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

Fr. Wayne Poile: It's a vacation for life

8/28/2022

1 Comment

 
“It’s a vacation for life.”

So many times, I have used this sentence in giving a vocation talk to students in school. It is a humourous statement but in fact, how true after 40 years of priesthood. 

Like a vacation, living one’s vocation is a journey, meeting people where they are at and how they are living their lives and coming to know them. Like Jesus who went from village to village preaching the good news, but not putting down roots, so do priests in today’s world.

He also said the labourer deserves his wages. Those wages are the treasures of seeing God, at work in people lives, and to see the delight in them, as they find their God. 

Like Jesus, we walk along the road discussing the scriptures and opening our hearts, so that the words of Scriptures burn in our hearts and help us, the priests, and the people we are sharing with. There we discover that we and they are not alone when the world comes crashing down on us. We both see that our hearts experience Christ among us. 

I was born in Calgary and grew up just east of the downtown core. I grew up in the Calgary Catholic Schools attending St Anne’s in my early grades, and then off to St Mary’s Boys’ High School. By the time I graduated, St. Mary’s had become co-ed, but that did not stop God’s call. 

It seems that by being an altar boy and serving Mass, God opened a door for me to see the joy of living the Life of the Gospel. Serving Mass for the Precious Blood Sisters early in the morning helped me see religious sisters, who were joyful and happy in their vocation of a dedicated prayer life. Helping Fr. James Smith as a high school student, I saw the work of spiritual welcoming and care for people. Also, it opened my eyes to see that the labourers were few, and there was a great need in the church for good shepherds. 

So, off to the seminary, not knowing what was in store. The trials and the difficulties that I faced did not discourage me, but showed me more and more that God had a purpose for me. So, I persevered. 

What I learned on this journey… When people face difficulties in their lives, we need to ask this question: “Is this leading to God?” When facing problems and arguments, we have to stop and think, “Does this really matter?”

I cannot believe the blessing that God has given me in serving as a priest among the people of God in southern Alberta these past forty years. I have been truly blessed and grateful for the blessing God has given me on the journey.

I thank God for the people who have helped me along the way, all the parishes I served in, and even the ones that gave me problems and trials because they helped me to grow as a servant of the Lord. It is not always easy and there are ups and downs in life.
​
God is Good.
Vertical Divider

Written by Fr. Wayne Poile for Faithfully
Picture
Fr. Wayne Poile
​
​Ordained: May 28, 1982, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Calgary by Bishop Paul O'Byrne

Pastoral Placements in the Diocese of Calgary:
  • Assistant Pastor: St. Bonaventure (1982-1986)
  • Assistant Pastor: St. Patrick’s, Medicine Hat; St. Mary’s, Redcliff (1986-1988)
  • Pastor: Sacred Heart, Canmore; St. Bernard, Exshaw (1988-1990)
  • Chaplain: Foothills Hospital (1990)
  • Chaplain: General Hospital (1991-1992)
  • Acting Pastor: St. Anne’s, Calgary (1993-1994)
  • Pastor: St. Agnes, Carstairs; St. Francis Xavier, Crossfield (1994-1996)
  • Pastor: St. James, Calgary (1996-1998)
  • Pastor: St. Ambrose, Coaldale; Sacred Heart, Raymond (1998-2001)
  • Pastor: St. Catherine’s, Picture Butte; Sacred Heart, Carmangay (1999-2001)
  • Pastor: Corpus Christi, Calgary (2001-2005)
  • Administrator: St. Anthony’s, Drumheller;
  • St. George’s, Hanna (2005-2006)
  • Sabbatical: Ecce Homo, Jerusalem, Israel (2006)
  • Pastor: St. Mary’s, Beiseker & St. Rita’s, Rockyford (2006-2009)
  • Pastor: Canadian Martyrs, Calgary (2009-2014)
  • Pastor: St. Bernadette’s, Calgary (2014-present)
1 Comment
Steve and Judi Curran
9/2/2022 06:40:57 am

Thank you for your kindness over the years.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    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