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20 years of Permanent Diaconate

6/19/2022

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A Few Memories and Reflections on the 20th Anniversary 2022 of the Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of Calgary 

The primary movement for the restoration of the order of deacons in this century occurred in the death camp at Dachau. The identity of the deacon is conceived in the midst of indescribable human suffering. A “new” diaconate is envisioned as a permanent hope to those who are without hope.
 
During World War II, a group of Catholic priests, interned at Dachau prison camp, provided support and encouragement to many of the nameless and voiceless victims of injustice around them. Somehow they kept faith alive, sustained hope and witnessed to God’s unconditional love even in an atmosphere that viciously opposed and denied these gifts. One of these priests, Fr. Otto Pies SJ, who was seriously ill when released from the concentration camp, published an article titled “Cellblock 26 - Experiences of the Priestly Life in Dachau” - dealing with the sufferings of priests imprisoned here. He also reports about those topics that were the subject of the discussions among priests who were ready to discharge their responsibilities in the face of death. In conjunction with the increasingly more serious shortage of priests, Fr. Pies poses the question as ‘to whether or not it was time to act upon the nudges that were - apparently - being initiated by the Holy Spirit’ and to permit the diaconate to rise again.
 
Knowing that their aspiration required decisive action, these priests after their liberation, continued to meet and work to awaken in every Catholic a commitment to justice through personal service and advocacy. Many people came to join these survivors, who named their group the Deacon Circle. In time, additional groups convened throughout Germany, France and Eastern Europe.
 
In 1962 Pope John XXIII convened the Second Vatican Council and within this growing awareness of the church’s obligation to be actively engaged in the world, the original members of the Deacon’s Circle, the Dachau survivors and those who had joined them in Munich wrote a letter in 1962 addressed directly to the council fathers in which they state:
 
“Would it not be a living testimony to the church’s concern for the temporal and supernatural needs of all peoples to have ordained deacons engaged in actual necessities of temporal life to the poor and the suffering, bringing  Christ both sacramentally and also in their committed care for the lowly and oppressed into places of neglect and destitution, of hunger and sickness?”

The rest of the story is our history
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Vatican II reconstituted the diaconate in the western Catholic Churches, and taught that deacons are helpers to the bishop at the altar and in the ministry of the word, while caring always for those who might otherwise be overlooked by the successors of the apostles.
 
Three reasons behind the Council’s decision:
  1. a desire to enrich the Church with the functions of the diaconate, which otherwise, in many regions, could only be exercised with great difficulty;
  2. the intention of strengthening with the grace of diaconal ordination those who already exercised many of the functions of the Diaconate; and
  3. a concern to provide regions, where there was a shortage of clergy, with sacred ministers.
 
Deacons are ordained to make visible Christ, the servant of his people. The bishop is responsible for the selection, personal formation, ministerial training and assignment of deacons. 

Prior to my arrival in Calgary, I recall a discernment weekend experience in the Diocese of London. Our topic was to try and attuned ourselves as a selected and balanced group of leaders in the diocese - bishops, ordained priests, religious women, catechists, male and female lay leaders -  to listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit through prayer and discussion led by a Jesuit priest whose expertise was discernment in the Ignatius Tradition.  Our question was straight forward: “Should We Introduce the Permanent Diaconate in the our Diocese.” At the end of our session, marked more by turbulence than peace, we held a vote - 60% yes, 40% no. Bishop Sherlock decided that the margin was not large enough to proceed and it would only divide the diocese. I was one of the 60%. My main argument was that our local church would be stronger with the fullness of the Sacrament of Orders - bishop, priests, and deacons.
 
Before the subject was revisited several years later, I was transferred to the Diocese of Thunder Bay in Northern Ontario in March of 1995. Fortunately, they already had introduced the permanent diaconate. We were a very large missionary diocese (geographically), many indigenous peoples, few clergy and  heavily reliant on the religious communities and the international community to staff our parishes and missions.  Both groups tended to be serving on a contract basis. Our married deacons were local - many were born and raised in the north, involved in business industry, recreation, etc. They and their wives who were part of the formation sessions were a terrific addition to our pastoral care delivery system. I was now more committed than ever.
 
Arriving in Calgary as the local Bishop, I was surprised that one of the most frequently asked questions, in addition to “when are you going to build us a church?”, was “What do you think of the permanent diaconate?” “I’m all in favour. It’s simply when and how?”
 
There was no permanent diaconate program west of St. Boniface. I recall an exchange at the one of the Western Conference of Catholic Bishops Meetings. I announced  that we were establishing a permanent diaconate program in Calgary and one of the senior bishops interjected “That here in the west we have opted for lay formation.” I replied: “I didn’t think that it was an either/or proposition, we can do both. Beside, I’m simply telling you, not asking for permission.”
 
First west of St. Boniface Diocese but happily, not the last!
 
There was also local opposition from many individuals and groups in the Diocese but not strong enough to stop the forward movement of the Holy Spirit. The biggest decision was to pick Developers and Coordinators who were of “good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom whom we may appoint to this task” (Acts.6:3). Fr. Bill Trienekens and Sr. Maria Nakagawa’  graciously accepted the appointment and set about building our program, selecting and forming our candidates, individually and communally. They have rendered enormous service to our local church! As my mom would say “And the proof is in the pudding.”
 
We were assisted in many way by the Archdiocese of Toronto who readily shared their experience and helped us walk in the direction of our hope.
 
In God’s providence, we were also assisted by the timely publication in 1998 of the two Vatican Documents:
  1. Basic Norms for the Formation of Permanent Deacons - Congregation for Catholic Education
  2. Directory for the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons - Congregation for the Clergy
 
I suspect that these two documents will influence the development of the Order of Deacon for years to come and therefore will directly influence how the faithful are shepherded by bishops and priests with the help of deacons. Practically, the deacon’s responsibilities are explained, the professional demands of his ministry are regulated, his juridical status and spiritual life are described. Most fundamentally, however, his identity is clarified.
Identity

In the first years after the restoration of the permanent diaconate, pragmatic considerations often seemed to shape its purpose and identity.
 
In some places, it seemed that the diaconate was intended, in particular, for catechists and delegates of the Word, so that familiar ministers and leaders of small communities would, through becoming deacons, make ordained ministry visible in their communities and throughout their diocese.
 
The new directory makes clear that local church cannot simply put the new label of deacon on the familiar reality of catechist without changing the life of the Church. The diaconate is a gift from God which changes not just the deacon but all of God’s people.
 
The diaconate was restored just when the Church’s relationship to the modern world was changing. The line between openness to the world and becoming “worldly’ was often not clear, and this lack of clarity influenced pastoral policy and, at times, teaching. Consequently, the permanent deacon, ordained but with a secular job, was sometimes hailed as the Church’s agent in the workplace and marketplace, as if this were not the vocation of every baptized Christian. Behind this seeming openness to the world lay a clericalism that assumed that only the ordained make the Church present in the world. The selection of candidates was often limited to those whose secular profession was proof of their position in the world and therefore of their value as deacons.
 
A second moment in the development of the restored diaconate brought forward candidates who were already visible in their parish communities as lay ministers and helpers in numerous church activities. Generous men who were obviously of good character and servants of the Lord and his Church sometimes were invited to become deacons as a kind of acknowledgment by their pastor that they were exemplary Catholics and helpful members of their parish. The diaconate became almost unique tied to parochial service.
 
The Directory comes providentially at a new moment in the developing understanding of the diaconate and the consequent criteria for the selection of deacon candidates. Full time work in the world certainly does not disqualify a man from the diaconate nor does prior ministry or service in a parish. But the Directory explains clearly that a deacon makes Christ the servant visible through ordination for a particular Church, a diocese, and not only for a parish. The relationship to the local bishop is central to the deacon’s ministry as servant to those who might otherwise be overlooked or neglected, especially the poor, as the local Church assembles around her bishop. The deacons’ sensitivity to the sick, the handicapped, the religiously illiterate, the victim so prejudice of every sort, the despised and those estranged from the community of believers will lead him to bring them to the altar of Christ. The greatest service a deacon offers is to invite others to the table where they can learn who Christ is by becoming members of his body. Having gathered the poor around the altar of Christ, the deacon proclaims the Gospel, which is always good news for the poor.
MINISTRY
(para 23-42) the Directory’s description of his service of the word, of the altar and of charity cannot be separated. Even though one or the other may be more emphasized in the course of a deacon’s ministerial life, he is always called to all three.
 
SPIRITUALITY
(para.43-62) Ordination as a deacon is a call to convert, to conform one’s heart and mind ever more closely to Jesus Christ, servant of his people; service as a deacon is a call to constant conversion so that a deacon’s ministry is not just a function. His spiritual life begins in relationships that are his by reason of ordination.
 
FORMATION
(para 63-82) the Directory gives special attention to the ongoing or continuing vocational and professional formation of deacons.

Deacons ordained in 2002:
Dcn. Paul Coderre – Sacred Heart, Strathmore
Dcn. John Hagan – Retired, Calgary
Dcn. Paul Heffernan – Holy Spirit, Calgary
†Dcn. Albert Henri – Deceased
Dcn. Allan Hinger – now in the Diocese of Prince Albert, SK.
†Dcn. Louis Lapointe -- Deceased
Dcn. Alex Martinez-Lievano – Holy Spirit, Calgary
Dcn. Clarence Otteson – now in the Archdiocese of Edmonton
Dcn. Robert Risling –Holy Family, Medicine Hat
Dcn. Albert Riendeau—Retired, Calgary
Dcn. Robert Wilson – Retired, Brooks
Dcn. John Wu – Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Calgary
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Written by
Bishop Emeritus
Frederick Henry
​for Faithfully

June 2022
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A shrine to Our Lady of Lavang

11/2/2021

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A shrine to Our Lady of Lavang in the parish of St. Vincent Liem, Calgary has recently been built and blessed, and is the  pride and joy of the Vietnamese community in the city. 
 
Fr. Joseph Canh Vu, pastor of St. Francis Assisi parish and former pastor of St. Vincent Liem parish (2009-2017), says the Blessed Virgin Mary is an important part of the Vietnamese Catholic culture and the shrine has become popular for those who want to pray and honour the Holy Mother of God.
 
The shrine is devoted to the story of Our Lady who is said to have appeared many times in Lavang, Vietnam in 1798.
 
“The Vietnamese people are fond of the devotion of the Virgin Mary in Vietnam. Families say the Rosary often before going to bed,” said Father Joseph. “In Vietnam, it’s a tradition to devote ourselves to the Virgin Mary.
 
“The community is very excited. When people come to Mass, or even weekday Mass, they go to say a prayer in front of the shrine.”
 
St. Vincent Liem Church, which is located in the Forest Lawn neighbourhood, was formerly in Inglewood. After years of growth in Inglewood, the Church made the bold move to build a new Church where it is located today at 2412 48th Street SE. The current pastor of the church is Fr. Nguyễn Đức Vượng. The associate pastor is Fr. Phạm Công Liêm.
 
The new church was dedicated on July 11, 2015 by Bishop Emeritus Frederick Henry of the Calgary Diocese. It is known for its grandeur and modern architecture, featuring an open concept, natural lighting, and the versatile design with a touch of the Vietnamese heritage.

​In the years 2009-2010, the St. Vincent Liem parish in Inglewood began to seriously contemplate building a new Church. The number of people attending Mass was increasing. Parking for the weekend was increasingly becoming more difficult.

 
From 2011 to 2013, the parish began planning the construction of a new Church. On June 15, 2013, the first broken stone officially opened the construction of a new Church in the Forest Lawn area. After the new Church was built, on May 16, 2015, the statue of Our Lady was moved and temporarily placed at the back area of the Church as a place for parishioners to pray.
 
On March 25, the parish held a Mass for the laying of the first stone to inaugurate the construction of the shrine. The project was completed in early October. On Oct. 10, Bishop William McGrattan officially blessed the shrine of Our Lady of Lavang.
Myloan Dang, who is a secretary and a bookkeeper for the parish, said the shrine is very important to the parishioners.
 
“From the beginning when we moved here we planned to build the shrine for Our Lady of Lavang back in 2013-2014 when the Church was completed,” said Dang.
 
“A lot of parishioners were longing to have it done. And they said they would do anything to help out whatever that is. It’s not just the people in our Church. We had lots of people outside the Church in the Vietnamese community who were very helpful to us. That’s what really motivated us - the people in the Vietnamese community came together and worked together to get this done.”
 
According to the Roman Catholic Saints website, “the fact that the Blessed Virgin visited a small group of Catholics in the little jungle village of Lavang, in Vietnam, in 1798, is not surprising to anyone who knows the ways of the Mother of God. She has always been faithful to her children by grace.” 
On one such evening, they were first frightened and then enchanted to behold a Woman and Child standing nearby in a mysterious glow of light. Simple as these people were, some among them recognized the Virgin Mother and Her Child. All listened entranced while Mary told them softly that she was fully aware of their hardships and of their chronic sickness due to contaminated water. She told them to gather certain leaves that grew near and make a strong tea of them; this would keep them healthy. Solemnly she added, 'From this day on, prayers said on this spot will be heard – and answered.'”

More information on Our Lady of Lavang can be found here.
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More photos from the blessing of The Shrine of Our Lady of Lavang with Bishop McGrattan are available here

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Written by Mario Toneguzzi for Faithfully. Mario is a veteran writer living in Calgary with his wife Marlene and their three children. They attend St. Peter's and St. Stephen's Ukrainian Catholic Church in Calgary. Mario was recently named one of the Top 10 Business Journalists in the world.  

Listen to "A dram with Mario Toneguzzi" with host Sean Lynn from God Squad Canada.

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When the Cross is more than just a symbol

4/2/2019

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Photo credit: Stuart Gradon, Calgary Herald.
For Flory D’Souza the Outdoor Way of the Cross is a family affair. 

Her father Antonio Carvalho carried the cross in the procession a few months before he died. At 91, with a cane in one hand, the cross on his opposing shoulder, he carried the cross right to the very end of his life. 

“I took a picture of him carrying the last station of the Cross and I got it printed while he was in the hospital. Everyone could not believe that was my Dad,” said Flory, picturing the scene four years ago.  

“For him it was just because he was a man of faith and I think a little way of saying: Jesus I’m helping you carry your cross and carrying my own cross with His. It gave him fulfilment in being part of the Good Friday event,” said Flory.   

For 20 years Flory’s parents Antonio and Annie made the Good Friday pilgrimage through the city. Now at 83, Annie is unable to participate anymore, but Flory fondly remembers how important this pilgrimage was for her parent’s spiritual lives — a spiritual practice she plans to carry on. 

“When my dad was interviewed by a reporter he was asked: ‘You are such a small man and you carry such a heavy Cross?’ His answer was: ‘My Jesus helps me.’ I thought what a sweet answer,” said Flory. 

“When I’ve carried the cross I’ve found it heavy, but I think it’s the weight of our sins that makes it heavier,” she said. 

“It has helped us know that we all have a cross to carry, but Jesus helps us to carry that cross. And He never gives us a cross too heavy to carry. It helps our faith, to go on and trust in God and be thankful that Jesus did what He did for us to be free.”  

Flory has carried the Cross a number of times and has consistently attended the pilgrimage for the last decade. Since she has never been to the Holy Land she sees this as her opportunity to walk in the footsteps of Christ.  

“This just means so much. The stations take you to human suffering. It was Jesus’ suffering in Calvary, but here in every station is some kind of human suffering and you are made aware of it,” she said.  

Flory is no stranger to suffering. Two years after her father’s death, her husband John suddenly died at the age of 57.  

“My strong Catholic faith, thanks to my parents, has helped me cope with my cross in life and these great losses,” she said.

Flory immigrated on her own to Calgary 30 years ago from Kenya. Of her five siblings, she sponsored her sister in 1992 and three years later her parents. Then eight years ago she sponsored her brother Alex Carvalho. He volunteers with crowd control for the pilgrimage.  

From humble beginnings, the Outdoor Way of the Cross has grown to attract between 2,500 and 3,500 pilgrims, some from other faith traditions. And more than 200 volunteers help keep it running smoothly. 
In the early days, people rushed to try and carry the cross, scrambling to get a chance, whereas today cross bearers and readers register in advance for each station. 

Bishop Emeritus Fred Henry always participated in the pilgrimage and Bishop William McGrattan has participated every time since his installation. He opens with a prayer and then helps carry the cross from the first to the second station. 

“In making the Way of the Cross we rediscover through this devotional prayer that Jesus has identified with those who have suffered, fallen in their lives, and who are burdened by many crosses,” said Bishop McGrattan.  

“This Good Friday, let this witness of our Christian faith unite us to Christ in hope and in our outreach to those who suffer.”
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Written by Sara Francis
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I’ll be out in the garden, walking with God

4/2/2019

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In the weeks to come, Edie Pujo will seed a 60-square foot vegetable garden on her acreage east of Calgary. On the semi-arid plains of southern Alberta, a region notorious for drought, hail, wind, slugs and aphids, Pujo’s garden is an act of defiance. It is also a beacon of hope—and a place of immense spiritual comfort. To Pujo, time in the garden is “one-on-one time with the Big Guy. It’s so peaceful. I plant, and I pray. My time in the garden is time with God.”
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This spring, Pujo will also work alongside vegetable growers—and fellow believers—at Calgary’s St. Albert the Great parish. Located in the southeastern community of McKenzie Towne, the parish added a community garden to its property in 2018. The 3x3-foot beds rented quickly—simultaneously producing fresh vegetables and nurturing a new community of gardeners. 
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An idea germinates

The St. Albert the Great Community Garden began in 2017 after a couple of people talked to the parish priest. Pujo chatted with Father Julian Studden (now in Airdrie) about her love of gardening. Together, they mused about the spiritual connection between growing food and caring for the Earth as a gift from God. Pujo, a Vincentian, also talked about how nice it would be to include home-grown vegetables in hampers delivered by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SSVP). When another parishioner pointed out an under-used space beside the church as a problem area—good for nothing but grass—Father Julian urged the two to chat. 

Before long, Pujo and fellow parishioner Mike Alvares were co-chairing a community garden committee. Scott Harrison, another member of the fledgling group, teaches culinary arts at a Catholic high school. He linked the group to a not-for-profit that teaches groups how to build the portable wooden garden frames now used at St. Albert the Great. Other committee members, James Dalton and Paul Schneider, brought their expertise and passion. 

By the spring of 2018, the group had prepared 42 beds for planting. The entire project, including eight fruit trees, was completed with grants and donated products. “This was a real community project, and it was 100 per cent self-funded. We didn’t ask the parish for any money,” says Pujo.

When one would-be gardener had to back out after renting her bed, she donated the $20 plot to SSVP. Quick to recognize the opportunity, Pujo assumed responsibility for the bed and seeded it all to beans. “I can’t tell you the number of hampers that got green beans last year, but it was a lot.”

Feed the Hungry
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Closer to the city’s core, Linnea Ferguson has her eye on five small garden plots at the FCJ Centre near the Calgary Pastoral Centre. Ferguson, who coordinates the Diocese’s Feed the Hungry Garden, used the plots last year to grow onions, garlic and parsley. Guests of the dinner sowed the parsley seed and all were harvested for use by Feed the Hungry chefs. Last fall, Ferguson helped young women from Elizabeth House harvest the garlic and plant a new garlic crop for 2019.

Ferguson also organizes the work crews that plant, weed and harvest about an acre of potatoes east of Calgary. Donated by Annette and Theo D’Souza, parishioners at St. Gabriel the Archangel, that land will eventually be used to grow other vegetables. “It made sense to grow potatoes for the first few years as that helps to prepare the soil,” explains Ferguson.
The Feed the Hungry Garden, started a few years ago after the D’Souzas approached Joann Churchill, Development manager with the Diocese. Churchill talked to then-Bishop Frederick Henry, “and he loved the idea from the start. He wanted us to open the door and see where it takes us.” Today, Feed the Hungry uses what it can and donates the rest of its harvest to the Calgary Food Bank. That agency supports Feed the Hungry, “so this is a great way for us to give back to the Food Bank,” says Churchill.

“There has been such an outpouring of support from so many,” adds Churchill. Every year, a Red Deer farmer donates the seed potatoes, while garden neighbours and generous community volunteers contribute their time, expertise and in-kind services. Companies have donated equipment and tools and St. Gabriel parish has embraced the garden, too.
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The harvest is plenty—and the labourers are pleased
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The Feed the Hungry Garden is a great way to combine Church teachings about food production, caring for the marginalized and building community,” adds Ferguson. Spring and fall are the busiest times and Ferguson always reaches out for volunteers. “The Bishop comes to the planting and gives a special blessing. It really ties what we’re doing to the bigger issues about our role in caring for the environment and serving the marginalized.” 

Last fall, the youth group at St. James in Okotoks sent 45 young people to help with the harvest. “It was really something to see all of those young people helping out,” notes Ferguson.

Edie Pujo admits it’s the young people who catch her eye—and heart—at St. Albert the Great’s garden. Experienced gardeners “all got such a kick out of everyone learning about where food comes from.” The garden, which includes a stepping stone pathway and a picnic table, is also a popular stop for locals out for a summer walk. “People often stop and ask questions about what’s growing, so we’re getting to know the community. The garden really fits into the neighbourhood.” 

To demonstrate the garden’s place in the larger environment, the site includes a compost area and two 1,000-gallon water tanks that will eventually collect rainwater from the church roof. “We do want to use the garden to teach people about growing vegetables in a sustainable, environmentally-friendly way,” says Pujo. 

Information about community gardens in Calgary neighbourhoods is available from the Calgary Horticultural Society. For details on how to donate your own garden’s bounty, reach out to your SSVP or the Calgary Food Bank.

Written by Joy Gregory
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Jubilarian Priests 2018

7/6/2018

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Celebrating 50 Years of Priesthood
Celebrating 25 Years of Priesthood

50 Years

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Bishop Frederick B. Henry
A native of London, Ontario, Bishop Frederick Bernard Henry was born on April 11, 1943; the eldest of five sons in the family of Leo and Noreen Henry. After finishing high school, he entered St. Peter’s Seminary, London. He became a priest on May 25, 1968. In 1971, he earned a Master’s Degree in Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, and in 1973 a Licentiate in Theology with a Specialization in Fundamental Theology from the Gregorian University in Rome. He was an Associate Professor of Theology and Philosophy at St. Peter’s Seminary from 1973 - 1986 and Dean of Theology and Rector of St. Peter’s Seminary from 1981 - 1986. He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of London and Titular Bishop of Carinola and ordained to the Episcopate on June 24, 1986. He was installed as the fourth Bishop of Thunder Bay on May 11, 1995 and installed as the seventh Bishop of Calgary on March 19, 1998. Bishop Henry’s episcopal motto, ‘Dabo Vobis Pastores’ (I will give you pastors) is taken from Jeremiah 3:15, which reads ‘I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding’. This was the motto of the seminary in London, ON where Bishop Henry taught before coming to Calgary. As Bishop, he was passionate about addressing abortion, euthanasia, the disregard of the poor, and the education of young people. He was motivated by his love for the priesthood and by the growing population of Calgary. On January 4, 2017, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Henry, and has appointed the Most Rev. William T. McGrattan, Bishop of the Diocese of Peterborough, as his successor. 
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Rev. John Maes  
Fr. John Maes was born in Antwerp, Belgium in January of 1943. He went to Edmonton seminary and was ordained a priest on May 18th of 1968 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Calgary by Bishop Harrington. He served as the Assistant Pastor of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Calgary in 1968, followed by Canadian Martyrs in 1971. He went on to serve as Pastor of a number of parishes in the Diocese of Calgary, starting with Holy Cross Parish in Fort Macleod (1973-77), St. Andrew in Vulcan (1977-80), St. Augustine in Taber (1980-84), St. Basil in Lethbridge (1984-89) and St Thomas More in Calgary (1989-95). His last pastoral assignment was also his longest. He served as the Pastor of St. Patrick’s Church, Medicine Hat from August 1998 until his retirement on July 31, 2010. 
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Rev. Dominic Phamvanbao
​Father Dominic Phamvanbao was born on November 16, 1939 and was ordained a priest on June 1st of 1968. With the Diocese of Calgary, his first assignment was with the Vietnamese Catholic Mission from 1978-1981 as an administrator. At the same time, he was also the associate pastor of Holy Spirit Parish (1979-1981.) He served as pastor at St. Ann’s Parish (1981-84), Our Lady of the Assumption Parish (1986-89), St. Francis Church (1989-95), Our Lady of Perpetual Help (1994-95), Ascension Parish (1995-99), Holy Trinity (1999). Also, he took on associate pastor roles at Corpus Christi Church (1984-85), St. Gerard’s Parish (1985-86), and St. Vincent Liem from 2009 to 2012 when he was assigned to the Archdiocese of Vancouver. Upon returning to Calgary in 2015, he resided at St. Dominic Priory.

25 Years

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Rev. Jaroslaw Dziuba
Father Jaroslaw ‘Yarek’ Dziuba was born in 1965 in Chrzanow, Poland. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 29, 1993 for the Society of the Divine Saviour, an order which emphasizes the universality of the Christian vocation, animating lay people to live their baptismal commitment and to be witnesses of faith in their private and social life. Within the Diocese of Calgary, he has served as a pastor at St. James, Calgary (2007-12) and St. James, Okotoks (2012-16). Father Yarek is presently the pastor of St Joseph, Calgary where he has served since August 2016 and he is also the Dean of Northwest Calgary. Among many things, Fr. Yarek is known for his theological and deep understanding of the Divine Mercy.
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Rev. Paul Raj
Born in 1965 in Palayamkottai, Tirnelveli, Fr. Paul is seventh of eight children. He has five brothers and two sisters. He decided to join the Diocesan seminary after grade 10 but his parish priest then vocation director looked at him and said that he was too young. After Grade 12, he joined the Pallottines and became a priest after 11 years of studies. He was ordained on December 19, 1993 by Most Rev. Irudaya Raj, D.D., Bishop of Palayamkottai Diocese, Tamil, Nadu, South India. He completed his Masters in Pastoral Theology in the Philippines in 2001-2004. He then returned to India to continue serving the church as a pastor and shared his knowledge by guest teaching in the seminary for the next 5 years and offering Pastoral Theology classes to the lay people. His ministry highlights thus far as Pallottine Priest has the Church he built and a 27 class room high school. His first assignment in the Diocese of Calgary was at St. Cecilia in 2014 as an assistant pastor. Father Paul is presently the pastor of St. Cecilia in Calgary and has been since December 2014. He is also the Vice Superior of the Pallotines in Canada. 
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Rev. Albert Sayson
Father Albert Sayson was born in 1962 in Naga City, Philippines. He studied in a Catholic school run by Chinese priests. This school provided students a venue to grow in faith and to be involved in church work as altar servers or members of the school choir. He served as an altar boy right through his high school years and continued to work as a convent boy during his first year of university. After almost a year, he was encouraged by Fr. Joseph Chen to attend a vocation campaign search. Out of curiosity he participated in the gathering and following that began to pray for guidance to take the entrance examination to enter in the seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 8, 1993 in Taytay, Rizal, Philippines. He is presently serving on his first assignment in the Diocese of Calgary as the associate pastor of Holy Family, Medicine Hat where he has been since December 2014. In his own words he said “I am so grateful to all the people who have been supportive and prayed for me. It is in the Mass that I encounter Jesus who has guided me and who I have been celebrating Mass for 25 years for. I am still encountering Jesus with all the people who attend as I celebrate the Eucharist. It was at the Chrism Mass that I renewed my promise to serve God’s people and his church as I celebrate my 25th anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood. I am so grateful to celebrate my anniversary with other jubilarians in the diocese of Calgary.”
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Rev. Jacek Walkiewicz
Father Jacek Walkiewicz was born in 1967. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 25, 1993. One of the main motivations of his priesthood is his love for serving and being with his people. He belongs to the religious order Society of Christ. He was sent to North American province in 1995, not long after his ordination. He was in Chicago for 4 years working as the pastor for Holy Trinity Church. He then served at Sacred Heart, Guelph, Ontario, which was his longest tenure so far. After fourteen years, he served at St Cyril and Methodius in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for two years. In 2015, his Superior Provincial asked him to go to Canada. He was assigned as the pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace, Calgary. 
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Diocesan Seniors Luncheon

6/21/2018

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Good food, great conversations and loads of laughs -- that's what made our first diocesan Seniors Get-Together a great success. We also had a special guest. Bishop Emeritus Henry came and shared his seniors wisdom on how to be fully alive as a unique creation of God. If you missed the event, here are some of the highlights of Bishop Emeritus Henry's talk: ​

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God yearns for his people to be fully alive - How do we get to that state? 

​1. At Peace with Oneself

There are Christians who have been led to believe that you should love your neighbor and hate yourself. The challenge of Jesus' spirituality is to "love your neighbor as yourself," which clearly presupposes that you already love yourself. This may appear to be natural and spontaneous but the fact is that many people do not love themselves -  hate themselves -  who they are, what they are, and where they are – some would prefer to be somebody else, doing something else, living somewhere else, perhaps with a body that is different from the one they have. 

Self-love is not the same as selfishness or self-centeredness. We all too frequently are divided against ourselves. We need to become whole. We all have issues to deal with and yet we know that we are lovable. God loves each of us unconditionally.

The challenge is to learn to love ourselves, unconditionally - accepting ourselves as we are, no matter what we have done, even  in our perhaps, shady past. We have to learn to forgive ourselves. We have to learn to accept our weaknesses, our limitations, and our shame. And  humbly embrace the truth about oneself. 

2. Loving One's Body

Truly, a considerable number of people have difficulty with the aspect of “ loving their bodies”. There are several possible reasons for this - an aging body, a body that is tired, sickly, and wracked with pain, or an “ ugly” body, that is to say, a body that does not conform to the latest standards of beauty and attractiveness. So, one comes to perceive their body as a burden they have to carry. There are those who were brought up to treat their bodies as a handicap that they will be released from when they die.

You can begin to actually hate your body maybe because it is not what you want it to be, you can get angry and impatient with it. You can also become afraid of your body because of its seemingly uncontrollable appetites and desires - including our sexual desires. We all have to find a way of happily owning our gender, our sexual orientation, and our desires. For some that can be a long and painful struggle.

Pleasure and pain are an inevitable part of bodily life - both are a gift from God. Pleasure in itself is a gift from God to be savored and treasured. It becomes a problem only when the ego co-opts it for selfish purposes, when it becomes self-indulgent. Pain is also inevitable and a gift from God - e.g. chest pains - what does it signify and what to do about it;  nevertheless, we will want to avoid it however we should not make the mistake of thinking that happiness means all pleasure and no pain. Happiness is the ability to handle my pain, whatever it may turn out to be and to postpone or give up pleasure whenever necessary.
​
Loneliness is a psychic pain -  a disconnect somewhere: transcendental, cultural, social, personal. This is “a flashing red light” . Figure out where the disconnect is and take action or something worse may happen. I need to become aware of myself as one whole organic being and not an amalgam of separate parts. Nor is it just a matter of accepting my body as it is. If my love of myself includes my body, then I need to embrace my body, care for it, and treat it well. That will mean looking after my health, eating properly, getting enough exercise and rest. 


3. Loving Our True Self and Embracing Uniqueness

Ever wonder about the popularity of the Prayer of St. Francis? Why is that? Because it's so deep and profound. 
  • The two sections of the prayer both begin with powerful words, “Lord” and “Divine Master”. We are servants who are called to empty ourselves, surrender and serve God, God’s will and whomever God sends into our lives. The first section is dedicated to peace, the Easter gift of the Risen Christ. We pray to be instruments of this peace. Yet,  Easter peace goes far beyond clenched fists, angry words and the absence of war. It’s fullness can only blossom when we have confronted the very roots of conflict and dissension: hatred, injury, doubt, despair, darkness and sadness - all experience that suggest a life centred upon “me”. And so, following in the footprints of the Lord, we pray to sow the six seeds of Easter peace: love, pardon, faith, hope, light and joy.
  • The second half of the prayer reminds us that the ego needs to be overcome. “Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.” Easter peace is a product of priorities and preferences arranged in consideration of “thee”, not “me”. Indeed, it is about giving, not receiving; it is about pardoning, not being pardoned.
  • The prayer comes full circle and concludes the way it begins, with a reference to the resurrection “For it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” the resurrection and its Easter peace are the beginning of Christian spirituality as well as the finish line. 
Remember that each of us is unique. There has never been, and there never will be, an individual person like me — or like you. We are not superior or inferior to others, neither better nor worse. But we are different — and unique. What matters is not whether my role is small or large or how much time it will require or whether I will play it as a prominent leader or as a starving child. My role and my contribution whatever they may turn out to be, are unique. Don't try to play another role or someone else's role. Each of us has a unique role to play in the mysterious unfolding of the universe. 

~From: Bishop Emeritus Frederick Henry at the Diocesan Seniors Luncheon, June 18, 2018 - at St. Joseph's Church, Calgary, AB. 
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