God will make a way: A Parish’s Journey with an Iranian Refugee Family

It was April of 2022 when my parish, St. Albert the Great, embraced the call to sponsor a family of Iranian Catholic refugees for their first year in Canada. We formed a small ministry, and the parish responded with remarkable generosity donating the necessary funds within one year. With funds secured, all that remained was to pray and wait for Immigration Canada’s approval.

During this long wait, a fellow parishioner and I connected with the family through WhatsApp, building a relationship through prayer and encouragement. We shared scripture, celebrated feast days together, and exchanged glimpses of our lives. Our parish community also supported them through prayer vigils and prayer bouquets, offering hope in their darkest moments.

Finally, in September 2024, we received the long-awaited notification from Immigration Canada: the family would be arriving in 7 to 10 weeks. We felt relieved—and also happy because we had many weeks to prepare — then we learned that one of the sisters had been detained in a deportation camp in Turkey. Recognizing the urgency, we prayed for a swift arrival. The Lord answered quickly—within three days we were informed that the family would arrive in just nine days! Our prayer shifted: "Lord, nine days is not much time—we need help!" After a quick check of the liturgical calendar, we realized their arrival would be on the feast of St. Vincent de Paul. Trusting in divine providence, our parish began praying the nine-day novena seeking his intercession as we prepared.

At first, things seemed to fall into place. We quickly found an apartment and felt reassured—God was with us! But then…the apartment deal fell through. We began another search, facing rejection after rejection from landlords. Late one evening, after an exhausting day of work and apartment hunting, a ministry member found a listing for an apartment in a building we hadn’t considered. Tired and doubtful, we nearly ignored it, assuming we’d just face another rejection, but my teammate and I decided to try one more apartment before calling it a night. 

I dialed, expecting voicemail but the landlord answered right away. I was straightforward and upfront: "I’m a volunteer from St. Albert the Great Parish. I have an Iranian family of refugees arriving in five days. They have no jobs, no references, no credit history, and I can’t sign a lease until they arrive. All I can offer is a letter from Calgary Catholic Immigration confirming our parish’s financial support for a year." I braced for rejection. Instead, as soon as I mentioned Calgary Catholic Immigration, he interrupted: "You don’t need to explain any further. My family came to Calgary in 1988 through Calgary Catholic Immigration." Tears welled in my eyes—I saw the hand of God’s providence. Seizing the moment, I asked, “Any chance you can meet me in 20 minutes?” He said, "Yes!" 

​​We walked to the apartment, unsure what to expect. We met the landlord and it turns out he is a Catholic from El Salvador—the same country my husband had fled decades ago. We connected instantly. He shared that he had a tenant lined up, but just that morning, the lease had fallen through, so he was surprised—and even relieved—to receive our call.

Moved by what our parish was doing, he agreed to all our unconventional conditions, lowered the rent to fit our budget, and allowed us to move in the very next day. Our parish community sprang into action, trucks, furniture, and volunteers arrived, working tirelessly to set up the apartment—right up until the moment we left for the airport to welcome the family. ​​

Tears flowed as we embraced the family for the first time when they got off the plane, the weight of their journey evident in their palpable relief at finally being safe in Canada. As they stepped into their new home for the first time, they blessed themselves with the sign of the cross, then noticing an image of Divine Mercy on a prayer table—placed there by a ministry member—they knelt in gratitude, offering thanks to God. Without hesitation, they began unpacking prayer cards, rosaries, and Marian images from their suitcase, carefully arranging them on their new prayer table. It was a moving testament to their strong faith and trust in God.

The next day, I learned a little more about just how much providence was at work. Amidst the whirlwind of appointments, they said, "Sister, we need to tell you something "I listened as they continued, "We are so happy with our apartment—we had been praying for a home in this exact building." I was surprised. "But how?" I asked. "You only asked to be close to the church, and there are many buildings nearby." They smiled. "We found this building on Google Maps and prayed specifically for an apartment in this building." In that moment, I fought back tears, overwhelmed by the depth of God’s care. These courageous women had lost everything—country, family, and home—because they chose to follow Christ. I had only read about this kind of faith. Yet, despite their hardships, they never wavered in their trust that their loving Father would provide. They asked, they trusted, and He answered—working through the hands and hearts of His children on the other side of the world.

​But His generosity didn’t stop there. He not only provided for them, but also for the landlord, who had unexpectedly lost a tenant that very morning. He provided for the landlord’s family who couldn’t have known 36 years ago that God was laying a foundation that would one day prepare them for this moment—an intersection with a new family in need of help; showing that God’s providence extends far beyond the present, reaching across generations. He also provided for me, offering deep consolation through the privilege of witnessing His provision in action. And He provided for our parish family, blessing us with the powerful witness of faith and the opportunity to offer our help. Our God is so good and we are truly His children—one in Christ, bound together by a love that transcends all.

​Since their arrival, they have shared their journey to Christ and the incredible ways the Christian faith continues to grow in Iran. It is a powerful reminder of who our God is—Jesus knows no boundaries. He seeks out souls even in the most unexpected places, moving beyond the barriers of an Islamic regime. Faith in Christ is alive in places we might assume it cannot exist. Let us all continue to pray for our brothers and sisters who face persecution around the world.

​For the past six months, we have walked alongside them as they adjust to life in Canada—learning English and navigating a new culture. Now, as they begin their job search, we ask for your prayers that they may find meaningful work to support themselves.

​We also ask for your prayers for a family member they had to leave behind in Iran. Our hope is that one day, he too will be able to join them here. May God open the right doors and make a way for their reunion.

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Written by Allison Rivas for Faithfully. Allison is a parishioner and Parish Renewal Team member at St. Albert the Great's Parish in Calgary.