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St Mary's University
The public consultation phase of the presidential recruitment process has now concluded. On behalf of all members of the Presidential Search Committee, I wish to thank you for your thoughtful and engaged participation.
A selection committee has been formed, and the following are on the committee:
Mr. Gary Strother, Chair
Mr. Paul Valentine, Vice-Chair
Dr. Bonnie Annicchiarico, Chancellor’s Designate
Dr. Peter Baltutis, Faculty Representative
Mr. Nathan Ruff, Administrative Staff Representative
Mr. Pascal Apuwa, Student Representative
Mrs. Christine McIver, Member-at-Large
Resources: Athena Pulzoni (AVP Human Resources) and Robyn Pashula (Governance & Executive Initiatives Officer)
Our search firm partner, DHR Global (DHR), received input from more than 30 internal and external stakeholders through one-on-one meetings, group discussions, and on-line surveys. The input gathered reflects what I believe to be true strengths and opportunities of St. Mary’s University. StMU is poised for expansion, has a strong community reputation towards excellence, emphasizes students’ needs and development in a safe, open and welcoming environment, and has a dedicated faculty and staff. As the only independent Catholic University in Western Canada, it has sights on becoming Canada’s preeminent Catholic university.
Community feedback has been incorporated into the candidate brief, which is now available online on the Presidential search webpage. I encourage you to review it and, if there is a candidate that you would like to recommend based on the role description and selection criteria provided, please contact our search consultants, Kevin Gregor, Shahauna Siddiqui, or Lachie Woofter at . The position will be advertised nationally and internationally with the closing date of January 31, 2026. We expect to be able to name the successful candidate in the spring.
"Keep Christ in Christmas" (and all year long) with this booklet of 12 PermanentTM domestic rate stamps featuring the Nativity scene.
The stamp features a simple rendition of the Nativity scene – including Mary and Joseph with baby Jesus – set beneath the bright shining star of Bethlehem and an angel announcing the birth of Jesus. The Three Wise Men are seen arriving in the distance. This warm and whimsical depiction of the Nativity features a subtle use of colour and shading.
The cancel location – Hope, British Columbia – was selected for its reference to the theme of hope found in the Nativity story.
The cancel is a line illustration of the star of Bethlehem, which was said to announce the birth of Jesus.
Christmas (2025), PermanentTM domestic rate stamps - booklet of 12
Issue Date: November 6, 2025 product standard price $14.88
The OFDC is cancelled in Hope, BC Stamp Illustrator isBex Morley
The PERMANENT™ stamp, identified with the letter P in place of a value, is always accepted at the current domestic postage price. If you buy a PERMANENT stamp today, you can use it anytime in the future.
One PERMANENT stamp can be used to mail a letter (weighing up to 30 grams) anywhere in Canada. You can also use PERMANENT stamps in conjunction with additional postage to mail larger letters, parcels or to send mail internationally.
PermanentTM stamps are always worth the going postage rate - no top-up stamps required, ever!
CWL members (and Councils) are encouraged to purchase them to ensure their continued production. Christian-themed stamps are an example of successful resolutions by the Catholic Women's League of Canada. See our Resolutions re: Christmas Postage Stamps article for more information.
These stamps are available in outlets as well as through the Canada Post website. Some nativity stamps from previous years are still available through the website.
Transitions is a 16-week peer-led, God-centred support group that is designed to foster healing in its participants. It is facilitated within a confidential, safe, and respectful environment of community and belonging for individuals working through the pain of separation and divorce.
The group meets every Tuesday, beginning November 18, 2025 (7 to 9 pm) at the Catholic Pastoral Centre (120 - 17th Avenue SW, Calgary). Free parking available on site.
The November 18th meeting will be a "meet & greet" session and offers the opportunity to meet the facilitators and other potential participants, and allow for the chance to ask any questions pertaining to Transitions and help in determining whether this is a program to which you would like to commit.
Registration Required! To plan our breakfast we need to know who is attending in advance, so we do not have too much or too little food. Contact Carol by text to 403 796 3601 or by email.
Since it began its attacks, Israel has allowed food into Gaza only intermittently. This has caused a full-blown famine, that is spreading across the Strip. Over 2 million Gazans now live in constant fear, not knowing when they will eat!
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, has called humanitarian aid in Gaza “a matter of life and death.”
Through it all, our partner Caritas Jerusalem, the official humanitarian arm of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, has remained a beacon of hope for the people of Gaza. Over 125 of its staff are braving starvation and risking life and limb to reach and serve the people.
I invite you to make a donation to support Caritas Jerusalem so that it can continue providing lifesaving aid, including food, water, sanitation and hygiene supplies; psychosocial support; and health care.
Thank you for bringing the light of Christ to the darkest places in the Holy Land.
On Fri, Sep 12, 2025, CCCB President Bishop William T. McGrattan sent a letter to the federal Minister of Finance regarding potential threats to the charitable status of pro-life centres and organizations that promote religion. This follows an earlier letter from the Permanent Council on Mar 8, 2025, to which no response was received.
The letter is available on the CCCB website: English | French
On Monday, 10 March 2025, the members of the Permanent Council of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) expressed their grave concern regarding two recommendations made by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance within Report 21: Pre-Budget Consultations in Advance of the 2025 Budget. These recommendations (#429 and #430), if adopted, would be profoundly detrimental to Canada’s charitable sector, because they would:
Revoke the charitable status of “anti-abortion organizations” (#429);
Amend the Income Tax Act such that “the advancement of religion” would no longer qualify as a legitimate purpose for granting charitable status. (#430)
After consulting widely, including with experts in charity law, the members of the Permanent Council sent a letter to the Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Finance, defending the value and role of faith-based charities for Canadian society, as well as the unfairness of targeting pro-life organizations. They urged the government to abandon the two recommendations and to conduct comprehensive consultations within the charitable sector before embarking on any legislative changes that could threaten the viability of charitable organizations and adversely affect the millions of Canadians who depend on them for essential services and support.
Bishop McGrattan has announced the retirement of Msgr. Noel Farman, currently Pastor of Ste. Famille Parish, Calgary effective October 1, 2025. We are grateful for Msgr. Noel's devoted priestly service and hold him in our prayers with best wishes.
PRIEST APPOINTMENTS
Rev. Jean Claude Ndanga, C.F.I.C., previously announced as the Administrator of St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish, Chestermere, effective September 15, 2025, has been appointed Administrator of Ste. Famille Parish, Calgary, effective October 1, 2025. Effective September 15, 2025, he will be offering his services to Ste. Famille Parish, Calgary, to assist Msgr. Farman in the transition.
Rev. Barnabas Esegine, currently Associate Pastor of St. Luke’s Parish, Calgary, and providing pastoral services to St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish, Chestermere, has been appointed Administrator of St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish, Chestermere, effective September 15, 2025.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Deacon Terry Olson, currently appointed to St. Patrick’s Parish, Medicine Hat, has been granted a leave of absence, effective September 10, 2025.
PROPERTY ASSIGNMENTS
The Sisters of Divine Mercy has been relocated to the two-unit duplex beside Assumption Church in Bowness, Calgary. This duplex is now the Divine Mercy Centre (7608 39 Avenue NW, Calgary), where the Divine Mercy Chapel is located and where perpetual adoration takes place. Bishop McGrattan has provided the Sisters of Divine Mercy the use of Assumption Church for some of their regular spiritual programming. The Bishop is grateful to Rev. Matthew Emmelkamp for this pastoral collaboration.
The Seeds of the Word Community has been relocated to the former Divine Mercy Centre (15206 Township Rd 262 in the County of Rocky View). This is now referred to as the St. John Paul II House.
Bishop McGrattan blessed the St. Catherine of Siena oratory on September 9, 2025. The oratory is erected primarily for the benefit of the Seeds of the Word Community. With the permission of Sr. Mary Elizabeth (Servant of the House) or a designated member of the community, other members of the lay faithful may enter the oratory for prayer and liturgical celebrations (can. 1223).
Decree on Requirements for the Reception of Jubilee Year Indulgences
Bishop William T. McGrattan released a decree on Feb. 24, 2025 outlining how the faithful in the Diocese of Calgary can obtain Plenary Indulgences during the Jubilee Year 2025.
A Plenary Indulgence may be received in the Diocese of Calgary by doing the following during the period from December 29, 2024 through December 31, 2025: At least once during the Holy Year:
Receive sacramental confession and absolution
Receive Holy Communion
And, while striving to be free from attachment to sin, carry out any of the following:
Make a pilgrimage visit to St. John the Evangelist Ordinariate Parish, Calgary, and while visiting this church take time for prayer specifically for the intentions of the Holy Father.
Attend any of the Masses with Apostolic Blessing by Bishop William T. McGrattan on:
August 22,Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies, Canmore
December 8, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conceptionof the Blessed Virgin Mary at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Calgary
Those who are truly repentant of sin, but who cannot participate in diocesan pilgrimages, can receive the Jubilee Indulgence by prayerfully reciting the Our Father and any approved version of the Profession of Faith (Creed), and also praying for the intentions of the Holy Father. Those who are homebound due to age, illness, imprisonment, etc., may also offer up their suffering as a prayer for others and/or for the poor souls in purgatory.
Visit for an appropriate amount of time family members, neighbours or friends who are in need (such as the sick, lonely elderly people, the disabled, prisoners, etc). This visit is to be made with a vibrant awareness of Christ’s presence in these persons in need.
Carry out personal acts of penance for an entire day (particularly Fridays), such as: - Abstain from eating meat - Abstain from futile distractions (such as entertainment, social media, etc.) - Abstain from unnecessary consumption of food or drink (fasting)
Carry out significant acts of charity such as: - Contribute to the poor - Support the homeless, the orphan, the migrant or refugee, etc. - Contribute a significant amount of one’s free time to worthy volunteer activities in support of human life and dignity
During the Jubilee Year an individual may receive one Plenary Indulgence per day, and may apply that indulgence to themselves or to a deceased person.
St. Michael's Grief Support Ministry at St. Michael's Catholic Community, 800-85 St SW Calgary, invites individuals who have experienced the loss of a loved one to participate in a Grief Share Program.
With gratitude for many blessings, we invite you to explore the 2024 Impact Report of the Diocese of Calgary — a testimony to what God can accomplish when we say “yes” to His call to Put out into the deep.
Highlights: Parish Renewal • Sacramental Life • Vocations • Faith in Action • Future Leaders — and more! View the report at: catholicyyc.ca/2024impactreport
Amid rising violence in the Holy Land and Middle East, the Bishops of Canada invite the faithful to pray for peace during this month of the Sacred Heart. "Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus focuses our attention on the Lord’s inexhaustible love for humanity, and His desire that all be saved."
Towards Wellbeing: Mental Wholeness in Church, Person, and Community is a new study guide from the Canadian Council of Churches. Rooted in Scripture and Christian teaching, it offers practical insights for pastoral care and parish life, and includes reflection questions for groups and individuals.
The Diocese of Calgary is on a journey of Renewal—but Renewal isn’t about programs or plans. Renewal begins with you. A personal Renewal draws us closer to Jesus, and when we grow in Him, we become better disciples. This Lent, we invite you to take up the challenge of personal Renewal. No pressure, no perfection—just a step toward Christ.
Consider these simple ways to pray for renewal in our heart, our parish, and our diocese this Lenten season:
Pray daily the Holy Spirit Prayer, asking for Renewal in your heart, parish, and diocese.
Pray the Rosary with the intention of Renewal.
Offer up a Mass—try attending a weekday Mass.
Spend time in Adoration, resting in Christ’s presence.
Sacred Fire Stories: A Testament to Reconciliation
The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) are pleased to share Sacred Fire Stories, a short film highlighting Indigenous-led healing initiatives that preserve language, celebrate culture, and support education. This powerful film showcases the real impact of reconciliation in action.
Alongside the film, the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund Annual Report 2024 is now available, detailing the progress of over 200 projects supported by $18.9 million in funds raised since 2022.
On this one-year anniversary of the publication of the Pastoral Letter on the use of social media, “Let Your Speech Always be Gracious,” authored by the Episcopal Commission of Justice and Peace, here is a new CCCB video series and other resources to help readers – individually or in group settings – to unpack the rich pastoral and moral insights of the Pastoral Letter more fully.
A Pastoral Letter on the roles of social media in modern life was recently issued by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB). It offers a reflection on both the good and harm which social media impacts individuals and communities. As we prepare for Lent, it may inform our decisions around fasting and of almsgiving related to our use of social media.
Using insights from the latest CCCB pastoral letter, "Let Your Speech Always be Gracious," and the Holy Father's Lenten message, Bishop McGrattan highlights the seven commitments we should make to witness to core Christian values and help build a healthy online environment that serves the common good.
“Jubilee” is the name given to a particular year; the name comes from the instrument used to mark its launch. In this case, the instrument in question is the yobel, the ram's horn, used to proclaim the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). This (Jewish) holiday occurs every year, but it takes on special significance when it marks the beginning of a Jubilee year. We can find an early indication of it in the Bible: a Jubilee year was to be marked every 50 years, since this would be an “extra” year, one which would happen every seven weeks of seven years, i.e., every 49 years (cf. Leviticus 25:8-13). Even though it wasn’t easy to organise, it was intended to be marked as a time to re-establish a proper relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation, and involved the forgiveness of debts, the return of misappropriated land, and a fallow period for the fields.
Quoting the prophet Isaiah, the Gospel of Luke describes Jesus’ mission in this way: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord,” (Luke 4:18-19; cf. Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus lives out these words in his daily life, in his encounters with others and in his relationships, all of which bring about liberation and conversion.
In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII called the first Jubilee, also known as a “Holy Year,” since it is a time in which God's holiness transforms us. The frequency of Holy Years has changed over time: at first, they were celebrated every 100 years; later, in 1343 Pope Clement VI reduced the gap between Jubilees to every 50 years, and in 1470 Pope Paul II made it every 25 years. There have also been “extraordinary” Holy Years: for example, in 1933 Pope Pius XI chose to commemorate the 1900th anniversary of the Redemption, and in 2015 Pope Francis proclaimed the Year of Mercy as an extraordinary jubilee.
As the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has spread into Lebanon, thousands of families are facing displacement, and local agencies are providing shelter, food, medical care, and psychological support. Bishop William T. McGrattan urges us to join in prayers for peace and donate to trusted organizations to help those in need. To offer your support, you can donate online or by phone through the following organizations:
A video, Papal Visit to Canada, One Year Later, has been produced by the Archdiocese of Edmonton with reflections from Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, Archbishop Anthony Wieslaw Krotki, Archbishop Richard Smith, and Maskwacis Chief Victor Buffalo. The video highlights Pope Francis’ visit as a significant step on the road to healing and reconciliation, noting that the work and commitment will continue. It demonstrates that the Holy Father’s visit also made not only the idea, but the reality of reconciliation possible.
Walking Together: Into One Beat - A new documentary from Salt + Light on Pope Francis' penitential pilgrimage to Canada In July 2022, Pope Francis visited Indigenous communities, celebrated Mass in Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium and at the National Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré and, most importantly, apologized for the Church’s role in the country’s Residential School System. Walking Together: Into One Beat features interviews with members of the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit in Alberta, Quebec, and Nunavut, who share their heartfelt stories as they prepare for the Holy Father’s arrival. After the visit, they offer their reactions, impressions, and hopes for this country of many nations moving forward, as one, on the journey of reconciliation. Watch it here.
A groundbreaking report published by the Ottawa-based Cardus Institute has given voice to Indigenous Canadians who are frustrated by secular society’s unawareness of — or unwillingness to accept — the fact that almost half of them are Christian. The executive director of the Catholic Civil Rights League, Christian Elia, says society should grant Indigenous Catholics the respect and personal agency that is due all Canadians. He said his organization has heard from many Indigenous Catholics who are “growing weary of the ongoing assumption that somehow they have been coerced into the faith, that it is inconceivable that they wish to be Catholic. This condescending attitude must stop.” Read more
