

Working toward the installation of a replica of the Treaty 6 medal has been a learning journey for the school, said St. Mary Principal Andrew Novecosky.

“When you enter our beautiful school, you enter a space that honours the history of the land and the relationships of all people,” he said, noting that a special place has been prepared for the plaque, featuring a mural painted by St. Mary’s students and staff under the direction of local artist Daniel O’Shea Sanderson.

During the unveiling and smudging of the Treaty 6 medal plaque, Bishop Mark Hagemoen and the school’s Elder, Kohkum Lucille Dorion offered prayers of blessing.

The plaque portrays a treaty commissioner grasping the hand of a First Nations leader. Between them is a hatchet, buried in the ground, signifying peace, and around the two figures are images of the sun and the land, symbolizing the eternal promise of the treaty relationship established to last “as long as the sun shines, the grass grows and the rivers flow.”

Bishop Mark Hagemoen attended the St. Mary Wellness and Education Centre Treaty 6 medal celebration June 8, 2022 in Saskatoon (photos by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News).

Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen and St. Mary’s School Elder Lucille Dorion offered prayers of blessing as the Treaty 6 medal plaque was unveiled. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

Bishop Mark Hagemoen joined Holy Spirit Parish in Saskatoon and pastor Fr. Joseph Salihu on Pentecost Sunday, June 5, 2022 for celebration of Mass and confirmations.

Photos by Maricorn T. Magampo:

Bishop Mark Hagemoen joined pastor Fr. Joseph Thazhathemuriyil, VC, for Mass with confirmations, celebrated June 4, 2022 at Holy Redeemer Parish in Elbow, SK

Bishop Mark Hagemoen joined Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish for an opening Mass on the grounds of St. Mary Church in Saskatoon June 2, 2022 to start a second annual four-day memorial wake, held to pray for all those lost at residential schools.

Elders, leaders and volunteers of St. Guadalupe Parish were on hand throughout the event June 2-June 5, to be a prayerful presence for those who stopped by to share and reflect.

Full news article: LINK