ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF CALGARY
  • Blog
  • About
  • Give
  • News & Events
  • Ministries
  • Contact Us
  • Parish Finder
Picture

"Tiny" Tumback's big impact

6/16/2021

1 Comment

 
Picture
Andrew Clement (Tiny) Tumback.
PictureFr. Kevin Tumback in his youth
When Fr. Kevin Tumback (Pastor, All Saints Parish in Lethbridge) speaks about his past, it’s clear that a pivotal figure is his father, Andrew Clement Tumback, known to all as Tiny.

Tiny was the second youngest of twelve children and spent most of his life farming in Eston, SK. He was married to Audrey for 61 years, had seven children (living) and died at the age of 93, having witnessed the ordination of two sons and the arrival of eight grandchildren. Yet these many achievements do not begin to capture the essence of a man who, according to Fr. Kevin, was introverted, reflective and well-read. “My father was liked and respected,” Fr. Kevin said, “his funeral was packed.” Tiny’s influence was perhaps felt most keenly by his children, whom he formed in faith, mostly by setting a good example.

Fr. Kevin shared a seminal incident from his youth which speaks volumes. After an infraction, young Kevin was punished by having to clean out the chicken coop, not the Tumback coop but the neighbour’s. “It was hot and stinky work,” Fr. Kevin recalled. “It was my punishment but Dad was working right there beside me the whole time.” Tiny was instinctively demonstrating the way God the Father never leaves us, even as we face the consequences of our own sins. Though a cradle Catholic, Tiny didn’t take his faith for granted. He had a firm devotion to the Rosary, the Sacred Heart and especially the Eucharist. He was an altar server well into his senior years to demonstrate one’s duty to participate at the Holy Mass. He also helped out neighbouring farmers and delivered eggs and milk from the Tumback animals to needy families.

Tiny Tumback wasn’t a demonstrative person. He practiced what Fr. Kevin refers to as the “ruffled hair” form of affection. “Dad treated each of us differently… but we all understood it. You need to acknowledge (each child’s) strengths and weaknesses and Dad was good for that… One of my father’s nicest compliments, the day after I was ordained was, ‘Well son, if you’d gone straight from high school into the seminary you would have made a really lousy priest. But with your years of experience you’ll make a good priest.’” Tiny was referring to Fr. Kevin having worked 15 years in the corporate sector before joining the seminary.

Picture
Fr. Kevin Tumback's parents
Anyone who has heard Fr. Kevin speak knows that he often refers to his father. When asked why he does that, he joked, “To get even with my parents!” Then becoming serious he explained, “We’re a storytelling family. Dad would use stories to teach us, even ones with not-so-good outcomes. He would ask, ‘What’d you learn from it?’” Fr. Kevin continued, “What I realized is that Jesus also used stories.” Fr. Kevin’s years in the business world feature in his homilies too but his favourite stories are from the farm. “When I sit down and read the Scriptures,” he said, “it all makes sense because it’s agriculture.” It is this agronomy and animal husbandry knowledge which Fr. Kevin tries to explain to urban listeners so as to give context to Jesus’ parables and examples.

In summing up his father’s life-lessons, Fr. Kevin first cautioned that he was, “never going to do justice to the man”. Then he spoke of Tiny’s work ethic, his love for his family, his active faith life and his willingness to help others. He closed by saying, “My father’s life was summed up by St. Paul who said, ‘Make your life a prayer’ (1 Thessalonians 5:17).”

Picture
Written by Alice Matisz for #CatholicYYC Blog - Diocese of Calgary. Alice lives in Lethbridge with her husband Don. She is a member of All Saints Parish in Lethbridge, where she volunteers to bring the Eucharist to a long term care home (pre-Covid). She enjoys reading, writing, baking and painting. 
1 Comment

I will give you shepherds after my own heart

6/11/2021

0 Comments

 
​At St. Peter’s Seminary where I was a rector before being named a bishop by Pope Benedict, the mission of our formation ministry was guided by this verse from scripture, “Dabo vobis pastores iuxta cor meumn, et pascent vos scientia et doctrina - I will give you shepherds according to my own heart, and they will feed you with wisdom and understanding” (Jeremiah 3:15). The Solemnity of the Most Sacred of Jesus is the very heart of God spoken by Jeremiah, and it is to be the model of a priest’s heart in the exercise of his ministry.  

Having been rector in the seminary for many years, I have met many seminarians who walked through the doors of the seminary and after years of formation became ordained for service in the ministerial priesthood or through discernment discovered that we were being called to another path in life. Whether or not they found their vocation ultimately in the priesthood, the call to have the heart of Jesus is one that we all have received in our baptism to the ongoing conversion that we experience through God’s loving mercy.  

Many factors shape our lives… personal life history and experiences, attitudes and personality flaws, the brokenness of our humanity, and personal sinfulness can prevent us from having the heart of Jesus. Yet our hope lies in the love and mercy of the Lord Himself who calls us to follow Him even in the midst of struggles and suffering. It is He, after all, who shows us the way of love and provides the grace that we need to live this love in becoming His disciples. 

In recent weeks there is a lot of pain in the heart of our Lord with the reality of the suffering brought about by the long history of residential schools in our country. If our hearts are truly patterned after our Lord then our hearts will also be filled with sorrow and will grieve for our indigenous sisters and brothers who are suffering once again this trauma. Pope Francis, in his message after the Angelus on June 6, said, “These difficult times are a strong call for all of us to turn away from the colonial model and from ideological colonisations, and to walk side by side in dialogue, mutual respect and recognition of the rights and cultural values of all the daughters and sons of Canada.” Through the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we need to discover the strength to carry the cross and to acknowledge how we have contributed to the crosses that others have had to carry in their lives. This is the path of justice, healing, and reconciliation which flows from the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

We turn to the Lord for mercy. We also ask the Lord to help us grow in compassion. As Christians, we desire for our hearts to be formed after the heart of our Lord Jesus in His wisdom, understanding, and most of all in seeking forgiveness from others. 
Vertical Divider
Picture
Written by Most Revered William T. McGrattan, Bishop of Calgary
​
June 11, 2021

Picture

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
 
The reported discovery of the remains of 215 children at the former Kamloops Indian residential school has shocked the consciousness of our country, its people, the Church, and the world to the painful and dark reality of our Canadian Indian residential school system. This has also surfaced once again the suffering and trauma which continues to mark the lives of our indigenous brothers and sisters and their communities.
 
On behalf of the people of the Diocese of Calgary, I personally share in this devastating sorrow and express my deepest regret at the loss of the lives of these children and the enduring pain which residential schools have caused within our indigenous communities. In solidarity, we must act in the pursuit of justice, reconciliation, and true healing.
 
As the Bishop of Calgary, through this statement, I personally recommit the Diocese in expressing the apology and regret made by the Bishops of Alberta and the Northwest Territories in 2014 to our indigenous brothers and sisters.

We, the Catholic Bishops of Alberta and Northwest Territories, apologize to those who experienced sexual and physical abuse in Residential Schools under Catholic administration.
 
We also express our apology and regret for Catholic participation in government policies that resulted in children being separated from their families, and often suppressed Aboriginal culture and language at the Residential Schools.
 
We commit ourselves to work in the Catholic community and the wider society to challenge attitudes of racism and prejudice that continue to exist in Alberta and Canada today. Aboriginal communities still face many serious issues that go beyond what will be addressed at the TRC, including land, treaty rights, education, health care, housing, jobs, and environmental threats.
 
We will continue to find ways for Catholics, together with other concerned Canadians, to support more effectively Aboriginal peoples in their ongoing struggles to achieve justice and equity in Canadian society.
The picture and images of children’s shoes placed at the front steps with lit candles remind us of the voices of these children and the need for restorative justice. In prayer, we unite ourselves with our suffering brothers and sisters so that the Spirit will show us the path of solidarity in promoting true justice and healing.
 
For those families deeply impacted, we ask for the intercession of St. Kateri Tekakwitha for them to receive consolation, healing, and strength.
 
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
  
+William T. McGrattan
Bishop of Calgary

​June 4, 2021


Questions and Answers
  • FAQ - Oblates of Mary Immaculate
  • FAQ - Archdiocese of Vancouver
    ​
Statements
  • CCCB - Delegation to Holy See
  • A message from Pope Francis 
  • A message from Bishop McGrattan 
  • A message from Calgary Catholic School District on the renaming of Bishop Grandin High School.
  • A message from Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops  ​
  • ​A joint video statement from Chief Littlechild and Archbishop Richard Smith. Watch Statement |  Interview
  • 2014 Pastoral letter from Catholic Bishops of Alberta and the Northwest Territories on Truth and Reconciliation
  • CCCB Resources:  Past statements | Encounter with the Popes | Initiatives

​Learn about Residential Schools
  • History of Residential Schools
  • Perspective on death and graves in residential schools
  • The policy battle that set the stage for a century of residential school death
  • Documentary: A National Crime 
  • Clarification on unmarked graves

​​​Crisis line for Indian Residential School survivors and family: 1-866-925-4419
Vertical Divider
​There were 25 residential schools in the Province of Alberta. See: Residential Schools in Canada Map. Four of them operated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) were within the boundaries of the Diocese. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary did not run any residential schools. Below are links to the four residential schools:
  • St. Joseph’s Residential School (Crowfoot) - Cluny, Alberta (1900-1968) operated by the Oblates of  Mary Immaculate (OMI) and Sisters of Providence
  • St. Mary’s Residential School (Kainai) - Cardston, Alberta (1898-1988) operated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) and Grey Nuns of Montreal
  • Sacred Heart Residential School (Peigan) - Brocket, Alberta (1887-1961) operated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI)  and Grey Nuns of Montreal
  • St. Joseph’s Industrial School (Dunbow) - East of Okotoks, near the junction of the Bo and Highwood Rivers  (1884-1922) operated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) and Grey Nuns of Montreal​​

​​Truth and Reconciliation Findings
  • A Catholic response to Call to Action 48 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

​A brief guide about Treaty & Alberta Treaty Map (Alberta Teachers Association)

Let us join in prayer: 
  • For the children who died in the former Kamloops Indian Residential School and for all those impacted by this tragedy, that there may be healing founded on truth and that the Spirit will inspire our ongoing commitment to reconciliation. Amen.
0 Comments

A message from Bishop McGrattan regarding Mass Killing in London, Ontario

6/10/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
The statement of Bishop McGrattan on the murder of a Muslim family in London, Ontario was read by Fr. Adrian Martens in his position as Coordinator of Ecumenism and Inter-Religious affairs at a rally and peace march across City Hall, Tuesday evening, June 8, 2021.

==================

June 8, 2021
 
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
 
On June 6, 2021, a family out on a walk was targeted for their Islamic beliefs. This attack has resulted in the deaths of four family members including a girl as young as 15, and a nine-year old boy still in hospital.
 
This attack was truly heinous and against what we all stand for as Canadians.
 
Firstly, I want to express the closeness of the Catholic and Christian community to the Muslim community. Over the years, side-by-side, we have spoken out jointly on the Rohingya Muslim crisis and the terrible mosque shooting in Quebec. Again, today we stand with Muslims against all religious hatred or intolerance of religious belief and practise. We stand together to denounce all forms of fear, hatred, and aggression against any person based on religion, gender, or culture. As our teaching at the Second Vatican Council states: “…the right to religious freedom has its foundation in the very dignity of the human person as this dignity is known through the revealed word of God and by reason itself. This right of the human person to religious freedom is to be recognized in the constitutional law whereby society is governed and thus it is to become a civil right,” (Dignitatis Humanae, 2).
 
We, Muslims, Christians, and people of goodwill, must stand together to fight against intolerance and ignorance of religious belief or practise and protect this freedom which is a basic civil right.
 
May we continue to advance the great work we have done together with the Calgary Interfaith Council, Habitat for Humanity, Calgary Catholic Immigration Services, and other venues. May we be reminded that there are more things that unite us than what divides us and that we must stand together against hatred, violence, and religious intolerance.
 
Yours in God,
  
+William T. McGrattan
Bishop of Calgary

Download Letter in PDF
​

Let us join in prayer:  
  • For Muslims and others experiencing shock and grief over the murder of the family in London, Ontario, we pray to the Lord…
  • For the protection of the right to religious freedom and an end to religious intolerance, discrimination, and persecution, we pray to the Lord…
0 Comments

Is our anger in the loving service of justice?

6/9/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Sometimes children reveal experiences which then help encourage revitalization. Even simple, trivial remarks influence choices to improve our normal state. Each day contains invitations to do and be better – to better show love.
 
There is a story that I often have opportunity to share which I think illustrates this point. At that stage of our family life it was my more common practice to attend monthly recollections – reflections offered to men that helped us in our lives as husbands, fathers, and professionals. My wife herself enjoyed similar gatherings for women (and has done a better job of making these a priority in the ensuing years). While the content was always worthwhile, I don’t happen now to remember the particular topic of that evening. In the midst of it however, the priest mentioned his experience in the Confessional of commonly hearing wives and children speak of their fear in the face of husbands’ anger. And he thereafter continued with the rest of the meditation.
 
When I returned home that night my wife asked how the recollection had gone and I explained the topic, which I then remembered. I also shared Father’s comment about fear in the face of husbands’ anger. And I added, “Is that funny?” By this I meant, isn’t it strange that some families have that experience. My wife replied, “Not really.” Having not experienced abuse in her childhood, and more importantly to me, my having never been violent, I asked her what she meant. She commented further, “Sometimes your anger seems so big.”
 
That whole exchange has remained with me since then. And I began paying attention. I noticed my own response to being around other men when they exhibit ‘big anger’ and how their families did as well – my work as a marriage & family therapist sometimes places me in the midst of such experiences. I won’t argue that anger is never appropriate, or that being loud isn’t sometimes useful for drawing attention where needed. Neither will I deny that some women struggle with expressions of their own anger; please remember that I have lived with nine daughters. But I echo Aristotle who wisely commented that when, to whom, about what, and with what intensity we express our anger are also important considerations.
 
The fact that it is common for wives and children to be fearful in the presence of their husbands and fathers should make us pause. Communication, of which anger is a subtype, is meant to share and benefit relationships. Non-destructive argument is meant to advance better ways by which to relate. And relationships are expressions of love, whether conjugal, paternal, platonic, or simply human. Is our anger in the loving service of justice, or is it prideful self-assertion?
 
One of the readings at our wedding was from 1 John. There the beloved apostle writes that we love because God first loved us (verse 19); we chose this as a motto for our family. But in the verse right before it, the Holy Spirit communicates through John: “In love there can be no fear, but fear is driven out by perfect love: because to fear is to expect punishment.” That this Fathers’ Day would see a renewal of and recommitment to love in all families.

Picture
Written by Wayne Ottenbreit for Faithfully. ​Wayne writes as an educator, psychotherapist, husband, and father to nine daughters. Through a family business they offer online courses in support of family life, relationships, and personal growth. These can be found at VivensAcademy.thinkific.com
0 Comments

Catholic schools find unique ways to honour graduates

6/9/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
For a second year in a row, gathering restrictions will prevent graduates from Calgary Catholic high schools from participating in the types of graduation ceremonies that many of us associate with a typical Grade 12 year. Gone are the cap and gown ceremonies with families packed into the auditorium, the valedictory address delivered to thunderous cheers from the assembly and the banquet meal shared together with peers. In our Catholic high schools, this also means that the traditional celebration of a school graduation Mass with classmates and faculty will not be proceeding. Many of us remember these traditions fondly and feel a sense of remorse for this year’s graduates that they will miss these familiar rites of passage.
​
However, school communities have responded to the challenges with innovative solutions and alternatives. Graduation is too important to miss – this is the culmination of many years of effort for students and their families. Graduation also holds a hopeful promise for the future, a time where young women and men further explore their place in the world and come to a deeper understanding of themselves and God’s creation. As a Catholic community, we fail to respond to the goodness and blessings abundantly displayed around us when we miss the opportunity to celebrate our graduates.

This year, our high schools are building on what they learned last year to create personal and meaningful celebrations to acknowledge students and their families. A special Mass for graduates was celebrated by Bishop McGrattan at the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies and the recording will be shared with every graduate and their families. Schools have recorded valedictory speeches and greetings from school staff to share electronically. And, taking advantage of good weather and abundant space outdoors, schools are arranging “drive-through” events and photo opportunities for students to receive their certificates in a safe manner.

Far from being a token celebration, this adapted way of marking graduations allows for an intimate and personal celebration for each individual. As Bishop McNally High School principal, Neil O’Flaherty affirms, “Despite students being asked to repeatedly acclimate to the uncertainty of the coronavirus, celebrating one’s graduation, with family members lovingly alongside, is one tradition that COVID 19 could not prevent.  Each high school has made the event uniquely their own and, as we have done at Bishop McNally, each student’s personal accomplishment has been individually (and collectively as a class) celebrated, in a safe manner, with a creative and memorable flair befitting any graduation, past or present.”

Picture
Catholic schools have felt particularly called to create spaces of welcome and encouragement for our students during the pandemic. Faced with restrictions on gathering, we are paying special attention to engaging, seeing and celebrating each student. Mackenzie McManus graduated in 2020 from All Saints High School under similar conditions. Her grad class was the first graduating year from the high school in Calgary’s deep south and she fondly remembers the experience of the drive-through grad.  “The important part of graduation for me was to be able to walk the stage and get a picture in my cap and gown”, says McManus, “The drive-through grad did that quite nicely.” She noted how much effort it took for staff to arrange the drive-through. Allowing that special time for each graduate extended the event to three days for teachers and support staff who took turns holding congratulations signs and cheering for each student who came through.

Please pray for all Catholic school graduates and their families during this month of June. May the experience in our schools equip them with the knowledge and wisdom they need to continue to grow, learn and serve.
A prayer for Graduates

Lord God, giver of all wisdom and grace,
bless the students who have worked diligently
to prepare for graduation.

Guide and direct them as they go forth
to encounter new opportunities and challenges in the world.
As they continue to nurture their gifts,
help them to stand up for their Christian beliefs
and to further develop values and virtues
that promote communities of fellowship and caring.

May they always act with responsibility and practice integrity
that they may be living witnesses of your word
and instruments of your peace. 

Through Christ our Lord. Amen
Picture

Picture
Written by John Wasch for Faithfully. John is the Director of Catholicity with the Calgary Catholic School District. He is in his 25th year of teaching in Calgary. John and his wife, Mary-Kate, are parents to four children and parishioners at St. Patrick’s Parish in Calgary

​
Photos courtesy of John Wash
0 Comments

Sacred Heart of Jesus

6/9/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
In 1673, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque received a vision of Jesus’ compassionate heart, pierced by the sins of the world, which gave impetus to the devotion of Sacred Heart of Jesus. St. Margaret Mary also received private revelations from Jesus on June 16, 1675. Read more

The Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the Friday following the second Sunday after Pentecost.  The term "Sacred Heart of Jesus" denotes the entire mystery of Christ, the totality of his being, and his person considered in its most intimate essential: Son of God, uncreated wisdom; infinite charity, principal of the salvation and sanctification of mankind. The "Sacred Heart" is Christ, the Word Incarnate, Saviour, intrinsically containing, in the Spirit, an infinite divine-human love for the Father and for his brothers. (Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy).

​
Sacred Heart of Jesus Resources 
  • Sacred Heart of Jesus Pastoral Notes and Resources (Cardinal Collins)
  • How to celebrate the feasts of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary (OSV). 
  • Video (7 mnts): Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Fr. Mark Mary)
  • Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
    • Pray the Litany with the help of St. Pope John Paul II (Aleteia)
  • Daily prayer from St. Therese Liseux "Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine". 
    • Download & Print: Image 1 | Image 2 | Image 3 | Image 4 | Image 5
  • Sacred Heart of Jesus Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer
  • Resources for Family & children:
    • Catholic Sprouts podcast for kids on Sacred Heart of Jesus (OSV)
    • Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart craft for kids
    • Sacred Heart VBS at home
    • Video: Jesus loves us so much He cannot keep His love to Himself! Learn about the symbols we see in the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Then we will make Sacred Heart mini-pancakes together!Watch: Video for kids from Sacred Heart of Jesus Convent 
    • Video: Personal Consecration Prayer to the Sacred Heart 
0 Comments

Called to serve our neighbours

6/9/2021

3 Comments

 
Picture
Javier Martinez had just removed his face shield and mask when a woman suddenly appeared in the room and approached him. The woman was a resident of the memory care wing of the seniors’ residence where Martinez was working. She was also positive for COVID-19. “It happened so fast and I remember thinking, ‘it’s highly probable that I’ve got COVID,’” recalls Martinez, a registered nurse and the father of five. He was right.

Martinez is a clinical leader in the supportive living section at St. Marguerite Manor, a Covenant Care home in northwest Calgary. Two residents at that facility died in the second wave of the global pandemic declared in 2020. Martinez, however, was infected in Edmonton. He was there in November 2020 to provide support in a seniors’ care home hit much harder by the second wave of the pandemic. In addition to several deaths and widespread infection, many staff at that home were infected and unable to work.
​
While his first test was negative, Martinez developed body aches and a headache soon after his return to Calgary. The nurse knew he had COVID-19 well before the second test yielded a positive result. By then, he and his wife Colette had already discussed what they would do to keep the family safe. They did what they could to keep their kids, ages 13 to three, away from their dad. Still, the oldest and youngest, two of their three daughters, were infected. Both children weathered the virus well. “We were fortunate,” says their dad.
PictureJavier and his family
A culture of care

More than a year after the pandemic began, vaccinations and the careful of use of PPE (personal protective equipment, like masks) have imbued Martinez’s view from the front lines with a great deal of hope. In the early days, “there was a lot of uncertainty because it was brand new and we had to deal with a lot of changes. Provincial orders from the Chief Medical Officer of Health changed often, sometimes daily. One of the most dramatic shifts was the move to restrict visitors. That was really tough. Some of our residents have large families who are very close. I had to explain the health rules to many people and because these were mandated changes, we didn’t have much flexibility. This was very tough on residents and their families.”

Careful adherence to the rules definitely kept people safe, says Martinez. Only one resident and a few staff at St. Marguerite Manor contracted COVID-19 in the first wave. The second wave was harder, but by then, something else was also at work. He says some residents talked openly about having lived good lives. They were not afraid to catch the virus and die. What they did not “want was to be the person who brought the virus into the manor. That care for other people was very strong.”

Now that residents and most staff are fully vaccinated, life at the manor is more relaxed. Visitors are allowed in after screening and as of June 1, staff no longer have to wear face shields over their masks. “It’s amazing to see how things have changed for seniors in supportive living and long-term care because of the vaccinations,” says Martinez.
​
Looking back, Martinez thinks about what the pandemic has taught him as a Catholic man, nurse, husband and father. He knows the people he works with were negatively impacted when denied access to family and friends. He also knows many of them weathered the storm with grace.
​
“I guess I think about how we’re called to serve our neighbours—and to serve the best interests of our neighbours,” says Martinez. A parishioner at St. Gerard’s parish in Calgary, he also thinks about how the Catholic community supported that part of the gospel message. As he sees it, sometimes service is as simple as doing what’s best for others. 


Written by Joy Gregory for Faithfully
Photos courtesy of Javier Martinez
Picture
3 Comments

What's in a name?

6/9/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
One of the most powerful things I have ever done as a Catholic Educator is to open a new Catholic School in Airdrie.  The name selection process was part of the beginning of creating our new school. In hindsight, it is amazing how important a school name is, especially a Catholic School name. On the day that our new school name was going to be announced, I was away on a retreat. Coincidentally we were doing the Stations of the Cross and I strategically volunteered to do the readings for Station 6: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus. Later that day when our school name was announced at the retreat, many of my coworkers were amazed that I had been selected to do the readings for Station 6. They believed it was divine intervention. I really didn’t have the heart to tell them that I had requested that station knowing that St. Veronica was our new school name!

A month later, in May of 2019, we gathered together as a staff for the very first time. With our new teachers, admin and our District Supervisor of Catholic Education we began to explore all things about St. Veronica. There is no history or mention of St. Veronica in the Bible, nor is there any knowledge of her life before or after she wiped the face of Jesus. Yet, her single selfless act to wipe the face of Jesus on his way to crucifixion remains a keystone piece of the Stations of the Cross. Her veil, the Veil of Veronica, is a sacred artifact displayed once a year at the Vatican.
​
Our goal that day with our staff was to generate a motto and a mission statement for our new school. The teachers reviewed scripture, watched videos and worked in groups to identify the significant characteristics of St. Veronica. It took a whole day but together they created our motto. First with three key words: Faith, Compassion, Courage. Then the teachers expanded the motto to create our mission statement: Inspired by Faith. Moved by Compassion. Led by Courage.

I was so proud of our staff, as I truly believed they had captured the real essence of who St. Veronica was. These characteristics would form the foundation for students at our school. Our patron saint, St. Veronica, is the perfect example of how to use your faith, your compassion, and your courage to do the right thing, even when that is very difficult. This is a beautiful message to share with children. So many aspects of school life relate back to this gentle, faithful woman who choose to perform a true act of kindness when Christ needed it most. Connecting this to our ability to see Christ in others and to support the way Veronica supported Jesus is a powerful message for all students at St. Veronica School.

When you ask, What’s in a name?  I believe that at St. Veronica School the name Veronica challenges each of our students to be inspired by faith, to be moved by compassion for others and to let courage guide them to do the right thing.  What better role model is there for children?

Picture
​Written by Patrick Quinn for Faithfully.  Pat has been in education for over 30 years and in the last 10 years a principal with Calgary Catholic School District at 3 different schools. At his latest school, St. Veronica in Airdrie, Pat had the honour of opening the school.  Patrick is a member of St. Peter's Parish in Calgary.

Photos submitted by Patrick QUinn. 
0 Comments

Little Saints: Works of mercy in action

6/9/2021

3 Comments

 
Picture
The vocation to teach is a great gift. To authentically live one’s faith life in a Catholic School unleashes the power of the Holy Spirit, drawing those who are searching, those who are yearning to grow toward God together. Being a witness to the mighty power of the Spirit I can testify to the fact that the Spirit is moving in our schools.  I have been blessed to minister to the children through weekly gatherings in our gym under the auspices of “Hymn Sing” – a time of preparation for our school liturgical life – through song, scripture, and prayer.  The tiny seeds that are sown grow in places and in ways that are surprising and lovely to behold.

It was after a long weekend that a grade 3 student came running toward me in the hallway one bright Monday morning. “Mme, I have to talk to you. I had a dream last night and God wants us to have a Jesus Club at our school. I know that I love Jesus and I know that there are other kids who love Jesus too, but Mme, I don’t know who they are! We need to have a place, we need to have a time where we can find those kids and talk about this. Can you help?”  
​
This was the beginning of our school’s Jesus Club – an idea inspired by the Holy Spirit through the enthusiasm and energy of a child who wished to live her faith authentically. Throughout that school year, 108 students, one third of our school’s population, journeyed through our lunchtime Jesus Club, growing through scripture, prayer and games to walk more closely with Our Lord.
Picture
The following school year we began, through our Hymn Sing time, to explore how to live the corporal works of mercy as a response to that year’s faith theme “Knock and the door will be opened.” The call for us to care for the needs of the poor, the need of the sick, the needs of those who are enslaved resonated deeply with the students, especially with one boy.  An idea began brewing within him. A call to action soon followed.  He harnessed the energy and enthusiasm of 5 of his school mates, and they formed “Little Saints: the corporal works of mercy in action”.  These children championed one bottle drive each month to raise money for the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Mustard Seed, and Feed the Hungry before COVID closed our schools last year.  Through their promotion of each bottle drive, they spoke to the student body, made posters, counted, and sorted bottles and made hundreds of friendship pins and bracelets as rewards for participants.  

These children who receive the Word with such loving fervor are examples to us all. They are the fertile ground on which the good seed falls and bears fruit. Their openness to the power of the Holy Spirit inspires their actions and forming tomorrow’s leaders. I am privileged to work with children every day in our Catholic schools. Their enthusiasm serves to inspire us to become like little children who receive the Word wholeheartedly and run with abandon into the vineyard of the Lord – helping His Kingdom come.


Picture
​Written by Lili Szakony for Faithfully. As a mother, wife, faithful Catholic, and a teacher in the CCSD for 20 years, Lili Szakony strives to be the best version of herself.  She leads by example, as a humble servant of God, as Jesus came to show us the very best way to live the life He wants us to live; “I am the good shepherd” (John 10). Lili and her family are parishioner of St. Patrick’s Parish in Calgary. Photos courtesy of Lili Szakony.
3 Comments

Jesus, meek and humble of heart

6/9/2021

2 Comments

 
Picture
I’ve always been enthralled with the simplicity of the Christian dynamic summed up in two words: “come” and “go”. Christ’s call to his disciples and in fact to each one of us Christians is an invitation from Christ “come, follow me”. After living the experience and encounter with Christ, the disciples were commanded to “go and preach to all nations”. Simple but not exactly easy.
 
When I came as pastor to Sacred Heart Church in Calgary the image of Christ’s beating heart has been an inspiration for the mission and work of our parish church. One paragraph in Pope Francis’ address to participants in the Pilgrimage of Catechists on the occasion of the Year of Faith struck me as pertinent to our church:
I am one with Jesus and I go forth to encounter others. If one of these movements is missing, the heart no longer beats, it can no longer live. The heart of the catechist receives the gift of the kerygma, and in turn offers it to others as a gift. What a little word: “gift”! The catechist is conscious of having received a gift, the gift of faith, and he or she then gives that gift in turn to others. This is something beautiful. We don’t keep a percentage for ourselves! Whatever we receive, we give! This is not commerce! It is not a business! It is pure gift: a gift received and a gift given. And the catechist is right there, at the centre of this exchange of gifts. That is the nature itself of the kerygma: it is a gift that generates mission, that compels us to go beyond ourselves….And so it is: love attracts us and sends us; it draws us in and gives us to others. This tension marks the beating of the heart of the Christian, especially the heart of the catechist. Let us all ask ourselves: Is this what causes my heart to beat as a catechist, union with Christ and encounter with others? With this movement of “systole and diastole”? Are we being fed by our relationship with the Lord, so that we can bring him to others, and not to keep it for ourselves? (Address of Pope Francis, 27 September 2013)
I felt convinced that our church had to bring that same dynamic of a beating heart to all who walks through our doors. Next we had to develop a pathway of evangelization for our work and we based it off of the chambers of the heart. Hospitality is the entry, discipleship and spiritual formation is the second chamber, worship is the height and most important chamber and last is sending out to evangelize. So our parishioners are encouraged to be drawn into this pathway of Christ’s heart.
 
Of course the pandemic has impacted our ability and forced us to do things in different ways. It has definitely been a challenging time but I believe that the need and opportunities for evangelization are greater now that when the pandemic began. It still highlights the simplicity of the Christian call to enter Christ’s heart and allow him to send us forth.
 
Jesus, gentle and humble of heart, touch our hearts and make them like your own.

Picture
Written by Fr. John Gannon, LC for Faithfully. Fr. John is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Calgary. 
2 Comments

The secret prayers of the priest

6/9/2021

1 Comment

 
Your priests are exhausted – like everyone else I suspect. It is a form of spiritual tiredness that comes when fathers are not able to be with their families as they wish. Certainly, it is tiring to care for a family, but then again, there is a gift of life that flows from being with your family as you care for them. Those fathers (and mothers) who labour in foreign countries to send back remittance monies to support their families know one thing for sure: phone calls and Facetime are just not enough. The priests of Calgary confronted this during the pandemic year because they are not “pious bureaucrats but pastors” (Pope Benedict’s phrase) – and they miss their family-flock. Yet they also know whose priests they are: Jesus Christ’s – and the Eucharistic Lord has never abandoned them.
​
It was my surpassing honour to be invited by these very priests to lead them in a retreat in these – pray God! – waning days of the Pandemic. I wrote them a note:
Do you remember the beginning of this annus horribilis? Celebrating the Easter mysteries with a few people in Church. Scrambling to find ways to render virtual that which is essentially incarnational – the Eucharist. Worrying about pastoral care and meeting payroll. Who can forget the Holy Father’s solitary Urbi et Orbi prayer for the end of the pandemic? His words still challenge: “We find ourselves afraid and lost in this time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It’s a time to get our lives back on track with regard to you, Lord, and to others,” And so it goes on month after month. Even the most introvert of us priests have been stretched thin by the dual experience of isolation from our people and still bearing the burden of their stress. As in all times of challenge, the best and the worst of people emerged: politics and medicine divided our communities. And what about each of us? In this Retreat we will support each other as every morning we reflect on the challenge of the Holy Father’s solitary Urbi et Orbi prayer for the end of the pandemic: “We find ourselves afraid and lost in this time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It’s a time to get our lives back on track with regard to you, Lord, and to others.”
What can one new parish priest say to such a crew of faithful ministers? Hopefully, only what Jesus wants him say. I think it is always just a variation of Christ looking a priest in the eye saying, “You are my priest, and I love you.”
​
Looking a priest in the eye? Leading a retreat in pandemic times has a very strange quality: it is ‘virtual’. Conscious of a hundred pairs of priestly eyes, I could only see a checkerboard pattern of faces. But from the start as I sat and listened as they greeted each other joyfully I know that what was before me was not “virtual” at all – it was a quilt of servants of the sacraments woven by the Spirit. A quilt sustained by the prayers of God’s People in Calgary
Picture
What did the Spirit lead us to reflect on? Simply, that which is the very essence of a priest’s life: the Holy Eucharist. Indeed, we have not been able to celebrate the sacred mysteries with many others but we priests have still been able to meet our Eucharistic Lord daily. We long to respond to the longing of our people for Communion – but we also are called to respond to the intimate longing that the Lord has for each of His priests.

Did you know that there are certain prayers in the Ritual of the Mass that a priest says quietly – or to use an old phrase “secretly”? For example, as he purifies the vessels from which he has just partaken of the Body and Blood of Christ the priest whispers, “What has passed our lips as food, O Lord, may we possess in purity of heart, that what has been given to us in time may be our healing for eternity”.  Every Friday morning those who pray the Divine Office recite Psalm 51 and say, “then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom”. What is the wisdom of these intimate or “secret” prayers? This was the theme we explored in the Lord. And the Lord was gracious as He always is.

Retreats are not ever times of running away from reality – no that would be Netflix and YouTube. In a retreat one runs into the heart of reality – God’s heart. It is not a time for pious words or flowery ideas – but for the Word that meets our reality. That is what the Eucharist is: our offering of the reality of our lives to God and God giving us the Real Presence of His Son. The questions were real and raw: how do live with chaos as the rhythm of life is turned upside down? What will priesthood look like after this immersion in a separated virtual society? It seems like priests are both under a microscope and yet marginalized like the Church – where are we being led?
​
To the Eucharist – always to this source of our very being. And we found in the secret prayers of the answer of Jesus, “Do not be afraid, it is I”.

Picture
Written by Fr. Stefano Penna for Faithfully.

​Fr. Penna is the former Dean of Theology of Newman College now Rector of the Co-Cathedral of St. Paul’s in Saskatoon
1 Comment

Wideness in God's mercy

6/9/2021

1 Comment

 
Picture
As a convert to Catholicism from Anglicanism, I am probably not the most qualified person to write here about the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  It was never a devotion I had ever heard of growing up, being a rather marginal devotion even in the most Anglo-Catholic of Anglican circles.  The pre-Reformation English devotion was towards the Five Holy Wounds, and not necessarily the Sacred Heart, despite its nascent cultus.  Apparently, it isn’t necessarily the most widely accepted devotion either in Eastern Christian circles, being largely seen as a Latin introduction.  It makes sense — St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, the main visionary of the Sacred Heart, lived in the 1600s, after the Reformation, and long after the Great Schism.
​
Yet, something that we do VERY well in the Anglican world is hymnody, and this tradition has happily been carried into Catholicism by many notable converts.  And so, for this Feast of the Sacred Heart, I’d love to share one of these hymns.  “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy” is written by Fr. Frederick W. Faber, Cong. Orat., convert to Roman Catholicism, founder of the Brompton Oratory, and an associate of St. John Henry Newman.  It is sung to a myriad of different tunes, yet the words ring true no matter the music.
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy
Like the wideness of the sea;
There’s a kindness in His justice
Which is more than liberty.
​There is no place where earth’s sorrows
Are more felt than up in heaven;
There is no place where earth’s failings
Have such kindly judgement given.”
Picture
Now, it may not be immediately obvious why a hymn on God’s mercy is acceptable for the feast of the Sacred Heart.  However, when we pray to the Sacred Heart, what is our petition? — “Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.”  In His apparition to St. Faustina Kowalska, Jesus Himself says: “My daughter, know that My Heart is mercy itself.  From this sea of mercy, graces flow out upon the whole world.”  The Sacred Heart is an ocean of mercy, vast and endless, in which we find every gift that we need.
​
Jesus’ Sacred Heart is His human heart, the one that endured everything on Earth for our sake.  This is the Heart pierced at Calvary, in salvific sorrow, and so it is only natural that Christ will feel the little miniature crucifixions that we endure keenly.  His Sacred Heart knew the death of St. Joseph, of St. Lazarus, and so He knows our griefs intimately too.  His Sacred Heart knows temptation, as it endured it for forty days in the wilderness.  It knows failure, being betrayed in Gethsemane, by Peter’s threefold betrayal, by however many daily disappointments Christ felt amongst the people of Nazareth.  Yet, Jesus is able to upbraid his disciples while remaining patient, compassionate, and loving.  This is the Heart that will come to judge ours at the end of time, in justice, rendering to us our due.  Yet, do we turn to the Sacred Heart now, trusting in the ocean of graces contained therein?  Do we bring Jesus our sorrows great and small, knowing that His Sacred Heart has been moved to tears too?  Do we go to the Sacred Heart when we fail, knowing that He alone has the justice, wisdom, and kindness to invite us on a journey of metanoia?

​For the love of God is broader
Than the measure of man’s mind;
And the heart of the Eternal
Is most wonderfully kind.
​But we make his love too narrow
By false limits of our own;
And we magnify His strictness
With a zeal He will not own.”
Yes, we are sinful people.  This cannot be denied.  We, as Christians, reject the Sacred Heart daily in some small way, to say nothing of the secular culture around us who mocks this Heart who can do nothing but will our good.  And yes, this breaks the Heart of our dearest Lord.  He spreads a banquet wide before us; we decide to stay home.  He invites us into the dance of love; we say our dance cards are full and our feet hurt.  But this is the Heart of Jesus in action!  If the same had happened to us, we would feel hurt, rejected, bitter, sullen — yet, the Sacred Heart keeps on loving us and loving us, willing our good, showing us mercy.  His Heart can out-love any excuses or sinful rejections we throw His way.
​
On the other hand, we also easily reject the Sacred Heart by our limitations we place on God’s love.  Yes, there are a lot of precepts and regulations in our faith, designed to stir our souls to fervour.  But how many people do we know who say:  “I was raised Catholic, so I know about how you have to [insert rule here].”  We give people no access to Christ’s Sacred Heart by introducing them to faith as a set of rules and regulations, rather than introducing people to the Lover of their souls:  tender, compassionate, eager to strengthen and draw to greater heights.  Worse yet, we teach that Jesus has no love in us, looking down from the right hand of the Father in perpetual frustration, anger, and disappointment, ready to reject us for the sins we commit.  We reject Christ’s Heart often — but even in mortal sin, God’s love can reach deeper and transform us.  If the penitent thief could be forgiven completely by Jesus in the moments when He was being offered up as expiation for every last sin we commit, then even our sins that wound Christ most deeply can be absolved through our contrition.  So, run!  Run to the Sacred Heart — for by the breaking of His Heart we are saved!
​There is plentiful redemption
In the blood that has been shed;
There is joy for all the members
in the sorrows of the Head.
​There is grace enough for thousands
Of new worlds as great as this;
There is room for fresh creations
In that upper home of bliss.”
What is the most tangible sign of God’s merciful love, if not the piercing of the Sacred Heart at Calvary?  Jesus, through his Passion and Death, gives absolutely everything for us, allowing His Sacred Heart to pour forth Blood and water.  It’s a paradox, that in Christ’s terrible suffering and death, there is redemption; that the sorrows of His Sacred Heart allow us to draw closer to Him in our own pain and suffering.  Ultimately, the most grievous wound of all — the Crucifixion — takes away the sins of the world.  This is the cause of our joy, our faith, our hope, and leads us on to love more deeply.
​
And so, what does the Sacred Heart mean to us?  It is our all, that God would take on human flesh, and have a heart capable of heartbreak — a heart broken in such love so as to flood the world in mercy and grace, so that all who run to this heart in paltry human love are met with a tidal wave of Divine Love, ready to push them onward to the unimaginable heights.
Picture
​If our love were but more simple,
We should take Him at His word;
And our lives would be all gladness
In the joy of Christ our Lord.”

Picture
Written by Solomon Ip for Faithfully. Solomon Ip is a born-and-bred Calgarian, a member of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, and is an exhibit interpreter at Heritage Park in Calgary.  He worships at St. John the Evangelist, Calgary; All Saints, Lethbridge; and the Calgary and Lethbridge branches of the St. Francis Xavier Chaplaincy. 
1 Comment

A message from Bishop McGrattan regarding the former Kamloops Residential School

6/4/2021

3 Comments

 
Picture

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
 
The reported discovery of the remains of 215 children at the former Kamloops Indian residential school has shocked the consciousness of our country, its people, the Church, and the world to the painful and dark reality of our Canadian Indian residential school system. This has also surfaced once again the suffering and trauma which continues to mark the lives of our indigenous brothers and sisters and their communities.
 
On behalf of the people of the Diocese of Calgary, I personally share in this devastating sorrow and express my deepest regret at the loss of the lives of these children and the enduring pain which residential schools have caused within our indigenous communities. In solidarity, we must act in the pursuit of justice, reconciliation, and true healing.
 
As the Bishop of Calgary, through this statement, I personally recommit the Diocese in expressing the apology and regret made by the Bishops of Alberta and the Northwest Territories in 2014 to our indigenous brothers and sisters.
We, the Catholic Bishops of Alberta and Northwest Territories, apologize to those who experienced sexual and physical abuse in Residential Schools under Catholic administration.
 
We also express our apology and regret for Catholic participation in government policies that resulted in children being separated from their families, and often suppressed Aboriginal culture and language at the Residential Schools.
 
We commit ourselves to work in the Catholic community and the wider society to challenge attitudes of racism and prejudice that continue to exist in Alberta and Canada today. Aboriginal communities still face many serious issues that go beyond what will be addressed at the TRC, including land, treaty rights, education, health care, housing, jobs, and environmental threats.
 
We will continue to find ways for Catholics, together with other concerned Canadians, to support more effectively Aboriginal peoples in their ongoing struggles to achieve justice and equity in Canadian society.
 
The picture and images of children’s shoes placed at the front steps with lit candles remind us of the voices of these children and the need for restorative justice. In prayer, we unite ourselves with our suffering brothers and sisters so that the Spirit will show us the path of solidarity in promoting true justice and healing.
 
For those families deeply impacted, we ask for the intercession of St. Kateri Tekakwitha for them to receive consolation, healing, and strength.
 
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
  
+William T. McGrattan
Bishop of Calgary
Download Letter in PDF

Recent statements
  • CCCB - Delegation to Holy See (June 10)
  • A message from Pope Francis on Kamloops Residential School (June 6) 
  • A message from Calgary Catholic School District on the renaming of Bishop Grandin High School (June 4).
    • To give feedback regarding the renaming, please this link to ThoughtExchange. Link will be open until midnight on June 8, 2021.
  • A message from Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops on Kamloops Residential School (May 31). ​
  • A statement from the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) regarding news from the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation on Kamloops Residential School run by the OMI.
  • A message from the Diocese of Kamloops on the findings at the former residential school site in Kamloops.
  • Crisis line for Indian Residential School survivors and family: 1-866-92504419

Learn about Residential Schools
  • History of Residential Schools
  • Perspective on death and graves in residential schools
  • Documentary: A National Crime 
  • Clarification on unmarked graves

​​There were 25 residential schools in the Province of Alberta. See: Residential Schools in Canada Map. Four of them operated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) were within the boundaries of the Diocese. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary did not run any residential schools. Below are links to the four residential schools:
  • St. Joseph’s Residential School (Crowfoot) - Cluny, Alberta (1900-1968) operated by the Oblates of  Mary Immaculate (OMI) and Sisters of Providence
  • St. Mary’s Residential School (Kainai) - Cardston, Alberta (1898-1988) operated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) and Grey Nuns of Montreal
  • Sacred Heart Residential School (Peigan) - Brocket, Alberta (1887-1961) operated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI)  and Grey Nuns of Montreal
  • St. Joseph’s Industrial School (Dunbow) - East of Okotoks, near the junction of the Bow and Highwood Rivers  (1884-1922) operated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) and Grey Nuns of Montreal​​


Related resources
  • Resources from CCCB on Indigenous People (pastoral and current reconciliation initiatives, TRC, letters and statements, encounters with popes etc.)​ 
  • Current initiatives: The Bishops in Canada have been working with Indigenous Peoples since the 17th century. A number of religious institutes of consecrated life, as well as Catholic lay organizations, have also been involved in working with Indigenous Peoples; a more recent example is Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle, a Catholic coalition of Indigenous people, Bishops, lay movements, clergy, and institutes of consecrated life. The members of the Circle are engaged in renewing and fostering relationships between the Catholic Church and Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Our Lady of Guadalupe Circle | Listening Circles | National Day of Prayer in Solidarity with Indigenous People |  Returning to Spirit 
Let us join in prayer as a community of faith:
  • For the children whose death in Kamloops Residential School were undocumented and whose passing has now been recognized, may they be welcomed into the light and peace of your kingdom, and may they find the fullness of your charity and love, and live in the joys of eternal life. 
  • For the families of the deceased children in Kamloops residential school, may they be lifted from the depths of their grief and strengthened in faith and hope.  
  • For our current leaders and all of us, may God give us the courage to face our shared history and the desire to continue and forge new paths of justice and healing. May our respect for one another lead to acts of human solidarity and bring about spiritual and social change for the good of all.
Picture
3 Comments

    Author

    Catholic Pastoral Centre Staff and Guest Writers

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018

    Categories

    All
    Advent & Christmas
    Art
    Bereavement
    Bishop Emeritus Henry
    Bishop McGrattan
    Book Review
    Care For Creation
    Catechetics
    Catholic Charities & Development
    Catholic Education
    Catholic Schools
    CCCB
    Christian Unity
    Climate Change
    Consecrated Virgin
    Conversion
    Covid 19
    Culture
    CWL
    Development & Peace
    Devotions
    Diocesan Event
    Discipleship
    Ecumenical
    Elizabeth House
    Environment
    Euthanasia
    Evangelization
    Faithful Living
    Faithfully
    Family
    Feed The Hungry
    From The Bishop's Office
    Fundraising
    Funeral
    Grieving
    Health
    Health Care
    Homelessness
    Indigenous
    In Memoriam
    Interfaith
    Jubilarians
    Lay Associations
    Lent
    Lent & Easter
    Liturgy
    Marian
    Marriage
    Mary
    Mass
    Mental Health
    Migrants
    Miscarriage
    Mission Mexico
    Movie Review
    Music
    One Rock
    Online Formation
    Ordination
    Parenting
    Parish Life
    Pastoral Care
    Pastoral Visit
    Permanent Diaconate
    Pope
    Pope Francis
    Prayer
    Pray For Peace
    Priesthood
    Prolife
    RCIA
    Reconciliation
    Refugee
    Religious Education
    Religious Freedom
    Religious Life
    Resources And Guidelines
    Sacred Art
    Safe Environment
    Saints
    Scripture & Reflection
    Seniors
    Social Justice
    Stewardship
    St. Joseph
    Synod
    Vocation
    Youth And Young Adults
    Youth Ministry

    RSS Feed

GET TO KNOW US
Our Bishop
Offices & Ministries
​Our Staff
Read our Blog
Catholic Community
​Lay Associations
CONNECT WITH US
Contact us
​Careers
​Parish Boundaries

News & Events
Faithfully
​Reporting Abuse
NEED INFO ON
Becoming Catholic
Marriage Preparation
​Vocations
Annulment 
Sacraments Prep
Catholic Funeral
GIVE TO
Diocesan Ministries
Together in Action
Feed the Hungry
Elizabeth House
Your Parish Church​ 
​Other Ministry

Catholic Pastoral Centre  | 120 - 17th Ave SW, Calgary, AB  T2S 2T2 | ​Phone: 403-218-5500 | communications@calgarydiocese.ca
Charitable Number: 
10790-9939-RR0076​. Donate Now.
  • Blog
  • About
  • Give
  • News & Events
  • Ministries
  • Contact Us
  • Parish Finder