Catholic Missions In Canada Magazine, Fall 2014

CatholiC Missions in Canadawww.cmic.info fall 2014

ISSN

170

2-28

94

PLUS: Students visit Yukon • Vocation stories • Tastes of Heaven 2014

APoSTLeS of THe NorTHSharing God’s Wordin remote missions

ediTor’S NoTeS

CHriST iN LiTTLe THiNGS

on page 16 in this issue, you will find seminarian Kevin Toews’s vocation story.

Kevin says a formation visit to Whitehorse diocese in the Yukon challenged him “to find Christ in all the little things I do.” For instance, he says, “How do I seek holiness when I am chopping wood? Or shovelling truckloads of snow? How can my work become something for the greater glory of God?”

This is the same questioning that spurred fellow seminarian Sylvester Ibekwe, as recounted on page 12, to find his way to an authentic life. And perhaps the same yearning that resonates in the stories of missionaries and religious featured in this issue: from our St. Joseph Award recipient Sister Alice Walsh, p.b.v.m., to Father Eugene Whyte, o.m.i., who serves in Northern Sas-katchewan to Father Damian MacPherson, s.a., who finds the time from his busy schedule to serve in the missions.

As the young students find out on pages 38-39, our missionaries will not flinch to do the little stuff to keep a mission going.

Patria C. Rivera

contentsfeATUreS

6A legacy of presence in

Natuashish mission Sister brings care and catechism

to Labrador community Anne Hanley

12My journey to the priesthood In Jesus, seminarian finds answer

to the true meaning of life Sylvester Ibekwe

16 Preparing for the priesthood

Lessons from the North: Sacrifice and love go a long way

Kevin Toews

20Total surrender

Ordained priest initially rebuffed intermittent

calls to join religious life Father Damian MacPherson, s.a.

28Enkindled hearts can transform the world

Bishop of Nelson speaks at Tastes of Heaven Gala 2014

31Sister Alice Walsh, p.b.v.m.

Biggest challenge was learning how to take on various ministries

Volume 33, Number 3 Fall 2014

2 FALL 2014

contents CatholiC Missions in CanadaCatholic Missions In Canada® is the magazine of Catholic

Missions In Canada, founded in 1908 under papal mandate as The Catholic Church Extension Society of

Canada, to support Canada’s missions.

President:Father Philip J. Kennedy

National Director of Development: Kathleen Ancker, c.f.r.e.

Director of Finance and Administration:Don Smith, c.a.

Editor: Patria C. Rivera

Officers of Catholic Missions In Canada are:Thomas Cardinal Collins of Toronto, Apostolic Chancellor;

Bishop David Motiuk, Ukrainian Eparch of Edmonton, Alberta, Vice-Chancellor;

James Milway of Hamilton, Ontario, Secretary; and Terence Freitas of Unionville, Ontario, Treasurer.

Other members of the Board of Governors are:Bishop John Corriveau, o.f.m. cap., of Nelson, British Columbia; Archbishop Albert LeGatt of

St. Boniface, Manitoba; Bishop Robert Anthony Daniels of Grand Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador;

Bishop Stephen Jensen of Prince George, British Columbia; Sister Bernadette Feist, o.s.u., of Lebret, Saskatchewan; Sister Carmen Catellier, s.n.j.m., of Cross Lake, Manitoba;

Marie Fiorellino Di Poce of Kleinburg, Ontario; Leonard Racioppo of Toronto, Ontario; and

Carlo De Pellegrin, c.a., of Richmond Hill, Ontario.

Published quarterly by CATHOLIC MISSIONS IN CANADA

201-1155 Yonge Street. Toronto, Ontario M4T 1W2

Tel: (416) 934-3424 1 (866) YES-CMIC1 (866) 937-2642 (toll-free)

Fax: (416) 934-3425E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.cmic.infoISSN Number: 1702-2894

Publications Mail Agreement 40044706Member of the Catholic Press Association

of the United States and Canada

©2014 Catholic Missions In Canada. All rights reserved.BN 11922 0531 RR0001

A yearly offering of $25 or more helps cover the costs of this magazine and our mission work.

Cover Photo: After serving as Missionary Bishop of White-horse in the Yukon for eight years, Bishop Gary Gordon is moving on to take over the Diocese of Victoria, which

comprises Vancouver Island and area in British Columbia.

Photo courtesy of Bishop Gary Gordon

34Missions in Northern SaskatchewanFaithful and prayerful communities abound in small prairie missions Father Eugene Whyte, o.m.i.

38On a mission for ChristHigh-schoolers find faith and work through Christ in Yukon journey Emma Graham and Namir Khalaf

dePArTmeNTS 2 Editor’s Notes 4 From the President’s Desk 40 Gift Planning 46 Letters

Volume 33, Number 3 Fall 2014

CATHOLIC MISSIONS IN CANADA 3CATHOLIC MISSIONS IN CANADA 3

6

Sister Sheila Fortune c.s.j.

miSSioNArieS ANd VoCATioNSMany are called to consider a life of giftedness and love to help God’s peopleBY fATHer PHiLiP J. KeNNedY, PreSideNT

HANdiNG oN THe fAiTH

in Catholic Missions in Canada, we who work with and support the “labourers

in the vineyard” are continually impressed by the commitment, and by the heroic example of the missionaries.

Our missionaries are seen to witness the call to spend their lives spreading the Word of God, and helping those entrusted to their care with the tasks of coming to know God through Jesus Christ.

Our missionary sisters often give their whole lives to the sacred work of serving the communities of our various

mission dioceses. True pioneers, they have been known to make immense sacrifices in isolated locales, teaching the people the faith and preparing them for the sacraments. This is part of what is meant by vocation. The

call from Christ Himself to an individual in faith is taken seriously, and with the awareness that God will supply the grace to fulfill that vocation. The Grey Sisters, the Sisters of Saint

Anne, the Ursulines and Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate, as well as many other women’s orders have given their energy to the people, to help the spiritual life grow.

Over the past decades many priests, too, have given of themselves to sanctify the Christian Community in which they worked. Oblates

missionaries have handedon the faith by professing,sharing, and celebrating itin liturgy and prayer

4 FALL 2014

of Mary Immaculate, Jesuits, diocesan priests, the Sons of Mary Mother of Mercy, and several others, have done just what the Catechism of the Catholic Church demands: handing on the faith from generation to generation, by professing the faith, by living it in fraternal sharing, and by celebrating it in liturgy and prayer. (Prologue, Item 3)

In addition to sisters and priests, there are religious brothers who assist in the onerous tasks of building up the Church. We also count lay men and women among the many who devote themselves to the missions in Canada. These lay men and women sustain the

Word of God by catechesis, sacramental preparation, and community service.

Of enormous importance is the vocation that is still proposed and held out to men and women, especially in their younger years, to consider a life of giftedness and love to help God’s people to find their way to Christ Our Lord.

It is fitting for us to pray fervently for young people to consider and commit themselves to the life to which God is calling them. The urgent need of priests, sisters, religious, deacons and lay persons in the Church needs to be answered by responding to the vocation that Jesus extends.

Daughters of Providence Sisters in their horse-drawn wagon, at Whitefish mission in Big River First Nation, Saskatchewan, ca. 1941.

Phot

o co

urte

sy o

f the

Dio

cese

of P

rince

Alb

ert

CATHOLIC MISSIONS IN CANADA 5

iNNU miNiSTrY iN NATUASHiSH, LABrAdor

Presence and support key to Sister Sheila Fortune’s ministry as she journeys among the Innu people in NatuashishSTorY ANd PHoToS BY ANNe HANLeY

iNSTrUmeNTSfor God’S USe

As parish life coordinator at Tshukuminu St. Anne mission, Sister Sheila Fortune, c.s.j., has lived and ministered among the over 800 residents of the Innu community of Natuashish for the past four years.

Located 300 kms (or a two-hour plane trip) north of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Natuashish is an inland Labrador community accessible year-round only by small plane, and by plane and boat in the summer months—when winter ice has melted.

Her ministry in Natuashish she says is one of being present. “There is no healing without presence,” she says. “It’s so important to empower people. How can I best support the good things they do?”

That presence and support have been key to her ministry in Natuashish as she journeys with the historically nomadic people in their efforts

6 FALL 2014

iNSTrUmeNTSfor God’S USe

Sister Sheila Fortune, c.s.j., with Thomas Rich at doorway of Tshukuminu St. Anne (Grandmother St. Anne) mission church in Natuashish, Labrador.


to rebuild their lives and futures following their relocation from the troubled community of Davis Inlet in late 2002.

Her compassion is felt throughout Natuashish—whether visiting elders, blessing families’ homes, opening Aboriginal days with a prayer, baptizing babies about to be air-lifted out of the community for hospital treatment, answering late-night calls to comfort an injured child, preparing sand-wiches, cupcakes and cakes for post-Liturgy luncheons, wel-coming children to her rooms above the church for sacra-

mental preparation, colouring and chatting, or helping teen-agers prepare for their high school graduation ceremony. And for the first time during her ministry in Natuashish, this year’s graduation was a two-part ceremony—the first of which took place in the church.

In walking the dusty roads of Natuashish, the silence is regu-larly broken by children calling from passing trucks, playing or riding their bicycles: “Sister Sheila! Hi, Sister Sheila!”

To every child who calls—either on these walkabouts, to children knocking at the church window or calling from the church yard—comes her cheery response, “Hello darling!” and, if she is in her living quar-ters, “I’ll be right down!”—a cheery promise accompanied by cookies, crackers or cupcakes, and conversation.

“Our ministry should touch people’s hearts,” she says. “We have to be the vessel through which God’s unconditional love, mercy and kindness are shared.”

That kindness was shared one Sunday morning this past winter. With the furnace

broken, Sister Sheila told those gathered that that day’s Lit-urgy would be brief so that they could quickly return to the warmth of their homes.

One youngster wouldn’t be rushed. Looking up at Sister Sheila, she asked, “Will we still have cookies and cupcakes?”

A child once asked Sister Sheila, ‘does God know how kind you are?,’ to which she responded, ‘No, my darling, i think you need to tell Him.’

8 FALL 2014

Amid the congregation’s laughter, Sister Sheila said, “Yes, my darling, we’ll still have cookies.”

At that, the child shyly asked, “Does God know how kind you are?” Joining in the warm laughter, Sister Sheila smiled, and said, “No, my darling, I think you need to tell Him.”

The Innu were first evangelized by the Jesuits in the 1600s. After over 200 years and no priestly presence, the Oblates arrived and found the people saying the rosary in their tents at night. Their faith remains strong—thanks to the Jesuits, Oblates, and Sisters who have ministered there.

It was the decision of the people to build a church in

the new community of Natu-ashish in 2006. Sister Sheila says, “Given their faith journey and the many transitions they have survived, there is always a fear of being abandoned by God and the Church. They are an oppressed people who need a missionary presence to promote healing, to encourage the people and help them move towards a future where there is hope.”

In reflecting on her ministry and the people of Natuashish, Sister Sheila says: “I believe God has a dream for them. I hope that in some small way, we are helping them to fulfill their dream, (even if) we may not see it in our lifetime. ”

About two hours out of Happy Valley-Goose Bay lies Nain, the first stop on the flight to Natuashish. Like Natuashish, Nain is accessible only by air or sea.


Catholic Missions In Canada supporters have helped make that dream possible. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Catholic Missions In Canada,” she says. “Without that support, we would not have a presence and the mission of Christ would not be alive here.”

It’s not just financial sup-port that’s so important to Sister Sheila; it’s the knowledge that she is remembered in prayer. “You pray for us. When winter sets in and it’s dark and cold here, the knowledge that we are not forgotten means so much.”

The network of partnering relationships that has come about through Catholic Missions In Canada has been invaluable to “enhancing” her ministry in Natuashish—whether through

knitted goods (see Catholic Missions In Canada Spring magazine, page 34) or special donor cheques that miraculously appeared when her grocery money was dangerously low. “These were all the miracles of Jesus,” she says.

“We’re only instruments for God’s use,” she notes. “Hopefully, we will play some small part in helping Natuashish be the com-munity God calls it to be.”

Ed. Note: Sister Sheila Fortune, c.s.j., bid farewell to the people of Natuashish in June 2014. Father Anthony Anh continues to serve the people there as resident priest at Tshukuminu St. Anne mission. This article was based on a visit to Natuashish in late May 2014.

Sister Sheila prepares Debbie Rich and her cousin Giselle Rich for their First Communion. “I want children to remember…talking about God.”

10 FALL 2014

Innu Nation Grand Chief Prote Poker proclaims one of the readings for Sunday’s Liturgy of the Word in Tshukuminu St. Anne church in Natuashish, where hymns and prayers are offered in Innu.


In Jesus, seminarian finds answer to the true meaning of life BY SYLVeSTer iBeKWe

mY JoUrNeY To THe PrieSTHood

i was seventeen, and had just finished high school in Nigeria. The world had opened up to me with all its beauty, charm and pos-

sibilities. I had to consider what I would do with my life. I needed the best that the world could offer. I spent time with my friends. We talked about our future and the kind of profes-sion we wanted.

I wanted to become a medical doctor. The medical profession appealed to me because it was a prestigious profession. After the university entrance exams, I was ready to study medicine. But then I began to question myself: “What is it that I really want to do in life? To be a doctor is something great and wonderful, but is there

something else better?” I wanted to live life fully. My questions continued: “Is there a certain way to live to find true life and ulti-mate fulfillment?” Answers came from my friends, but those were easy answers. I was not content with partial, immediate answers.

One day, I went to pray in the Capuchin Franciscan House. It was a place of serenity and beauty. I enjoyed visiting there for my prayer and for the Sac-rament of Reconciliation. After receiving the Sacrament of Rec-onciliation, I stayed back to pray. I felt at peace. My concern about what to do in life left me for that moment. I wanted to remain in that peace. Eventually, it was time for the Franciscan brothers to say their midday prayers. As they

eVerY STeP BriNGS NeW JoY

12 FALL 2014


entered the chapel for their after-noon prayers, I watched them very closely. Their countenance was peaceful, and they appeared to be very content.

As I left the Franciscan house that day, I felt at peace. But days after that, a new set of questions flooded my mind: Who am I? Where did I come from? What am I living for? What does the future hold for me? How can I live now so that both my present and my future will be fulfilled? In what lies the true meaning and value of life? I went back to the Franciscan house.

This time, I had the opportu-nity to meet one of the brothers. He talked to me about the life of St. Francis of Assisi and gave me a book on the life of St. Francis. In the living room of the Franciscan house was a picture of St. Francis with the

words “Lord what do you want me to do?” written on it. Like me, St. Francis was a joyful youth who enjoyed the com-pany of his friends, attended parties, and loved life.

In reading the life of St. Francis, I discovered that at some point in his life, those things that gave him immediate joy and gratification no longer appealed to him. He sought and found the source of true, enduring, and lasting joy in Jesus. In Jesus, he found the answers to the questions that accompanied his path, not in a superficial, easy way but through walking with Jesus. He shared the life of Christ and he learned to truly live. In Christ, he found himself and the true meaning of life. I was overjoyed as I read the life of St. Francis. This was exactly what I wanted: to dis-cover true life just as St. Francis did.

After a time of prayer, I decided I was going to become a Franciscan. I wanted to follow Christ more closely.

The journey began in 1999. Through this journey, it became clear that the way to authentic life is to live for others. I wanted to serve humanity, to bring to different environments that newness which can change relationships, institutions, struc-tures, to build a more just world marked by solidarity and ani-mated by the quest for the common good. I wanted to find my life by giving it away in ser-vice to others. This is what the Lord has called me to do as a priest. This is the path I have found—the path to true life.

‘i decided i was going to become a franciscan’

14 FALL 2014

In Jesus I have found the answer to the true meaning of life for in Him is the fullness of life.

As I undergo my formation to the priesthood at St. Joseph Semi-nary, Edmonton, I have discovered anew that there is nothing more beautiful than to have Jesus as a friend. Through Jesus, I have also discovered the true beauty of each human person.

In the seminary, I have been given the joy of journeying with young men who are also searching for the ultimate meaning of life. My journey to the priesthood, in spite of the challenges, has been interesting and fulfilling. There is

never an end to the way the Lord surprises me with little joys every day. This joy does not grow old; it is new every day, and I am confident that it will continue as I devote my whole life as a priest in serving God and the people of the Diocese of Nelson.

I am glad the Lord found me. In finding me, I have found Him, and the ultimate meaning of life.

Sylvester Ibekwe is studying for the priesthood for the Diocese of Nelson.

Reprinted from Volume XI, Number 2, August 2013 issue of Catholic Mountain Star, Diocese of Nelson.

Seminarian Sylvester Ibekwe assists at a church dedication in the Diocese of Nelson, British Columbia.


PrePAriNG for THe PrieSTHood

in a recent conversation about The Wise Men and the path they needed to follow Jesus, the question arose as to why Herod did not go with them.

He knew where and when to find the Lord. All he needed to do was leave his palace.

Four years ago, when I began my seminary formation, I could never imagine where it would lead me spiritually. So far, it has taken me somewhere I thought I would never be: Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.

As part of this seminary year, we were sent away for a month to another religious commu-nity, in my case, to Mary’s House, which is part of the Madonna House Apostolate, where I would experience the Church and the life of a priest in the North.

There, I was challenged to find Christ in all the little things I do. How do I seek holiness when I am chopping wood? Or shovelling Ph

oto

cour

tesy

of K

evin

Toew

s

In the North, people do the most of what they can with the tools and gifts that they have been given; sacrifice and love go a long way.BY KeViN ToeWS

LeSSoNS fro m THe NorTH

16 FALL 2014

Kevin Toews, a seminarian for theDiocese of Calgary, visited the Dioceseof Whitehorse last year. With himin photo are former Whitehorse BishopGary Gordon, now Bishop of Victoria,and the Bishop’s dog, Merlin.

LeSSoNS fro m THe NorTH


truckloads of snow? How can my work become something for the greater glory of God? For me, it came in understanding that I am a small piece in a larger puzzle. In offering up little things I would do, which at times were annoying or exhausting, I was able to help out those who help others.

The Church in Whitehorse is truly an amazing place. The Diocese of Whitehorse is led by Bishop Gary Gordon (now installed Bishop of the Dio-cese of Victoria), with six priests serving the whole diocese, which

covers an area larger than Bel-gium, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands combined.

Needless to say, a priest in the North has to do a great amount of driving. For example, in one weekend I travelled 1,686 km—or 27 hours of driving—for three Masses in remote areas. I was blown away by the communities within these remote parishes. Though there might be just a family or a dozen people at the Mass and the Mass celebrated in a

living room or a mission church, the energy and faith of those attending was always astounding.

The Whitehorse diocese is a reflection of how God can take what is challenging for us and create something wonderful. It is also a testimony to the faith and commitment of those involved. The extraordinary people I met there do the most of what they can with the tools and gifts that they have been given; sacrifice and love go a long way.

I am thankful to God that I have had the opportunity to visit White-horse and learn from everyone here. If God leads me to become a priest, the lessons I have learned here will be invaluable. I have learned not to take God (and the Mass!) for granted, because not everyone has the opportunity to have Mass every week, or even every month. God is amazing, and He can do wondrous things with what appears to be so little. Never underestimate the Spirit, because where it seems that not much is going on, there just might be a lively fire. Finally, any work, no matter how insignificant, is an opportunity for holiness. Praise the Lord!

Kevin Toews is studying for the priesthood for the Diocese of Calgary and stayed in the Diocese of White-horse as part of St. Joseph Seminary in Edmonton’s formation program.

‘The Church in Whitehorse is truly an amazing place’

18 FALL 2014

MA-

2014

-03-

ENDO

W

Establish an Endowment

c Please send me information on establishing an endowment

Name_____________________________________________________________________ Fr./Sr./Br./Dr./Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms.

Address___________________________________________________________________

City_________________ Province__________Postal Code____________

Phone_______________________ Birthdate (D/M/Y) ________________

Subscribe to our email list at cmic.info/home/subscribe

Mail to: Catholic Missions In Canada, Gift Planning Office 201 – 1155 Yonge Street, Toronto ON M4T 1W2

Tel: 416-934-3424 Fax: 416-934-3425 Toll-free: 1-866-YES-CMIC (937-2642)

Email request to: [email protected] Website: www.cmic.info

It is wonderfully fulfilling to do something good that lasts—something that makes a difference.

Our Endowment Fund is growing and we couldn’t be more pleased. It means we can continue to support these four mission needs:

• The education and formation of seminarians and lay leaders • The religious education of children and youth • The building and repair of places of worship • The basic needs of our missionaries

To establish an endowment, a minimum gift of $5,000 is required; this can be funded through smaller installments over a period of five years, as many of our donors have done.

Your endowment gift will remain intact forever—the interest earned on your gift will provide a perpetual stream of financial support to our missions each and every year—a great way to keep giving, generation after generation.

t o c r e a t e a l e g a c y o f f a i t h f o r f u t u r e g e n e r a t i o n s

oN BeComiNG A PrieST

i am one of thirteen children, ten boys and three girls. My Dad was a carpenter and my mom was a schoolteacher when she was not raising her

family. Someone recently said to me all mothers of priests are in heaven. I guess I can be sure of that since I also have another brother who is a priest, Father Albert MacPherson, o.s.a., who is an Augustinian and I am a Franciscan. In my case, how did it happen?

As a boy I did boyish things. I loved to play hockey, baseball, cricket and even a little soccer. Early on, about the age of four-teen, the thought of becoming a religious began to circulate in my mind. At first I welcomed these sentiments, only later on to want them to go away. As I became more mature, I

did my best to ignore such incli-nations, but they insisted on visiting me intermittently, some-times more strongly, causing me to pray vigorously, asking God that He would just take away those recurring thoughts so that I could get on with concentrating on what I really wanted to do with my life. For about five years I carried on my divine conversations, without ever feeling that I was gaining any ground.

Finally, and with reluctance, I surrendered. I made a bargain with the Lord. I agreed to leave my small coal mining town of New Waterford in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. I travelled to Graymoor Garrison, New York, home of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. Even while en route I was mostly

Father Damian MacPherson, s.a., served as visiting priest at St. Peter’s mission in Brochet, Manitoba, in the Archdiocese of Keewatin-Le Pas.Below, he shares his vocation story.BY fATHer dAmiAN mACPHerSoN, S.A.

ToTAL SUrreNder

20 FALL 2014


convinced that this would not last long, and I would be able to return with peace of mind and simply get on with my life.

When I arrived at Graymoor, there were thirty other postu-lants, as we were then called. I recall arriving at the residence in the dark of night and being greeted by a brown-robed friar who would be my director. As I stepped across the threshold of the huge monastic door, I sat down and among the first ques-tions asked of me was if I had

cigarettes. Thinking Father was asking for a cigarette, I pulled out my package and offered him one. “Oh no, son,” he said, “I will take them all.” It was the beginning of what would become a very different and dis-ciplined style of life to which I was expected to mould myself.

Once I became familiar with my surroundings, I was haunted by the thought of how I simply disliked this environment, while feeling that I owed it to myself to give it a go. Part of

the discipline was that we were only allowed to communicate with our family by letter once a month. Our letters were to be left opened for the Postulant Master to read, if he so chose. Likewise, letters received were also opened for the same reason.

After about three months, I can remember receiving a letter from my mother indicating that she seemed to think that I was not so happy at Graymoor and if that was so, I should feel free to come home. Her letter literally changed my life. Up until then I realized that I really was not giving myself to the program of formation, but simply going through the motions. From that moment on, I began to be honest with myself and give in to the whole process of formation.

That was fifty years ago, on November 2, 1963.

Since then I can honestly say that I have been a satisfied and fulfilled Friar of the Atonement. Each of my other thirty class-mates eventually realized that life as a Friar of the Atonement was not their calling.

To be honest, I must say that I am somewhat embarrassed when I think of how I initially treated my call to religious life. I am grateful that God did not give up on me!

‘i began to be honest with myself and give in to the process’

22 FALL 2014

AgeMaleRate

Female Rate

Joint Rate

65 4.64% 4.38% 3.86%

75 5.81% 5.37% 4.78%

85 8.07% 7.52% 6.25%

92+ 10.0% 10.0% 8.12%

Rates as of May 1, 2014

Gift Annuityi t i s t i m e to i n v e s t i n a

c a l l i n g a l l p r i e s t s , b i s h o p s , a n d s u p p o r t e r s !

c Please send me information on gift annuitiesName_____________________________________________________________________ Fr./Sr./Br./Dr./Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms.

Address___________________________________________________________________


Phone_______________________ Subscribe to our email list at cmic.info/home/subscribe Minimum Age: 60 Minimum Amount: $10,000

Individual: Male/Female: Birthdate: ______/______ /______Day / Month / Year

Joint: Male/Female: Birthdate: ______/______ /______Day / Month / Year



E-mail request to [email protected] Website: www.cmic.info

MA-

2014

-03-

CGA

Our gift annuity program offers:

✓ Secured monthly payments

✓ Freedom from investment stress

✓ Tax-free income guaranteed for life

Best of all, peace of mind and and continued support to our Canadian-missions for generations to come!

There’s no better way to feel more secure spiritually and financially than with a gift annuity with Catholic Missions In Canada..

Call or write todayfor your free annuity proposal!

direCTioNS iN ABoriGiNAL miNiSTrY CoNfereNCe

on July 9-11, the Directions in Aboriginal Ministry confer-ence was held at Rosemary

Retreat Centre in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, British Columbia.

The Assembly of Western Catholic Bishops Standing Committee on Aboriginal Ministry, with the assistance and leadership of Sister Eva Solomon, c.s.j., and in coopera-tion with Newman Theological College, hosted this workshop, now in its seventh year.

The focus of this year’s gath-ering was on “The Sacraments, Sacred Signs, and Ceremonies.”

The Aboriginal people of Canada have a rich history of ceremony and prayer, a rich tapestry of grace and

A rich tapestry of graceBY BiSHoP GArY GordoN

oN SACrAmeNTSANd SACred SiGNS

Myra Charlie of Cowichen Nation proclaiming God’s Word.

24 FALL 2014

blessing that enriches and informs the sacramental ministry of the Church.

The four days were an expe-rience of Christ in Word and Sacrament, deepening our respective cultural identities and who each person is as a child of God, called by name in Baptism and called by name in a family and a culture.

The gathering represented distinct regions and cultures of Aboriginal peoples from Ontario to Vancouver Island, and the far North of the Yukon and the Northwest Territories.

The distinct culture of the Coast Salish Nations was pre-dominant at the conference, with its indigenous and beautiful

traditions enhancing and deep-ening our understanding of Baptism and the Covenant of God’s abiding love.

Thank you, Catholic Missions In Canada. Your support makes such work possible.

Bishop Gary Gordon, past Bishop of the Diocese of Whitehorse, is now installed Bishop of the Diocese of Victoria in British Columbia.Ph

otos

cou

rtesy

of B

isho

p Ga

ry G

ordo

n

‘Thank you, Catholic missions in Canada. Your support makes such work possible’

Rennie and Emma Nahannee of Squamish Nation lead the song in God’s Cathedral. Rennie is director of Native ministry in the Archdiocese of Vancouver.


HeavenTastesof

T h u r S d a y , M a y 1 , 2 0 1 4

John & marie di poce and family

bennett Jones llp mattamy homes pwc

michael chisholm, wealth advisor, scotiamcleod

thank you to our sponsors & patrons!

argo lumber inc. alice & grant burton buttcon limited carpenters and allied workers local 27central fairbank lumbercrupi law /

bisceglia & associates – lawyers ernst & youngJohn & rose gennaro

celeste & mary iacobelliknights of columbus #1388, henry miller, grand knightJohn & aileen mcgrathfrank & helen morneaupolicaro automotive familysalt and light catholic media foundationst. Joseph communicationsstairfab and railings inc.tamarack lumber inc.

S I l v e r

alpa stairs and railings inc.John amendola / snapd newspapersbattiston & associates, barristers & solicitors the buckley familymichael & merianne castellarinccscesaroni contracting inc. clifford restoration limited coerente capital management inc.cole engineering groupcondor properties ltd. /

country wide homes ltd. nick & rosanne cortellucci deloittedig-con international limitedfra construction co. inc. gammond investments ltd.halton forming / meadow wynd homesintegrated planning & solutions corporationjohn paul & co.lindt & sprüngli

ltr, light tower rentalsthe maccarthy familymcmillan llp miller, egan, molter & nelson llpmiller thomson llpnelmar drywall company ltd.nordic engineered wood fausto & silvana palomboedward & loretta perdue /

christopher & brenda di fonzoroyal mechanical inc. scotia private client group

bruno cunsolo, senior private bankersotheby’s international realty canada, brokerage /

colliers macaulay nicolls (ontario) inc., brokeragestikeman elliott llpteldon media groupterco construction ltd.williams & partners, chartered accountants llpwyndale paving co. ltd.

B r o N z e

simon ainley mary biasonlen ferragine of bradford greenhousesvilma cortellucci-fiuza integro insurance brokersfrank & yvonne kennedykings valley paving inc. klm planning partners inc.kubra

Jim & winnie mageemartella consulting inc.metrie canada ltd.montesano-primont homesscotiabank gta real estatescotia capital inc.the sam sorbara charitable foundationtesoro windows & doors inc.

P a T r o N S

28 FALL 2014

BiSHoP CorriVeAU AT TASTeS of HeAVeN GALA 2014

Bishop John Corriveau, o.f.m. conv., left, spoke at Catholic Missions In Canada’s Tastes of Heaven Gala May 1 in Vaughan, Ontario. The proceeds of the gala will benefit the four mission dioceses in Northern British Columbia. On the next page are excerpts from Bishop Corriveau’s speech.BY BiSHoP JoHN CorriVeAU, o.f.m. CoNV.

eNKiNdLed HeArTS CANTrANSform THe WorLd


Come Holy Spirit, Enkindle our Hearts! Enkindled hearts can transform the world. This describes the work

of Catholic Missions in Canada over the past 100 years.

I witnessed the power of this mission last Friday in Cranbrook, British Columbia, where I participated in the funeral of Mary Richardson. Mary, with the support of Catholic Missions In Canada, served for more than 20 years as a pastoral minister on four First Nations Reserves in the East Kootenay region of the Diocese of Nelson. Mary was killed in a recent tragic car crash. Mary was remembered with great affection as the compassionate face of the Gospel and the Church among the First Nations peoples she served.

The dioceses of British Columbia’s Northern coast and interior share things in common. We have large territories with the smallest Catholic proportions in Canada, reaching not more than 15 per cent of the population.

Each diocese has a few urban centres with several larger parishes and many more small parishes scattered throughout the mountains. Last Sunday, for example, I travelled 450 km to celebrate three Confirmation ceremonies in which I confirmed

a total of four young people. Our dioceses have another

important common reality. We have many First Nations commu-nities. The Diocese of Nelson has ten First Nations reserves. The Diocese of Victoria has at least that number and the Dioceses of Kamloops and Prince George have many more. All the First Nations reserves in the Diocese of Nelson share a Catholic tradition, having been evangelized by the early Oblate missionaries. Although our First Nations communities repre-sent a variety of cultures, they share a common tragic legacy from the Residential Schools. Over seven generations, Canadian government policy mandated the removal of children as young as six or seven years of age from their families and communities. It has left a tragic legacy of broken families and ruptured communities which will require years of healing.

Jesus and His Gospel are an essential dimension of this healing process. “Peace be with you!” Jesus continues to breathe His Holy Spirit. He breathed His Holy Spirit on Mary Richardson. He continues to breathe that same Holy Spirit on many other pas-toral ministers, priests and religious enfleshing in their pastoral min-istry healing and reconciliation: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven” (Jn 20:23).

30 FALL 2014

SiSTer ALiCe WALSH, P.B.V.m.

Sister Alice Walsh, p.b.v.m., pastoral administrator of Our Lady of Fatima parish

in Piccadilly, Newfoundland, in the Diocese of Corner Brook and Labrador, received Catholic Missions In Canada’s St. Joseph Award for outstanding mis-sionary work at our Tastes of Heaven Gala 2014.

Aside from serving at Our Lady of Fatima parish, Sister Walsh, 84, who is retiring this year, also ministered to the mis-sion communities in Ship Cove,

Abraham Cove and West Bay on the Port-Au-Port Pen-insula on the West Coast of Newfoundland.

Sister Walsh said her biggest challenge came when she came face to face with the various parish ministries: “I had to learn on the job and with the help of priests who came to our parish for Sunday Masses and other sacramental ministries. I did a lot of learning—and what a good experience it was—with a good instructors to inform me on the journey.”

Sister had to ‘learn on the job’BY CATHoLiC miSSioNS iN CANAdA STAff

ST. JoSePH AWArd GoeS To PiCCAdiLLY miSSioNArY

Cardinal Thomas Collins of Toronto, Apostolic Chancellor of Catholic Missions In Canada, centre, with Bishop John Corriveau, o.f.m. conv., and St. Joseph Award recipient Sister Alice Walsh, p.b.v.m.


Since arriving in the Cowichan Valley of British Columbia in December 2011, Sisters Vinda ochoa (left) and elisa Lavarias— both Religious of the Virgin Mary Sisters—have begun a number of outreach initiatives and launched a First Nations Children and Youth program. Changes are amazing! One three-year-old boy whose father had passed away came to the pro-

gram needing to be fed by volunteers who also guided his hands in art sessions. Now he counts the days ’til next session, happily greets visitors, feeds himself and even has a hearty appetite! You can bring such joy to children and their grateful families this

Christmas! Your gift will help provide the $9,000 Sister Vinda and Sister Elisa need for the annual operation of these programs.

Before Sister Sheila fortune, c.s.j., opened this letter (at right) and cheque from Catholic Missions In Canada, she had just $11.40 in her Natuashish account—and in a com-munity accessible only by plane and boat, that wouldn’t go far! Groceries and gas are expensive—a half tank of gas costs $50—and groceries were needed for her simple meals, light lunches for children, parents and elders after Sunday Liturgy, and her baking for children visiting throughout the week. That gratitude on herface? It’s for Catholic Missions In Canada donors!

While Sister Sheila bid farewell to Natuashish in June 2014, resident priest Father Anthony Anh faces the same financial challenges as he continues the mission in the Innu community. Will you welcome Father Anthony to Natuashish with a gift this

Christmas? Your gift will help fund his annual expenses of $24,000

A missionary’s prayer

Guess who celebrated a milestone this year? Sister margaret Sadler, s.e.j.! Whilecontinuing to serve in three NorthernManitoba missions, Sister Margaretcelebrated the 50th anniversary ofher religious profession this spring.Thompson is the nearest major centre to the missions, but it’s not near; the mis-sion of Kinoosao is a six-hour drive from Thompson! While Catholic Missions In Canada supporters fund Sister Margaret’s travel and sustenance, her Lynn Lake resi-dence needs repairs—as do both mission churches. You can honour Sister Margaret’s dedication with a special Christmas

gift. Your donation will help cover the nearly $9,000 needed this year for heating and repair costs to her residence and the two churches.

Make this a Christmas that shows our missionaries you remember them…and the people they serve!Please designate my Christmas gift to answering a missionary’s prayers this Christmas:

Father Anthony • Sister Vinda • Sister Margaret

Name_______________________________________________________________ Fr./Sr./Br./Dr./Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms.

Address____________________________________________________________

City_____________________ Province_____________Postal Code_____________

Phone____________________________ Birthdate (D/M/Y) ___________________

Subscribe to our email list at cmic.info/home/subscribe BN# 11922 0531 RR0001 Mail to: Catholic Missions In Canada 201 – 1155 Yonge Street, Toronto ON M4T 1W2

Tel: 416-934-3424 Toll-free: 1-866-YES-CMIC (937-2642)

Fax: 416-934-3425 Website: www.cmic.info

MA2

014-

03-C

W

If and when a Christmas wish is answered, additional gifts will then be gratefully and with donor permission, directed to other Christmas petitions.

A missionary’s prayer

miSSioNS of NorTHerN SASKATCHeWAN

Blessings abound in missions fAiTHfUL ANd PrAYerfUL

34 FALL 2014

Blessings abound in missions fAiTHfUL ANd PrAYerfUL

Mass is celebrated twice a month at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Pine-house Lake, Northern Saskatchewan.

STorY ANd PHoToS BY fATHer eUGeNe WHYTe, o.m.i.


Beauval, a beautiful valley, lives up to its name. And the best view is from the church, St. Mary Magda-lene, and the rectory next

door. They look out onto the Beaver River, and in the distance, a large pond-like lake, and farther still, hills that clearly bear witness to the particular season we are in.

St. Mary Magdalene has been blessed generously over the years, thanks to the fulsome support of Catholic Missions In Canada. About fifteen years ago, the church building received a new steel roof, and it continues to shine brightly in the sun.

Aside from this particular effort, Catholic Missions In Canada continues to fund the missions of Northern Saskatch-ewan each year.

I serve five missions in Northern Saskatchewan: Beauval, Cole Bay, Canoe Narrows, Pine-house Lake and Patuanak. They are adjacent to the missions of Father Wendelin Rolheiser, a fellow Oblate missionary who serves Île-à-la-Crosse, Dillon, and Buffalo Narrows.

CHALLeNGeS of miSSioN WorKSuch a collection of missions, all about 100 or so kilometres from Beauval, present some challenges at Christmas and Easter, but for-tunately Father John Zunti, an

Oblate priest now in his eighties, is able to help out over the different seasons. At St. Dominic parish in Pinehouse Lake, Sunday Mass is celebrated twice a month, and on the other two Sundays, a service in the absence of a priest is cele-brated by the local community.

The community has a number of people working farther north in uranium mines as well as in the local community itself. The parish provides catechism prepa-ration for the sacraments and also prepares people for marriage.

St. Louis parish in Patuanak is the home mission of a small Dene community located on a part of Île-à-la-Crosse lake, at the origins of the Churchill River. The com-munity is very supportive of the Church. Sunday Mass is usually well attended by the community when the priest is present to cel-ebrate Eucharist; this happens two Sundays out of four every month. The financial contributions from Catholic Missions In Canada are important to maintain the church through the very cold winters, and also to provide continuing travel and other expenses for the missionary priest.

There are also many elderly people in Patuanak. They have a limited use of English, but have been blessed for many previous years in having Oblate priests who speak Dene.

36 FALL 2014

CHriSTmAS iN THe miSSioNSBefore Christmas, at each of the missions, one or two eve-nings are spent celebrating a Christmas Vigil. The church becomes a place conducive to silent waiting—the purpose of Advent—and an empty manger is set up surrounded by judi-cious lighting, usually candles, to evoke emptiness and a longing for the Coming of the Lord. People are encouraged to wait and pray in silence.

At Advent, we are also blessed with those wonderful feasts of Our Blessed Mother, the Immaculate Conception, and Our Lady of Guadalupe, and they also encourage prayer and devotion to Mary and her Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Vigils also provide a time for

Confessions, which are sought after by many in these isolated communities.

Faithful teams of lay minis-ters support and encourage the priest and lead the people in Sunday Services in the absence of a priest. The lay ministers often lead the rosary, a popular devotion in these areas. They are a great testimony to the priests and sisters who served so many years as missionaries in these areas, and a great testimony to the deep faith of the people, a faith that continues to fill me with awe and wonder. Indeed, how good is the Lord!

Oblate Father Eugene Whyte is pastor of five mission churches in Northern Saskatchewan, in the Archdiocese of Keewatin-Le Pas.

Parishioners wait for Mass to begin at St. Louis Church in Patuanak, NorthernSaskatchewan, in the Archdiocese of Keewatin-Le Pas.


YUKoN AdVeNTUre

from May 11th to May 19th this year, seventeen students and six teachers from Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary

School in Mississauga, Ontario, went on a mission trip to the Yukon Territory.

We spent two days tearing down and rebuilding decks at Braeburn Summer Camp, then moved up to Carmacks to do an

array of work at St. Jude Catholic mission church in preparation for a missionary to live there.

Throughout our journey, Christ was present in our hearts, and His presence was clearly evident through our work and actions.

While we were at Braeburn camp, we slept on wood floors—with no toilets, no showers—as well as cooked and cleaned and shared chores with one another.

A life-changing experienceBY emmA GrAHAm ANd NAmir KHALAf

Yukon survivors: Volunteer crew of Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Sec-ondary School.

oN A miSSioN for CHriST

38 FALL 2014

If you ask us to describe our experience, we would call it “a life-changing experience.”

We discovered the dignity of hard work, while being vulner-able outside of the comfort of our daily lives. Also, we began to appreciate the smaller luxuries in life that others may not be fortunate enough to have.

Through this experience, we learned much about our

faith and the ability to rely on one another, focusing on Paul’s words to the Philippians: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Emma Graham and Namir Khalaf are students at Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario, in the Archdiocese of Toronto.Ph

oto

by P

amel

a Gu

y

oN A miSSioN for CHriST


GifT PLANNiNG

Paulette, Louise and Cecile gave their Mom a special Christmas gift a couple of

years ago. Having known the work of our missionaries and their good works, they funded an endowment with Catholic Missions In Canada in her name. What a wonderful testament to their Mom’s faith and to their Catholic family values.

Their endow-ment is also a special gift to our missions and will be for long into the future. It pro-vides an ongoing annual gift for the most basic necessities of our missionaries to help keep them going—food, electricity, heat, transportation. It also enables them to share the love of Christ with both the young and old in our mission communities across Canada. So their endowment

is a gift that keeps giving. Their Mom, I think, would have been very pleased with her Christmas gift that year.

The longevity of an endow-ment is exactly what attracts many of our donors to this means of supporting Catholic

Missions In Canada. They like the idea that the principal of their endowment gift will stay invested while the interest earned will just keep coming year after year after year to assist our missionaries keep the Word of God alive in the mis-sions. They realize

that someday they will be gone and their outright annual or monthly gifts will no longer be available to support our mission needs, but through an endow-ment they can keep making their annual gifts.

A GifT THATGiVeS foreVer Find out how endowments can provide forthe most basic necessities of our missionaries BY WiNNie QUiNN, CHAriTABLe GifTS mANAGer

endowments are a special gift to our missions that will keepgiving long into the future

40 FALL 2014

Some endowment donors, such as the three sisters men-tioned, like the idea of an endowment to honour a loved one or a person they hold dear. Other thoughtful donors estab-lish an endowment in their own name as a testament to their Catholic faith and as a means to share their faith with those people living in our Northern missions.

Endowments can also draw other family members into sup-porting Catholic Missions. Bill

and Molly Callaghan, former CMIC missionaries, estab-lished an endowment in their family names, and in subsequent years, their children, grandchil-dren, and even their siblings have added to their “family” endowment. We call it “the little engine that could.” It just keeps growing and growing.

An endowment can be cre-ated during your life, or at death through a gift in your will. Endowments can be established Ph

oto

by A

nne

Hanl

ey

Many of the roads our missionaries travel on are sandy and gravel, just like the roads these boys are on in the Labrador community of Natuashish!


with a single gift or over five years with repeated gifts. Others have started their endowments now and plan to add to it later through a gift in their will. You can fund your endowment through a gift of cash or pub-licly-listed securities. You can also direct the proceeds from your Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP), Regis-tered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF), or Tax-Free Savings

Accounts (TFSAs) to create or add to your endowment. Yes, there are so many ways to give.

The reply form below will let us know how to assist you. Please take a moment to fill it out and mail it to us. We will respond immediately. If you would rather talk to me per-sonally, I will be pleased to hear from you. You can reach me at 1-866-YES-CMIC (937-2642), or 416-934-3424.

Mail to: Catholic Missions In Canada201 – 1155 Yonge Street, Toronto ON M4T 1W2

c Write to me for information on Endowments c I plan to set up an Endowment with Catholic Missions In Canada

Or you may prefer information on one of the following:

c Wills c Gift Loans c Shares c TFSAs

c RRSP/RRIFs c Gift Annuities c Other Gifts

For annuitants: Minimum age: 60 Minimum amount: $10,000

individual: c Male c Female Birthdate: ______ /______ /______ Day Month Year

Joint: c Male c Female Birthdate: ______/______ /______ Day Month Year

Name ________________________________________________________Fr./Br./Sr./Dr./Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms.

Address ______________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

City _________________________ Province _________________________

Postal Code_______________ Phone________________________________


tel: 416-934-3424 toll-free: 1-866-YES-CMIC (937-2642) Email: [email protected]

2014

-03-

ENDO

WM

ENT

42 FALL 2014

FuNdRAIsER FoR CATholIC oRgANIzATIoNsTake part in our Free Calendar Program and receive up to 25 Calendars to sell as a fundraiser for your charitable works. Last year, Catholic organiza-tions including parishes, the Catholic Women’s League, and the Knights of Columbus distributed calendars across Canada, with many donating back the raised funds to support the needs of our Canadian missionaries.

ThREE EAsy WAys To oRdER1 Email: [email protected] Phone: 416-934-3424 or toll-free at 1-866-937-2642 • Free Calendar Program – Patricia Gyulay, at Ext. 227 • Calendar Purchase – Christine Villamor, at Ext. 2303 Fax: 416-934-3425

Our 2015 Catholic Missions In Canada calendar reflects the pas-sion that Canadian artist Libby Dulac has for the awesome scen-ery she enjoys from her log home in the Yukon—from mountain and ice-field grandeur to lake, forest and wildflower splendour.

Libby and her husband, Claude, are one of the lay mis-sionary couples who keep the faith alive in the remote Catholic communities of Canada. Bishop Gary Gordon, recently of the Diocese of Whitehorse, says of them: “Whether it is Claude leading the Sunday liturgy of the Word or Libby cultivating the beautiful gardens around the church, they are both planting seeds of God’s Kingdom.”

MA-

2014

-03-

CAL

catholic missions in canada 2015 calendar

paintings by canadian artist libby dulac

Art Reflects God’s Grandeur

AVAiLABLe for PUrCHASe for $12.95 A CoPY

Sister Yvette Perreault, a Sister of the Presenta-tion of Mary, passed away May 28, after a short illness. She had just celebrated her 84th birthday on May 22nd. Since 1995, Sister Perreault had ministered to the people in Big River (Whitefish) First Nations reserve in Northern Saskatchewan, in the Diocese of Prince Albert.

Sister Perreault joined the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary in 1948. Throughout her religious life, she served in various capacities as teacher, teacher’s aide, nurse’s aide and school secretary. She inspired numerous students in the communities of Duck Lake, Prince Albert (Academy and P.A. Separate Schools), Spiritwood, and Vawn.

Those who knew her described Sister Perreault as “a prayerful woman, a true woman of God, so gentle, compassionate, and full of joy. She lived her motto: ‘Loved into being, held in Love!’ with integrity and faithfulness.”

SiSTer YVeTTe PerreAULT, P.m. 1930-2014: ‘A TrUe WomAN of God’

We reme mber...

Remember your faithful departed with a gift in their memory. Your intentions will be remembered in our prayers and in the All Souls’ Day Mass offered by our President, Father Philip Kennedy.

Phot

o by

Ann

e Ha

nley

If you wish to have your intentions remembered on All Souls’ Day, please clip coupon (on page 45) and send your in memoriam offering in your magazine envelope today.

On March 2, missionary Mary Richardson and her husband Clay, longtime residents of Cran-brook, British Columbia, were heading home after visiting family in Calgary, Alberta, when they met a tragic highway accident and suffered severe injuries. Clay lost the use of his legs and faces intensive therapy while Mary suffered a

traumatic brain injury, and subsequently died on March 29. Mary Richardson had served the First Nations people in the East

Kootenays region in the Diocese of Nelson, British Columbia, for close to two decades. In her recollection, Darcelle (Sturm) Lundeen, Mary’s friend of 57 years, said Mary enjoyed visiting with the elders and other people in the First Nations communities, learning the language of the Ktunaxa, and arranging many of the activities. “It was not uncommon for Mary to preside at a wake until the early hours of the morning and then do the funeral the next day.”

mArY riCHArdSoN1952-2014: miSSioNArY iN eAST KooTeNAYS

c Please remember my faithful departed ________________________________________


Address___________________________________________________________________


Phone_______________________ Subscribe to our email list at cmic.info/home/subscribe

Mail to: Catholic Missions In Canada 201 – 1155 Yonge Street, Toronto ON M4T 1W2


E-mail request to: [email protected] Website: www.cmic.info

BN 11922 0531 RR0001

A receipt will be issued for the full amount of your gift.

MA2

014-

03-IM

We reme mber...

Remember your faithful departed with a gift in their memory. Your intentions will be remembered in our prayers and in the All Souls’ Day Mass offered by our President, Father Philip Kennedy.

Phot

o co

urte

sy o

f the

Ric

hard

son

Fam

ilyi

N

me

mo

rY

o

f

LeTTerS: YoUr doNATioNS AT WorK

We received your generous cheque in the amount of $15,000, which you very

kindly sent to assist our four seminarians.

Thank you very much for this financial assistance from the Catholic Missions which, as you say, will be used to help with our efforts in promoting, and helping to build the “New Evangelization” in our Church today.

Archbishop richard Gagnon Archdiocese of Winnipeg manitoba

on behalf of the parishioners of St. Patrick’s parish, McBride British Columbia,

I am writing to express our grat-itude for the ongoing support that is extended to us. Without the kindness of Catholic Missions In Canada, this parish would struggle to keep its doors open!

Your grant helps considerably toward the day-to-day opera-tional and repair costs of our parish, and, in particular, covers the travel expenses of the priest who, twice a month, travels over 200 km to celebrate Eucharist with us. It also allows for a full-time resident pastoral life director who coordinates the life of the parish and attends to parish visits, sacramental preparation, adult faith formation, and catechetics. Be assured of the continuing prayers of the faith community at St. Patrick’s for God’s blessings upon those benefactors whose generosity is shared with us.

detta Smith Pastoral Life directorSt. Patrick’s Parish mcBride, British Columbiadiocese of Prince George

oUr reAderS WriTe:

i love reading your magazine from page to page about Catholic Missions In

Canada’s work in Canada. What a beautiful ministry, and such dedicated people.

Gemma (and Lionel) d’SouzaScarborough, ontario

HeLP for UPKeeP

‘i love reading your magazine from page to page’

46 FALL 2014

Will Planner

Yes, I’m interested in supporting Catholic Missions In Canada!

Please send me information on:

c A gift in my will c Please send me a copy of your free Will Planner


Address___________________________________________________________________

City_______________________Province_________Postal Code_________

Phone_______________________ Birthdate (D/M/Y) _____ /_____ /_____




Email request to: [email protected] Website: www.cmic.info

A GUIDE TO MAKING A WILLYour will is one more way that you can provide for the neediest missions in our coun-try. Preparing your will is an expression of love for those you leave behind: your family, your friends, and the charities whose work you believe in and want to continue to support.

The gift of a bequest won’t add financial stressbut it will give you the assurance that the work of our missions will continue into the future.A will planner—with key information about your assets and your wishes—will help you get started.

Transform your faith into your legacy.

MA-

2014

-03-

WIL

LPLA

NNER

Phot

to b

y Te

rry

Quin

n

‘STorYTeLLiNG KeePS THe reAder oN edGe’

MA-

2014

-03-

SUBS

CmiC mAGAziNe WiNS 3 AWArdS

Catholic Missions In Canada magazine won three awards in the recently-concluded

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada Con-ference held in Charlotte, North Carolina June 18-20.

Father Mark Blom, o.m.i., won second place for his article, “All night in the bush,” in the best feature article in Mission magazines, overseas and home category. The judges noted: “Not only is the story itself

engaging and exciting, but the storytelling keeps the reader on edge.”

Archbishop Murray Chatlain of Keewatin-Le Pas won an honourable mention for his essay, “The mystery continues,” in the Best Essay Mission magazines, overseas and home category.

Father Vincent Travers, o.p., won an honourable mention for his article, “Life North of Ordi-nary,” in the Best In-Depth Writing, all magazines category.

p.s. this fall, please feel free to send our magazine to your friends and family.

they will thank you for it — and so will we!To send a free one-year subscription to a friend or family member,

e-mail us at [email protected], or call 416-934-3424, or toll-free, at 1-866-YES-CMIC (937-2642), or fill in the coupon below.

Your gift of $25 will help defray for the costs of this magazine and our mission work.

Mail to: CATHOLIC MISSIONS IN CANADA

201-1155 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M4T 1W2

BN 11922 0531 RR0001

From (Your Name):

To (Name of person you want it sent to):

Address:

City: Province: Postal Code:

Phone: Subscribe to our email list at cmic.info/home/subscribe

www.cmic.info

Fr./Sr./Br./Dr./Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms.

Documents

Catholic Missions In Canada Magazine, Fall 2014