During celebration of Mass on the Feast of St. Dominic Aug. 8, 2024, Bishop Mark Hagemoen accepted diocesan seminarian Huy Le as a candidate for Holy Orders for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon.

The celebration marked the formal acceptance by the bishop and the Catholic community of Le’s commitment to pursue ordination, continuing his path of formation, study and discernment as he prepares to enter his third year of Theology at Christ the King Seminary in Mission, B.C. this fall.

Diocesan Co-Director of Vocations Fr. Colin Roy called Le forward to declare his resolve before the bishop to complete the preparation needed to undertake ministry of Holy Orders in the Church, promising to “form mind and heart” in a way that will enable him “to faithfully serve Christ the Lord and His Body the Church.”

Homily:

This is a significant moment on the journey of vocational discernment, said Hagemoen, addressing Le during the homily.

“God has bestowed you with many gifts that would seem very well suited to the priesthood,” said the bishop. “But ultimately your whole journey to the priesthood, as you know, is not about you, it is about God, and it is about what God wants to do in your life. And, of course, your happiness, your fulfillment in life – as for all of us – comes from fulfilling God’s plan and doing God’s will. That is still unfolding.”

The bishop noted that Le is “putting his hand to the plough,” echoing the proclamation of the Gospel from Luke 9. “That doesn’t mean that discernment is not still an issue, however, we rely now less on our own inspiration and ability, we rely on God’s grace,” Hagemoen said urging Le to “rely on the call before you, to be God’s priest… rely on the call to preach, by word and life, his way and kingdom..  rely on Him to be your model of what it really means to care for God’s devoted people.”

The bishop concluded with words of encouragement: “May this day mark an important day on a very significant journey. Please rely on our prayers and our support, and on the ongoing formation that comes to you through our diocese and of course through the seminary. Please know that the People of God are also your formators – and they continue to show through their faith, their love and their service to the Church in living of their vocation, how you are called to do the same in your God-given vocation.”

About the candidate:

Born in Vietnam in 1999, Le moved to Canada in 2011 with his family – his father (who died in 2019), his mother and younger sister. His paternal grandmother, uncles, cousins and other relatives are also living in Saskatoon.

Le has been actively involved in the Our Lady of La Vang Vietnamese Catholic Community, as an altar server and youth leader. He studied at the University of Saskatchewan and St Thomas More College in Saskatoon from 2017 to 2022, finishing undergraduate and philosophy pre-requisites. In 2021-2022, Le was part of the Sts. Benedict and Scholastica diocesan spiritual and human formation program in Saskatoon.

From May to August, Le has been serving at the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Saskatoon, preparing to continue his studies in September at the seminary in Mission, B.C.

Asked about his vocation, Huy Le cited the Prayer of the Chalice: “Father, to You I raise my whole being, a vessel emptied of self.”

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Vocations, Education of Future Priests, and Communications are among the ministries supported by gifts to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal. Find out more or donate online: BAA website

 

The 2024 Great Canadian Death Race held Aug. 4-5, marks the fourth run that the Diocese of Saskatoon Catholic Foundation and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon have promoted in support of the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund, beginning with the “Beaver Flat 50” in 2021 and continuing with the Death Race in 2022 and  again in 2023.

Support Bishop Hagemoen’s fund-raising efforts for the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund by going to the Diocese of Saskatoon Catholic Foundation website:  dscf.ca/annual-bishops-race.

By Bishop Mark Hagemoen, Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon

Grande Cache, AB – This year’s race Aug. 4-5 was an experience of adventure, challenge, and fraternity. The two teams – Memento Mori and Bros & Bishops – finished their respective leg segments with respectable times.

 

Momento Mori finished 45 minutes earlier than Bros & Bishops, with the final time of completion at 1:12 a.m.  The Racers faced different circumstances and challenges on the 118-km course.

On leg 1, Ryan Mallet encountered a debilitating knee injury. However, he worked through it to the end of his portion of the run – faithfully accompanied and supported by Luc Montpetit.

Leg 2 (Kieran Gillespie and Bishop Hagemoen) turned out to be very difficult. It was almost 30 kilometres, and climbed both Mt. Grande and Mt. Flood. The climbing and descending was relentless and steep, and as the day went on, the heat became a factor. Nonetheless, Kieran Gillespie had one of the leading times in the race for the leg. I struggled –especially with the heat – but completed the leg.

Leg 3 featured the combined efforts of Bishop Gary Franken and Ronan Gillespie. Bishop Gary started his leg mid-afternoon, and carried out a steady and respectable pace. Ronan Gillespie gained 40 minutes on the pace, and was in the top three fastest for Leg 3.

Leg 4 featured the climb up Mt. Hamel, and the long steady run-out from that summit. Jerome Montpetit accomplished this leg with a very respectable time, and was hardly winded at the finish. He even found time to send inspiring vista scenes via text on route.

Raphael Pelletier also accomplished a very good time on Leg 4, and indicated that the experience of the Mt. Hamel challenge was “incredibly crazy.”

The final leg was completed by Alex Pulvermacher and Max Connelly. The early experience of the initial climbs seemed ominous to both – especially when viewed at the end of the day in the dark. However, both described the journey – a long climb through the wilderness at night back into Grande Cache – was surprisingly peaceful and an experience of austerity and detachment.

Alex Pulvermacher arrived into Grande Cache with a strong and steady pace at about 12:45 a.m.

After completing his leg, Max Connelly stated, “the run was one of the most enriching experiences I have had, especially running in the dark and trusting in God’s care and providence.”

Upon receiving our team medals at 1:15 a.m., and coming back together for badly needed late-night nourishment – the teams awoke the next day and celebrated Sunday Mass with the Holy Cross Parish community in Grande Cache.

The community was very hospitable, and the pastor, Rev. Antony Narisetty, SAC, very welcoming and affirming of his experience of the team of bishops and young men during their stay at the church. However, we felt so blessed by the experience of being able to stay in a Catholic parish setting, with regular access to the church, and the ability to use the kitchen and other hall facilities for preparing and sharing meals, and for rest. And boy, did these young men eat!!!

 

One fact that was discovered later was that, for a portion of Bishop Gary’s leg (which he did with Ronan Gillespie) he was actually in his home diocese of St. Paul, Alberta! This diocese has a boundary that extends west to the Alberta – BC border. Bishop Gary’s leg went to the northern-most section of the race course, and he later checked the boundaries and discovered he had for a time been in his own diocese!

Gee, the extent a bishop goes to be present to the remotest areas of his diocese!

Meeting with President of  Aseniwuche Winewak

Another feature of the trip was meeting David MacPhee, President of Aseniwuche Winewak First Nation at Suza Creek. Bishop Gary and I enjoyed a good sharing with Chief David, followed by lunch.

One of the significant observations by Aseniwuche President MacPhee was about support by the Church for Indigenous communities. He stated that the efforts should continue to focus on the “head” AND the “heart.”

He indicated that communities appreciate and need the support of clergy and lay missionaries with both good teaching about the bible and faith, but this also needs to be coupled with programs that help people deal with their personal struggles, and support healing and personal growth.

Presient MacPhee stated that focusing only on ‘teaching’ can leave people wanting to achieve the goals of our faith, but this is unattainable without attending to necessary personal pain and hurt from challenging life experiences and circumstances. However, prioritizing only personal growth and healing can leave people in the difficulty of move beyond one’s self-focus to the greater calls to truth and meaning found together in community and illuminated by Christ’s life and teaching.

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Efforts for Indigenous Reconciliation Fund

This year’s race was a challenging and rich experience, that will continue to motivate and challenge for the next stage of all our journeys.

I also pray that the dedication of my efforts for the race for our diocese’s Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) will continue to support our common awareness and efforts at healing and reconciliation – which is greatly needed in our dioceses, our country and our world today.

RELATED: Reflection by Bishop Hagemoen before the Race and Profiles of Runners – Article

CONTRIBUTE to the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund – LINK

Photo Gallery:  LINK

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Reflection on relay race in support of the reconciliation fund

By Bishop Mark Hagemoen, Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon

“Walking together is not easy, but it is possible.”

I understand that Pope Francis wrote this statement in French in a visitor’s comments book as he departed from the National Shrine of Saint Anne de Beaupre in Quebec on July 28, 2022. This statement has haunted me for the last two years and reminds me of the importance of the journey – the pilgrimage together.

In my second “Death (…to Life!) Race” in Grande Cache, AB during my time serving in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon, I have the privilege of running this year with another brother bishop who I have known for many years, along with eight young men who are faith-filled and wanting to be led and challenged by the Lord as He reveals to them His will for their lives.

Bishop Gary Franken and these eight young men have all demonstrated what it means to be generous and selfless on the journey, and to engage the pilgrimage journey with trust and openness to the God who reveals His desire for our lives, and His vision of hope for our world.

This year, I again dedicate my efforts to supporting the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund for our diocese in support of projects for reconciliation and healing.

In his homily at the Holy Mass for Reconciliation at St. Anne de Beaupre National Shrine in 2022, the Holy Father encouraged us in this this difficult and important journey together. Pope Francis stated:

“When confronted with failure in life, nothing could be worse than fleeing in order to avoid it. It is a temptation that comes from the enemy, who threatens our spiritual journey and that of the Church, for he wants us to think that all our failures are now irreversible. He wants to paralyze us with grief and remorse, to convince us that nothing else can be done, that it is hopeless to try to find a way to start over.

“The Gospel shows us, however, that it is in precisely such situations of disappointment and grief – when we are appalled by the violence of evil and shame for our sins, when the living waters of our lives are dried up by sin and failure, when we are stripped of everything and seem to have nothing left – that the Lord comes to meet us and walks at our side.” (– Pope Francis, National Shrine of Saint Anne de Beaupré
Thursday, 28 July 2022)

May we not only remain dedicated to the ongoing journey of reconciliation and healing between Indigenous and non-Indigenous brothers and sisters, but may we open to be stretched and challenged about our own views and attitudes as we forge a new future together, admittedly in difficult current times for our world.

I recently heard from a group of Indigenous Catholic leaders that we pursue truth alongside of other virtues, including respect, humility, courage, honesty, compassion, wisdom, and a love that seeks shalom – peace and right relationship. These are challenging goals that relate to and depend on each other. They are especially important as we seek an unknown future together.

Brothers and Sisters, I invite your support for the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund for our diocese. Most of all, I ask for your prayers and your spiritual support of this call to commit to walk with Our Lord. The “race” can at times be beautiful and easy – and at many times, it can be very difficult and may even seem impossible. But with Our Lord …all things are possible! (see Matthew 19:26)

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Background:

Bishop Mark Hagemoen of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon and Bishop Gary Franken of the Diocese of St. Paul, Alberta will tackle the gruelling “Canadian Death Race” Aug. 3-4, running in support of the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF). They are joining eight young men from both of their dioceses on two relay teams. The “Canadian Death Race” features a 118-km course beginning and ending on a 4,200-foot plateau, passing over three mountain summits, with over 17,000 feet of elevation.

Bishop Mark Hagemoen and a team known as “4 Bros and a Bishop” first ran the course as a “Run for Reconciliation” in August 2022. This year’s “Bros and Bishop” team is also joined by a five-member “Momento Mori” team, led by Bishop Gary Franken of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Paul, AB. (Find profiles of the runners, below.)

The 2024 race marks the fourth run that the Diocese of Saskatoon Catholic Foundation and the diocese have promoted in support of the reconciliation fund, beginning with the “Beaver Flat 50” in 2021.

Support Bishop Hagemoen’s fund-raising efforts for the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund on the Diocese of Saskatoon Catholic Foundation website: dscf.ca/annual-bishops-race.

Profiles of the runners

BROS & BISHOPS Team

Ryan Mallett – Leg 1:  “This past spring I just finished two years of formation at St. Therese institute in Bruno, SK, and am now living and working in Lloydminster AB.  I am passionate for all things fitness and all things faith. I am very excited for the chance to run-trek with an amazing group of Catholic men, including two beloved bishops, in The Great Canadian Death (…to Life) Race in the mountains of Grande Cache!  Given the name of the race, and the terrain of the course, I am grateful for two team members that can readily administer the last rites!”

Bishop Mark Hagemoen – Leg 2:  “I serve as the Bishop of the Diocese of Saskatoon, and this will be my sixth Death (…to Life…) Race. It’s a real honour for me to run with my brother bishop, Gary Franken (he is 1 year younger than me!), and with the other young men from both of our dioceses. This run also represents the long, adventurous, arduous journey of reconciliation and healing, which features much needed mercy and persistence.”

Ronan Gillespie – Leg 3:  “I an 20 years old and I currently living with my family in Crescent Beach BC, finishing high school, and working at a local restaurant. After this summer I’m hoping to attend the Saint Therese Institute in Bruno, SK. When I was asked by my older brother (Kieran Gillespie) to partake in the Death Race, I accepted immediately, hoping that an early commitment would give me extra time to train. Unfortunately I procrastinated training, although picking up recently. The race will be a great challenge, but united by faith I am certain that our two teams will overcome any difficulties.”     

Raphael Pelletier – Leg 4:  “Hello! My name is Raphael Pelletier. I am 22 years old and I am from a small town called Legal, an hour north of Edmonton. I come from a family of six. I am the oldest of two brothers, Justin and Isaac, and a sister, Julia. I am a second-year student at the University of Saskatchewan here in Saskatoon and I also play on the men’s Huskie hockey team. I was able to take part in the Death Race two years ago with Bishop Mark, Luc, Jerome and Dom Montpetit, and Jacob Powell. It was an incredible experience and I am really looking forward to the physical challenge ahead and also to create memories and to grow closer as brothers!”

Maximilian Connelly  – Leg 5:  “I am 22 years old, and will be doing a third-year Apostolic Internship at St. Therese Institute of Faith and Mission.  I have been running for a year and feel very blessed to be taking on my biggest challenge yet in the Canadian Death Race!”

MOMENTO MORI Team

Luc Montpetit – Leg 1:  “I’m 20 years old and from small town Bruno, SK, but now live here in Saskatoon. This will be my second trip for this race. My first year didn’t quite go as expected as I didn’t get to run because of an injury but I’m back at it this year!”

Kieran Gillespie  Leg 2:  “I’m 23 years old and the eldest of five – my brother Ronan is doing the Death Race alongside me. I’m from the West Coast of BC, and I’ve always loved hiking camping, and being in the mountains. After serving and working for NET Ministries of Canada for four years, I most recently experienced a deeply transformative year at St. Therese Institute (alongside some of these other amazing guys!) I’m looking forward to taking on the Great Canadian Death Race with my brothers in Christ this year, it’s a real special opportunity.”

Bishop Gary Franken – Leg 3:  “I have served as the Bishop of St. Paul’s Diocese, Alberta, for the last one and a half years.  I am originally from the Vancouver area, and served as a priest for the Archdiocese of Vancouver for about 33 years before being appointed to St. Paul’s. This will be my second Death Race – having run it about 18 years ago. I have always enjoyed hiking in the mountains, not just for the physical experience, but also for the beauty and the contemplation. I am hoping that experience and some more wisdom will compensate for my years (I am 61).”

Jerome Monpetit – Leg 4: “I am 23 years old, and this will be my second ‘Death (…to Life…) Race.’ I am currently studying Philosophy through Holy Apostles College and Seminary while living a life of prayers and service. I continue to discern priesthood and religious life as I seek to know and do God’s will.”

Alex Pulvermacher – Leg 5: “I grew up in Bruno, SK, and have been living in Saskatoon since 2016, when I moved to pursue and engineering degree at the U of S. Since then I have made Saskatoon home and am working as a civil engineer-in-training. As a teenager, I spent a lot of time in the outdoors, jogging, cycling, hunting, and going on hikes, which led me to fall in love with God through the beauty that I encountered in my wanderings. I was honoured to accept the invitation to join the team of incredible men on this race, and to do a hard thing for the glory of God.”

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The annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was held once again on July 21, 2024, with Bishop Mark Hagemoen and priests from throughout the area celebrating Sunday Mass on the hillside beneath the statue of Mary holding the child Jesus.

For more than a century, pilgrims from the St. Peter’s Abbey area and beyond have climbed the hill at Mount Carmel,  north of the hamlet of Carmel, SK, to ask for the intercession of Our Lady, to pray for good weather and a bountiful harvest, and to celebrate the Eucharist under prairie skies.

The program again included Marian hymns, praying of the Rosary, celebration of Sunday Eucharist, blessing of the fields, blessing of the sick, Eucharistic adoration, lunch, and an opportunity to pray the Stations of the Cross around the base of the sacred hill.

By Jon Perez, Canadian Catholic News

Turning to Mary

Norman Duerr of St. Augustine Parish in Humboldt welcomed pilgrims to the annual Mount Carmel Pilgrimage July 21, 2024 recalling the time when Venerable Fr. Patrick Peyton, more popularly known as the “Rosary Priest” stood on the ground of Mount Carmel hill, emphasizing the importance of our devotion to Mary.

Duerr  was among the estimated 10,000 to 12,000 people who gathered in 1948 to hear the simple message delivered by the Irish priest promoting the rosary as a powerful prayer and devotion by Catholics to Our Lady.

“He [Peyton] stood on this spot and spoke simply but eloquently of his love and devotion to Mary. As a little boy, I was here. I was deeply touched by his words. It was simple but eloquent,” Duerr told the nearly 500 pilgrims who visited the shrine for the 2024 pilgrimage.

“He repeated: ‘Go to Mary. Pray to Mary. She knows you and she loves you.’ …Today, I invite you to join us in making this a special plea to Mary, the Queen of Peace, for peace in the troubled times in which we live.”

Duerr noted that St. Pope Paul VI made a similar plea for peace and the prevention of war in 1965 when he spoke at the United Nations as the Vietnam War was raging on. Pope Francis has repeatedly called on leaders to work together to end violent conflicts around the world.

“Pope Francis said: ‘Peace is never made with weapons but with outstretched arms and open hearts.’ Yet, the nations of the world today continue to spend on military weapons 40 times the amount of money that is given to education and health care combined,” Duerr said. “War rages on in places like Ukraine and Gaza. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse—Conquest, War, Famine and Death—in the book of Revelation, the final book of the New Testament, continue to ride.”

He then shared Pope Francis’ short prayer for peace: “Lord, come to our aid. Grant us peace. Teach us peace. Guide our steps on the way to peace. Mary, Queen of Peace, come to our aid.”

“I would like to make that special prayer today and ask you to join me in that prayer,” Duerr said.

Message from Bishop Mark Hagemoen

Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen, began his homily in front of the altar, holding his crozier (bishop’s staff) , emphasizing Jesus’s role in the Gospel as the Good Shepherd, who is always there to lead and to care for His flock.

“The genius of the Good Shepherd, who goes forward, is that he does not go too far. Because we know that when our leaders get too far from the people, they are ineffective. So, Jesus is always the one who is in front of us, but he is with us,” said Hagemoen.

He added that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, inspires His people, priests, and bishops to commit themselves to pastoral care, seeking out those who fall behind or are experiencing difficulty and crises.

Hagemoen said every baptized and confirmed Catholic is also called to the shepherding role of Christ, recalling the words in the Rites of the Sacrament of Confirmation: “As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet, and King, so may you live always as a member of His body sharing everlasting life.”

Everyone must renew their commitment to be shepherds and missionaries with Jesus Christ, said the bishop.

“The way of the missionary always points to the Good Shepherd and the way of the mission is the way of the Church. The way of a missionary points to God. The minister of God knows that you and I have the privilege and duty to point to God by life and word. The missionary lives in that mystery and draws his or her life from that mystery. The missionary seeks God everywhere and in everyone,” said Hagemoen.

“The missionary walks with others – not too far ahead and typically among them… The missionary is a humble servant, not one with all the plans and answers all the time….relying on God’s mystery.”

During the pilgrimage, the bishop thanked the Benedictines of St. Peter’s Abbey, who for more than 100 years have cared for the Mount Carmel pilgrimage site established in the former St. Peter’s Abbacy. Hagemoen also asked for continuing prayers for Abbot Peter Novecosky, OSB, who is in hospital, and who sent his prayers and greetings to those attending the 2024 Mount Carmel Pilgrimage.

Video – highlights of pilgrimage and bishop’s homily:

Photo gallery: LINK

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Jon Perez is a parishioner at the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Saskatoon.

Event marking sale of OMI retreat house after 66 years in Saskatoon focuses on gratitude

By Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News

A bittersweet celebration marked by mixed emotions of gratitude and grief was held July 18 at Queen’s House of Retreat and Renewal in Saskatoon, as hundreds gathered in person and online to mark the closing of the facility after 66 years of providing a spiritual oasis on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River.

“As I pondered this day, the history of Queen’s House and the role it has played in the Church and beyond, the closure of ministry offered in and through this sacred place, the countless feelings we have around its closing – and as I pondered the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ – I was reminded that God is right here, right now, God is present in our hurt and in our hope, in our joy and in our sadness, in our achievements and in our incompleteness, in our passion and in our discouragement, in our betrayal, and in our faithfulness,” said homilist Fr. Doug Jeffrey, OMI, at the Mass that opened the farewell celebration.

“This moment is an opportunity to recognize and acknowledge the missionary Church, where our hungers, our deepest longings, and God’s grace meet and embrace, where death and resurrection offer both pain and possibility.”

Decision to sell

The Oblates of Mary Immaculate built and opened the retreat house dedicated to Mary Queen of Heaven in 1958. OMI Lacombe Canada made the decision last year to close Queen’s House and sell the property.

In a June 7, 2024 update letter to the community about the sale, OMI Lacombe Provincial Fr. Ken Thorson said that the difficult decision to close two retreat centres – Queen’s House in Saskatoon and Galilee Mission Centre in Anprior, ON – followed an extensive period of discernment. “It was made in the context of several challenges to our retreat house ministry, including declining financial independence and the evolving needs and priorities of the Oblate community,” wrote Thorson.

Queen’s House will close its doors July 31, 2024, and the property (including the former site of the demolished Mazenod House) is expected to be handed over to new owners RIVA Developments of Saskatoon Sept. 1.

“The company (RIVA Developments) has expressed its desire to honour the Oblate legacy of service to those in need,” Thorson said in his June update letter. “It has partnered with Integrated Health Services of Saskatoon, which will operate a family treatment centre in the existing Queen’s House facility,” wrote Thorson.

“We understand that RIVA intends to start construction on a new development in 2025 or 2026, and the plan will be phased to ensure that the treatment services provided in the existing facility will be transitioned into a new purpose-built space.”

Farewell celebration

The farewell celebration followed an annual Summer Stillness Retreat, which has been offered at Queen’s House for many years by Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI. This year’s theme was entering into the paschal mystery of death, Resurrection, grieving, Ascension and Pentecost.

Gratitude was the prevailing theme of the July 18 farewell event, which opened with the Eucharist concelebrated by Fr. Ken Thorson, OMI, Archbishop Donald Bolen of Regina, Bishop Mark Hagemoen of Saskatoon, Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI, Fr. Doug Jeffrey, OMI, and Fr. Joseph Jacek, OMI.

“Thank you for the love you have for this place, for what you have given to support this place in so many ways,” said OMI Provincial Thorson in his opening remarks to all those assembled to bid farewell to the beloved facility.

“We come in a sense to say goodbye, but also, and I think more importantly because that is what Eucharist is all about, is to give thanks – to give thanks for the ways in which  God has blessed the city, the province and beyond by the ministry of Queen’s House,” Thorson said.

Homily

In his homily, Fr. Doug Jeffrey, OMI, said: “As this chapter of our ministry comes to a close, it is a time to rest, to appreciate, to ponder, to give thanks, to treasure and to let go.”

“Now is not the time to think about tomorrow, to organize and to plan. It is rather a time to sit around the fire, to talk, to tell stories, to tease, and to enjoy what we have today…. We cannot repeat what we have done, this season has come and gone. What we can do is listen to our God, and to the People of God, and wait for the ‘new’ that will emerge,” Jeffrey said.

Prayers of the Faithful

Sr. Anne Lewans, OSU, led intercessory prayers at Mass, which included: “Generous God, we thank you for the gift of Queen’s House: this place of community, learning, prayer and exploration. We pray for those who are grieving the loss of this holy place. We pray for ourselves and for each other, that we will continue our journey in new ways, asking that your Spirit inspire us and give us courage and hope.”

Supper

Mass was followed by a barbecue supper provided by Queen’s House staff with help from members of the Knights of Columbus manning the grill, an evening program of speakers, and a final reception.

 

 

Program

MCs Brendan Bitz, Director of Queen’s House, and Deb Rolfes, Queen’s House Advisory Board member, expressed gratitude to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, to board members, staff, presenters, volunteers, and all those who have supported the ministry and outreach of Queen’s House as a place of welcome, nourishment, and peace.

Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI, who has been “preaching and teaching” at Queen’s House for some 50 years, was introduced as a representative of the many presenters, facilitators and retreat leaders who have served at the facility. He offered “four thank you’s and a metaphor” to those assembled for the Queen’s House farewell.

Rolheiser’s first “thank you” was to Queen’s House founder, the late Fr. Edward Lequiea, OMI, who established the building in 1957, and was Queen’s House Director from 1958-1968 and then again from 1974 to 1978.

“Ed had the vision, and they said he was crazy. He built this place, and he built it in midst of garbage dump,” said Rolheiser, noting that Lequia and the Oblates were firmly supported by Saskatoon Bishop Francis Klein in their efforts to establish the retreat centre “He gave 25 years of his life here. Without him, we wouldn’t be here.”

Secondly, Rolheiser thanked Fr. Glenn Zimmer, OMI, who served as director of Queen’s House from 1981 to 1995.  “Glenn Zimmer came in and he gave it a new vision, for a new generation, and he radically re-did the building, put the buildings up that we are using today. He started wonderful new programs, including Summer Stillness, which we just finished. Without Glenn we wouldn’t be here either,” he said.

“Thirdly, I want to thank the diocese of Saskatoon, beginning with Bishop Klein,” Rolheiser said. “We have had wonderful support from all the bishops since.”

“Lastly I want to thank the building… I want to thank Queen’s House,” he said. “Several hundred thousand people have gone through these doors…which included my mother and father, all of my siblings, many of your mothers and fathers and siblings, and so on. Hundreds of Lay Formation people went through here… several thousand Summer Stillness people have gone through here. Queen’s House has done its work.”

For his metaphor, Rolheiser reflected on the blood and water that poured from the side of Jesus after he died on the cross.  “They pierced his side with the lance, and blood and water flowed out – new life and new cleansing and new nurturing came out of his dead body. That is an important faith metaphor. Queen’s House gave a lot of people sustenance when it was alive. It is going to continue: blood and water will continue to flow from this place, from its dead body, grace will be poured out.”

Queen’s House Advisory Board Chair Adele Longstaff was introduced as representing “the many people who have from day one – the volunteers and staff – believed deeply in the ministry and have been deeply committed to the ideals of hospitality” at Queen’s House.

Longstaff noted that the advisory board has been operating since 2005 and has served as a conduit between the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the staff of Queen’s House and those who came to the retreat house for renewal.

“Like Queen’s House, the board has always been ecumenical, as has the staff,” she noted. “Many of the people who have served and currently serve on the board were brought into this ministry because of their own personal positive and often life-changing experiences that happened here at Queen’s House.”

Longstaff asked all past and present board members and volunteers to stand and be acknowledged. “In my experience, the volunteers and board members offered their service as a labour of love.”

She concluded: “On behalf of the board, I leave you with only three messages: thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Queen’s House director Bitz noted that the retreat Centre has served the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon through the appointment of six bishops, beginning with Bishop Francis Klein, introducing Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen to speak on behalf of the diocese.

“I would like to thank the Oblates for the decades of oversight and ministry at Queen’s House, along with the staff and other leadership… (and the) many religious women as well, who staffed, volunteered, presented, and were part of the ministry of life here,” said Bishop Mark Hagemoen

“The retreat centre has blessed and affected so many lives and organizations, and not just those of the Catholic faith, (but also) other faith communities, and the entire civic community,” Hagemoen said, noting the Queen’s House features of “the quiet, the Shalom – which isn’t just peace – and the beauty, let alone the ministry of hospitality and the many other components and wonderful programs, and the opportunity to carry out ministerial work. Queen’s House has fostered an environment of faith and spirituality that promotes so many important features of ministry today.”

The bishop concluded by stressing “the mission continues.”

Sr. Leona Meier of the Sisters of Mission Service also spoke, representing the many “dedicated and eloquent” religious women who have ministered at Queen’s House, providing a “bedrock of quality and consistency and reliability and faithfulness, wisdom and generosity,” said Bitz.

Sr. Leona Meier, SMS, was a member of the staff when Queen’s House first opened. “I feel a bit like a midwife or grandmother as my involvement began before they gave birth,” she said, recalling how several of those in the novitiate in 1957 came to Queen’s House to sew nametags onto ribbons and to wash windows and “do whatever else needed doing, in order to get a new home spick and span prior to opening.”

When Queen’s House opened in 1958, she was one of many sisters who helped in the kitchen. “Most of our cooking began from scratch. Imagine: you have a recipe for dessert which says ‘Serves 6”, but you are cooking for 30 to 70 ..that was a gymnastics in math.”

“Fr. Ed Loquiea was our director and what a great organizer. In the beginning we would have one retreat a weekend, and we had girls come to serve the meals for the retreat, plus preparing the tables for the next meal, Once our mid-week retreats were introduced, it was often the janitor June McLeod and myself that did the serving. There was silence during the meals with appropriate music, except for the last meal when there was some talking, Sometimes we would receive notes of thanksgiving left on the table – always appreciated, never expected.”

“Queen’s House has been a place that has renewed people in mind, body, soul and spirit. During these years, many sisters from various communities have offered their services in a variety of fields. From volunteering to offering programs, courses, such as Faith Story, Mystics, Laudato Si’, Spiritual Direction, facilitating retreats and much more…. I believe we can all say we are grateful for the opportunity (and that) we have been able to share our gifts, time and talent these precious years.”

Bishop Jakob Palm of Holy Covenant Evangelical Church spoke as an ecumenical representative of the “wide and deep faith community that has called Queen’s House home.”

“There still exist places on this good Earth, set apart for the human person to be what she is called to be – a personal being, living in personal, loving relationships with other persons. To exist not only as individual unity, not only as conformity, but as community, communion,” said Palm. “Queen’s House – its people and its space – is such a place of existence. A sacred place where you and I could come together to see each other.”

While the building has helped, communion does not start with buildings, he stressed. “Queen’s House and the space it holds is in the heart of the people.”

“Relationships require space in our heart for each other. To me, the witness of Queen’s House is that every time I come here I am reminded to keep space – sacred, sheltered, and protected space – for the other person in my heart. For the person I love, for the person I don’t agree with, for the person I don’t yet know, for the person I don’t understand, and for the person I have a hard time loving,” he said.

“We don’t know what will happen with these buildings and the things built. But as we bid farewell to this season, we welcome a new one. I am grateful, thankful, for all the people I have met here, for this place reminding us to keep sacred space in our heart for each other, for each other’s churches, for each other’s world perspective – and I encourage you to continue in this way as we go on this journey together.”

OMI Lacombe Provincial Fr. Ken Thorson, OMI, opened his reflection by reading a list of a few of the ministries and programs and groups that have called Queen’s House home over the years.

“As we face the closure of this centre, remember the countless lives that have been touched and transformed by the love and grace that they found here, in the people and in the stillness and in the liturgies and in the retreats and in the meetings,” said Thorson. “Though the doors may close, the spirit of hospitality and renewal will continue to live on our hearts, and will continue to extend from the people who have worked here, volunteered here, prayed here… will continue to extend beyond this place, beyond this time… (they) are seeds that will live on and grow in ways that we can’t know.”

He added:; “I want to give thanks to the dedicated staff and volunteers and patrons who poured their hearts into making this house a home for all who entered. We grieve the closure of this place, but we also celebrate the holy encounters, the sacred encounters, the growth that took place within these walls.”

Thorson also thanked “all of those people, laity, religious communities, the diocese, who invested their treasure – this is not an Oblate venture alone.”

“Today has been a time of celebration, it has been a time of thanksgiving, it is also a time of lament. It is also a time for us to be thankful to God ultimately. Thankful to God for the opportunity to be a part of the ministry of this place for however long we have been a part of it. We celebrate the profound impact of Queen’s House on our lives and on the wider community of Saskatoon, the Christian community and beyond.”

Thorson concluded:  “May we continue to offer a gentle and humble spirit to all we meet, just as Christ calls us to, and let us trust in God’s plan, knowing that new beginnings often arise from what seems like an end. In this moment of transition let’s pray for guidance and strength trusting that God’s love and grace will continue to lead us.”

Photo gallery: LINK

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Pilgrims from throughout the area – and beyond – gathered at the Holy Rosary Shrine site at Reward, SK, July 14, 2024 for an annual pilgrimage established 92 years ago in the historic St. Joseph’s Colony in the western part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon.

As the bells of the historic Holy Rosary Church tolled out across the prairies under unsettled skies, parish banners were carried down the hillside toward the grotto and outdoor altar for celebration of Sunday Eucharist with Bishop Mark Hagemoen , who was joined by five priests serving in parishes from throughout the region.

Children scattered flower petals during the entrance procession, with altar servers from St. Michael Parish, Tramping Lake, and music ministry provided by St. Peter Parish, Unity.

Parishes and missions of St. Joseph Colony (many of which are now closed) and the dates they were established include:  St. Pascal, Leipzig (1905); St. Charles, Revenue (1905); Our Lady of Assumption, Kerrobert (1906); St. Henry, Salvador (1906); Assumption of the Blessed Virgin St. Mary, Handel (1906); St. Michael, Tramping Lake (1906); St. Anthony, Grosswerder (1907); St. James, Wilkie (1909); Sacred Heart, Denzil (1909); St. Joseph, Scott (1909); Our Lady of Holy Rosary, Reward (1910); St. Francis/Sacred Heart, Broadacres (1910); St. John Nepomecene, Salt Lake (1910); St. Mary, Macklin (1910); Holy Family, Ermine (1910); Our Lady of Fatima, Landis (1910); St. Peter, Cosine (1914); St. Donatus, Cactus Lake (1914); St. Peter, Unity (1914); Immaculate Conception, Major (1914); St. Eugene de Mazenod, Luseland (1915) and St. Elizabeth, Primate (1916).

Mission to proclaim Christ

In his homily, Bishop Hagemoen emphasized the importance of mission in the life of the Church and for each of the baptized.

Quoting the recently-released Synod on Synodality document Instrumentum Laboris  Bishop Hagemoen said:  “Growing as missionary disciples, we always answer Jesus’ call to follow him, responding to the gift that we received when we were baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. It means learning to accompany each other as a pilgrim people journeying through history towards a common destination, the heavenly city.”

The bishop reflected on the missionary zeal of those who settled the area, and the zeal of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate who served the area for generations, establishing parish churches. “Their whole reason for being was the mission of Jesus Christ and that mission was to proclaim Christ, and to provide the concrete places by which that mission would be professed and carried out. That’s why we have this beautiful Church here in Reward,” Hagemoen said.

The late Cardinal Francis George of Chicago once reminded priests that the mission of the early Church did not arise from institutions, but from the “passion and the commitment to know Christ and to bring him to others – full stop,” said Hagemoen. “That is something that needs to be renewed all the time.”

“He was challenging his priests in one of the most affluent dioceses in the world that it is not our institutions that make Christ present. It is the People of God. It is our clergy who serve that People of God, through their Sacraments and their preaching, and it is you,” urged the bishop. “It is you – you who go forward in your lives and proclaim Him. We will be effective as a diocese by our zeal for continuing to proclaim Christ.”

Pilgrimage program

The 92nd annual pilgrimage also included opportunities for confession, Eucharistic Adoration and praying the Rosary, as well as a barbecue supper, children’s activities and some time for soccer organized by volunteer Matthew Witzaney, before inclement weather ended the day.

Graves at the Holy Rosary cemetery were decorated with roses for the day, purchased by families and parishioners in support of the shrine site.

Pilgrimage committee member Leanne Clarke also provided an update about other fund-raising and ongoing volunteer efforts that help to maintain the church building and shrine site.

“Each and every one of us has been drawn to come back here in prayer, to celebrate our faith, which our ancestors bestowed upon us,” she said. “With the help of your donations, we are able to begin work on the church again, and very excited to share that we can complete the outside,” said Clarke.

Clarke acknowledged donations from area businesses, and support from both the Knights of Columbus and Catholic Women’s League, who have organized barbecues at the Unity Co-op, with proceeds going to Holy Rosary Shrine.

Donations to assist with the maintenance of the historic church and shrine site can be sent to: Holy Rosary Shrine, Box 1536, Unity, SK, SOK 4L0.

“There are so many kind deeds and gestures provided here at the shrine. All those acts of kindness are never ever taken for granted,” she said. “It takes many hearts and hands to keep us functioning at Holy Rosary Shrine.”

Acknowledging the contributions of volunteers and shrine committee members, Clarke also thanked all those in attendance. “Without all of you there wouldn’t be a pilgrimage. And after all this is our gem in rural Saskatchewan that we have been blessed with, let us give thanks for this beautiful place. We truly are ordinary people living in very extraordinary times.”

Farewell to local pastor

At the conclusion of Mass, Clarke and the pilgrimage committee also acknowledged the support of Fr. Greg Roth, pastor of St. Peter Parish, Unity, and St. Michael Parish, Tramping Lake, who will be leaving to take up a new assignment as pastor of Saint Anne Parish in Saskatoon. Fr. Matthew Ramsay has been appointed pastor at Unity and Tramping Lake as of July 31.

The committee presented Roth with artwork depicting the shrine, as well as a tree to plant on the site in his honour.

 

 

Photo gallery: LINK

 

Next pilgrimage opportunity in the diocese of Saskatoon – Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel July 21, 2024 – LINK

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Kiply Lukan Yaworski is the coordinator of communications for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon: rcdos.ca.

Bishop Mark Hagemoen has provided an update about pastoral appointments in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon, following up on an earlier announcement. Most of the changes take effect as of July 31, 2024.

Bishop’s Letter – LINK to PDF

“Please join me in thanksgiving for our new and current clergy as they enter into their new roles to provide ministry in the diocese of Saskatoon,” said Bishop Hagemoen.

Pastoral Assignments

Fr. Clement Arthur will serve as pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Indigenous Catholic Parish in Saskatoon, as well as continuing as pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Parish and St. Michael Parish. As previously announced, Fr. Graham Hill, CSsR, will conclude his current assignment as pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish as the Redemptorist community withdraws service from the diocese of Saskatoon.

Fr. Richard Philiposki, SChr, will serve as Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Czestochowa Polish Parish in Saskatoon, effective
immediately. He will also be the Parochial Administrator of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Vanscoy, SK.

 

Effective immediately, recently-ordained Permanent Deacon Nicholas Blom is appointed to serve in prison ministry, and will also assist at St. Mary Parish in Saskatoon. 

Fr. Peter Olisa will serve as Parochial Administrator of St. Aloysius Parish, Allan, SK; St. Alphonse Parish, Viscount, SK; and St. Mary Parish, Colonsay, SK, on a temporary basis, while continuing as pastor of parishes at Watrous, Young, and Imperial.

 

Fr. Michael Magaji, who recently arrived in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon, will serve as associate pastor at Holy Spirit Parish, Saskatoon, joining pastor Fr. Joseph Salihu.

Retirement

Fr. Phong Pham is now retired, after serving in the Diocese of Saskatoon since 1997. “I take this opportunity to thank Fr. Phong for his ministry in our diocese,” said the bishop.

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Clergy from across the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon gathered with Bishop Mark Hagemoen July 9, 2024 for an annual barbecue that included social time, soccer, and great food. The event was again hosted and coordinated by a group of volunteers from Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Martensville.

Photos by Rita Flaman Jarrett:

Bishop Mark Hagemoen ordained Nicholas Blom to the Sacred Order of Deacons on the eve of the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, June 28, 2024.

The new Permanent Deacon in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon was surrounded by friends and family — including his wife Maureen — for the joyful celebration held at the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Saskatoon.

 

Blom is the second man to be ordained to the permanent diaconate in the history of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon, after Deacon Paul Wheeler, who was ordained at St. Paul’s Hospital chapel on Trinity Sunday, May 26, just two days before his death.

The two Saskatoon men had journeyed together for the past five years in a combined cohort of diaconate candidates from both the Saskatoon and Regina diocese discerning the call to ordination as deacons.

In his homily, Bishop Mark Hagemoen acknowledged Archbishop Donald Bolen of Regina, who several years ago as bishop of Saskatoon began the process of discernment and establishment of the permanent diaconate for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon.

“And then rather wonderfully, for our first formation program directed by (diocesan Vicar-General) Fr. Kevin McGee, we made the decision with the invitation of the Archdiocese of Regina and Archbishop Bolen, to join the formation program in Regina,” said Hagemoen, thanking those on the formation team, including Regina theologian Brett Salkeld and Deacon Barry Wood.

Two others who journeyed through that process of discernment and formation over the past five years were ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons in the Archdiocese of Regina on June 14: Deacon Martin Kondzielewski and Deacon Ken Fahlman. At Blom’s ordination in Saskatoon, Kondzielewski and Fahlman vested the new deacon with the stole and dalmatic.

A number of other permanent deacons have served in the diocese of Saskatoon in recent years, but all were ordained in other dioceses before moving here to provide service. One of those permanent deacons – Deacon Donat Davatz, who serves at St. Paul Co-Cathedral in Saskatoon – proclaimed the Gospel at Blom’s ordination.

 

As with other Holy Orders, the discernment process for permanent deacons involves both the candidate and the faith community. The permanent diaconate is open to married men 35 years or older, or to single men over 25 years of age. Deacons serve in the ministries of Charity, of the Word, and of the Altar.

Bishop Mark Hagemoen reflected on the role of the deacon in his homily, urging the new deacon to: “make real and present to the world the powerful, healing, and life-giving presence of Jesus Christ.”

“Since you present yourself for the Order of the Diaconate of your own free choice, through quite a journey, you must be like those once chosen by the Apostle for the ministry of charity: a man of good reputation, full of wisdom blessed by the Holy Spirit,” said the bishop. “Firmly planted and grounded in faith, you are to show yourself without blemish and beyond reproach before God and others, as is proper for the ministers of Christ and the stewards of God’s mysteries.”

Reflecting on the scriptures for the vigil of the Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Hagemoen noted that wherever the new deacon is assigned to serve, he will be called to bring the loving healing presence of the Lord Jesus Christ and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to proclaim and make manifest the great mercy of God.

“It will be making present the mercy of Jesus through your way, your support, your pastoral accompaniment. That will be extremely important as you lead people and show people Christ – including those who know the Lord and those who have not really met him yet,” the bishop said. “Rely on that mercy yourself. It will mean everything in sustaining you, refreshing you, rejuvenating you, reminding you, and holding you.”

“That mercy is a life line for God’s people. It is our lifeline and it is a lifeline for others.”

The new deacon served at the altar during celebration of the Eucharist, accepting the gifts at the offertory and assisting in distribution of Holy Communion.

At the conclusion of the celebration, diocesan Vicar General Kevin McGee, who coordinated the diocesan diaconate formation, offered his words of thanks to Deacon Nicholas Blom, and remembered the journey with the late Deacon Paul Wheeler “who accompanies us from the balcony row of heaven.”

McGee thanked all those who journeyed together in the formation program and Bishop Hagemoen for “honouring and enriching the diocese through your ministry as bishop and in ordaining Nicholas.” He also extended thanks to the choir and to all who participated in pulling together the celebration at the Cathedral of the Holy Family.

In closing remarks, Deacon Nicholas Blom expressed thanks to God for the grace of bringing him to this moment, as well as to the bishop and all who have supported and journeyed with him along the way,

A reception followed, with assistance from volunteers from the Catholic Women’s League and the Knights of Columbus.

Live-stream of Ordination Mass:

 

What is a Deacon?

(Summary from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster, UK, website)

The Deacon is ordained to serve the Church in a threefold ministry

The Ministry of Charity –

• He is particularly called to serve the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalized.
• He will coordinate the local Church’s response to their needs.
• He will have a special care for matters of social justice.
• He will foster and support parish groups and organizations.

The Ministry of the Word –

• will proclaim the Gospel and sometimes preach at Mass and other religious services.
• He will preside over services other than the Mass.
• He will lead the people in prayer.
• He will officiate at funeral and burial services.

The Ministry of the Altar –

• He will offer service at the altar at Mass assisting the Bishop or Priest.
• He will distribute Holy Communion at Mass, in hospital and in the homes of the sick, the housebound and the dying.
• He will baptize and prepare people for the Sacrament of Baptism.
• He will officiate at marriages and prepare couples for the Sacrament of Marriage.

The Deacon will continue to be a sign of Christ the Servant throughout their lives. Above all, they will be men of faith and prayer, with a desire to serve others for the sake of God’s kingdom.    – Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster, UK, website)

RELATED: The Permanent Diaconate – its identity, functions and prospects – LINK to Vatican document

RELATED: Reflection on the Permanent Diaconate by Deacon Donat Davatz, St. Paul Co-Cathedral, Saskatoon – LINK

Photo gallery:  LINK

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Kiply Lukan Yaworski is the communications coordinator for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon – rcdos.ca

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Bishop Mark Hagemoen was one of the Canadian delegates to an annual International Safeguarding Conference held in Rome.

Hosted by the Pontifical Gregorian University’s Institute of Anthropology: Interdisciplinary Studies on Human Dignity and Care, the June 18-21, 2024 conference brought global experts to Rome to discuss the relationship between safeguarding and disability.

READ MORE ABOUT THE CONFERENCE: LINK