St. Joseph Parish History

Church Site: 260-25th Street East

From the Book: Kaleidoscope: Many Cultures – One Faith

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Prince Albert 1891-1991

Pg. 71-76

            In 1951, the Prince Albert Separate School Board opened a new school for the families living on the East Hill. At the request of Bishop Reginald Duprat. O.P., (Dominican), the new school was put under the patronage of St. Joseph. Since the school was built large enough to accommodate a growing community, half the ground floor of the building was not needed immediately for classrooms. This area was to serve as an auditorium and a hall and was soon used on Sundays for mass. The parish census at that time counted 75 families.

In June 1951, Father R. Thériault, P.O., was assigned to act as temporary administrator of the future parish.

Through cash and labor contributions, a regular chapel was organized with altar, pews, and organ. This chapel could accommodate 175 persons, but after a few months, this proved to be inadequate, and chairs had to be added in the hallway. 

            In December 1951, Bishop Duprat asked the very Reverend Father Gérald Paré, Provincial of Canadian Dominicans to take over the parish officially and permanently. The territory of the new parish was composed of two districts: an urban section covering all the hill portion of the city east of Second Ave. West and south of the railroad tracks; also, a rural area embracing the triangle formed by the North and South Saskatchewan Rivers as far east as the Forks and south to Fenton. This parish was canonically erected by Rome on May 8, 1952. 

            It is said that the first confirmation celebration in the history of the parish was held on May 17, 1953. His Excellency Bishop Blais confirmed 26 children on that memorable day.

            By 1955, the parish had more than doubled in population since its beginning. There were now 185 families making up the community of St. Joseph. It was time to build a church. A building fund campaign was launched in the fall of 1955, and by April of 1956, at a cost of $75,023.43. The new parish was officially opened and blessed by his Excellency Bishop Leo Blais on December 9, 1956. It was placed under the patronage of St. Joseph. In attendance at the celebration were the very Reverend T.M. Rondeau, O.P., Provincial of the Dominican Fathers of Canada, city officials, members of the clergy and a large group of parishioners and friends.

            In the fall of 1955, Mont St. Joseph, a home for the aged, originally established in Marcelin, administered by the Sisters of Our Lady of the Cross, was opened on 25 Street East in the parish of St. Joseph.

            The Dominican Fathers had opened a house in Prince Albert in 1929. From the time St. Joseph’s was established until 1963, the Dominicans Fathers looked after the parish of St. Joseph. In July of 1963, at their regular Provincial Chapter, the Dominicans asked that the house of Prince Albert be closed on account of a shortage of priests. This meant that St. Joseph’s Parish was to be given back to the bishop of the diocese. By that time the parish counted 325 families.

            Father Luc Gaudet was the first secular priest appointed pastor of St. Joseph. He arrived on Jan. 3, 1964. He was to remain in the community until 1983, a sum total of 19 years.

            At first, Father Gaudet’s residence was a basement suite, but by the end of the year, a residence at 225-25th St. East had been acquired to serve as pastor’s residence.

            Young, energetic and full of zeal, Father Gaudet immediately set about organizing the spiritual and social welfare of his parish. It was an exciting time of renewal in the church. By Feb. 28, 1965, the minutes of a special meeting recorded “a special meeting for mass lectors, commentators and ushers to receive instructions regarding changes in the liturgy to be implemented March 7.”

            In October of the same year there was an organizational meeting of Catholic Family Movement.

            In 1968, at the annual meeting, an interim committee to study the formation of parish councils was formed. The inauguration of this parish council became a reality on March 24, 1968, with Ralph Himsl as the first chairman. Following is a description of what a parish council is, how it functions, and what its aims are. At that time in the history of other dioceses, one must note that parish councils were a relatively new idea.

            The parish council was established in 1968 to give the laymen of the parish the opportunity to share with the pastor the responsibilities and duties of fulfilling the mission of the church “which is not only to bring to men the message and grace of Christ, but also to penetrate and perfect the temporal sphere with the spirit of the Gospel.”

            The Parish Council acts as a liaison between the pastor and the parishioners in the general functioning of the parish.

            In order to give each individual faithful, the opportunity to use his special skills and gifts for the fulfillment of his proper role in the mission of the church the parish council through standing committees is involved in the following areas of interest: liturgy, education, finance and community life.

            These committees initiate projects to give each individual parishioner an opportunity to contribute to the Christian community; and in order to bring these projects to successful completion, they need the cooperation, the participation, the involvement, the good will and the ideas of each and every member of the parish.”

            In February 1970, some renovations were done in the hall providing offices for the parish and an upstairs meeting room. On Dec. 31, 1971, the final payment on the debt of the construction of the parish church and hall was made.

            No history of the parish would be complete without the mention of the work done by the ladies. First, as the Rosary Altar Society, and then as the Catholic Women’s League, the women of St. Joseph’s Parish were instrumental in raising funds for church, hall, and kitchen furnishings. Major items financed by them were the organ, funeral candles, mortuary pall, the tabernacle and sanctuary carpet. Stacking tables and steel chairs, piano, venetian blinds for the hall, and the stove, chinaware, cutlery and equipment were also purchased for the kitchen.

An annual event sponsored by the ladies was the presentation of gifts of baking and money to St Patrick’s Orphanage in the city at Christmas time.

            While performing a parish need, the ladies also enjoyed the fellowship of working together and enjoying the social hours which the meetings and activities afforded.

            In the fall of 1958, the ladies were chartered as a council of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada. Many of these ladies have continued to serve in many areas in the life of the parish.

            Time passes on. In June 1983, priests were given new appointments by the bishop to various locations in the diocese. At that time, Father Jean Marie Boutin was appointed parish priest of St. Joseph and Father Luc was transferred to Melfort. With the pastoral change and an increase in attendance at masses, it became obvious that a new church building was necessary. The decision to build a facility on the site then occupied by the parking lot was made in 1985, and from then on, many fundraising events went into full swing to raise the estimated $1.5 million needed to complete phase one of the construction.

The sod turning ceremony took place on Aug. 11, 1987, with Bishop Blaise Morand using an excavator to remove a chunk of the parking lot. This was an exciting time for all the parish. The building was taking shape, and finally on June 10, 1988, the first mass was celebrated in the new church. The dream had really become a reality.

            Another very interesting ceremony and a first as far as the Catholic Church in the diocese is concerned took place at St. Joseph on Aug. 10, 1988. The Masonic Lodge, in the presence of the Knights of Columbus and parish members, laid the cornerstone and implanted a Time Capsule in the wall at the entrance of the church. The Post Review, in an article covering the occasion had this to report.

CATHOLIC CHURCH CORNER LAID BY SASK. MASONS

For what appears to be the first time in Saskatchewan, Masons have taken part in the ceremony of laying a cornerstone for a Catholic church.

            This city, recognized as the cradle of Freemasonry in Saskatchewan, was the scene of the recent ceremony by officers of the Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons (A.F. & A.M.).

            The ceremony marked the official opening of the new St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, recently completed, which replaces an earlier structure in the parish. It followed a mass in the church and was part of a special assembly of the Grand Lodge, which met in Calvary United Church, about a block away, and paraded to St. Joseph’s for its part in the ceremony.

            Modern Freemasonry dates its origin from the guilds of operative masons who built the great cathedrals in Britain and continental Europe. Thus, today’s Masons claim the right to lay cornerstones according to their ancient ritual.

            Masonic buildings and Protestant churches are frequently honored in this way but there is no record of the ceremony being performed for a Roman Catholic church during the 82 year history of the provincial Grand Lodge.

            Relationship between Catholics and Masons have been less then cordial since Pope Leon XII issued an encyclical in 1825, condemning the fraternity and threatening excommunication of any Catholic who joined the order.

            In this instance, however, St. Joseph Council, Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternity, co-operated with Northern Star Lodge No. 216 A.F. & A.M. in planning the event.

            Presiding was Donald A. Orr, Saskatoon elected grand master in June. He noted a number of fortunate circumstances caused by the event being held in Prince Albert.

            For instance, the ritual calls for the procession to be led by the “the tyler of the oldest lodge. “This was done by Albert Tebbertman, long-serving tyler of Kinistino Lodge No. 1, established in Prince Albert 109 years ago as the first lodge to be formed in what eventually became the province of Saskatchewan.

            Masters of three separate lodges are required to carry the containers of corn, wine and oil used in consecration of the stone. There are three lodges active in Prince Albert and the carrying was one by the masters of Kinistino No. 1, Prince Albert No. 63, and Northern Star N. 216 – Otto Boettcher, Duncan P.L. McDougall and Fred Lipskey respectively.

            (Corn, wine and oil were the most important productions and the represented the wealth of Biblical countries from which the legends used in the Masonic ritual originated. Thus, they have been adopted as appropriate symbols for consecration ceremonies).

            In his capacity as grand super-intendent of the works, Earl McGinnis of Saskatoon carried the ancient square, level and plum rule used to determine the stone was “well laid, true and trusty.”

            Grand deacons, stewards, directors of ceremonies, and other officers and members of Grand Lodge were also involved.

            Church dignitaries present included Bishop Blaise Morand of the Prince Albert Diocese, Rev. J.M. Boutin, pastor of St. Joseph’s, and heads of the parish council, building and fund-raising committees – Richard Bremner, John Swystun and Les Mewis.

            Research has shown that no cornerstone laid with Masonic honors is complete without a commemorative inscription and foundation deposits. In this instance, the inscription indicates the stone was laid by the current grand master with arrangements made by Norther Star Lodge. Deposits included a set of 1988 Canadian coins, from penny to loonie, and a commemorative coin from the Roman Catholic Sask Diocese of Regina.

The official opening of the church was celebrated on Nov. 20, 1988. Bishop Blaise Morand blessed the new building in the presence of approximately 800 people in attendance. There was also the unveiling of the bronze statue of St. Joseph, designed and molded by Jack Jensen of Prince Albert. This statue was later mounted on the church tower. Much praise for the new church went to Father J.M. Boutin during the service.

Len Cantin, past chairman of the parish council said of Father Boutin:

            He is an amazing individual. He was our guiding light, motivator, mentor and friend throughout the planning and construction of our church. We thank him for being our pastor.”

Father Boutin also paid tribute to all who were actively involved in the building project. In particular, he thanked three parishioners who were particularly instrumental in making the dream a reality: Len Cantin, Les Mewis and John Swystun.

Following the blessing, His Excellency Bishop Blaise Morand said:

            We have come together to bless this most beautiful church, which you, the community, have built. You have built a home for worship in this Christian community and with that we know that the Kingdom of God is growing. There is rejoicing he said when there is growth, just as a farmer rejoices when the seeds, he has planted start sprouting from the ground. Growth is an art that God shares with men and women.29

            A plaque adorned with symbols of masons and Knights of Columbus was presented by Fred Lypsky to the parish Knights, as a sign of the genuine friendship of the Masonic Lodge.

            Among the people participating in the celebration were representatives from the Anglican, Lutheran and United Church clergy as well as other members of the Roman Catholic clergy from the diocese of Saskatoon. Also present was Mayor Gordon Kirkby of Prince Albert.

            The new building now serves approximately 1,350 families in the parish of St. Joseph.

Pastors of St. Joseph

Father M.R. Thériault, O.P.                1951-1953

Father A. Robert, O.P. (Mission)       1952-1953

Father R.M. Drouin, O.P.                   1953-1963

Father G. Bourque, O.P.                     1963-1964

Father L. Gaudet                                 1964-1983

Father J.M. Boutin                              1983-

Assistants:

Father Gilles Doucette                        1968-1969

Father Henri Renaud                          1970-1971

Father Hervé Vallée                           1971-1976

Father Nicolas Castelyns                    1983-1991