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

“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.
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God is Good.

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Written by Fr. Wayne Poile for Faithfully

Fr. Wayne Poile
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​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)