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It was a beautiful Sunday morning of June 25, 2017, when we had Mass at the site of our new church. We concluded with a ceremony to break ground marking the beginning of construction. Something remarkable took place that day. As I was about to end my homily, a great number of people in the congregation simultaneously pulled out their phones and took photos of something they were seeing behind me. My thoughts ran wild. First, while still preaching, my inner voice said “How rude! Why take photos of something while I’m preaching!” Then a thought came to me, “What if there’s an accident behind me, or perhaps, a bear?”; we live a Canmore. The Mass proceeded and I totally forgot about the incident.
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After Mass as I helped the crew take down the awning, a few parishioners asked me if I had seen what was going on behind me. I told them that I was perplexed about that moment. Then they started to show me what they had captured on camera, of what appears to be a grouping of crosses at first glance and, as one begins to look closely at the image, an uncanny resemblance to a dove and a figure by a cross as if giving it praise. Yes, I know, they are merely cloud formations. But I marvel at the perfect timing and at the significance of this phenomenon for us who have been involved with this church building project. While this was occurring I was preaching about the Most Holy Trinity:
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"I pray that as we detach ourselves from the building, we will have a greater attachment to God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who is the very reason why we are members of the Catholic Church, the Body of Christ, that while we work and wait for the new church building, our hearts will yearn for that proper home again for the Most Holy Trinity in Canmore, in Communion with the Angels and the Saints.”
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I think the timing was just too much of a coincidence. All I had asked from God for that day was good weather and good attendance. We had great weather and a crowd of over three hundred people, more than we ever expected for an outdoor Mass. The cloud formation was a bonus - more than I could ever imagine!
Those of us who have been heavily involved in this project see in this phenomenon a great sign of affirmation. Since I took over the project in August of 2015, we had several failed launches. The estimated cost to build a 43,000-square foot facility skyrocketed. The soil sample test did not yield the desired result, and some other problems started to surface as well. Little did we know, we would go through six redesigns before finally landing with the current one. This not only shrank the whole project to around 18,360 square feet, a better fit for the parcel of land, but also gave us the best design features of all those proposed. It would have been very easy to lose hope in the process. However, it was also in the midst of all these challenges, that back in November of 2015, we consecrated the whole building project to the care of Saint Joseph. The obstacles that could have swayed us away from God became the little opportunities for greater trust in God through the intercession of the Foster Father of our Lord. 
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We all felt that the Devil always had a way to put obstacles on our path; but we were not deterred because Saint Joseph is the Terror of Demons. We surmised that the greater the project, the greater the trials. If anything, we learned to entrust everything to God even more through Saint Joseph.
While there were many challenges to this project, there were even more miracles. Among many others, we received the donation of the land from Guy Turcotte, we raised around $711,000.00 over a three-month period in a gift matching program, and we were presented with an inventory of over a hundred year old marble pieces that will furnish the church helping to elevate the minds and hearts of those who will come to pray. Finally, we also received the honour from Bishop William McGrattan of being designated a Diocesan Marian Shrine taking effect on the day of the consecration of the Shrine Church. The designation of the Shrine was truly a surprise to us and a great delight. Surprises do not seem to come to an end. It was announced on February 23, 2018 that I will be leaving the project behind as I take up a different and particular ministry in Calgary. Fr. Nathan Siray will be the one tasked to build the Shrine Church. |
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I am grateful to have fulfilled my part. I move forward knowing that once the Shrine Church is built next year, I will be a regular pilgrim, bringing before our Lady my needs and the needs of the Diocese.What becomes clear to me is that, with the Lord, you go where you are sent. Be faithful in accomplishing what you are called to do believing that you are called to fulfill a purpose. But it is the Lord who sees all things; therefore, you have to learn to trust in His plans.
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Our Lady of the Rockies, pray for us. St. Joseph, pray for us. |
The Significance
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