Blog Posts - ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF CALGARY

ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF CALGARY

Phil Morin

6/5/2019

Which man of faith in the Diocese of Calgary inspires you in your vocation as husband and father? Here is what Mike McKinnon shared:

In the last couple of years, I got to know Phil Morin through the men’s group — Repairers of the Breach — and through doing Exodus 90 together. I admire his high expectations for himself in all he does. He really does excel for excellence in a lot of things he does, and that’s also in his faith life. He doesn’t make excuses for himself. He sets a very high bar, and he pushes himself to excel in holiness. I’m not saying he’s excellent in holiness, but he strives for it. I think a lot of men can be too easy on themselves, be complacent and make excuses about why they cannot pursue holiness and that’s not Phil. He really challenges himself. The other thing with Phil I admire is he’s super humble. I think humility is just an awesome thing as a father to teach your children. When someone is humble they understand their greatness is not themselves, it’s a gift from God, and if God chose to remove that, they would not have that greatness. People who are in tune with their greatness don’t give glory to themselves; they give glory to God. I see those things in Phil, and they challenge and inspire me.

Phil Morin

Michael MacKinnon

Mike MacKinnon attends St. Bonaventure and St. Patrick’s Parish in Calgary with his wife and four children. He works in the oil and gas industry. He sits on the national board for Catholic Christian Outreach and is the founder of Repairers of the Breach, a faith formation group for fathers with young children.

Written by Sara Francis

Frank Tholenaer

6/5/2019

Which man of faith in the Calgary Diocese inspires you in your vocation as husband and father? Joe Woodard shared:

My archetype father is Frank Tholenaer. He’s the guy who with his friend Gordon built the adoration chapel at St. Anthony’s Church. He was a big-burly, hard-working, blue-collar Catholic, but he loved to read — novels! — and hated TV. He was a sheet metal worker who eventually worked as a heating and ventilation foreman. He went to St. Mary’s High School in the 40s. He didn’t mind getting into the occasional fist fight. But later in life he developed a very solid, charitable faith. He was incredibly generous with his time and talented with things like home renovations. In one case he moved in and built us a bedroom in our basement. He raised five kids with his wife, Carol. They met when he was working on his car, and a bucket of gasoline caught fire, and he ended up badly burned, and Carol was the nurse in the emergency ward. They met when he was all puffy and red from this flash gasoline fire. They had a long life together, built a beautiful house in Haysborough and basically to every degree possible dedicated themselves to their parish — St. Anthony’s. He was just always available. Anything that needed doing, Frank was always there doing it, and he attended daily Mass whenever possible. (Frank died peacefully on September 26, 2008, at 3 p.m. at the age of 80)

† Frank Tholenaer

Joe Woodard is a husband, a father of 10 and a grandfather of four (so far). He attends Sacred Heart Parish in Calgary. He has worked as an academic, journalist, citizen judge, and most recently an adjunct philosophy professor at Newman Theological College (Edmonton) and Latin teacher at St. John's Choir Schola (Calgary).

Written by Sara Francis

James Peloso

6/5/2019

James Peloso

Brian Doran

Which man of faith in the Diocese of Calgary inspires you in their vocation as husband and father? Here is what Brian Doran shared:

We have been gifted by so many great men in our diocese that it is very difficult to narrow it down to just one. However, the first one that came to mind was James Peloso. He is an inspiration to me as a husband and father regarding how he brings his faith into all aspects of his life. He is active in our parish, has a beautiful family, and is transforming the world around him by encouraging Christian principles in his own place of work. Although being a business owner is clearly a stressful endeavour, he exudes joy and optimism whenever I speak with him.

Brian Doran attends St. James Parish in Okotoks with his wife and seven children. He works as a family physician and founded the Arcātheos Boys’ Camp.

Written by Sara Francis

Tim Lynn

6/5/2019

Which man of faith in the Diocese of Calgary inspires you in their vocation as husband and father? Here is what Sean Lynn said:

“That would be my Dad — Tim Lynn. I was raised in the faith here in Calgary. I’ve watched him grow as a man always trying to do the right thing, and he’s passed that on to me. One of the things he says that comes to mind is you have to look at yourself every morning when you shave in the mirror and like the guy that looks back. He’s always taught me to try and do the right thing, and I’ve followed in his footsteps as a police officer. I’ve always looked at that as a vocation, sharing the faith quietly with my actions and how I treat people. No matter what happened in his life, he identified as being Catholic and no situation was going to change that. We all have our struggles in life and holding on to that identity helps us to stay strong. Faith allows us to increase our resiliency or have something to fall back on when going through rough waters. And the number one thing was family. Recently we had four generations of Lynn men going to Mass. I had a picture taken because I saw it as such a blessing to see this legacy of faith.”

Sean Lynn is a husband and father of eight children. He’s worked for the Calgary Police Service as a constable for 31 years. He attends St. Peter’s Parish in Calgary and is co-founder and current president of God Squad Canada.

Written by Sara Francis

Sean Lynn (left) with his father, Tim Lynn (middle) and his family.

Deeds not Words: The involved father

6/5/2019

Will I be a saint and lead my family to heaven? This is a question I frequently contemplate.

To be a father and husband requires heroism in the face of today’s secular society. God places a great responsibility on fathers. During my discernment as a single man, the thought of having children was the reason I was afraid to pursue the vocation of marriage. I was fearful about bringing children into a society that is morally corrupt and could very likely consume their souls.

Fr. Lasance shares the following regarding the raising of children. He emphasizes on the weight and responsibility by which God entrusts their care: "Married people have another important duty: they must bring up their children in the fear of God. At the day of their last judgement, we who have the care of souls do not fare like private individuals; we have not merely to answer for what we have personally done or left undone, but when we have given an account of this, we shall be asked about the condition of those who have been entrusted in our care. In the same manner, shall fathers and mothers be judged, not only regarding what their own lives have been but also to the manner in which they have brought up their children.”

I was contemplating this sentiment at a retreat held by Christopher West in 2015, and suddenly something clicked. If I wasn’t courageous to take up the challenge of raising holy children, how can I expect other men to maintain the faith through successive generations? The fact that I cared so deeply for the souls of children and their upbringing is the exact reason why I needed to be a father. I knew this was what God was calling me to do.

St. Paul writes in Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church, and delivered himself up for it”. When we read this passage, we ought to contemplate what God is calling all husbands to do. Each man is to lay down his life for his wife and family as Christ did for his Church. Christ delivered himself through excruciating pain and suffering on his journey to Calvary to be crucified.

While being a father carries burdens, it also brings many joys and consolations. One of the most moving times in my life was when I gazed into the eyes of my son, Joseph shortly after he was born. Watching him grow and learn things for the first time has been very exciting. It melts my heart when he imitates us at mass or spontaneously asks to initiate our family rosary. Daily life is sprinkled with little blessings like these. Now, rather than dwelling too much on how the evils of this world can lure our children, I focus on how I can teach my son to know, love and serve God. This is what it means to be a father.

As a father, I pray to St. Joseph - head of the Holy Family, for his intercession to be a heroic father and husband.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

Written by John McDonald

John and his wife Richelle have one son Joseph and are expecting their second child in September. They are members of the Latin Mass Community at St. Anthony’s Parish in Calgary, AB.

My Papa taught me to be brave

6/5/2019

Norman Henry Marshall, my Papa [grandfather], was a beacon of joy and love for our family. His laughter was deep and contagious. Papa was assured, kind and intentional. His steadfast love created a retreat for me in my teenager years away from trauma and distress. Papa always saw through the situations we were in or the bumps in the road to the beautiful uniqueness of each person. The love that beamed from his bright blue eyes called me out of fear countless times in my life.

It is no surprise that he became the rock to my grandma, his five kids, their spouses, his thirteen grandchildren and his six great grandchildren.

My Papa was strong and resilient, in his incredible 85 years he overcame hardship, felt loss, and knew pain. He threaded through each difficulty with valor and kindness. My papa never spoke the language of defeat. Sitting in the living room in the old farmhouse, I remember watching him love my Grandmother. He could turn her tears into laughter by taking her in his arms and singing and dancing. He loved all of us that way.

My Papa knew how to call us to bravery. He celebrated each one of my children’s births and mourned with me each of my miscarriages. It is hard for me to imagine welcoming my fourth baby in December without him.

As he aged and his health deteriorated, his commitment to his family never did. We all loved to sit at the table with him and challenge him in crib. I loved how it felt when he would hold my hand. Papa was truly famous. There wasn’t a person he met who wasn’t made better by his existence. I believe you can tell a lot about a person through the reactions of little children to them. Kids loved Papa. My children still do. When I welcomed my eldest son into our family at three, shy and shaken from life’s transitions, Papa instantly became a place of comfort and joy for him. They would sit together in the big recliner and watch hockey games or nap. Papa was wise with his words but even wiser in his silence. He had a way of sitting with us long enough that we could hear God’s little nudges in our hearts. He told me he loved me countless times every day, and the sincerity was always piercing. Papa showed all his family what love was in action. I am forever changed and better because of my Papa.

The role of grandfather was one that he took with pride. In a time when the role of the man is constantly under scrutiny he lived a life of masculinity that anyone could support; he showed he was strong in his willingness to be gentle, he led from a place of humility, he loved selflessly, always giving of himself without the need for notice. It was easy and comfortable to count on Papa. I miss him constantly. May all his kindness be returned to him as he rests in the peace of the Lord’s love.

Written by Amy Heggenstaller-Boon, St. James Parish in Okotoks

† Norman Henry Marshall

The unexpected path to fatherhood

6/5/2019

Having served as a priest early in his life, Lance Dixon says that the slow ramp of becoming a spiritual father had accelerated his learning of how to be a father to his own child.

I must confess my road to fatherhood started off a little shaky. On the day I was to turn 26 years old, I was facing the terrifying reality of becoming a father - but perhaps not in the way one would expect. You see, on that day (All Saints Day, November 1, 1996 to be exact) I was also going to be ordained an Anglican priest, and I simply was not ready for people to call me 'Father' Lance! In fact, I was so determined to avoid this moniker that in my first homily as a priest I vainly urged the congregation, with a little tongue in cheek, to consider calling me 'Sonny’ Lance. (After all, I was the age of most of their children at the time.)

Of course, the congregation, knowing me quite well by this time, ignored me, causing nothing of the ecclesial revolution I had hoped for. And to be honest, as one would guess, it was not the term at all that terrified me. It was the responsibility that went along with it. To be suddenly thrust into a position of spiritual authority over the life of a community is a daunting call, and I felt the gravitas of what I was taking on increase the closer the day.

Looking back, I am grateful for that terrifying ordeal. Unexpectedly, that experience prepared me for the even greater responsibility of being a father to my children. You see, as a spiritual father to a congregation, I could go home when I had enough for the day; I could call in sick I just wasn't feeling up to toughing it through another annual garage sale; I could neglect the odd duty, and a host of veteran lay workers would swoop in to fill the gaps. The upside was, that in the midst of these moments of neglect, I slowly learned how to take responsibility for the spiritual life of the congregation, how to be present to others in their time of need, to speak truth in love, to attend to both big and small things as the shepherd of their gifts.

And thank God I experienced those moments as a spiritual father to others, because in the first weeks after my child's birth, the only thing I could focus on was how completely inadequate I was at parenting! As a father of my own child, I didn't have the luxury of going home when I was tired of hearing the baby cry, or calling in sick when I just didn't feel like changing her diaper in the middle of the night or ignoring a tough decision on how to pay the bills to keep a roof over the head of my growing family. The slow ramp of becoming a spiritual father had accelerated my learning of how to be a father to my own child.

When I look back, two things helped me embrace the challenge of being a father for my children. First, in learning how to be a spiritual father to others, I had come to rely on there being grace for every journey we go through - including parenting. Second, what kept me from being overwhelmed by how inadequate I was as a parent, was the complete joy and wonder of that little child in my hands. As I stood there in the middle of the operating room, time stood still, my mind completely enraptured in the miracle I was holding.

Okay, reality check. I now have countless broken household items, a hundred temper tantrums, and several round trips to the emergency ward between me and that moment. Which is why I’m so grateful when, amid the messiness of parenting, the Spirit nudges me to pause and ponder the wonder-filled gifts my children truly are.

A little over eight years ago, my time as an Anglican priest came to a close. I continue my faith journey in the Catholic Church, supporting our schools as chaplain and teacher. My three daughters are teenagers now, and they seem to come up with new things for me to have to get my head around. So, in short, I'm still finding my way through parenting. But one thing at least is for certain; I will always find firm ground on the grace and joy that is at the heart of being a father.

Dr. Lance Dixon

The Ascension Picnic

5/29/2019

On June 2, 2019 we celebrate The Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord in Canada, which will be the final Sunday of the Easter season. This is one of the most important feasts in the Church and commemorates the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. To celebrate Ascension with your family, consider an Ascension picnic on a high place in your area after Mass on the Feast of the Ascension, or on an alternate Sunday in June. Did you know that the highest place in Calgary is the Rocky Ridge in the northwest? However, you may find a place in your area that is somewhat elevated and that will allow you to meet for a picnic. Finding a high place might be a bit of a challenge in some areas because the prairies are mainly flat. In any case, find a place with a free view of the sky where the family can have a picnic. During the picnic, talk about Jesus’ Ascension. Recall the gospel story of Jesus leading the disciples to Bethany. He lifted his hands and blessed them. Then he vanished into a cloud and out of the sight of the disciples. If you have the text of the gospel with you (Luke 24:46-53) read it out loud.

Suggested family activities:

After the picnic lunch look for clouds in the sky.
Watch the clouds and determine their shapes.
Pick one particular cloud and describe what it looks like.
Do you see it move and if so, does it change its shape?
Close with a prayer:

God our Father,
make us joyful in the ascension of your Son Jesus Christ.
May we follow him into the new creation,
for his ascension is our glory and our hope.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(Source: New Saint Joseph Sunday Missal)

For more resources to help children understand about the Ascension of the Lord, check out: https://www.pbgrace.com/ascension-for-kids

Written by: Gabriele Kalincak

Good Shepherd Sunday

5/7/2019

This coming Sunday is the Good Shepherd Sunday, or the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The second collection this Sunday supports the education and formation of our seminarians. To help promote awareness of the Good Shepherd Sunday and to encourage donations for Good Shepherd Sunday, please use the graphic below for your parish social media, AV media, website or bulletin.

Catholic Education Week

5/7/2019

The celebration of Catholic Education Week across Canada is an opportunity for our faith communities to promote this important ministry of the Church. The theme for Catholic Education Week 2019 is Rejoice and Be Glad. The theme is inspired by Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation of the same name which speaks to the call to holiness in our world. To celebrate the gift of Catholic Education together with our Catholic schools, please find the resources below:

Prayers of the Faithful for May, June, July and August, written by Bishop Paul Terio to support Catholic Education.
Letter from the Catholic Bishops of Alberta & NWT 2019
Catholic Education Week & World Catholic Education Day - background & ideas