Bishop Mark Hagemoen joined the parish community of Saints-Martyrs-Canadiens in Saskatoon for Sunday Mass Sept. 29, with many events to celebrate, including the feast day of the parish’s patron saints and the installation of Fr. Gregory Roth as pastor.
In addition, the bishop made note of the Catholic Church’s celebration of the World Day for Migrants and Refugees on Sept. 29, and the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation Sept. 30.
“We pray for God’s blessing as we support our Indigenous brothers and sisters and all our country on the ongoing task of truth finding and reconciliation and healing,” he said. “It is not a simple task, it doesn’t happen just because we celebrate a national day, it’s a journey.”
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In tying together the various themes for the day in his homily, Hagemoen cited a recent celebration by Canadian Catholic bishops of the 350th anniversary of the establishment of the Archdiocese of Quebec, the first Catholic diocese in north America, and the life and service of its first bishop, St. Francois de Laval, patron saint of the Catholic bishops of Canada.
On the eve of the annual Plenary Assembly of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) in Quebec City, Cardinal
Lacroix of the Archdiocese of Quebec gifted each bishop a replica of the pectoral cross of St. François de Laval, the patron saint of Canadian bishops — Hagemoen noted that the Saints-Martyrs-Canadiens celebration was his first time wearing the cross.Hagemoen reflected on St. Laval’s ministry to both the newcomers who migrated to Quebec as settlers, and to the Indigenous communities throughout the then-vast territory of the first North American diocese.
“He had a tremendous heart for God’s people,” said Hagemoen. “Bishop Laval went to all the far-flung communities — to settler communities and to Indigenous communities — to draw close and get to know them. And many of the immigrants who came to Canada in those days encountered a lot of challenges, and hardships, and very quickly, the Indigenous People who welcomed them also would encounter unexpected challenges, especially in terms of the new issues brought about by what we now call colonization.”
Hagemoen noted: “The Church always has a preferential option for the poor and the needy, including migrants and refugees, not just because of who they are, but because of who we are… We are people who imitate Christ who has a heart for the stranger, for the person who is travelling, and for the people who need accommodation and support.”
Hagemoen quoted the homily of Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille (Pope Francis’ special envoy to the CCCB celebration of the 350th anniversary of the first Catholic diocese in North America):
“We must remember that fundamentally the Church’s mission is to be at the service of love, with which God loves the world. … Such a way of living out the mission places the church off-centre, obliging her not to allow herself to be obsessed by a concern for her own survival, but rather to let Jesus who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, live within her, who is capable of constantly renewing her, and for whom she is responsible for proclaiming, not so much by dazzling action, but by a presence, a closeness, and attention to everyone, especially the least of these.”
The Canadian martyrs – St. Jean de Brebeuf (1593-1648) and companions – also showed the way, added Hagemoen, noting the Francophone parish’s observation of the patron saints’ Sept. 26 Canadian feast day at the Sunday celebration.
“We focus on their literal martyrdom, which is why Fr. Greg and I wear red today, because they shed their blood in witness for Christ and His love and mercy,” he said.
“They did that as they entered into the cultural situation and the challenges of the two Indigenous groups, the Huron and the Iroquois… but isn’t it the case that, as we live in the world, we can often be brought into situations, even conflicts and certain challenges that seem devastating, and some days, might not even seem to have a solution? However, the mystery of our faith is that through death there is resurrection.”
Pastor’s installation
The bishop then pointed to the ritual for installation of a pastor to be celebrated after the homily: “The reason for this ritual with Fr. Greg in a few moments is to celebrate the liturgical and sacramental priesthood that he gives and presents to this parish community as an ordained ministerial priest, to you, who also share in the priesthood of Christ – called the common priesthood – and there is an intimate, vital relationship there.”
He added: “You and I cannot give, unless we are receiving from the Way, the Truth, and the Life… The purpose, why we gather here every Sunday, is so that we may meet and see, encounter and receive Jesus Christ in his Word and in the Bread of Life so that we can go forward and bring the life and blessing and hope of God to a world that badly needs it”
Hagemoen thanked Roth for hearing and responding to God’s call to be an ordained priest, and the parish community: “for your faith, for supporting him, and for calling him to be the priest that he is called to be.”
The installation prayers led by the bishop reflected prayerfully on the role of the pastor, highlighting the priest’s sacramental ministry through a series of prayers at different spots throughout the church building: the altar, the ambo, the tabernacle, the baptismal font, the entrance of the church, the confessional, and so on.
Fr. Gregory Roth was appointed pastor of Saints-Martyrs-Canadiens Parish and nearby Saint Anne Parish in Saskatoon earlier this year. Ordained in 2012, he previously served as pastor at St. Peter Parish in Unity and St. Michael Parish in Tramping Lake.
The celebration Sept. 29 concluded with a lunch in the parish hall.
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