 Priest Assignment; Deacon Assignment; Clergy Personnel Announcements; Pastoral Assignment; Priests Move
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 Have you had that dreaded request, “Can you give a short presentation on…?” Where do you begin? What do you need to do to be successful? As a public speaker for over 40 years, here are some of my observations. Step 1: Say "yes" Step 2: Develop your plan and your research.
Step 3: Develop your speech.
Step 4: Practise your speech
Step 5: Deliver your speech with confidence — you are well prepared and your message will be appreciated. For more information on public speaking, consider joining a public speaking club like the Heart of the Rockies Toastmaster Club that meets on Monday nights to allow you to work on and develop your speaking and presentation skills. Written by Deacon Daniel Deck. Deacon Dan has been a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Calgary since 2008, and has been doing public speaking for over 40 years. Dan joined Toastmasters in 2021 and has seen his confidence and presentation quality continue to improve steadily. For more information about Heart of the Rockies Toastmaster Club (initiated at the request of Bishop McGrattan as a renewal initiative) - contact Deacon Dan at [email protected].
St. Francis Xavier Chaplaincy (SFXC) is a young adult ministry (18-35) in our Diocese that has been active since it began in 2019. One of the key hopes of the Chaplaincy is to go out on mission, just as our namesake, St. Francis Xavier, went out publicly to spread the Gospel. This year, our members hit the streets of Calgary during the Lilac Festival to do exactly that — inviting people to our Encounter Accompaniment series, which is running every Thursday in June. The series is meant to introduce people to the Catholic faith — not only those we met at Lilac Festival, but really anyone looking to learn the basics. We ended up speaking to hundreds of people! We gave out 79 New Testament books, 39 Bibles, over 100 SFXC pamphlets, rosaries, and Ultimate Relationship (UR) booklets. All 50 RCIA pamphlets we brought were snapped up too. Even if no one had signed up for the Encounter series, we’d still have called this a huge win — planting seeds in people’s hearts and getting them thinking about God and the Catholic faith. However, it was even better: 177 people took our survey and 84 said they’re interested in coming to one of our Encounter events!
Our first Encounter Accompaniment event took place on June 5 at St. Mary’s Cathedral hall, where Fr. Troy introduced the kerygma (the core message of the Catholic faith) to those who attended. About 70 people showed up — and thanks to a generous donor, everyone got free Vietnamese subs too. It was a small way to show the love of God — not only through the message being shared, but through the warmth of our community. We’ll be hosting two more sessions on June 12 and 19 at St. Mary’s Cathedral hall. Our final session will be on June 26 at Sacred Heart Calgary, where we’ll have an Adoration night and throw a celebration party to wrap up the series. If you know anyone aged 18-35 who might be interested, please pass this along! My email is at the bottom of this article. This year, we launched all kinds of small group studies — including Theology of the Body, Healing of the Whole Person workshop, Philosophy Club, CCO Faith Studies, Men’s formation, and book studies on Dante’s Inferno and Fruitful Discipleship. Our Young Professionals group kicked off a Church History course and a public speaking club called “Logorators.” Our Young Families chapter started a monthly Mass and Formation event and a Mom & Dad’s group. We’ve also had tons of social events — our annual dance, summer/Stampede BBQ, monthly board game nights, bi-weekly Sunday Socials after Mass, and bi-weekly sports nights. Beyond this, we offer members plenty of ways to volunteer — through our monthly Mustard Seed program, Sunday Socials program, Choir formation, Altar Serving, and other opportunities throughout all of these ministries and events. Here’s the heart of what we do:
 The beautiful thing is: this isn’t just staff-driven. Our members are the ones driving so much of this. They spearhead initiatives, give their time outside of work, and pour themselves into this mission — because they believe in what the Chaplaincy is about:
We’ve got plenty more ideas and plans on the horizon. If you’d like to support us and help make it all possible — we’d love to have you on board. To learn more about SFXC, visit https://www.sfxc.ca/ or follow us on Instagram @sfxchaplaincy. We also have a donation campaign running for two weeks starting June 9 — and all donations will be matched! If you’d like to contribute, visit https://www.catholicyyc.ca/donatetosfxc.html. Written by Jaime Gayos, SFXC Coordinator. To contact him, email [email protected]
Before my conversion, I had returned to Jesus because of a vivid dream, one I still struggle to fully describe, but that changed everything. Until then, I was living a secular life. Though I had known Jesus in childhood through my grandmother, I had turned away in my youth, disheartened by prejudices, poor examples, and inconsistencies in the faith I saw. I felt ashamed after my dream because I knew I was wrong. Waking up that morning, I knew I had encountered something sacred. I was overwhelmed and confused, but I felt sure the Holy Spirit was guiding me. So, I followed that prompting, diving into Scripture, seeking out conversations with Christian friends, listening to teachings online, and repenting. This all took place during the COVID years, when church life was difficult to access, but my hunger to know God only deepened. In 2023, we started visiting Protestant churches, hoping to find a spiritual home. Yet each time, I left feeling uncomfortable and unsettled. The sermons often felt like TED Talks. The music was concert-style. Something was missing. I didn’t know what at first, but I later realized I was longing for transcendence, reverence, and spiritual structure. I wanted more than inspiration. I wanted tradition. I wanted truth. When my middle daughter said she wanted to attend a Catholic high school, I reluctantly decided to go to Mass with my sister-in-law, who is Catholic. That first Mass felt different: quiet, reverent, and sacred. It wasn’t trying to entertain, it was pointing me to God. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had come home. We began attending a small parish in our neighbourhood and eventually joined the RCIA program that fall. My two younger children and I went through the process together, and it felt like being embraced after a long journey. What struck me most was the richness of Catholic tradition, the depth of its teachings, the reverence shown to Mary and the Saints, and the groundedness of its moral clarity. Unlike the confusion I had grown used to in secular culture and even in some Christian spaces, the Catechism offered definitive, thoughtful answers. Catholicism doesn’t shy away from hard truths; it proclaims them with love and confidence.
Written by Robyn Okenfold, newly baptized in 2025 at St. Pius X Parish, Calgary.
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I cope, I grow, I manage—but it’s always with me. I accept that. This is not a “Jesus cured my depression” story. I still fight that battle daily. Yet what happened four years ago was a call out of the darkness. I awoke in the middle of the night with very dark, troubling thoughts. I couldn’t shake them. I couldn’t fall back asleep. It was around 3:30 a.m., and I felt compelled to go for a run in my neighborhood. Running wasn’t unusual for me—but certainly not at that hour. I put on my shoes, left a note on the table for my family, and quietly slipped out the door. My usual jogging route takes me past Saint Patrick’s—one of the most prominent and historic churches in Medicine Hat. If you're from here, you know it's a beautiful city landmark. As I ran down the street, fighting the demons in my mind, I felt drawn to cut through the parking lot and sit on a bench—not from physical exhaustion, but from complete mental defeat. I sat there in the darkness, looking up at the statue of St. Teresa of Ávila. I had nothing left but to completely surrender and pray—either to be struck dead or to be helped by the Holy Spirit. That cry into the void wasn’t met with the death I begged for—but with a radiant warmth inside me. It felt like a spiritual fire had been lit in my chest. A veil that had blinded me my entire life was suddenly torn away, like a bandage ripped from my eyes. From that night forward, I began studying theology with the fervour of a hyper-focused child—specifically Catholicism, as I’d always felt drawn to its rich traditions and deep historical roots. I read works from early Church Fathers and Saints—Augustine of Hippo, Thomas Aquinas, Catherine of Siena—names that especially stood out. I read books by Bishop Robert Barron, watched his Catholicism documentaries, and followed his weekly homilies. I began a loose but dedicated prayer routine. After a couple of years feeling the transformative power and wisdom granted through faith, I started attending mass at the very church where my journey had begun. I went alone. I had no close Catholic friends. In fact, many people around me despised the Catholic Church—due to its troubled past, its scandals, and the way it’s portrayed by the media and entertainment industry. But I wasn’t deterred. In today’s world, proclaiming any faith is an act of rebellion—let alone Catholic faith. I’ve always been the rebellious type. Judgment from others rarely dents my determination to follow my own path. Last year, after attending mass for several months, I reached out to the church office to ask about being baptized and becoming a full member. Deacon Terry set up a meeting, and I shared the same story I’m now sharing with you. After we exchanged contact information, he told me RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) classes would begin in the fall—and that my name was now on the list. From September to April, I attended the weekly classes, went to mass two or sometimes three days a week, and even joined the church choir. I now sing and rehearse with them weekly. Through it all, I’ve found an amazing community, new friendships, and unspeakable blessings. The acts of service in which I've been able to participate in—both for others and for the broader community—have already begun to change my life and open my heart in ways I can’t fully explain. On Saturday night, during the Easter Vigil mass, I was baptized, confirmed, and received my First Communion—surrounded by friends, family, and nothing but love, both around me and from above. Thank you all. Bless you all. Also, thank you for reading my testimony to Jesus. Written by Justin Quinton for Faithfully. He was baptized into the Catholic Church at St. Patrick’s Parish in Medicine Hat during the Easter Vigil of 2025.
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Catholic Pastoral Centre Staff and Guest Writers Archives
June 2025
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