An evening of rejoicing

Archdiocese celebrates Jubilee Year, its cathedral and its new archbishop with special Mass

Every pew of the St. John the Baptist Cathedral was full, with people gathered together for a time of great rejoicing. All were there for one celebration, but it was a celebration of many important milestones.

This Oct. 4th Mass was to first and foremost to give thanks to God for his many blessings upon the Church of Grouard-McLennan. Within the celebration, the diocese highlighted several important achievements. It was an opportunity to celebrate the Jubilee Year as an archdiocesan family. It was also our way to ceremoniously honour the succession of Archbishop Charles Duval as the new Archbishop of Grouard-McLennan. It commemorated the 78th anniversary of the McLennan cathedral’s consecration and dedication. And it offered one more fond farewell to Archbishop Emeritus Gerard Pettipas, as he prepared to leave the archdiocese to be with his Redemptorist confreres in Toronto.

As he shared with the congregation, Archbishop Duval saw in every facet of the celebration a call to rejoice.

“The message we must get out of this is to rejoice always. Jubilee comes from the Latin ‘iubilaeum’, meaning ‘to rejoice’. So the Church has given us this Jubilee Year to rejoice. And we need such times,” Duval said during his homily. “This is a day that we can rejoice for the anniversary of our cathedral, which represents all of us. We also rejoice because we’ve had a great bishop for the past 19 years. We rejoice in the Lord for all that Archbishop Pettipas has done for us. And we also want this celebration to help us rejoice and mark that, since September 6th, the pope has accepted Archbishop Pettipas’ resignation and we have begun a new mandate.”

That new mandate was symbolically honoured with a “celebration of succession” at the beginning of the liturgy. Reminding Archbishop Duval of the commission given to him at his episcopal ordination, Archbishop Emeritus Pettipas handed Duval the book of the Gospels, which emphasizes that his mission as archbishop is to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ always.

Then, in handing him the crozier, Archbishop Pettipas noted that this symbolic gesture represents Duval, having become shepherd of this flock on Sept. 6th, has taken full possession of his cathedral and the archdiocese.

Applause arose in response as Duval took hold the shepherd’s staff and sat upon the cathedra – the chair in a diocesan cathedral in which the bishop alone sits.

In recalling the day he was first appointed the new Archbishop of Grouard-McLennan, Archbishop Duval reflected that this too had been a moment of great rejoicing. Throughout his journey from Archbishop-designate to Coadjutor Archbishop and now as the 6th Archbishop of Grouard-McLennan, Duval says he has felt an increasing joy as each of these steps have come to fruition.

“When I became provincial superior with the Redemptorists, it surprised me that my confreres had elected me as their superior. But a few hours after the election, I was praying over what had happened and I realized that I was now at the service of those men that had formed me. And I was so happy,” Duval recalled.

“And the same thing happened when the Nuncio called me and said the Pope had appointed me as archbishop. When you hear big news like this it really shocks you. But then I thought, ‘This is wonderful. I’ll be at the service of these people I’ve come to know and love over my 18 months at St. Joseph’s [Church]. I guess for God that 18 months was enough to prepare me,” he added with a laugh.

“I hope I can be a good bishop. I have a good example in Archbishop Pettipas, and he’s been mentoring me for many months. I really want to be at your service. So let’s walk together as ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, thanking the Lord for everyday he has given us, knowing each day is a day for rejoicing.”

This is only an excerpt. Read the full story in the October 2025 edition of Northern Light
See more photos from the Celebration of Succession & Jubilee Year Mass here.