Written by Sara Francis for Faithfully. Sara is a writer living in Calgary with her husband Ben and their six children. They attend St. Bernard's / Our Lady of the Assumption Parish. 

The true heart and essence of a vocation to the priesthood and religious life is to be at the service of Christ and the Church. Waking up the Diocese, willing to be renewed in the service of Christ and for the Church involves promoting the beauty of vocations. The apostolate of the Serra Club can instill a renewal of spirit, of allowing our parishes, schools and families to become a path of attraction in which our young people can encounter Christ who draws them closer to himself in the discernment of their unique vocation.

In our parishes and schools, we must collaborate in the task of vocational promotion for our youth and young adults. The religious instruction that takes place in our publicly funded and private Catholic schools needs to be supported and strengthen by the involvement of our parishes and the members of the Serra Club if a spirit of vocational awareness is to permeate the life and formation of our youth.

These new strategies that are undertaken will reflect the impetus and commitment of the diocese in promoting a culture of vocations. Patience and endurance in implementing such strategies will assist parents in passing on the faith and in presenting the attractiveness of following Christ to their children by encouraging them to be open to discern God’s call and to consider a vocation to priesthood and religious life.
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In this coming year it is my hope that the initiatives of the Serra Club will begin to wake up the Diocese and our parishes so that we might become a diocese that promotes a culture of vocations. May the virtues of “patient expectation and apostolic endurance” guide our efforts in the Church to become a renewed path of attraction by promoting opportunities of closeness and encounter with Christ for our youth.

Welcoming five new seminarians this year

This year, our Diocese was pleased to welcome five new seminarians who have begun their formation at St. Joseph Seminary in Edmonton. They have joined the eight returning seminarians who have already been discerning the priesthood for our Diocese. In addition to the joyful ordination of Fr. Santiago Torres earlier this year, his former eight confreres represent the first group of seminarians in more than twenty years who have all chosen to remain in formation with none discerning out of the seminary over the summer. Of course, the Church continues to discern their call to the priesthood alongside them, but it is a tremendous blessing to see the commitment of these young men to their preparation for possible ordination.

​The five new seminarians who have joined them are also the largest entrance class we have seen in the Diocese in more than fifteen years. They have either been valued leaders in their home parishes from throughout Calgary or active participants in the St. Francis Xavier Chaplaincy. Two other young men- one from All Saints Parish, Lethbridge and another from St. Vincent Liem Vietnamese Parish, Calgary- have entered novitiates in the Franciscan and Dominican orders respectively.

​We give thanks for how richly the Lord is blessing our Diocese with vocational discernment and I urge us all to continue praying for this vital intention in our local Church. 

Please pray for our seminarians: ​

Written by Bishop William T. McGrattan
Sep. 22, 2023

“I suppose you could call me an old-fashioned woman,” began Calgarian Christine Nagel. “I always discouraged my children from getting tattoos.”

You can imagine how taken aback, then, Christine’s children were when she announced that she was getting her first tattoo at age 81. Perhaps the only thing more startling was that she had chosen that it would say: “Don’t euthanize me.”

​“Why are you getting that?” they asked.
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Christine told them, “Because the government passed a bill that is a way to eradicate human life, but human life is a gift from God. We don’t decide when it begins; no more do we decide when it ends.”

To my pleasant surprise, I have become filled with hope by what I have found, including here in our own diocese. There are, in fact, so many quiet examples of ordinary heroism all around us. These examples are expressed through ministries, social groups, professional work, and even friendship. 

Inspired by these examples, I am pleased to share with you an invitation to an exciting Diocesan-Wide Open House Event on “The Church as an Expert in Humanity.” The daylong event on Saturday, September 23rd at St. Mary’s Cathedral, the Parish Hall, and the Pastoral Centre will be an opportunity for exploring life's great questions of suffering, death, meaning, and hope. ​

Contributed by Amanda Achtman for Faithfully. Amanda was born and raised in Calgary. During high school, she was a two-time winner of the Knights of Columbus Respect for Life speech contest. She studied at both St. Mary's University and the University of Calgary. She has worked in journalism, politics, and advocacy. Amanda holds graduate degrees in John Paul II Studies from the Catholic University of Lublin, Poland and in Judaic Studies & Jewish-Christian at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Determined to protect human life, Amanda's current priority is preventing euthanasia and encouraging hope.

2023 Jubilarian stories were organized and compiled by Solomon Ip. Solomon is a born and raised Calgarian. He studied music history in Lethbridge, and is now a seminarian in his pre-theology studies at St. Joseph's Seminary in Edmonton. He has been worshipping most recently with Canadian Martyrs Parish in Calgary, and with St. Mary's Parish in Banff where he has been working as a heritage interpreter with Parks Canada. He is an oboist by training, a chorister by grace, hobby wordsmith, amateur calligrapher, and museum enthusiast.

I was born in Kerala, southern India, and blessed to have been raised in a Catholic faith environment. My parents were devout and churchgoing. The church played a significant role in my upbringing. My family frequented the parish church, and I was actively involved in the parish. I was also introduced to very solid catechism and different devotions.

I felt a calling to the priesthood at a very young age.  Reflecting on what triggered this priestly vocation, it was a fruit of my Novena devotion to Mother Mary at my parish Church. The priest at the time was very particular, that everyone must attend the Novena prayer on Saturdays immediately after the Holy Mass. This brought me very close to Mother Mary, and one day I felt that God is calling me to serve Him as told by a loving Mother-Mother Mary.It touched my heart as if a heavenly whisper had been percolating for a while, gradually maturing into a discernment of the priesthood. Fortunately, by that time, I had become well-acquainted with the parish priest and a few other priest friends. After a few years, I pursued my priestly studies in different parts of India. In 1998, I was ordained by the then bishop of the Archdiocese of Ernakulum, Mar Thomas Chakkiath. 

I belong to the Archdiocese of Ernakulam — claimed as the heart of the Syro-Malabar Church. The heritage of the Syro-Malabar Church goes back to St. Thomas the Apostle who is believed to have arrived in Kerala in 52 AD. I served in various capacities within my priestly ministry in Kerala for six years before relocating to Calgary in 2004.

My journey in Calgary has been very providential, with God guiding me through different ministries such as associate pastor, campus minister, and pastor. Looking back on my journey in Canada, I can profusely say that, as the psalmist prays in Psalm 7:1, God has walked with me, “I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.” It has been a journey where my experience of God's guidance was profound.

I could trust in God as He is in control of everything. My motto in my priestly journey reflects the words of 2 Corinthians 12:9 — "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  On this occasion, I would like to acknowledge the gracious and kind support of many bishops, priests, and fellow brothers and sisters.

Reflecting on my priestly journey of 25 years, two very pertinent aspects of my vocation have been the Grace of God, and the intercession of Mother Mary. I was quite blessed and privileged to lead a youth ministry as a campus minister at two post-secondary colleges for a while.  Engaging with post-secondary students for more than ten years not only transformed me but also brought many young people to the faith and Christian values."

Working in the secular landscape of universities was challenging, but having a platform to uphold that “Faith matters, Christ transforms” was incredible. It was eye-opening to interact with young people who were struggling in their search for meaning in life while aspiring for a better future. I must admit that it was rewarding. Moreover, engaging with pluralistic faith groups and diverse cultures, while specifically upholding the Christian values and faith connections in my ministry, was always intriguing.
           
Another highlight of my ministry that I humbly reflect upon is my role as director and pastor of Mother Teresa Syro-Malabar Church in Calgary.  It was in 2009 that Bishop Henry appointed me as the Director of the Syro-Malabar Community when it was still a very small community.

I have been privileged to witness its exponential growth from 30 to 450 families by 2018, and to have played a part in establishing a church for the community. God entrusted me with the role of becoming the founding priest of the Mother Teresa Syro-Malabar community in Calgary. Having had the privilege of meeting Mother Teresa twice in Kerala, her spiritual influence has greatly affected my priestly life and inspired me to rally for Mother Teresa's Church in Calgary.

Lastly, I am also involved with military chaplaincy as a Reserve Chaplain. This was an offshoot of campus ministry, where many students were drawn to military service and their persuasive invitation to serve the military community added another dimension to my priestly vocation. A chaplain's role in the military goes beyond the borders of religion and faith; it is more about embracing pure humanity and the well-being of anyone in need. It is a ministry of presence and strengthening robust resilience.  

Fr. Sajo Jacob

Ordained: December 30, 1998, Kerala, India

• Associate pastor at St. Mark’s, Calgary (2004-2006)
• Associate pastor at St. Peter’s, Calgary (2006)
• Associate pastor at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Calgary (2009)
• Chaplain at SAIT and Mount Royal College (2009-2019)
• Director of Syro-Malabar Community, Calgary (2010-present)
• Calgary Hospital Chaplaincy (2020-2022)
• Pastor at  St. Pius X, Calgary (2022-present)

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Growing up, Fr. Jerald D’Souza showed signs of his vocation early. Fr. Jerry comes from Madanthyar, near Mangalore in India, an agricultural region.  One of his duties was to watch the cows and make sure they did not escape the pasture, and so by the age of 12, he would practice preaching to the Gospel to a bovine congregation.

Fr. Jerry lost his father at the age of one, leaving his mother widowed at a young age with three young children, of which he was the youngest. His mother never remarried, and made many sacrifices for her family in their poverty.

In one particular instance, he remembered that his mother once worked for a whole day, and made a meal of rice porridge or congee for her family.  His mother ensured there was enough for the family, and went into the kitchen to drink the cooking water of the congee for her own dinner. It was his mother’s sacrifices that led him to understand the sacrificial action of Christ on the Cross and how God the Father would sacrifice his Son.

His mother’s actions would also help him to understand the pains of his parishioners in their day-to-day lives. Fr. Jerry has also been blessed to have a spiritual mother as well, in a woman who would come and pray at the Carmelite Monastery where he spent his theologate. He recalled going through a dry spell in prayer, and was impressed by a woman who would come and pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament in the Carmelite way. Fr. Jerry asked her to pray for him, and this was the beginning of her spiritual motherhood to Fr. Jerry.

Fr. Jerry has had his trials during his formation. He first discerned his vocation to the Discalced Carmelites when he was in Grade 12, influenced by Carmelite seminarians coming to his high school. Upon entry into the novitiate, Fr. Jerry was not the ideal candidate, being noticeably timid and having low-self esteem. He remembers begging St. Teresa of Avila to take his vocation into her hands if he was to continue, praying “if you would like me to continue in the Carmelite life, then you have to take me.”

In his second year of theology studies, Fr. Jerry experienced a moment of crisis. He was assigned to the Shrine of the Infant Jesus in Mangalore, where each Thursday, roughly 2000 people would turn up to the 6pm Mass for the novena to the Infant Jesus of Prague. Each seminarian was expected to lead the novena prayers in turn, and to deliver a 3-5 minute sermon. In the midst of his crisis, Fr. Jerry says he became like Abraham at Sodom, saying “If I do well, then I will stay; if I do poorly, I will leave.” Ultimately, there was no reason to fear. He had no reason to fear — many people came up after the Mass, asking who was the seminarian who did so well!

Fr. Jerry was ordained in the Octave of Easter, on April 16th, 1998.  Immediately following ordination, he was assigned to the Carmelite farm house in Goa for a year, before being made the first director of the Shrine of the Infant Jesus in Mangalore. Afterwards, he served as rector and formator at the Carmelite minor seminary in Goa for a year and a half, before being asked to be one of the first two missionaries to Canada from his province, the Karnataka-Goa Province, arriving July 25, 2003. 

He served in a number of roles throughout the Archdiocese of Vancouver, watching the mission grow from a pair of priests to two monasteries in Mission, BC and Edmonton, AB, while fostering the first Canadian vocation, Fr. Frank Sharma, OCD. 

Fr. Jerry arrived in Calgary to be pastor of St. Thomas More Parish in 2019, and was immediately asked to complete the renovation of the sanctuary with little knowledge of the work in progress. The following March, COVID struck, putting the work at a standstill, and leaving him in a conundrum of having negligible cooking skills and suddenly having to fend for himself. For Fr. Jerry, the eight deepest months of the pandemic carry some of his happiest memories, having care extended to him by the parishioners of St. Thomas More.

In his ministry, Fr. Jerry has found that his biggest challenge has been to strengthen spirituality in the family, which St. John Paul II declared to be a domestic church. He believes that when the family is strengthened in its spirituality, prayer life and faith, the family will strengthen the parish; strong parishes will create a strong diocese, and strong dioceses will create a strong universal church.

As for prayer, Fr. Jerry’s favourite space is his meditation of 5 to 10 minutes in front of the Blessed Sacrament every morning, and his breviary is his source of strength. He also cites frequent confession and spiritual direction as the two wings to allow the spiritual life to take flight.

To grow close to Jesus, Fr. Jerry suggests taking the example of Christ Himself, being humble and simple. He suggests relaxing and being yourself, without baggage or lists of requests — in other words, being naked before Christ. All of this is done in the spirit of Carmel, which is both intellectual and simple, having St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross as great models of intellectual life, and St. Therese of Lisieux as a model of simplicity.

When asked for advice for those discerning religious life, Fr. Jerry advises the potential discerner to be honest before God and one’s superiors in the face of failure. God will send his “angels” to guide — formators, spiritual directors, confessors, and lay faithful.  His life as a religious has yielded excellent advice.

Fr. Jerry has served for some time as superior of the Carmelites, and leading into an election for a continuance of his term, he was advised that if there is a split in the vote, he has done the will of God. If the vote was unanimously in favour, it would mean that he spent his term trying to please others; if against, it would mean that he was a poor choice for superior.

His spiritual father also gave him the advice that a joyful Carmelite is a joyful religious — that the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience should lead to joy. In Fr. Jerry’s case, they most certainly have.

Throughout his interview, Fr. Jerry radiated a consistent, confident joyfulness throughout his office. It is evident he finds great joy in his vocation, where work can be tiring, yet never a burden. ​There can be no doubt that this joy will carry Fr. Jerry onward into the next 25 years of his priestly ministry, full of contentment and fulfilment.

Written by Solomon Ip for Faithfully. ​Solomon is a born and raised Calgarian. He studied music history in Lethbridge, and is now a seminarian in his pre-theology studies at St. Joseph's Seminary in Edmonton. He has been worshipping most recently with Canadian Martyrs Parish in Calgary, and with St. Mary's Parish in Banff where he has been working as a heritage interpreter with Parks Canada. He is an oboist by training, a chorister by grace, hobby wordsmith, amateur calligrapher, and museum enthusiast.

I, Fr. Roy Anthony Donatus Jayamaha, was born to God- fearing parents, Rex Arvin and Mary Magdalene Jayamaha of Wattla, Sri Lanka. I was the third child in a family of seven siblings and was attracted to the religious life from my childhood. I was  educated by the De la Salle Brothers and was attracted to become one of them. After completing my studies, I taught for two years in a leading La Salle School in Colombo.
 
One fine day, I met a Sri Lankan missionary priest serving in Pakistan, who had come on a home leave. After listening to his interesting stories and challenging conditions, I contacted some Pakistani Bishops and expressed my willingness to serve as a missionary in this mostly Muslim country. In 1976, although it was  heart-breaking news for my parents, I left with their blessing, to join the Diocese of Lahore, in Pakistan.
 
When I landed in Lahore, I was surprised to see the Bishop himself at the airport to receive this unknown seminarian-to-be. On the same evening, the Bishop took me to show the place where I would travel daily to learn the Urdu language. It was a convent of the Good Shepherd Sisters which was six km from the minor seminary. While travelling, the Bishop gave a running commentary about the historical city and suddenly asked me to look through the window where I saw a huge cemetery. Then with a serious gesture, he uttered, “Boy, we all have to come here.” As it was my first winter experience, the Bishop gave some old winter clothes to wear, but no pocket money, because the board and lodging did not cost me in the minor seminary. I travelled during the week, up and down on a bicycle from the minor seminary to the Good Shepherd Convent, in order to study Urdu. First, I had to learn the alphabet and then the words.
 
After four months of language study, I was sent to remote village parishes to work with a young diocesan priest for nine months and later another nine months with two Belgium Capuchin missionaries. While there I learned the Punjabi language, customs, culture, and what not. Afterwards, I did my Philosophy and Theological studies at Christ the King Seminary in Karachi which was nearly  1,100 km from Lahore. My greatest memory of this time was to eventually see that all five residential staff members were recognized for their services to God and were rewarded by getting the Red Hats ( i.e., one cardinal, two archbishops, and two bishops). Bravo!.
 
On October 1st 1983, the feast of St. Therese of Lisieux, the Patroness of Missions, I requested, and was granted to be ordained a priest of God. That red-letter day took place in my hometown of Wattala, Sri Lanka, with the Pakistani late Archbishop Armando Trindade as celebrant and the late Archbishop Oswald Gomis of Colombo, Sri Lanka, assisting.
 
My first assignment as a priest was to work in a large remote parish near the Pakistani / Indian border which consisted of some 276 villages. The Catholic families were scattered far and wide and one was fortunate to see even a handful in some villages. There were thirteen full time paid catechists to assist me. There I  toured the villages on a motorbike over many rough and treacherous roads to administer the sacraments and other pastoral needs my flock required. Quite a few nights were spent in the villages, in order to, meet the people as they came home late from the fields and farms. Most were laborers, working for Muslim landlords.  Some laborers shared their pathetic stories with me by staying late at night, sitting in their courtyards.
 
From 1987 to 1993, I served as a pastor in another remote area. There I built a church and few chapels together with the people. The main church was dedicated to the Holy Spirit. In 2005, it was badly burnt and partly destroyed by a mob of rebellious group of people. One day my driver took the jeep to leave a newborn baby and her mother in a village nearly 23km away from a hospital. While the driver was returning, two dacoits beat him and  took my jeep at the gunpoint and fled away with it. Every Sunday, the parishioners prayed to Mother Mary to recover the vehicle. After 6 months, on a feast day of Mother Mary, the police returned the jeep with some bullet holes on it. It was unfortunate that notorious dacoits were shot dead by the police.
 
In 1993,  I  was appointed as the Director of the National Marian Shrine, which was built in 1886, and was the second oldest Catholic Church in Pakistan.
 
On a sabbatical, in 1995,I flew to Australia, where I met the good Father John Schuster and got a sweet taste for Calgary. During our get-togethers, I learned a lot about Canada and the Calgary Diocese. Upon my return to Pakistan, I was appointed the Director of the Renewal Centre in Lahore. There, I trained lay catechists for the archdiocese and taught diocesan spirituality for the propaedeutic year students in the Philosophy Seminary for seven years. For a short time, I was the acting rector of this seminary. In the absence of the Archbishop and Vicar- General, twice I was given the honor of being the administrator of the archdiocese. While being the executive secretary of the National Clergy Commission, I was involved in arranging renewal courses for clergy and on-going formation for young priests in the country. I compiled the Directory of the Catholic Church in Pakistan three times.
 
With the help of generous benefactors, I built a centre for special children. I always had a soft heart for the broken, poor, and needy. I felt honoured to serve under three Archbishops and elected twice as a member of the College of Consultors under two archbishops.
  
My services in Pakistan abruptly ended  when two gunmen attacked, threatened  and robbed me. As the Hindi song says “ajeeb dastan hai…kahan shuru, kahan katham..." which means  strange story, from where it started and where it ended. I learned many things as a student and as a missionary priest for thirty seven years from  loving Pakistani people. Little did I know that  I would leave Pakistan for good and be called to ministry in the dreamland, Calgary, Alberta in July of 2014. I'm really grateful to Bishop Emeritus Frederick Henry, for accepting me to the diocese with open arms.
 
After all is said and done, a priest has to be broken and shared with others, keep the Eucharist at the center of his life, and become another Christ wherever he is. Today, although no one comes for daily Mass, I bring one and all to the altar at every liturgy. As someone rightly said, “Let the Christ in me, meet and greet the Christ in them”.
 
This year, I have reached another milestone in my priesthood, 40 years of humble service as a missionary priest. As of Palm Sunday  2023, I have celebrated 14,307 Holy Masses. What a wonderful gift from our Lord!.
 
Priests need priests, especially when far away and alone in the missions. The beauty of this fraternity is that we know our brother priests do remember us and pray for us as we do for them as well as  our parents, families and friends. Today as a Jesus Caritas priest, this “Littleness” and “Hiddenness” of our universal brother, St. Charles de Foucauld, has helped me to live the life of Nazareth happily more than ever with the Indigenous people of Brocket.  I have just completed seven years in this mission, learning daily more than teaching. Together, we try to uplift the community, give new life, strengthen the families and  beautify the place that attracts many people even from nearby parishes.
 
Pope Francis’ document, “Amoris Laetitia" (On the Joy of Love) also reminds us regarding the practice of hospitality and how to reach out to people in parish communities. Our parishioners still worry about the same old question the Abbot asked, “How can we best serve the people who come to visit?” ( Holy Moments-by Matthew Kelly). Let us hope and pray that they will become a more vibrant community in the time to come.

Fr. Roy Jayamaha

Ordained by Archbishop Armando Trindade in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Pastoral assignments in the Diocese of Calgary:

• Associate Pastor: St. Mary’s Cathedral, Calgary (2014-2016)
  
• Pastor in St. Paul's Brocket, (2016 - present)

I was ordained on April 15, 1983 by Bishop Paul O'Byrne at Saint Mary's cathedral. 

I was a late vocation and entered the seminary at the age of thirty after a successful career in sales and then owning my own businesses. I had already acquired a diploma in Business Administration. My vocation was influenced by two priests, Father Jim Sheridan and Father William Harding and the example of my parents. 
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I applied to and was accepted by the Diocese of Calgary and after a year's probation was sent to study at Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon run by the Benedictine Monks.

I entered pre-theology being a mature student and in that time earned a diploma in Philosophy. After this year I entered the school of Theology and after four years received my M·aster's diplomas and was ordained in Calgary. 

My first assignment was at St. Peter's parish and Chaplain at the Calgary Correctional Centre. My first Pastor was Father Stan Henke. I was transferred after two years to St. Basil's Parish in Lethbridge and Chaplain at the Leth bridge Correctional Centre and the Young Offenders Centre. My Pastor was Father John Maes. 

My first pastorate was St. Ambrose's parish in Coaldale and responsibility for the Correctional Centre in Lethbridge. I was at Saint Ambrose for five years and in that time updated the interior and exterior of the church building, and had a successful youth group of thirty young people and reached out socially to the parishioners. 

I was transferred to St. Mark's parish in Calgary and was fortunate to work with Deacon Amadeo Malate. It was a parish, in those days, of 2000 families and six schools and pastoral responsibility for the faithful in Chestermere. 

After three years at Saint Mark's, I was transferred to Saint Mary's in Brooks with missions in Tilley and Tide Lake. I spent nine years in Brooks and in that time we formed a Catholic school district under the old two by two system of the provincial government. It was a K to 12 School. We formed a food Bank (Saint Vincent de Paul Society), a successful youth program and many outreach and social programs for the parishioners. I was fortunate to be able to work with Deacon Bob Wilson.· 

I was transferred after the nine years to the parish Nostra Madonna delle Grazie (Our Lady of Grace, now Mary, Mother of the Redeemer in Calgary) an Italian-English parish in Calgary and remained there three very good years working with Deacon Ron Nowell. 

I was transferred to the combined parish of Canmore and Banff. In that time we acquired the property and put in place the design for a new church building (The Shrine Church) in Canmore. We encouraged many social programs and outreach activities to the parishioners and to the many tourists that attended while on vacation. I was very ably assisted by Deacon Brian West. 

I retired after eight years and at 76, I am enjoying retirement. 

Fr. Bryan Frank​

Ordained: April 15th, 1983, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Calgary

Pastoral Assignments in the Diocese of Calgary:

• Assistant: St. Peter’s, Calgary (1983-1985)
• Assistant: Correctional Institute, Calgary (1983-1985)
• Assistant: St. Basil’s, Lethbridge (1985-1987)
• Chaplain: Lethbridge Correctional Institute (1987-1992)
• Pastor: St. Ambrose, Coaldale (1987-1992)
• Pastor: St. Mark’s, Calgary (1992-1995)
• Pastor: St. Mary’s, Brooks (1995-2004)
• Pastor: Our Lady of Grace, Calgary (2005-2007)
• Administrator: St. Michael’s, Pincher Creek (2007-2008)
• Pastor:  Our Lady of the Rockies, Canmore; St. Mary’s, Banff (2008-2015)
• Retired: August 2015

Written by Deacon Michael Soentgerath. 

Father Michael Storey, diocesan priest for the Diocese of Calgary, celebrated his 50th Anniversary of Priestly Ordination on May 12 this year. For this special anniversary year, I had a chance to sit down with Fr. Mike to look back on those fifty years and highlight some of the very special events that Fr. Mike remembers with much gratitude.

Firstly, the ordination day itself was such a marvellous celebration of faith, with Bishop Paul O’Byrne having celebrated his ordination at St. Augustine Parish in Taber. Bishop Paul chose Taber as the location with the intention of allowing the rural parishes to experience a priestly ordination in their hometown. Fr. Mike’s connection to Taber was that he completed this parish practicum in his final year of seminary. The whole parish, as well as many from different parts of Canada, gathered in Taber for this special celebration that all would remember and cherish as a tremendous day of celebrating the ministerial priesthood.

Another highlight of Fr. Mike’s priestly life was when Bishop Paul O’Byrne appointed him as the Ecumenical Officer of the Diocese. Fr. Mike had been Pastor of Ascension Catholic Parish in Calgary, the first Parish within the diocese to be under the same roof as a Lutheran Congregation. The two parishes together and formed the "Sandstone Ecumenical Centre". A true hands-on experience of intentionally living daily the spirit of ecumenism, as one Body of Christ focusing on what unites us rather than our divisions. It came as no surprise several years later, that Fr. Mike was the priest, chosen to administrate the reunification of Anglicans who wished to return to the Catholic Church together with Father Colin O’Rorke. Approximately sixty  people were received back into the Catholic Church in this endeavour, initiated by Pope Benedict XVI. Fr. Mike feels very blessed to have been chosen to help facilitate this historical moment within our diocese and the Catholic Church.

As a Pastor, Fr. Mike feels very grateful for the opportunity of having been appointed to serve in many parishes of the diocese: Canadian Martyrs in Calgary, St. Michael’s in Pincher Creek, Sacred Heart in Oyen and Acadia Valley, St. Peter in Milk River, St. James in Okotoks, Ascension Parish in Calgary, St. James in Calgary-with a special ministry to the South Sudanese Catholics in Calgary, St. Peter’s in Calgary and St. Mary’s in Brooks.

Following his Brooks appointment, Bishop Henry appointed Fr. Mike to the Calgary Priest Hospital Chaplaincy Team. This is when I had the privilege of working more closely with Fr. Mike. His work within the various hospitals within the city of Calgary was an amazing and extremely fruitful ministry with many experiences of people healing and on occasion even being cured of illness. Father recalls with great amazement how often the Sacraments of the Church were of such great healing benefit to those who availed themselves to their reception. Even fellow Christians asking for pastoral support was a common occurrence. His Chaplaincy Ministry was also not limited only to hospitals, he also served as Chaplain to the Calgary Police Service until August of this year.

Finally, a special occasion that Fr. Mike will always cherish, was when his classmate Cardinal Thomas Collins, then Archbishop of Toronto, was made a Cardinal in Rome and he was invited to come and take part in the ceremony of his former classmate and friend. It was a powerful celebration of faith with Saint Pope John Paul II.

Now Fr. Mike resides at the Providence Care Centre in the Priest residence wing, together with the other priests of the diocese. He reflects on his marvellous 50-year journey as a Servant of God in priestly ministry with gratitude.

With thankfulness and fond memories he looks back on his call from God in thanksgiving for all that the Lord had done and accomplished through his words, his hands and his heart! May the years ahead be filled with much peace, grace and many blessings in the Lord!

Fr. Michael L. Storey

​Ordained:  May 12th, 1973, at St. Augustine’s, Taber, AB.

​Pastoral Assignments in the Diocese of Calgary:

• Assistant:  Canadian Martyrs, Calgary (1973-1974)
• Assistant:  St. Michael’s, Pincher Creek (1974-1975)
• Assistant:  Sacred Heart, Oyen; St. Mary’s, Acadia Valley (1975-1977)
• Pastor:  Sacred Heart, Oyen; St. Mary’s, Acadia Valley (1977-1980)
• Pastor:  St. Peter’s, Milk River (1980-1985)
• Pastor:  St. Mary’s, Medicine Hat (1985-1987)
• Pastor:  St. James, Okotoks (1987-1994)
• Pastor:  Ascension of Our Lord, Calgary (1994-1996)
• Pastor:  St. John’s, Calgary (1996-2000)
• Pastor:  St. James, Calgary (2000-2007)
• Pastor:  St. Peter’s, Calgary (2007-2009)
• Pastor:  St. Mary’s, Brooks 
• Chaplain:  Calgary Hospital Chaplaincy
• Chaplain:  St. John the Evangelist (Anglican Ordinariate), Calgary (2011-2012)

Fr. Greg was ordained on March 3rd, 1973, the Saturday before Ash Wednesday, at St. Gerard’s Parish in Calgary, in the midst of a beautiful chinook, which shocked his classmates from Seattle.

Fr. Greg was one of the last ordinandi from St. Thomas Seminary, which closed in 1977.  Immediately afterwards, Fr. Greg left for New Orleans for Mardi Gras and to visit a family, former parishioners of St. James, who could not make the ordination.  On the way home he stopped in Houston to visit their son, a seminarian for the Diocese of Corpus Christi, TX; this young man is now the Bishop of Biloxi, Mississippi, Louis Kihneman, III.          
       
In his priestly ministry, Fr. Greg’s placements have been varied.  He remembers the “Seek the Face of God” conferences at St. Mary’s in Medicine Hat fondly, as well as the retreats at St. Gerard’s in Calgary with the Redemptorists and with Grayson Warren Brown — “God is Good!”. 

He is grateful for the many incredible women and pastoral associates such as Doreen Yochim and Teri Hutchinson, with whom he has shared ministry and who highlighted to him the great potential and gifts that women have to offer within the church.

Notably, for much of his priestly life, Fr. Greg has been involved in ministry to high schools as chaplain, chaplain emeritus and adjunct chaplain, particularly with Barb Fabijan-Waddell at St. Mary’s, Bishop Carroll and St. Anne’s Academic Centre.  This has taken him as far away as the former Soviet Union with St. Mary’s High School in 1978. 

This particularly memorable trip involved a Mass in Communist Russia, where no liturgical changes had yet occurred after Vatican II, the only way to communicate with the priest was in extremely broken Latin, and an armed guard was posted at the back of the church.  There was also a five-hour trip to the hospital to escort one of the members of a Vancouver group with the same itinerary who sprained an ankle, which involved some very extremely broken Russian.  He was the chair of the police commission in Hanna, and had an RCMP officer boarding with him — the so-called “Odd Couple” are still friends today.  

Fr. Greg also still serves as a chaplain for Retrouvaille, helping couples with marriage challenges, having inherited the role from Fr. Jack Bastigal, and Fr. John Petravicius before him. Fr. Greg is not only chaplain for the Calgary community, but for the Vancouver community as well, and enjoys seeing that with a lot of hard work on their part and the power of the Holy Spirit, these couples leave these weekends with a lot more hope for their marriages.
           
When asked for advice for those discerning vocations today, his advice is steeped in his experiences in seminary:  “If you’re not happy…, get out.”  He was of 83 seminarians at St. Joseph’s at the time of his entrance in 1965, and one of 12 when he and St. Joseph’s parted ways. He has been very happy as a priest — and still is.

He also stresses that the importance for the discerner to be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and that God will speak in little ways through the people and circumstances around us, rather than in a big booming way.  As well, it is important to remember that vocations are not ours, but that God gives each vocation as a gift, and we are to be stewards of the gift.

Included in the best advice he’s ever been given, words from Bishop Emeritus Henry come to mind, that a priest should “be a shepherd, not a cowboy.”  A shepherd invites his flock to follow him in front, while a cowboy pushes the cattle along the trail from behind. 

In his 50 years as a priest, his most effective pastoral ministry occurred by accepting people where they were, and then gently inviting them to grow, rather than by imposing his expectations upon them. To make the point, Fr. Greg gave the example of a funeral in which the family had no desire or intention to choose any readings for the service. Fr. Greg chose to leave the lectionary with the family over the weekend, and by the next meeting, they had chosen an Old and New Testament reading, a responsorial psalm, and a passage from the Gospels. At the funeral, they thanked Fr. Greg “for taking us where we were, and leading us a little bit further.”

Fr. Gregory Coupal
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Ordained:  March 3, 1973, St. Gerard’s Parish, Calgary.

Pastoral Assignments in the Diocese of Calgary:

• Assistant:  St. Mary’s Cathedral, Calgary (1973-1979)
• Chaplain:  St. Mary’s High School, Calgary (1975-1979)
• Pastor:  St. George’s, Hanna (1979-1984)
• Pastor:  Christ the King, Claresholm (1984-1987)
• Pastor:  St. Mary’s, Medicine Hat; St. Albert the Great, CFB Suffield (1987-1996)
• Pastor:  Corpus Christi, Calgary (1996-1998)
• Pastor:  St. Gerard’s, Calgary (1998-2006)
• Pastor:  St. Bonaventure, Calgary (2006-2008)
• Rector:  St. Mary’s Cathedral (2008-2014)
• Retired:  October 18th, 2014

Written by Solomon Ip for Faithfully. Solomon is a born and raised Calgarian. He studied music history in Lethbridge, and is now a seminarian in his pre-theology studies at St. Joseph's Seminary in Edmonton. He has been worshipping most recently with Canadian Martyrs Parish in Calgary, and with St. Mary's Parish in Banff where he has been working as a heritage interpreter with Parks Canada. He is an oboist by training, a chorister by grace, hobby wordsmith, amateur calligrapher, and museum enthusiast.

I extend an invitation to grieving parents to attend a workshop/retreat hosted by the Diocese of Calgary, titled "Journeying Together: Hope & Healing for Those Grieving a Miscarriage or Stillbirth." - October 13 & 14, 2023 (Friday evening & Saturday) at Ascension Catholic Parish. Registration is now open.

​I have the privilege of being one of the speakers at this event, where I will discuss this specific form of grief.

The workshop is designed to be personal rather than personalized. Our aim is to address the heart (grief), soul (spiritual comfort and resources), mind (understanding and memorializing), and strength (reassuring attendees that they're not alone and fostering resilience). We've also allocated space to discuss the distinct experiences between husbands and wives, the impact on the family system, and how to carry life forward using practical and spiritual resources.

Written by Eunice Peterson, R. Psych. Eunice is a registered psychologist in her private practice. Her primary areas of focus include trauma integration from a neurobiological perspective, disorders on the anxiety spectrum, as well as grief and loss, and life transitions. She, alongside her husband and five children, have been residents of Calgary since 2010 and are members of St. Joseph's Parish community.

How did you find your calling? 

When candidates were asked how they were introduced to the diaconate, answers varied widely. Some had long harboured a calling. Others were invited by their parish priest. Interestingly, two candidates were personally tapped by Bishop Emeritus Henry, who seemed to employ a direct recruitment approach! 

Candidate Carlos Perez recalls, “During the Couples for Christ annual Evangelization Rally… Bishop Emeritus Henry asked me to talk to my pastor on how to go through the process of applying in the permanent diaconate program… It was quite unexpected and seemed  mysterious… I didn't even know at that time what exactly a deacon was.” 

Similarly, candidate Thomas Ha shares his experience a few years ago, “I passed by Bishop Henry at the Chinese New Year Banquet when he invited me to follow Christ through the Diaconate program. It was like Jesus asking the apostles to follow him by the shore of Lake Galilee, and I responded!”

The formation journey
​​“I believe you don't wake up one day and decide you want to be a Deacon. “ says candidate Ferdinand Gayos. He adds, “If we haven’t learned serving, it may be a difficult and uphill climb going through the formation. The Deacon's heart is formed first in serving our own family, our parish community and the wider community.” 

Deacons share in Christ’s threefold mission of teaching, sanctifying and leading the People of God. While the unifying principle of diaconal ministry is the service of charity, which shapes their service of the Word and of the liturgy, the three responsibilities are inseparably united. 

Quoting Galatians 2:20, candidate Reynaldo Tadifa shares, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. If I want to be the image of Christ to others, I have to recognize the gift of my own Baptism as a means of dying to my old ways and rising to a life of sacrificial love, just as Christ did for all of us, and let me be a channel of spreading his mercy, love and compassion to others.“

Under the leadership of Bishop McGrattan, the Diocese has developed a new formation program for the permanent diaconate that is both grounded in the nature of diaconal ministry and adapted to the pastoral needs of the multicultural and multiethnic Diocese of Calgary.  

The permanent diaconate formation program is based on four dimensions: human, spiritual, theological and pastoral. The overall purpose is to help candidates to mature spiritually and to develop the personal and pastoral skills which will enable them to be servants of the Word, of the liturgy and of charity.

Over a period of 4 years, candidates spent an average of 35 hours per month in formation weekends, supervised pastoral education, personal study and spiritual formation.

But are these deacon candidates prepared for the upcoming  ordination as permanent deacons? Deacon candidate Andrew Ross shares a sentiment that would resonate deeply with his fellow candidates, “God knows, those around me know, and I know that I am far from perfect – but I am ready. Ready to embrace the spirit of humble service and selflessness, to work to fulfill my ministry with readiness and dedication.”
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Commending this year’s class of graduates, Deacon Walsh (Director of Formation for the Permanent Diaconate program) said, “Each one of these men, along with their spouses, have  gone through a beautiful transformation of the heart….Not only have they grown, but they have helped those of us who have helped facilitate them through the process.” He added that the candidates actively contributed to their own and each other’s transformation into servants of Christ. 

Our Diocese is blessed to welcome them into sacred service this November! 

Back for a second series, Fr. Tim Boyle will speak on The Art of Accompaniment, picking up on the theme from the Synod preparation document "Enlarge the Tent."

2023/2024 Dates:

• Monday, September 18, 2023 - "The big four issues the church will discuss in Rome.. and what does it mean to "Enlarge the Tent" 
• Monday, October 16, 2023 - “A petrified Church..how did we get here? 
• Monday, November 20, 2023 - “What unbelievers can teach us about mystery of God” 
• Monday, January 22, 2024 - “Zacchaeus.. the first of Many Seekers.. and why they don’t want to join” 
• Monday, February 19, 2024 - “Finding the Real Presence of God outside the church”
• Monday, March 18, 2024 - “Mother Maria of Russia .. on uniting the Cross and the Sword”
• Monday, April 15, 2024 - “Flourishing .. not just maintaining the Faith”..

​​I prayed for weeks and told God exactly how I was feeling and what I was thinking. I hid nothing from Him. I spoke to Him plainly, and honestly, disrespectfully many times. I was angry. I felt I had been betrayed and I didn’t trust Him anymore. I yelled at Him in my heart and asked Him why He would ever let this happen to me. And He didn’t abandon me. Quite the opposite! He showed up in big and unexpected ways. 

He met me in those dark places. He answered all of my questions, slowly letting His truth sink deeply into my heart. With each answer I was left baffled and astounded at His goodness and creativity. He gifted me a deeper understanding of the sacrament of marriage, addiction, and His grace. And once I was ready, He invited me to participate in my husband’s healing and conversion.

Written by Rita Taylor for Faithfully. Currently residing in Saskatchewan, Rita and her husband Daniel, former parishioners of St. Peter's in Calgary, have been married for just over 7 years and have dealt with multiple addictions in their marriage. In her spare time, Rita enjoys reading about the saints, spending time in silent prayer and reflection, taking long walks by the river, and playing cards with her family. 

​​Rita completed her Master of Science in Psychology with Divine Mercy University in 2020 and is currently getting ready to launch a new program for Catholic married women whose husbands are struggling with addiction: womanofstrength.org in September 2023. "There is always a way forward when you have Him at your side! But knowing exactly how to do all of these things isn’t always obvious. How do you learn to trust God in this way? How does His grace work, particularly in marriage? How is He inviting you to participate in your husband's healing and conversion?"  

She invites you to learn how to lean on God, protecting the sacramentality of your marriage, and finding joy and intimacy through the addiction. 

​​Photos courtesy of Rita Taylor.

Let us unite in prayer for all those impacted by the devastating wildfires currently raging across parts of Canada. The situation is particularly dire in NWT and BC, where residents have been forced to evacuate their homes due to the imminent danger.

• For those who have been affected by wildfires, may they receive the assistance that they need at this time, let us pray to the Lord…
• For the firefighters, military personnel, and volunteers deployed to help manage the wildfires, may they receive God’s constant protection and the much-needed weather conditions to help put out the fires, let us pray to the Lord…

Responding to this call, they hosted the very first conference at Ephphatha House (now the Mount Carmel Spirituality Centre). However, due to the overwhelming response and increasing attendee numbers, the venue soon became too small. The following year, the conference was relocated to the Shrine of Ste. Anne on the shores of Lac Ste. Anne, west of Edmonton. Despite not being able to offer amenities as simple as hot showers or power hookups for campers, and the always inclement weather, families faithfully attended in rain, snow, intense heat and thunderstorms.

​Our lives, the lives of our children, and now grandchildren, have been irrevocably changed and affected by our 27-year journey of gathering for what I like to call the largest family reunion in the world. After so many years of gathering with many of the same families, we’ve had the pleasure of watching not only our own children grow, but also observing the growth in numerous other families. I am not sure if anyone is keeping track, but I know there have been marriages and new families created as fruits of this incredible gift to all of us. We feel blessed to have witnessed the faith and fidelity of hundreds of Catholics coming together to worship through the Mass and sacraments of the Church. 

The 2020 conference was meant to be their 25th anniversary celebration, planned as a five-day event with Father Larry Richards as the keynote speaker. Regrettably due to the COVID pandemic, it had to be cancelled two years in a row. It was also not possible to hold it last year as the Shrine at Lac Ste. Anne became a significant part of the Papal Visit to Alberta. Thankfully, Father Larry kept his schedule open for the conference this year and we were blessed with the opportunity to hear him speak. True to form, Father Larry always kept us on our toes. He presented us with numerous challenges. One particular challenge that resonated with me was his encouragement to pray for the salvation of the person we dislike the most. 

A few minutes later, they invited people who had abdominal issues to stand. I have suffered from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) for most of my life, and as time went by, I was only able to eat a very restricted diet to the point where I literally couldn’t eat at a restaurant without causing painful symptoms to ensue. I thought if it happened once, why not give it another shot?

I stood, people prayed, then they asked us to test our healing. The only way I could verify this was to eat something I normally couldn’t and see what happened. The next morning, I did just that. Then, I waited. The usual symptoms that I would have experienced from consuming such food never occurred. I waited some more. Then I ate something else that would normally set me off. No reaction! I honestly thought that maybe it was like a placebo effect; that I wanted it to be true, so my body responded in kind. Three days later, I was still testing the healing. Now a month later, I can happily say that I was also healed of IBS! 

Written by Michele Lynn for Faithfully. Michele lives in Calgary with her husband Sean. They have 8 adult children, and 14 grandchildren. They attend St. Peter’s Parish. Michele assists Sean as an administration assistant for God Squad Canada when she’s not happily spending time with her children and grandchildren. In her spare time, Michele enjoys being outdoors, gardening, and attends daily Mass and spends time in adoration of Our Lord as often as time permits. Photos courtesy of Michelle Lynn and family.