Bishop Mark Hagemoen’s blog

 

Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) teachers, staff members, administrators, and trustees gathered for celebration of the Eucharist and a program of reflection and inspiration Aug. 29, preparing for the start of another school year.

Bishop Mark Hagemoen of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon, and Bishop Michael Smolinski, CSsR, of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon presided at the celebration of Mass, joined by a number of priests from both the diocese and the eparchy, as well as a deacon from the eparchy.

Some 200 new teachers were among the 2,ooo-plus staff and other GSCS leaders who filled the Cathedral of the Holy Family to capacity for the annual celebration that included prayer, greetings, and an inspirational keynote speaker.

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 at schools in Biggar, Humboldt, Martensville and Warman, SK.

A tipi was once again set up on the cathedral grounds for an early-morning pipe ceremony before the start of the day. Representatives of the school division’s music faculty served as MCs for the celebration, and T.J. Warren of the GSCS Treaty, First Nations and Métis Education team presented an honour song to open the program for the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GSCS staff renew their commitment:

 

 

Prayers of the Faithful in different languages:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings from leaders:

 

 

 

 

Inspirational keynote:

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

Communications and Catholic Saskatoon News are supported by gifts to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal: dscf.ca/baa.

 

 

(Updated Sept. 8, 2025)

Encounter, dialogue and relationship were the touchstones on a northern pilgrimage and outreach trip this summer for a small team accompanied by Bishop Mark Hagemoen of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon.

Summarized as a way of “seeking growth and healing, sharing culture and spiritual guidance for recovery, resilience, healing, and leadership,” the project was coordinated by Hagemoen, who built upon connections he has made wherever he has served over the years – as a priest in the diocese of Vancouver, as bishop of the northern Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith in the Northwest Territories from 2012 to 2017, and now as bishop of Saskatoon.

Envisioned as a concrete way to respond to several of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action, the project began a process which included mutual sharing and exchange between Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups of young adults, education about and promotion of Indigenous spirituality and culture, and personal and communal healing and growth, Hagemoen said.

“The project with Tulita and Deline Sáhtu Dene First Nations was designed to provide opportunities for shared cultural and spiritual exchange involving young adults — Indigenous and non-Indigenous, men and women, roughly 18 to 30 years,” said Hagemoen. It also included young team members providing practical assistance to communities in the form of tasks and work projects.

“The aim was to have young adults engage with each other, addressing current personal and community challenges to personal recovery, healing, and growth. Participants experienced Indigenous cultural teachings and ways of spiritual sharing that relate to personal growth, struggle, and the healing journey,” he described.

“This trip featured much growth, challenge, and learning as the team travelled, worked and served together. The mundane tasks of chores and service were also essential to serving the community, as well as preparing our own minds and hearts,” the bishop said.

“The foundation of learning and sharing is the slow steady commitment to be with one another, which features presence; community time with play, celebration, and prayer; relationship-building.”

This project was in part inspired by Hagemoen’s time in the north, experiencing healing circle sharing among the Sáhtu Dene peoples, “with the aim of sharing and addressing many current personal and community issues/ challenges, affected in part by the intrusion of larger non-Indigenous cultural influences, especially through the recent influence and ‘reach’ of technology,” he said.

The 2025 summer mission trip was also inspired by the positive experience of visiting young adult groups visiting the Northwest Territories and the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith from about 2014 through 2017. “Such groups visited for learning and cultural exchanges, and to experience the grandeur and healing that comes from being ‘on the land’ of the Dene traditional territories,” he said. “Visiting young people also benefitted from doing simple manual work and service, and by providing summer day camps for children and youth.”

A joint Indigenous Reconciliation Fund project of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon and the Diocese of Hamilton, the missionary trip to the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith happened with the invitation and blessing of Bishop Jon Hansen, CSsR, noted Hagemoen.

The Pilgrim Journey

The summer project began with a long trip by pick-up truck from Saskatoon to the NWT, via Grande Cache, AB, where Bishop Mark Hagemoen and three of the project participants first tackled an Aug. 2-3 mountain relay race in Grande Cache, AB, that the bishop ran in support of the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund.

After that race, three relay race team members Maximilian Connelly and brothers Kieran Gillespie and Ronan Gillespie – who are all alumni of the St. Therese Institute of Faith and Mission young adult Catholic formation program offered at Bruno, SK – travelled north with Hagemoen from Grande Cache, with stops in Grande Prairie, AB, Hay River, NT, and Fort Simpson, NT, before the final leg via Wrigley to Tulita, NT – with an additional visit from there to Deline on Great Bear Lake, NT.

Each stop along the way proved to be an occasion of experiencing and learning more about the local Dene culture and history, noted Hagemoen. “We experienced some of the ways in which inculturation happens between Indigenous Peoples and the Catholic faith,” he said.

“We were very privileged to receive hospitality and accommodation by Archbishop Gerry Pettipas, CSsR in Grande Prairie AB; by Fr. Innocent Ukaegbu, Fr. Peter Dai Nguyen, and Sr. Margaret Beaudette, CSJ, in Hay River NT; Fr. Peter Anochirim and Martina Norwegian in Fort Simpson NT; Charlotte Canadian in Wrigley NT, and by Fr. Nel Esguerra in Peace River, AB.

Ray and Therese Steiner and family of Fraser Lake, BC, also joined the team to provide service and outreach at Tulita, NT. The Steiner family have spent several years working in the Northwest Territories — particularly in Tsiigehtchic, NT, where they lived for two years doing pastoral ministry which featured work with children, families, and elders. Their oldest daughter, Kathleen Steiner, spent several years as a missionary internationally with other young adults, Hagemoen noted.

“We had been invited by Bishop Mark Hagemoen to return to Tulita, where we had been in 2017 for family ministry and a large renovation project on the church and rectory,” wrote Ray and Therese Steiner in a reflection about the experience. “It was time to check on the building and perhaps more importantly, to be with the Dene people again and to support Bishop Mark as he brought a group of young adults to experience the amazing welcome, generosity and kindness of the Dene people. Our family was so excited to be going back.”

The Steiner family’s journey to Tulita involved travelling three days by truck, meeting people along the way, and then travelling “the final leg of the journey – an awe-inspring six-hour boat ride down the Mackenzie River under the Midnight Sun.”

The Steiners observed that “It never takes long in the far North to see God’s steadfast love towards us, both in the magnificence and abundance of His creation and in the goodness of the people.”

Tasks, Encounters, Sharing, and Learning

“Upon arriving into Tulita, the immediate task was to meet local Chief Frank Andrew and begin to attend to some practical work at the pastoral center, where our host, Sr. Celeste Goulet, CSSF, lived and worked,” said Hagemoen.

“Such visits always feature regular – even mundane – chores and tasks,” the bishop said, noting that Sr. Goulet, (a Felician sister who has spent 46 years in the community), needed the team to address a number of maintenance issues regarding the building and grounds.

“There was also the immediate task of preparing food for our rather large community, as well as preparing bannock for visitors to the pastoral Centre,” he said.

“Sr. Celeste, who has served Tulita with faithfulness and humility for close to 50 years, leads the rosary each morning on the local radio station,” noted Ray and Therese Steiner in their reflection about the 2025 visit.

“During our days in Tulita, we gathered around the radio at the kitchen table to join her in prayer. We were surprised to hear not only Sister’s voice, but also people calling in from all across the town to lead various decades. This simple pause for daily prayer together was an inspiration for us of unity and sharing faithfulness.”

The bishop added: “Max Connelly and Kathleen Steiner introduced our team to the community during the radio broadcast regularly hosted by Sr. Goulet and outlined our hopes for our visit – including our desire to meet and learn from the community. They also announced a sharing circle event, and invited any young people, or others, to attend.”

The visiting group hosted sharing circles over two different evenings during their time in Tulita.

“Together with the local people, we shared stories and challenges of our individual life journeys, and prayed and sang together,” said the Steiners. “As we shared experiences of God’s faithfulness, especially through trials and difficulties, we were uplifted and drawn closer to God and one another. We listened to one another, and as one people prayed together and for one another.”

Team member Maximilian Connelly said: “I believe we did some good through God’s grace by providing opportunities for places of sharing and prayer on a couple of occasions. The stories I heard spoke of deep sorrows. From tragic deaths to ongoing addictions the pain was evident…. Yet, the most profound and present theme was that of gratitude, of acceptance of hurt and surrendering these hurts to God.”

“Though there was hurt, there was also hope,” said Ronan Gillespie. “The older generation, including elders and parents, were clear in expressing their hope for the struggling youth.”

Connelly said he was greatly impacted by the culture and spirit of the Dene people in Tulita “Our short stay allowed a glimpse at the generosity and warmth of the people, as they welcomed us and shared with us about life in a northern community.”

Community fun, joy and celebration were part of relationship-building and encounter during the visit. For instance, a community soft-ball game proved to be a great occasion to break the ice, and a chance to get to know many of the community members, said Hagemoen.

Daily Mass and proximity to the church-chapel at the pastoral centre was a real support for the team, he added.

“Many of the community members – especially many elders – frequented the chapel, which had a daily service at 5:30 p.m. Following each service, community members gathered to meet and catch up on the goings on. They also would sometimes share about more serious or meaningful issues that were on their hearts, or that impacted their community.”

The weekend after the team’s arrival featured “Community Days” at which the local Dene band, along with Parks Canada, celebrated a range of community events, including games and other activities. “This was also a great way to get to know members of the community, and experience some of the local culture —and for the community to get to know and relate to us as visitors,” said the bishop.

Trip to Deline: Preparations for a Spiritual Gathering

A few members of the team were also invited to visit Deline on Great Bear Lake by Danny Bayha – a member of the Deline Dene community, and a friend of Bishop Hagemoen.

“This meant taking a three-hour boat ride from Tulita up the Great Bear River. Our boat driver and host was Leroy Andre, a long-time member of the Deline community and former chief. His sharing and teachings were very informative and enjoyable.”

The Deline community was preparing for their annual Spiritual Gathering, which features the celebration and recalling the teachings of their four Dene prophets, on the site of the house of prophet Ehtseo Louis Ayha (1857-1940), at the east end of the Deline community. The visit was also an opportunity for the bishop to celebrate Mass, which the Deline community has only infrequently, and are quite devoted to – especially the elders.

“On the day of our arrival – and after an early evening Sunday Mass and barbeque – we were invited to a meeting of community members at the prophet’s house – to discuss preparing for the Spiritual Gathering, which was to be held in five days. Many of the hopes and aspirations, along with the concerns for the health and well-being of the community – were expressed by the community participants at the meeting,” said Hagemoen.

Team member Kieran Gillespie reflected on the preparations for the Spiritual Gathering: “Danny (Bayha) and others shared their vision and hope for a community transformed and united in the love of Christ. They are working to spread the gospel to the young people especially, and doing their best to teach and spread the messages from the four prophets who guided their people.”

The bishop added: “What featured prominently in the discussion was the great respect that everyone had for the life and teachings of the four prophets. There continues to be a strong hope that their life and teachings would be handed down to the younger generations — and that their strong spiritual teachings and simple yet rigorous way of living on and learning from the land – would be a central feature of the coming Spiritual Gathering, and would be a focus for future spiritual learnings and events.”

Ronan Gillespie also reflected on the encounter, saying: “In Deline I was blessed to be a part of the discussion centered on how to help the young people. One of the key points brought up in the sharing was the need to… spend time out on the land. I was blessed to witness a different culture, one of respect and care for one another.”

Team members were also invited to visit an “on the land” fishing camp 30 kilometres east of Deline on Great Bear Lake, which the community is developing as a youth, family, and elder program site, which involved another trip by boat. “This boat ride was much wilder than the previous boat rides up the Mackenzie (Decho) and Great Bear Rivers. Great Bear Lake is the size of a small ocean, and experiences great distances and strong wind currents,” said Hagemoen.

“Upon our arrival, we were immediately confronted with a series of tents set up on wind-swept shores on the north end of the lake. A recent large catch of fish were being prepared by the Dene women,” the bishop said.

“The elders were teaching the younger women and youth the traditional ways of filleting trout. One of the elders – who was 92 years old – handled a large filleting knife with great familiarity and skill. It was a marvel to watch her effortlessly, but with great reverence, prepare each trout by her hand. Each fish was then prepared in the traditional way for drying and smoking, so as to build the food stores for the upcoming winter season.”

 

Bishop Hagemoen said that he later had the privilege to share a few words with the community at the fish camp, “as this was the concluding day of the camp, and a time to give thanks for God’s blessings of such beauty and abundance, and of our lives.” The bishop was also asked to bless the camp and call forth the Creator’s grace and protection. “This was an honour,” he said.

Last Day in Tulita

“Upon our return to Tulita, we prepared for our last day, which included another healing circle gathering’ in the evening. Those who returned from Deline heard from those who remained and hosted the first gathering,” said Hagemoen. “There was a good turnout from the community. Many shared their stories of life, blessing and struggle. They also prayed for God’s healing in their lives and said that their prayers were answered.”

Participant Kieran Gillespie said that there were many moments throughout the trip “where we got to see God working.” He recalled how one woman prayed for at the spiritual sharing circle one evening reported how her pain eased enough to permit her to wash her floor for the first time in a long time. “She shared with us that she was filled with so much joy and gratitude, that she cried while washing her floor.”

On the final evening in Tulita, the team was invited to a ‘drum dance’ – which the Tulita chief, Frank Andrew, had arranged to express gratitude for the visit. “This was also a great opportunity to experience a very important Dene spiritual tradition expressing thanks and celebration with the community gathered,” said Hagemoen. “Again, Sr. Celeste and I had the privilege of giving a spiritual message and blessings, following Chief Andrew’s words of welcome and address.”

 

The long-distance challenges of northern travel continued on the way home. “The boat ride south was to begin very early the next morning – at 6:00 a.m. However, because of early fog, our departure was delayed. The ride south was actually longer – some seven hours – because we were travelling upstream,” described Hagemoen.

“We arrived into Wrigley mid-afternoon, and then had a three-hour drive to Fort Simpson, which meant catching a vehicle ferry over the Mackenzie River, before the ferry stopped running in the early evening. The team had one last evening together in Fort Simpson, before we split up the next day to travel to our home destinations.”

Reflecting on the Experience

“Spending time in a First Nations community in the North has truly been a blessing,” said Therese and Ray Steiner in a reflection about the project.

“We were received with great hospitality and generosity and always welcomed to join in whether from the meals of fresh fish and meat to the berry picking, from the evening baseball games to the community celebration and games, from the sharing of building supplies for church repairs to the drum dance held in our honour,” said the Steiners.

“We are so grateful for the love, generosity and openness of the people. We go offering what we can, but we are always blessed a hundred-fold in doing so,” the couple added. “During this time in history, a time when we are often intentionally divided by our differences, it was so refreshing to be together as one people, sharing God’s steadfast love, experiencing the His faithfulness, and praising the Lord.”

Ronan Gillespie described the mission experience as “a wonderful blessing,” saying “The communities of Tulita and Deline welcomed us with great hospitality and joy. Spending a couple weeks with the Dene people helped me understand better the struggle that Indigenous people face, especially the youth.”

Maximillian Connelly said the experience of meeting and sharing with the Dene people was unforgettable. “I am very grateful for this trip. By exposure to a new culture, especially one so beautiful, my heart and faith have both been energized and rejuvenated,” he said.

“Through my own companions as well, I was given a wonderful gift of community and fraternity that I will not soon forget,” Connelly added. “My time up north with the Dene people will remain in my heart for a long time, and I hope to return should the chance arise.”

Kieran Gillespie agreed: “I come away from the trip with a deep sense of gratitude. We were shown immense generosity and hospitality by the people of Tulita and Deline, who welcomed us into their community and shared their culture and traditions.”

“I experienced a different way of living, with the challenges and blessings that come from living somewhere so remote,” Kieran Gillespie added. “I encountered God in the wilderness, especially while being on the water and taking in the beauty around us (we spent hours traveling up and down the Mackenzie River in speedboats, some of my favorite moments of the trip). I come away feeling enriched and affected, and I look forward to continued reflection and prayer, and, if it is in God’s will, an eventual return to the north.”

Bishop Hagemoen is already thinking ahead to next steps in building relationship, healing, and a way forward together.

“Our mission trip only opened a doorway,” he said. “I am sure the Tulita and Deline communities have experienced many times previously when groups from the south come to the north for ‘an experience,’ and then depart without much — or any — further contact. We need to reflect on how we will follow up and continue to build relationships.”

He added: “It was again confirmed throughout the trip that Dene (Indigenous) teaching and sharing is not so much pedagogy of teaching and learning, but an experience of persons, story, and relationship together.”

“Truth and Reconciliation work is less about completing projects, but is more about the slow and deliberate work of building right relationship,” stressed Hagemoen. “This happens over time, with much personal investment of time and presence.”

The northern trip this summer was one more small step in that journey for participants and all those they encountered. “We’ve only just begun,” said the bishop.

More about the communities involved:

• The Deline Got’ine First Nation states as their vision to protect and conserve their lands in and around ‘Great Bear lake’ for the future – it is about how we see the land and water and our relationship with it. “Our vision allows us to pass along the knowledge and teachings of our ancestors onto the youth. Our vision captures what we want for our community – now and looking to the future. It will help us with our planning and setting priorities…Our vision is to fully implement our Self Government and to realize the dream of our Elders – one government for our people.” The Deline community is well recognized and respected for their leadership and progress towards this vision, which builds on a strong spiritual heritage, which features the leadership and teachings of their “Four Prophets.”

 

• The Tulita First Nation is the permanent settlement for predominately Sahtu Dene and Métis people on whose traditional land a “Fort Norman” trading post was built in the latter 1800s. In 1996, the name Fort Norman was officially changed to Tulita, which translates in Dene to “where the rivers or waters meet.” In 2004 a self-government framework agreement was established with the federal and territorial governments. For many years the community has been served by the Felician Sisters, in particular Sr. Celeste Goulet, CSSF, at the community’s Catholic Church and community outreach centre.

 

• The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon has a strong history of working with Indigenous leaders and Indigenous-led projects. It is currently guided by several Indigenous-led groups, including:

1. The Diocese Truth and Reconciliation Committee – established in 2012 after the national Truth and Reconciliation Commission session that was held in Saskatoon;
2. The IRF Discernment Circle and its ‘Granting Committee’ for the national Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF);
3. The Elders/ Parish community members of Our Lady Guadalupe Parish;
4. The diocese is also well served and guided by the efforts of Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, and St. Thomas More College at the University of Saskatchewan, and the work of St. Paul’s Hospital and Emmanuel Care Catholic Health in terms of pursuing many of the “Calls to Action” from the TRC.

More photos:

 

 

 

 

 

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NOTE: Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen is the western regional representative on the 14-member Permanent Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), which oversees the general work and orientation of the conference  About the CCCB Permanent Council: LINK

Statement from the Permanent Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) Aug. 25, 2025

Following the terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, the Holy Land has been in the grip of a devastating war. International concern about the ever-deteriorating situation in Gaza has been heightened with the latest reports from the United Nations, that civilians there are on the brink of starvation, while they continue to be exposed to violence and death, with children and the elderly being most at risk.

The loss of human life since the Oct. 7 attack has been tremendous, particularly among Palestinians (both Muslims and Christians). Less than a month ago, Holy Family Church in Gaza City, which had been sheltering children and the wounded, fell victim to a military strike, killing three and seriously injuring several others, for which the Israeli army has acknowledged responsibility and the Israeli government has apologized for the loss of innocent human life.

CCCB Permanent Council Aug. 25, 2025 Statement – ENGLISH  /  FRENCH

Pope Leo XIV has recently stated, with profound concern, that the “dire humanitarian situation in Gaza” and the “barbarism of war” causing it must be ended immediately (Comments after Angelus Message, Sunday, 20 July 2025). He has advocated for the provision of humanitarian aid to the stricken civilian population as well as the release of hostages and detainees on both sides (Comments after Reinga Cæli Message, Sunday, 11 May 2025). The Holy Father has appealed to the international community “to observe humanitarian law and to respect the obligation to protect civilians, as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force and the forced displacement of the population” in Gaza (Comments after Angelus Message, Sunday, 20 July 2025). He has reiterated his call for a ceasefire and a resolution that will bring lasting peace (Comments after Angelus Message, Sunday, 27 July 2025).

While the situation in the Holy Land is complex and every human solution has its limitations, the power of prayer should never be underestimated. Praying and fasting for peace in the Holy Land is both urgent and necessary at this time; it is something to which all the Catholic faithful in Canada should feel called to do, prompted by the loss of life on all sides and knowing that God desires peace.

As Christians express their concern about the catastrophic impact this war is having on the civilian population in Gaza, they also do well to pray for and promote respect toward the Jewish People, particularly in the face of the rise in anti-Semitism.

May God, rich in mercy, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, patroness of the Holy Land and Queen of Peace, touch the hearts of all the inhabitants of the Holy Land – Jews, Muslims, and Christians – so that they may open themselves to forgiveness and justice, and live peacefully together as brothers and sisters united by their common humanity.

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(Courtesy of the Saskatchewan Knights of Columbus State Council)

Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and Brothers from across the province gathered July 28-29 at St. Peter’s Abbey in Muenster, SK, for the annual Clergy Sports Day hosted by the Saskatchewan Knights of Columbus – kofcsask.com. Some 60 clergy attended the summer event featuring indoor and outdoor games and sports, as well as time for prayer, fraternity, and rest.

(Photos courtesy of the K of C Sask Facebook Feed – www.facebook.com/kofcsask

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Bishop Mark Hagemoen and a team of five young men will tackle this year’s “Canadian Death Race” at Grand Cache, AB, which 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.

The 2025 Canadian Death Race Aug. 2-3, marks the fifth fund-raising 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 at Grande Cache, AB,  again in 2023 and last year with two bishops participating in 2024.

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.

Leg 1 – Bishop Mark Hagemoen

Greetings to you all, from Bishop Mark. I serve as the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon, and this will be my seventh Death (…to Life…) Race. This is also the 25th anniversary of the Canadian Death Race in Grande Cache, AB, and the 10th anniversary of the conclusion of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings in Canada. Of course, it is also the Great Jubilee Year 2025 of HOPE and MERCY!

It’s an honour to run on behalf of our diocese, along with the other young men on our team as we join together in this “race-pilgrimage.”

This run also represents the long, adventurous, arduous journey of reconciliation and healing, which features much-needed mercy, perseverance, and patience. It is the little things that matter in the long journey of relationship-building.

Participating in this run is perhaps a symbol of the many steps forward on a long journey to what I hope and pray is God’s plan for us all.

Leg 2 – Ronan Gillespie

I am Ronan Gilliespie. I am 21 years old and I currently living with my family in Crescent Beach B.C. I attended Saint Therese Institute in Bruno, SK, this past year.

This will be my second Canadian Death Race. Unfortunately, my training has not worked out as planned – and I am doing one of the most challenging legs. However, my heart and will are strong, and things are picking up recently.

The race will be a great challenge, but united by faith with these brothers – I am certain that our team will accomplish this great race and pilgrimage.

 

Leg 3 – Maximillian Connolly

My name is Maximilian Connelly. I’m a 23-year-old aspiring Catholic speaker living in Lloydminster, AB.

Over the past three years, I’ve had the blessing of attending a Catholic school where my faith was challenged, deepened, and ultimately strengthened. While I’m still very much a newcomer to my Catholicity, I have a deep desire to grow by living it out—through active mission abroad one day, but also through the daily mission I’m called to right now: to work, love, and serve those around me.

I’ve loved sports my whole life, but about three years ago, I discovered running—and it quickly became more than just a way to stay in shape. It’s now both a mental and spiritual tool that helps me find peace, clarity, and connection with God.

I’m especially excited for my second Death Race with Bishop Mark and the team. The first time, I prayed the entire time out of fear—this time, I hope to do the same, but out of joy.

I’m passionate about helping others encounter Christ in everyday life, whether through a talk, a conversation, or even a run. I may just be starting out, but my heart is all in.

Leg 4 – Kieran Gillespie

Hello, my name is Kieran Gillespie! I’m 24 years old and this will be my second Death Race, running once again alongside my brother Ronan.

It’s a race of epic proportions, and the challenge entices me. Pushing my body to its limits, pushing through pain with mental toughness to conquer the wilderness: epic. Here we go for race number two… but I have a different focus this time.

God is writing a story with each of our lives, and I pray that we will be attentive to him in the midst of this journey. It is one of the greatest joys in life to do God’s will alongside my brothers, and as we travel, converse, and pray together. I know God will speak in our hearts. The interior life is the place of the struggle and joy, and thought this race will be physically challenging, the bigger journey will take place within.

Oh man, I wish that I could express in this little bio all that I wish to say. I believe that a RENEWAL of the world will take place through contemplative living. The greatest thing I can do is be faithful and attentive to God in all I do, and He will transform the world. I am excited to discover the ways in which I am called to serve God and His church.

For now, it is the Death Race with my brothers, and the following two-week mission trip to the Northwest Territories.

Please pray for us.

In Christ, Kieran.

Leg 5 – Joseph Cote

Hello! I am Joseph Cote, I am 19 years old, and I live in Terrace BC. I have been a student at St Therese Institute of Faith and Mission in Bruno, SK, for the past two years and am going to be an ‘Apostolic Intern’ there this upcoming year.

I wanted to do this race as I see it as a pilgrimage. God loves to use pilgrimages to challenge me and bring me deeper in my faith and in relationship with Him, so I am using this not only as a way to grow closer to God but grow in a deeper relationship with my brothers in Christ.

“Back Up” – Ryan Mallett

My name is Ryan Mallett. After completing two years of formation at St. Therese Institute of Faith and Mission in Bruno SK, I took several months’ time for “pilgrimage” in Europe – featuring the Camino de Santiago.

I am now living and working in Lloydminster AB and am preparing for marriage. I am passionate about all thing’s fitness and all things faith. I am very excited for the chance to again participate in this pilgrimage-trek with an amazing group of Catholic men. As with last year, it’s good to have a Bishop along – in case there’s a need to administer the last rites!

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Communications and Catholic Saskatoon News are supported by gifts to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal: dscf.ca/baa.

 

(Excerpts from an article by Jon Perez, Catholic Saskatoon News)

Hundreds of pilgrims gathered at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel July 20, 2025, to celebrate the annual pilgrimage to the sacred site west of Humboldt.

Braving rainy weather, parishioners from throughout the area attended the Sunday morning Mass on the hill, celebrated by Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen, along with diocesan pastors serving in the area, and a number of Benedictine monks from St. Peter’s Abbey, which first established the pilgrimage more than a century ago.

Music ministry was again provided by the Mount Carmel choir, which includes past and present parishioners of St. Scholastica Parish in Burr and St. Augustine of Canterbury Parish in Humboldt.

The annual pilgrimage included opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, prayer devotions before and after Sunday morning Eucharist, and the traditional blessing of the fields with the Blessed Sacrament from the top of Mount Carmel hill, beneath the statue of Our Lady and the Child Jesus.

Martha and Mary: Service and Contemplation

In his homily, Bishop Mark Hagemoen reflected on the Gospel from Luke 10:38-42, and Christ’s words to his beloved friends Martha and Mary, sisters of Lazarus.

The gospel describes how Martha welcomes Jesus into her home, relating how Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet and listened,” while Martha is busy serving.

Martha asks Jesus to tell Mary to help with the work, but he answers: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken from her.”

Noting that there are many reflections and commentaries about this gospel passage, Hagemoen said some maintain that Martha represents the active ministry in the world by those proclaiming Christ and God’s Kingdom to others, while Mary represents the contemplative aspect of prayer and faithfulness to our Lord in the world. However, the bishop stressed that in all vocations and walks in life, we are called to both the contemplative and the active in embracing and living the mission of Christ.

The bishop pointed to the Benedictine spirituality of the monks of St. Peter’s Abbey at Muenster, which combines both action and contemplation, work and prayer.

“It’s interesting: the Benedictines, they do all things. They have prayer, they have work, and of course, all of this is rooted in a rule which immerses itself in prayer and the Word of God,” said Hagemoen.

“They have an active ministry. Many of their priests built up this region at a time when it wasn’t the diocese of Saskatoon, but rather the Abbacy of Muenster,” said the bishop. “Now, we benefit from that faith and work of the Benedictine community to establish the faith that brings us to this day.”

Bishop installs seminarian as Lector during annual pilgrimage

Diocesan seminarian Huy Le, who is serving at St. Augustine Parish in Humboldt this summer, was instituted to the Order of Lector by Bishop Mark Hagemoen during the Eucharistic celebration at Mount Carmel.

Being instituted as a lector gives Le the ability to now officially read the Word of God and instruct people through catechism at the parish level. After his summer of serving at St. Augustine Parish, Le will return to Christ the King Seminary in Mission, B.C., for his fourth year of theological studies, as he continues to study and discern his call to priesthood. The next step would be ordination to the transitional diaconate.

 

RELATED:  Read the full article about the Mount Carmel Pilgrimage – LINK

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“Pilgrims of Hope” is the theme of the Jubilee 2025 year – and hope was the message that Bishop Mark Hagemoen brought to pilgrims who gathered July 13 at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Shrine at Reward, SK.

“We need hope more than ever,” said Hagemoen in his homily during the outdoor pilgrimage Mass, noting the challenging times and situations of conflict, war, and division plaguing our world.

The hope of Christians — like the faith and hope of those who established the pilgrimage to the Holy Rosary Shrine 93 years ago — is grounded in the hope of Christ’s death and resurrection, stressed the bishop. “There is only hope because of the Lord’s Passion, the Way of the Cross, and the rising of Christ.”

The annual Reward Pilgrimage again included a procession of banners from parishes across the historic St. Joseph Colony in the western part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon (including those now closed). In addition to participants from throughout the district, in this Jubilee 2025 year, a bus was also organized to bring pilgrims from Saskatoon.

Pilgrimage events began with children’s activities in the afternoon, followed by confessions and praying of the Rosary.

Once again the bells peeled from the steeple of the historic Holy Rosary Church, to mark the start of the pilgrimage Mass at 4 p.m.  Children led the opening procession from the historic church building to the outdoor altar, scattering flowers along the way, with prayer stops at a statue of Our Lady and at the cemetery.

 

 

Celebration of Mass

Mass was celebrated by Bishop Hagemoen and pastors of parishes throughout the area: Fr. Matthew Ramsay (Unity, Tramping Lake); Fr. Rinesh Menambadath Chacko, VC  (Wilkie, Handel, Leipzig), Fr. Edward Gibney (Biggar, Landis), and Fr. Santhosh Thekkekulam, VC (Macklin, Denzil, St. Dontus).

Hagemoen also introduced two diocesan seminarians who were serving at the altar during the Mass — Matthew Witzaney and John Paul Wasan.

A Jubilee Year is a renewal of our baptism, the bishop noted in his homily. “We are called to put on Christ in a renewed way. We are called to ask ourselves: ‘Lord, how am I doing in my relationship with you? Do I know you? Do I know your heart? Do I spend time with you in relationship, so that when I am called to act – let alone when I am called to face the world of difficulty and even crisis – I have your hope and I know your hope?’”

Hagemoen reflected on three areas of challenge, where followers of Christ are invited to “a deepening of mind and heart.”

The first example he cited is when changing demographics and population lead to the closure of a parish, and people must wrestle with what that means for their faith. “In those circumstances, how are we called to not just continue to live our faith, but to live it even better?”

Secondly, he reflected on the 10th anniversary this month of the conclusion of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the beginning of the Calls to Action.

The TRC is “a profound commitment — not just of our country but of our Church — to the journey of truth and reconciliation with our Indigenous brothers and sisters,” he said. He described a recent gathering in Saskatoon of the national Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle of Catholic Indigenous and religious leaders, that coincided with the 10th anniversary. The list of tasks in the Calls to Action are “only the beginning of building right relationship with our brothers and sisters,” said the bishop.

Finally, Hagemoen noted the message from Pope Leo XIV about the fifth annual celebration of the World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly to be held on July 27.

“I say to the elders here… can you look forward to your future, let alone your present, with great hope and great thanks for the life that God has given you? Though you don’t have the capacity you used to, you have a new capacity – and that’s the capacity to be an elder and to be able to hold, as we approach the sunset of life, a view and an attitude and a thankfulness that young people need to see.”

The bishop also called on those who are younger to value and honour the elderly. “We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the faith of those who have gone before us,” he noted. “They have paved a pathway of faith and life. For that they need to be honoured and continue to be sought out and also comforted, especially if they move through times when they are not feeling good about themselves because they don’t have the mobility or ability they once did.”

Noting that we are only at the halfway point of the Jubilee Year, the bishop concluded by saying there are many opportunities to continue to deepen “the eyes and ears of hope.”

“May God bless you in this year of hope, and may we continue to walk this journey of hope and of deepening faith together.”

History of the Reward Pilgrimage

The Roman Catholic parish at Reward has its beginnings in the heart of Saint Joseph Colony, which was established by German-Russian settlers in 1905.

The Holy Rosary Church building was constructed on ten acres of donated land in 1918 for $12,000, replacing a smaller structure. The “church on the hill” is a designated historic site, and features 15 large paintings completed in 1928 by Count Berthold Von Imhoff, depicting the Mysteries of the Rosary.

In 1932 the annual pilgrimage in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary was initiated for St. Joseph’s Colony, with the Holy Rosary Church at Reward chosen as the colony’s pilgrimage site because of its central location. A wooden outdoor grotto was built as the shrine in 1936, with the present shrine altar built in 1966.

Although the parish is now closed, volunteers continue to care for the building and pilgrimage site with the help of  donations, and parishes throughout the colony continue to assist in holding the annual pilgrimage.

During the summer, weekend Mass will also be celebrated on every second Saturday, with upcoming celebrations on July 19, Aug. 2, Aug. 16, Aug. 30, and Sept. 13.

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).

Volunteers and donations 

Before Mass, pilgrimage committee member Leanne Clarke described how fund-raising and ongoing volunteer efforts help to maintain the church building and shrine site.

“Thanks to everyone who helps to keep this place functioning in many different ways, because it takes many hearts and many hands,” she said.

Acknowledging the contributions of volunteers and shrine committee members, Clarke also thanked all those in attendance for journeying as “pilgrims of hope” and deepening their relationship with God and with others.

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.

Mass was followed by a barbecue supper, fellowship, and a soccer game.

Reward Pilgrimage – Photo Gallery – LINK

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An annual barbecue for clergy in the Roman Catholic diocese of Saskatoon was held July 8, once again hosted, organized and presented by parishioners of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Martensville, with support from the Knights of Columbus.

Priests from across the diocese gathered at a local acreage north of Saskatoon for games, refreshments, and a barbecue supper with all the fixings.

“This day means a lot to our priests, as a real celebration marking the beginning of summer,” said Bishop Mark Hagemoen.

Praying grace before the meal, the bishop gave thanks for the “wonderful fellowship” and “for the acknowledgement of our priesthood” as well as for the food and all those who prepared it.”

 

Clergy milestones

During the meal, MC Kevin Higgins reflected on the impact of priests on the lives of countless people over many decades as he announced those celebrating milestone anniversaries of priestly ordination – beginning by acknowledging the priest who was most recently ordained in October 2024, Fr Luke Van Tam Tran,  and concluding with the 60th anniversary of Fr. Denis Phaneuf and Msgr. Raymond Senger, celebrated on June 5.

Other milestone ordination anniversaries this year for priests in the diocese (many of whom were also present at the barbecue) acknowledged by Higgins were:

• 60 years – Fr. Paul Fachet, OMI (Dec. 12 , 1965)
• 50 years – Fr. Ken Beck (April 26, 1975) and Msgr. Don Vito Pavilando (June 29, 1975)
• 35 years – Bishop Mark Hagemoen (May 12, 1990)
• 30 years – Fr. David Tumback and Fr. Rheal Bussiere (both ordained on June 23, 1995)
• 25 years – Fr. Jerome Ogunleye (Aug. 3, 2000)
• 20 years – Fr. Bassim Shoni (May 27, 2005) and Fr. Paul Oshin (Aug. 5, 2005)
• 15 years – Fr. Benjamin Ezekwudo (July 10, 2010) and Fr. Augustine Osei-Bonsu (Aug, 21, 2010)
• 10 years – Fr. Prince Sarpong (July 18, 2015) and Fr. Greg Smith-Windsor (June 19, 2015)

Thanks to organizers:

On behalf of the clergy, Fr. Kevin McGee, pastor of St. Mary, Saskatoon and diocesan Vicar General, thanked the hosts, volunteers, and supporters who made the event possible.

“What we give time for and what we celebrate shows what we consider important,” said McGee “What this is saying is that priesthood and leadership in the Church is important – but it is not about us… it is about the priesthood that serves the community,” he said. “Thank you for recognizing that… we are very happy, delighted, and honoured to be here.”

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