Bishop Mark Hagemoen joined pastor Fr. Colin Roy, associate pastor Fr. John Ezeoruonye and Abbot Peter Novecosky of St. Peter’s Abbey at a 75th anniversary celebration June 4, 2023 for Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Pilger, SK.
Beginning with Mass and the blessing of graves in the parish cemetery, the anniversary celebration also included a potluck lunch.
History of Holy Trinity Parish, Pilger from “Building the Church, Living the Gospel” by Margaret Sanche and Daniel J. Classen:
“In the early years, the Catholics living in Pilger traveled to various rural churches for Mass, but in the late 1940s, the community decided to build its own church in the town. In 1948, a basement worship space, Holy Trinity Chapel, was built, and then 15 years later, in 1963, a full church was built on the basement foundation.
“Fr. John Hable, OSB, who served as long-time pastor, beginning in 1931, oversaw both stages of the construction in 1948 an d in 1963. He was assisted by architect Ted B. Arling in planning for the project, which was carried out by the volunteer labour of parishioners and Benedictines (from St. Peter’s Abbey at Muenster). Many of the materials used in building the church had been recovered from a schoolhouse which the Pilger building committee purchased and carefully disassembled for that purpose.
“The first Mass was celebrated in the new chuch on Dec. 8, 1963; it was blessed by Abbot Jerome Weber, OSB, on May 24, 1964…. Pilger was a parish of St. Peter’s Abbacy prior to its incorporation into the Diocese of Saskatoon in 1998.”
Photos:
