2007 06 08

Dear Pastors, Lay Pastoral Animators and Parishioners,

The past few weeks as well as the next few are laced through with celebrations of the sacrament of Confirmation. To date I have been to High Prairie, Manning, Peace River, Beaverlodge, Grande Prairie, Sexsmith, Assumption and Meander River. Coming up soon are Slave Lake and Fairview. In all cases, there is a spirit of joy and celebration in the communities. The young people have been well prepared, and are excited to complete their initiation into the Body of Christ. My message in every case is the same: that Confirmation is not an end but a further step in the life of grace. While much catechesis and preparation have brought them to this point, their life as Christians is now unfolding into a future of service to the Lord and God’s People.

Parish Pastoral Councils Workshop, May 12: It was heartening to host about 100 people at the cathedral in McLennan for a workshop on Parish Pastoral Councils. The day went very quickly (a sign that people weren’t bored), and the discussion and sharing brought together those who knew little of one another or their realities. 
In the morning, we examined the procedures and goals of PPCs, using the document “The Parish Pastoral Council” by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. After lunch we discussed two administrative issues: the consolidation of investments, and the centralizing of payroll. The day ended with the small groups reflecting on one of several pastoral initiatives: an archdiocesan pastoral council, a diocese-wide mission in 2010, ministry in our Native communities, a study of our parishes and missions, and the permanent diaconate. In all, many expressed it as a day filled with hope and direction for the future.

Dedication of St. Joseph’s, Grande Prairie, May 20: On the feast of the Ascension, May 20th, we had the dedication of the new church in Grande Prairie. A large number of parishioners gathered at the “old” church at 10:00 a.m. for a brief service of remembrance and leave-taking. We then went in procession to the new church, where another large gathering of parishioners awaited us. The doors were opened, and all filed in. During the Mass that ensued, we had the blessing of water, which was then used to sprinkle the people and the walls. Later in the service, the walls were anointed in four places with Sacred Chrism, and the people and walls were incensed. The spirit of joy was shared by an estimated 1700 people; following Mass, many stayed to share in a reception in the spacious hall, or simply to walk around and get familiar with their new spiritual home. 
Because of numbers and the fact that it was a Sunday, other members of the archdiocese were not expressly invited to this ceremony. It is hoped that when the sanctuary furniture arrives, we anoint the altar at a weekday ceremony to which many others may be invited. In the meantime, those passing through Grande Prairie are more than welcome to stop in for a prayerful visit and a viewing of the facility.
Some have wondered what is happening to the former church and its other buildings. A few years ago, a local businessman purchased the site, and has leased it for use as a “community village” – several charitable and non-profit organizations have set up their offices there and use the site for fundraising and their respective purposes.

Coat of Arms:You will find attached to this letter a copy of the proposed coat of arms for the archdiocese. Most of you will have seen my personal coat of arms, but it was brought to my attention that we had no such symbol for the archdiocese itself. What you see has been proposed by the same heraldic artist who drew up my coat of arms. There are certain guidelines that direct such a symbol: the mitre is for the bishop’s leadership; the roses represent St. Teresa of Lisieux (the patron of ecclesiastical province of Grouard-McLennan); the sword is symbolic of St. Martin of Tours (the patron of the archdiocese of Grouard-McLennan); the elements in the lower portion of the blazon speak of the three primary ethnic groups that make up the archdiocese: French, Native and English.
This is a PROPOSED coat of arms. I would be grateful for any feedback anyone wishes to offer before we officially adopt this as a symbol of our archdiocese. If you have any comments, please direct them to me in writing at the chancery office before August 31st.

Web page: The archdiocese now has a web site! It can be found at www.archgm.ca. You will find all of my past letters on the site; much of the site is still “in the making”. I am grateful to the Grande Prairie & District Catholic School Board for their assistance in making this a reality. Your comments and suggestions are very welcome.

Archdiocesan Pastoral Council: We are in the process of putting together an Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, which will reflect the sort of council found in each of your parishes. This will be a representative group of clergy, Religious and lay members of the archdiocese that will work with me in the overall pastoral planning of the archdiocese. I look forward to us all working together for the good of the Catholic Church both at a diocesan and a parish level.

Absence from the Archdiocese: I will be away from the archdiocese from about June 14th until about July 24th. This includes couple of meetings, receiving the pallium from the Holy Father in Rome, some vacation time, a course at Newman College on Aboriginal Ministry, and a Mass at the Lac Ste-Anne pilgrimage. During my absence, Father Charles Lavoie, Vicar General, will be in charge. He will be able to reach me if needed.

 

+ Gerard Pettipas, C.Ss.R.
Archbishop of Grouard-McLennan

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