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Message from Bishop Mark Hagemoen for National Day of Truth and Reconciliation Sept. 30 – PDF

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – Monday, September 30, 2024

Dear Clergy, Religious, Parishes, PLDs, Parish Administration and Faithful of the Diocese of Saskatoon:

As we mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, I wish to encourage all to take time for prayer, reflection, and solidarity with Indigenous Peoples.

At this time, we particularly remember and honour Residential School Survivors, and all Indigenous Peoples who continue to deal with the legacy of struggle related to the experience of contact with non-Indigenous peoples and nations. This day is a call for greater awareness and action – that as we continue to work toward truth and reconciliation, we will acknowledge and strive to overcome the past mistakes, arrogance, and misuse of authority that has so often been part of our shared collective history. This day is also a call to move forward together in greater understanding, pursuing justice, and working for a better future for all.

I again renew my pledge that our diocese will continue to walk a path of reconciliation and healing. This is part of our gospel call to reconciliation and solidarity. We strive to walk in love and friendship as sisters and brothers, always working for justice, hope and healing. Let us all continue to take concrete steps on this journey.

St Jerome, whose memorial we also celebrate on September 3o, once stated that the gift of the poor widow in the Gospel (see Mk 12:42-44) – was valued not because of its value or ‘weight’, but by the good will with which her offering was made. Sometimes we may be overwhelmed by the difficulty and complexity of the challenge of ‘reconciliation’ – especially as we look at the current state of our world with all of its examples of conflict and division. However, we pray that our One God, who is Father and Creator of all peoples, will make our hearts true and good, as we seek the healing beyond the hurt, and the shalom – the right relationship beyond any isolation or indifference.

I include below the “Prayer for Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Right-Relationship” authored by the Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council in 2023.

Yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Mark A. Hagemoen

Bishop of Saskatoon 

Prayer for Forgiveness, Reconciliation, Right-Relationship 

Let us pray:

O God, Creator and Father of all, with humility we your children acknowledge the relationship of all living things. For this we thank you, we praise you and we worship you.

We call on you, Great Mystery, the Word made Flesh – our teacher, prophet and brother – to open our hearts to all our brothers and sisters, and with them to grow in the wisdom, honesty, courage and respectfulness shown in The Sacred Teachings.

Give us the vision and honesty to recognize that the we are all brothers and sisters of one human family, created and sustained by the One Creator. As we deal with many challenges, may we never give way to fear and anger, which can be the source of division and threat among peoples.

We look to how God always gives to us, as a remedy for sins of prejudice and intolerance. We see in God the Creator of all things, One who always provides and is generous – even given the abuses we have heaped on one another and on the earth.

We see in the Son, Jesus Christ – the innocent Victim who pours His life blood out from the cross for all peoples.  We see how the Holy Spirit is God’s gift, alive in our world today – inspiring vision and hope that we can have the same mind and heart of God!

O Creator, show us the way to healing, forgiveness and reconciliation, and a renewed fellowship.

+Amen

 

 

 

Bishop Mark Hagemoen celebrated the annual Academic Mass with the St. Thomas More College community Sept. 18, 2024 joined by Fr. Andre Lalach, Fr. Ron Griffin, CSB, and Fr. Daniel Yasinski.

STM Academic Mass celebrants (l-r) Fr. Andre Lalach, Bishop Mark Hagemoen, Fr. Ron Griffin, CSB, Fr. Daniel Yasinski. (Photo by Paul Sinkwicz, STM)

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Academic Mass celebrates inclusion, community at St. Thomas More College

Bishop Mark Hagemoen gathered with pastors, parish leaders, and diocesan staff for an Administration Day Sept. 12, 2024 at the Cathedral of the Holy Family, launching a new year of ministry in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon.

The annual diocesan day again provided updates, information, and resources for parishes and leaders, including an overview of major themes, new programs, and upcoming events.

Administration Day opening

Master of Ceremonies Greg Chatlain, Director of Administration and Finance, noted that the annual day is an opportunity to look back on the last year of ministry, and together prepare for the year ahead.

“This is an opportunity to think about the future and what lies ahead, and what we can do to further our mission together,” Chatlain said. “Really, the main things are about our relationship… an opportunity to touch base again.”

Deacon Luke Tran Van Tam led the opening prayer. Presently serving as a transitional deacon at St. Mary Parish in Saskatoon, he will be ordained to the priesthood in a diocesan celebration 7 p.m. Friday, Oct, 18 at the Cathedral of the Holy Family – one of the many announcements highlighted at Administration Day.

After a treaty land acknowledgement by Myron Rogal of the Office of Justice and Peace, the program began with the introduction of new clergy and staff serving across the diocese since last year’s Administration Day.

Bishop Mark Hagemoen introduced newly-arrived priests Fr. Arnold Bolima, who is serving as pastor of St. Theresa, Asquith and associate pastor at St. Patrick, Saskatoon; Fr. Joe-Nelo Penino, who is serving as associate pastor at Holy Family Cathedral, Saskatoon; and Fr. Michael Magaji, who is serving as associate pastor at Holy Spirit, Saskatoon.

Other introductions included recently-ordained deacons Luke Tran Van Tam and Nicholas Blom, who are both serving at St. Mary, Saskatoon and new staff members at parishes across the diocese, including:

• Asquith: Rose-Anne Kielo, Parish Life Director
• Humboldt: Michael Selinger, Caretaker/Maintenance
• Martensville: Philip George, Coordinator of Evangelization and Youth Ministry
• Wilkie: Georgine Thomas, Parish Secretary
• Holy Spirit, Saskatoon: Duane Banadyga, Facilities Manager
• Our Lady of Guadalupe, Saskatoon: Ferdinand Gemoh, Parish Life Director; Sandra Harper, Pastoral Associate; and Catherine Laliberte, Parish Bookkeeper
• Our Lady of Lourdes, Saskatoon: Danielle Mase, Administrative Assistant; Ky Buchan, Youth Minister
• St. Augustine, Saskatoon: Aidan Powell, Youth Minister
• St. John Bosco, Saskatoon: Anne LaFleche, Pastoral Associate
• St. Paul Co-Cathedral, Saskatoon: Sr. Peter Mary, Pastoral Associate and Catechis

Staff changes at the Catholic Pastoral Centre in Saskatoon include the appointment of MaryLynn Kemp as Safeguarding Coordinator, Catherine Couture as Executive Assistant to the Bishop/ Coordinator of the Curia, Yvette Reynante as Executive Assistant to the Curia, and Hannah Enti-Brown as Migration Office Coordinator.

The Synod, Jubilee 2025, and the Pastoral Plan

Bishop Hagemoen also led the day’s information sessions with an overview of “extraordinary events” ahead for the universal Church in the year ahead, citing both the concluding session of the Synod on Synodality this October in Rome, and the Jubilee 2025 year announced by Pope Francis, which will run from Christmas Eve 2024 to the Feast of the Epiphany in 2026.

Hagemoen framed his comments through the lens of the diocesan Pastoral Plan, which was updated and renewed last year, reaffirming the diocesan mission “To Proclaim Christ and God’s Kingdom in the World Today.”

“One of the most important things we do in our diocese is draw people into a deepening relationship with Jesus Christ,” Hagemoen said, citing the first of the priorities listed in the Pastoral Plan, which also includes making every Sunday matter, promoting the healing journey in the Lord, building and supporting family and community life, embracing one’s priesthood, and moving from maintenance to mission.

The bishop noted that “making room for the Holy Spirit” is part of actively living out the diocesan priorities – and is also the critical key element of synodality. He also pointed to the theme of Jubilee 2025: “Pilgrims of Hope.”

“Hope never disappoints,” Hagemoen said, adding that the need to build and nurture hope in our world is greater than ever in light of the polarization, wars, and division.

The Jubilee Year will be a time to pause and to renew faith, and a time of prayer, self-examination and penance, with a focus on the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the great mercy of God, said the bishop. It is also a time of pilgrimage – which for some, may include going to Rome to celebrate and pray, but which can also involve local pilgrimages, he said.

A diocesan Jubilee Committee led by Fr. David Tumback has been established to “help us celebrate this year well,” Hagemoen added.

The bishop continued his reflection on polarization in the world and in the Church, citing his homily at a recent opening Mass for Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools staff, in which he noted the continuing work to fully embrace the call of the Second Vatican Council to move forward in new ways and in new circumstances – “new in ardour, methods and expression.”

Hagemoen pointed to the discernment process of fifth-century theologian St. Vincent Leriens regarding the legitimate development of doctrine, versus a reversal or change of the teachings of Christ and the Church. “We bring to bear the teachings under new circumstances,” Hagemoen affirmed. “There are also new ways in which we need to proclaim the message because of the culture, and world, and times we live in.”

He thanked all those in the diocese who are undertaking such evangelization, “and doing this very well, and taking it seriously.”

He also addressed practical matters, including the scheduling of his confirmation schedule in the new year.

Diocese of Saskatoon Catholic Foundation

RELATED: Bishop’s Annual 2024 launched in diocese

Raissa Bugyi, Executive Director of the Diocese of Saskatoon Catholic Foundation, which supports the mission of the diocese through fund-raising and stewardship, continued the focus on practical matters with a presentation about planned giving, as well as introducing the 2024 Bishop’s Annual Appeal.

At a Catholic Foundation breakfast meeting earlier in the day for pastors, parish leaders and BAA volunteers, Bugyi provided an overview of this year’s Appeal, resources, promotion, and schedule. The goal for the 2024 Appeal is $1.4 million, needed to fund a range of ministry, catechesis, formation, and outreach programs across the diocese.

The bishop’s delegate for the Annual Appeal, Holy Family Cathedral Rector and Pastor Fr. Gerard Cooper, also spoke at Administration Day about the importance of the BAA (see related article: LINK).

Overview of ministry programs

Marilyn Jackson, Director of Ministry Services for the diocese  introduced the diocesan minisry team of Jackie Saretsky, Hospital Chaplaincy; Myron Rogal, Justice and Peace; Dianne Anderson, Restorative (Prison) Ministry; John Hickey, Evangelization and Mission Leader and co-coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministry; Astrid Alas, Adult Faith Formation; as well as the Verbum Dei Missionaries Sr. Marta Piano, Sr. Malou Tibayan, and Sr. Mirasol Abala, who coordinate the Sts. Benedict and Scholastica Formation Program. Sr. Marta Piano is also co-cordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministry in the diocese, and Sr. Malou Tibayan is a co-ordinator of Adult Faith, specializing in the Called and Gifted Program. Jackson herself coordinates Evangelization and Catechesis, and oversees the volunteers that run programs for the Office of Marriage and Family Life.

Fr. Joseph Salihu, pastor at Holy Spirit Parish in Saskatoon spoke about the relationship of parishes and the diocese as a small example of the principle of finding “the universal in the particular, and the particular in the universal.”

Using that analogy, he affirmed the integral inter-connection between the diocese and parishes, saying that “every parish is in 123 Nelson Street (the address of the Catholic Pastoral Centre in Saskatoon), and the diocese is in every parish.”

He encouraged pastors and parish leaders to provide the diocese with feedback on programs, and the diocese to listen to parishes about what might be lacking in programming or support. “It has to be an interaction, a feedback mechanism.”

Salihu noted: “We have to come to the realization that few parishes in the diocese can design, run and implement all their own programs, because many don’t have the resources to do that.” By combining efforts at a diocesan level, needs can be met at the parish level, he added.

Resource Guide published

Evangelization and Mission Leader John Hickey announced that once again, the diocesan ministry office has published a Resource Guide highlighting programs, ministries, and upcoming events. Copies have been provided to each parish and the guide is available on the diocesan website (LINK to PDF), along with a page of links at rcdos.ca/resource-guide to register for a number of the 2024-25 programs in the diocese

“The spirit of this publication is to share with the whole diocese what is happening in terms of ministry here this year,” Hickey said.

After highlighting the list of upcoming Adult Faith programs and retreats, Hickey called attention to the ongoing diocesan Called and Gifted™ Discernment Process from the Catherine of Siena Institute, which will kick off again this fall with introductory workshops in three locations for Catholics to discern and learn about how to apply their “charisms” (gifts from the Holy Spirit) in their lives.

Called and Gifted Workshops:

• Oct. 4-5 at Holy Family Cathedral, 123 Nelson Road, SASKATOON.
• Oct. 19 at St. Theresa Parish, 208 Little Flower Avenue, ROSETOWN.
• Nov. 8-9 at St Augustine Parish, 809-10th Street, HUMBOLDT.

“This is in order to help grow your parishioners in their ability to figure out where there place is in your parish,” said Hickey about the powerful Called and Gifted process.

The 2024-25 Resource guide also includes information on ministries that exist to support the healing journeys of people in the diocese, again reflecting the diocesan Pastoral Plan.

“I want to draw particular attention to new ministries — Anew: Life After Divorce support group, which was previously known as Transitions, which is a new initiative in order to support those who are going through that tough time in their life (of separation or divorce), as well as Red Bird Ministry, which is for those parents who are struggling with the grief of losing a child,” said Hickey.

Hickey also pointed to a number of Youth and Young Adult Ministry opportunities in the diocese, including Project Timothy, a program that is designed to provide discipleship and leadership formation of young adults, with a goal of then having them become leaders in their parishes.

“We want to really expand representation in the program from across the diocese,” he said, encouraging pastors and parish teams to encourage one or two young adults to join Project Timothy this year. The program runs each year from October to June.

Other youth initiatives are also featured in the Resource Guide he noted, including some put on by the diocese, and others by parishes or other organizations, such as FacetoFace Ministries. “There is a real need to engage the youth,” he said, encouraging parishes to take advantage of what is already being offered, such as the Challenge and Conquest youth groups for Grades 3-12, and the Search Retreat for Grades 9-12 offered twice a year.

He encouraged parishes to let the Catholic Centre know about their upcoming events in the year ahead, and they can be added to the diocesan landing page at rcdos.ca/resource-guide.

New theme for Justice and Peace

Coordinator Myron Rogal announced that the targeted focus of the diocesan Office of Justice and Peace this year will be on poverty and the option for the poor and the vulnerable.

“There is a gap there – that gap extends into some areas of mental health, and what I would call reconciliation on the margins: those who have not yet begun their healing journeys, having experienced the inter-generational traumas and harms of residential schools.”

Rogal offered the gathering a “reality check,” noting that the situation in Saskatchewan has worsened, with poverty in the diocese of Saskatoon at unprecedented levels and rising.

“Right now, one in five individuals is at risk of some type of homelessness in the next five years,” he said. “This is really causing a risk to the peace of our nation as well, with a greater divide between the rich and the poor.”

Historically the Catholic Church has always placed significant attention on the care for poor and vulnerable, he said. Church involvement becomes more direct and central when societies become impoverished or the need has risen, as it has in Saskatchewan today.

Responding to poverty is also an opportunity for evangelization, he noted, as both active and fallen-away Catholics step forward with a strong desire to contribute time talent and treasure to care for the poor and vulnerable.

“We are also hearing more and more directly from parishes about the need for support” in responding to poverty in both urban and rural communities, Rogal added, thanking parishes that responded to a recent survey about emergency needs response in their communities.

The discernment and momentum means that some ideas – such as the warm-up shelter that operated at St. Mary Parish in Saskatoon last winter – would have been “almost non-negotiable five years ago,” but are now more widely embraced and supported because of the increasing needs, he said, noting this is also true in dioceses across the country facing similar crises.

“The wider community really does have a desire and thirst when entering into partnerships – with dialogue and with respect – there is a desire to come to know the Church and to work alongside the Church.”

He suggested a three-prong approach in moving forward with the new focus, including continued support for parishes wanting to put immediate charity and emergency need responses in place, work on plans for setting up a diocesan St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Mission Centre as a place of faith to come at the issue of poverty as Catholics, and continuing to work for long-term justice advocacy around poverty, housing, and other issues.

Rogal also noted that the non-partisan, non-profit organization Catholic Conscience is again working to create an election guide for the upcoming provincial election in Saskatchewan, showing official party policies alongside Catholic Social Teaching on a range of issues. The resource will hopefully assist Catholics in praying and discerning about how to cast their vote, he said.

Hospital Chaplaincy volunteer training

In another Administration Day session, Jacqueline Saretsky, diocesan coordinator of Hospital Chaplaincy described her role, working with full-time hospital chaplain Fr. Benedict Arakkal, with assistance from a number of other priests to meet the growing need for spiritual care for patients in the five hospitals in the city of Saskatoon (including the Children’s Hospital and the Dubé Centre for Mental Health).

“We are there in the hospitals, and we are available to help. We focus on a lot of the out-of-town patients, because chances are they don’t have someone in Saskatoon,” she said, noting that parishes and pastors in the city are encouraged to visit their own parishioners in hospital as well.

Saretsky added that about half of her time is spent on education, particularly in the area of palliative care and end-of-life issues.

One of the primary resources available to parishes is the Horizons of Hope four-module workshop created by the Canadian Catholic bishops, she said. The program is designed to empower and educate parishioners by addressing questions surrounding palliative care, dying, death, suffering, accompaniment, and bereavement in a holistic fashion.

Saretsky said she will teach the Horizons of Hope program, or parishes are easily able to learn how to facilitate it on their own, with support from her office. She urged parishes to use the program to address the many misunderstandings about palliative care and how best to support those who are facing end-of-life.

“It was created as a response to the legalization of euthanasia in Canada, also known as MAiD,” she said. “It is to show Catholics and others the true compassionate response to end-of-life care, which is not euthanization. It is also to encourage attendees to go out and volunteer, to visit people isolated in their homes, those who are sick or in hospital.”

In order to further assist and equip people to undertake that vital work of visiting and accompanying those who are sick or dying, a “Being With” Volunteer Training session will be offered in the diocese on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. “We need parish volunteers more than ever,” stressed Saretsky.

Facilitators for the training day are: Kathy Matusiak, Director of CCC – Compassionate Community Care – a registered charity of health care professionals and volunteers who provide support to vulnerable persons and their families during times of illness and crisis, and Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. Register online (LINK) or contact Saretsky for more information at: (306) 659-5839.

Saretsky also noted that “Hope in Health Care” is a new support group in the diocese of Saskatoon for Catholic health care professionals experiencing moral distress in the workplace, which meets regularly at the Catholic Pastoral Centre in Saskatoon, with support from the Office of Hospital Chaplaincy and the Catholic Health Association of Saskatchewan.

Nurturing volunteers

Jibsy Ekeng, the diocesan coordinator of Human Resources, presented a session to parish and diocesan leaders on managing volunteers, noting: “Keep them engaged or watch them go.”

Ekeng addressed common challenges around managing volunteers, including recruiting and orientating volunteers, handling disengagement and burnout, and managing conflict.

“We need to take time to support and develop our volunteers so we can keep them connected and motivated to our goals and priorities,” she said.

Key strategies for keeping volunteers engaged include promoting a positive culture, fostering a sense of community, encouraging open communication, and providing clear role descriptions and training, as well as recognizing volunteers and expressing appreciation.

Development and Peace campaign introduced

Development and Peace – Caritas Canada representatives Michelle Dinter-Lipinski and Norman Lipinski spoke to the diocesan Administration Day gathering about this year’s “Reaping Our Rights” campaign from the official international development organization of the Catholic Church in Canada.

The fall awareness campaign currently underway across Canada and the Share Lent fund-raising campaign are both aimed at standing in solidarity with peasants and small-scale farmers around the world. A postcard campaign is advocating for the adoption of strong mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence legislation in Canada.

Resources and more information can be found on the Development and Peace website at: devp.org

Other administration topics

A range of other administration and finance items were also addressed during administration day, including safeguarding, parish annual reports, information about CRA access, insurance, communications, internet and e-mail security, and a number of policy updates.

Photos:

 

 

 

 

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Bishop Mark Hagemoen joined with pilgrims Sept. 8, on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for an annual event at the foot of a 100-foot Pro-Life Millllennium Cross north of Aberdeen, SK.

Speakers Bishop Michael Smolinski, CSsR, of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon and Knights of Columbus State Deputy Marte Nogot led the appeal to support and protect the sanctity of life from conception to natural death during the annual pilgrimage to the Millennium Pro-Life Cross.

Despite scorching 30-degree Celsius weather, nearly 100 individuals gathered to pray and reflect on the preciousness of human life. The pilgrimage was a powerful demonstration of unity and strength, made even more special as this year it was celebrated on the Feast of the Nativity of Mary.

The annual pilgrimage also included praying of a “living rosary” with those in attendance standing at each bead of a giant rosary around the cross, which was erected in 2006, replacing an earlier wooden cross. The monument was first envisioned by local farmer Joseph Bayda, Sr. as a witness to the sanctity of life, and originally supported as a millennium project by the Knights of Columbus council of Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Saskatoon. Many others have supported the initiative in the years that followed.

Read more on Catholic Saskatoon News:

Pilgrimage to 100-foot Pro-Life Millennium Cross overlooking Saskatchewan fields held Sept. 8

Joyful songs rang out Aug. 30 as Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) teachers, staff members, administrators, and trustees gathered for celebration of the Eucharist and a program of reflection and inspiration to launch another academic year.

With 50 schools and over 22,000 students, Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) is Saskatchewan’s largest Catholic school division, providing Catholic education from pre-kindergarten through Grade 12 in Saskatoon and area, as well as in Biggar, Humboldt, Martensville and Warman, SK.

Some 2,000 participants filled the worship space and the overflow area at the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Saskatoon for Mass, a program, and a keynote address by singer, composer, storyteller, and psalmist ValLimar Jansen, who had the whole assembly on their feet, singing along during her presentation.

A tipi was once again set up on the cathedral grounds for an early-morning pipe ceremony before the start of the day. Learning & Student Services Coordinators Cari Anning and Rosalie Roesch were MCs for the Opening Celebration, using some of their classroom techniques to engage the crowd. T.J. Warren of the GSCS Treaty, First Nations and Métis Education team also came forward to offer a drum song.

Celebration of the Eucharist

“Salt of the Earth, Light of the World,” taken from Matthew 5:13-16 was the theme for the opening of the 2024-25 school year. It was also the Gospel proclaimed at Mass by Deacon Paul Labelle of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Saskatoon.

Bishop Mark Hagemoen of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon and Vicar-General Fr. Ivan Nahachewsky of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon (representing eparchial Bishop Michael Smolinski, who was unable to attend) presided at the celebration of the Eucharist, and led a “renewal of commitment” by members of the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools family. They were joined for the celebration of Mass by other priests from across the diocese and eparchy of Saskatoon.

In his homily, the bishop noted that the 2024-25 school year will include the start of a Jubilee Year declared by Pope Francis for 2025, marking the 60th anniversary of the closing of Vatican II, the fruits of which are still unfolding in the Church.

Hagemoen referenced the theme of “Salt of the Earth, Light of the World,” and reflected on the ongoing challenge of continuing the two imperatives of the Second Vatican Council: “Ressourcement” (going back to the sources — including sacred scripture and the foundational teachings of the Church)  and “Aggiornamento” (finding new ways to proclaim the Gospel in today’s world), which he summarized as “looking back for the sake of moving forward.”

The bishop also pointed to the discernment process of fifth-century theologian St. Vincent Leriens regarding the authentic advance of doctrine, versus a reversal or change of the teachings of Christ and the Church. It is an ongoing challenge for everyone in the Church, including teachers who must grapple with a range of issues, he said.

Hagemoen noted that the theme of Jubilee 2025 is Pilgrims of Hope. “You mediate meaning and hope in a very powerful way for young people,” he told the assembly. “Let us look for that hope and be that hope in the world.”

Readings during Mass were proclaimed in Ukrainian, French, and English, with Prayers of the Faithful also presented by representatives of a number of schools in a range of languages: English, Chaldean, Ukrainian, Nẽyihaw, American Sign Language, French, and Michif.

Photos from Mass:

 

Read more on Catholic Saskatoon News:

 

Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools launches new school year with Mass and program at cathedral

Abbot Peter Novecosky, OSB, of St. Peter’s Benedictine Abbey, Muenster, SK, died Aug. 14, 2024 on the Vigil of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the age of 79 years. He died in Humboldt Hospital after a battle with cancer.

A prayer vigil was held Aug. 19 at St. Peter Cathedral, Muenster, and the Mass of Christian Burial was held Aug. 20 at St. Augustine Parish, 809 – 10th Street, Humboldt. Interment followed Aug. 20 at St. Peter’s Abbey Cemetery.

St. Peter’s Abbey – Remembering Abbot Peter Novecosky (LINK)

Abbot Peter Novecosky’s faith and witness recalled at Aug. 20 funeral at St. Augustine Parish, Humboldt

“Be faithful.”

That was the simple response of Abbot Peter Novecosky on the day before he died, when Archbishop Donald Bolen asked him if he had a final word to leave his brother monks at St. Peter’s Abbey in Muenster.

Presiding at the late Abbot’s funeral, Bolen said that at this point it was not easy for Novecosky to respond –“speaking was hard” – therefore, the words that were spoken were both intentional and reflective.

“The word he spoke to us – ‘be faithful’ – is a word for us to hold. For the Lord has been very faithful to our brother, has been faithful to the Abbey, has been faithful to our communities, has been faithful to each of us.”

Abbot Peter Novecosky, OSB, died on the Vigil of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Aug. 14, 2024 at the age of 79 years.

At the funeral Mass Aug.  20 at St. Augustine Parish in Humboldt, SK, Bolen welcomed Novecosky’s sisters and family members, monks and other religious, priests and bishops, friends and parishioners, and invited them to a prayerful reflection about God’s action in the life of Abbot Peter Novecosky and in the lives of those around him.

“Abbot Peter is so woven into the life of this community of Humboldt, this region: especially the Catholic community of this region,” noted Bolen.

The youngest of eight children of Martin and Elizabeth Novecosky, Abbot Peter was given the name Wilfred when he was born April 27, 1945 at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Humboldt. Growing up in a farming family, he attended Willow Ridge School and St. Scholastica Catholic Church in the Burr district south of Humboldt. He attended high school and first year university at nearby St. Peter’s College in Muenster, which was operated by the Benedictine monastery.

At the age of 18, Novecosky asked to join the monastery, making his vows as a monk in 1964. “Like the apostle Peter, our Peter too had a change of name,” said Bolen. “He was given the name Peter. And like the apostle, he heard himself being called: he followed.”

Bolen noted that joining the Benedictines in the 1960s meant that Novecosky studied and entered monastic life at a turbulent time. “We see something of that sustaining and stabilizing faith from his monastic life, in the midst of many transitions.”

Twenty-two of Novecosky’s classmates at St. John’s Abbey in the United States eventually left monastic life  – but the three from St. Peter’s Abbey in Muenster all persevered, which was a point of some pride, said Bolen.

After his ordination in 1970, Novecosky’s first assignment was as a teacher and prefect at St. Peter’s College. When the boarding school closed in 1972 he was “off to the printing press, to formation work, to hospitality work, to the work of serving as prior, “ listed Bolen.

Then in 1990, following the resignation of Abbot Jerome Weber, OSB, Novecosky was elected Abbot of the monastery and Abbot-Ordinary of St. Peter’s Abbacy (Nullius), which looked after parishes throughout the region.

“As Abbot, his life expanded – expanded beyond the local community, beyond the Abbey. As Ordinary of the Abbacy, we see something of the way in which sometimes in the life of discipleship the Lord leads us into an expansive place, and then sometimes leads us into places of diminishment. Abbot Peter experienced both,” said Bolen.

“He became a member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops; he was asked to serve on national committees. He became the national spiritual director for the Catholic Women’s League of Canada, who by coincidence gathered in Saskatoon just a week ago, and prayed for him,” said Bolen. “He took part in abbots’ meetings in the United States and in Rome, visited Brazil when the mission was taking place there. He took part in the Ad Limina visits to Rome with the western Bishops.”

“Starting in 1992 he took on the job which he carried until the end,” as secretary for the Association of Western Canadian bishops. “Whenever we met, he met with us. He took copious notes. He provided all kinds of administrative responsibilities,” Bolen described.  “He was enormously appreciated by brother bishops in the West and the North. It is not surprising that we have many bishops here today, including bishops who have travelled a very long way to be here.”

Novecosky’s responsibilities and involvements at a wider level were also reflected in his work at the Prairie Messenger, the weekly Catholic newspaper published by the Abbey, “which helped to shape the horizons of our faith in this province at this time of transition,” said Bolen. He was the last editor of the Catholic newspaper, which closed down in April 2018.

“Abbot Peter was above all a monk. He was deeply committed to the monastic life, its rhythm of work and prayer – ora et labora – its striving for God in all things,” said Bolen. As a leader, Novecosky “let the rhythms of monastic life mould him, and bring stability, even in the midst of great change or tension.”

In 1998 another challenge came for the Abbey when it ceased to be a territorial Abbacy. “Parishes in the region, including this one, which had been served by monks were now incorporated into the diocese of Saskatoon,” said Bolen.

St. Peter’s Abbey remains “written into the life of faith for the people of this region,” the archbishop said. “Your relationship with the Abbey is part of your parishes, part of what it is to be Catholic…. The monastery has shaped so many of us and has had such a foundational and good influence. Abbot Peter was very much a part of that.”

Bolen continued: “He chose as his personal motto as Abbot ‘My heart is ready, O God.’ It is another version of Mary’s Fiat – ‘let it be done unto me according to your will’ –  ‘My heart is ready, O God’ — ready for whatever life brings, ready to serve.”

“Abbot Peter’s death is a cause for grief, it is a loss for the monastery, it is a loss for the family, and it also signals a change which has been happening in our communities. It symbolically speaks of changing foundations of the Church here on the Prairies,” Bolen said.  However, in the context of the Paschal Mystery of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, “the Lord calls us not to despair – God is up to something bigger. There are times of growth, there are times of letting go… Now let us hear the Lord say to Abbot Peter: ‘Peter Wilfred, come, follow me.’”

Before leading the final prayer of commendation at the conclusion of the funeral Mass, Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen described being “the last bishop of Saskatoon to experience Abbot Peter’s tremendous pastoral help and wisdom.” He added: “We benefited greatly from his wisdom, his pastoral insight, he was on our diocesan College of Consultors, he served on the Council of Priests, and in many other ways he made a considerable impact” in the province, throughout Western Canada and beyond.

Related: Obituary – Abbot Peter Novecosky LINK

Related: Live-stream from Schuler-Lefebvre Funeral Chapel LINK

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Bishop Mark Hagemoen joined former parishioners, families and visitors Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, for celebration of Mass at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, located 12 kilometres east of Smuts, SK.

Now closed, the church building was constructed more than a century ago, in 1919. The annual summer Mass at the rural church is a homecoming for many, and includes the blessing of graves in the cemetery.

RELATED: 100th anniversary of parish church in 2019 – LINK

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National CWL President Shari Guinta, CWL member Magdelina Bernier, and Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen (l-r) at the closing banquet of the National Convention of the CWL in Saskatoon: The national president presented a 70-year membership pin to Magdelina, who joined the Catholic Women’s League in 1955, as a member of the St. Louis, SK, council, and later was a member of Sacred Heart Parish CWL council in Prince Albert. Now living in Saskatoon, she attended the banquet with her daughter Janice Bernier, who joined the CWL 50 years ago, and also received a membership pin from Guinta. Magdelina’s mother Caroline Yungwirth, and her grandmother Katherine Reding were also CWL members. The banquet included a reunion with Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen, whose late mother, Almyra (nee Longworth) Hagemoen of Crystal Springs, SK, attended school with Magdelina and was the maid of honour at her wedding. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

The opening celebration for the 104th annual National Convention of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada was held Aug. 11 at the Cathedral of the Holy Family, ahead of celebration of Sunday evening Mass with Bishop Mark Hagemoen.

The official opening ceremony for the 104th National Convention Aug. 11, 2024, began with a flag processional featuring members of the national executive bringing up the Canadian, provincial, and CWL flags to place behind the altar at the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Saskatoon.

Delegates were welcomed by Saskatchewan Provincial CWL President Helen Kayfish on behalf of the 98 CWL councils across the province.

Saskatchewan Provincial CWL Spiritual Advisor, Fr. Francis Hengen and National Spiritual Advisor Bishop Wayne Lobsinger, also brought greetings at the opening celebration.

Describing himself as “blessed among women,” Lobsinger said that serving as a bridge between the League and the bishops of Canada is an honoured role.

“Today more than ever, we as Catholics need to be on the same page; we need to be working together,” Lobsinger said. “Part of my role is to bring together the women of the League and the bishops of Canada in this amazing task of proclaiming this wonderful gift we have of our Catholic faith.”

MLA Lisa Lambert, Saskatoon City Councillor Bev Dubois, Saskatchewan Knights of Columbus State Deputy Marte Nogot, and National CWL President Shari Guinta also spoke, welcoming delegates and affirming the work of the League.

Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen presided at the opening Mass, celebrating with several other bishops, including Bishop Stephen Hero of Prince Albert, Archbishop Donald Bolen of Regina, Archbishop Christian Lépine of Montreal, as well as Spiritual Advisors Lobsinger (Auxiliary Bishop of Hamilton) and Hengen, and a number of other priests and spiritual advisors, including cathedral Rector Fr. Gerard Cooper and Associate Pastor Fr. Joe-Nelo Penino.

In his homily, Hagemoen pointed to scriptural and personal journeys — including his own recent participation in the gruelling Canadian Death Race — that serve as a metaphor of Christian life, with mountain-top experiences as well as an a relentless up and down grind, when at times there seems to be no energy left to go on.

“But God is with us,” Hagemoen said, pointing to the exhausted prophet Elijah’s meal in the desert in the reading from 1 Kings as a foreshadowing of how we are fed in the celebration of the Eucharist, where “we come to hear the Word of God and feed on the Bread of Life, so that we meet the Lord and, furthermore, that we can be imitators of God.”

He noted that the CWL, with all the Church, is “called to serve the reality of unity and human fraternity,” starting with the basics of kindness and tenderheartedness, and of caring for others.

“Catholic Women’s League — thank you, thank you, thank you for the mission and the apostolate that you fulfill. You are imitators of God. Your faithful and tremendous support of the Holy Father and the Church nationally and locally is greatly needed and appreciated,” Hagemoen said.

“Thank you for the way you relate faith to service in so many ways, bringing your voice to bear on difficult issues for our culture and country: caring for our common home, speaking our faith to family values and priorities, bringing awareness regarding issues of the day that are a struggle for people — such as mental illness or human trafficking… and other key issues that impact health, economics and social issues.”

He concluded: “Thank you for being women who call us to right relationship. I and my brother bishops rely and depend on you , as do our clergy and frankly all our Church.”

 

 

Development and Peace – Caritas Canada representatives with several bishops after the opening Mass for the CWL national convention (l-r): Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen, Brenda Arakaza, Regina Archbishop Donald Bolen, Hamilton Auxiliary Bishop Wayne Lobsinger (National CWL Spiritual Advisor), Taisha Toupin, Prince Albert Bishop Stephen Hero, Montreal Archbishop Christian Lépine, and Joan Gauthier. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

Bishop Hagemoen also con-celebrated the closing Mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Saskatoon, with presider Bishop Wayne Lobsinger, as well as Archbishop Albert LeGatt, Fr. Frances Hengen, and Holy Spirit pastor Fr. Joseph Salihu on the final day of the convention Aug. 14.

Fr. Joseph Salihu, Bishop Mark Hagmeon, and Archbishop Albert leGatt at the CWL national convention closing Mass Aug. 14 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Saskatoon. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

News article about CWL convention:

CWL 2024 – Catholic Women’s League of Canada 104th National Convention held in Saskatoon

Bishop Mark Hagemoen of Saskatoon and Bishop Stephen Hero of Prince Albert Aug. 9 welcomed leaders of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada, who have arrived in Saskatoon for meetings ahead of a three-day national convention that will bring hundreds of League members from across the nation to the prairie city on the South Saskatchewan River.

Catholic Women’s League president Shari Guinta and her national executive – which includes provincial representatives (and a Military Ordinariate) – are working with local organizers to prepare for the Aug. 11-14 annual meeting of the Catholic women’s organization, founded in 1920. Today the League has nearly 60,000 members across Canada.

A bishops’ Mass and dinner Aug. 9 at the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Saskatoon was one of the events organized before the convention, featuring welcoming words from Bishop Mark Hagemoen of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon and Bishop Stephen Hero of the Diocese of Prince Albert. CWL councils from their two dioceses are hosting the national convention, coinciding this year with the 100th anniversary of the League’s establishment in the Diocese of Prince Albert in 1924.

Bishops Hagemoen and Hero were joined by CWL National Spiritual Advisor Bishop Wayne Lobsinger (Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Hamilton), Saskatchewan CWL Spiritual Advisor Fr. Francis Hengen, and Holy Family Associate Pastor Fr. Joe-Nelo Penino for the celebration of Mass in the cathedral’s Queen of Peace Chapel.

“The Church in Canada has always needed the Catholic Women’s League — and needs it now perhaps more than ever,” said Bishop Mark Hagemoen.

In the homily, Bishop Stephen Hero thanked organizers on behalf of the bishops of Saskatchewan and also expressed his admiration for the Catholic Women’s League of Canada who for more than a century has “been forming disciples of Jesus and working precisely and concretely on many of the burdens and evils” facing today’s world.

“You have been working on issues with faith, hope and love, with courage and in practical ways in our communities, keeping them in the minds and hearts of politicians and other groups, and supporting projects that work for a more Christ-like world,” said Hero.

The convention proper gets underway after an opening Mass Aug. 11, with keynote speakers and breakout presentations – including sessions related to the three pillars of the CWL — faith, service and social justice. The annual League gathering will also include reports, updates, resolutions and other business, as well as meetings of various national and provincial groups, evening banquets and other social events and tours, exploring what Saskatoon has to offer.

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Kiply Lukan Yaworski is the communications coordinator for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon: rcdos.ca. The Communications Office is supported by donations to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal: dscf,ca/baa