Roman Catholic Churches In Calgary Mirror The Diversity Of The City.

Roman Catholic churches in Calgary mirror the diversity of the city, constituting a wide-ranging presence that represents many ethnicities and languages.

Photo Courtesy St Mary's Cathedral

Bishop Frederick Henry presides over the RC Diocese of Calgary, headquartered at St. Mary’s Cathedral at 219-18 Avenue Southwest.

Completed in 1957, St. Mary’s Cathedral is the focal point of a parish whose history dates back to the nineteenth century. In 1873, Father Constantine Scollen founded the first mission in southern Alberta, Our Lady of Peace Mission.

Over the years, the mission underwent many changes in name, location, and leadership, and the efforts of the early Calgarians culminated in the building of St. Mary’s Cathedral in the site it presently shares with the church and rectory.

Today’s RC Diocese of Calgary includes more than three dozen churches conducting services in a number of languages and offering programs that extend beyond the traditional masses and ceremonies.

The diocese administers some of these programs through its

Life and Family Resource Center,

which addresses issues at different stages in married life.

Engaged Encounter is a weekend retreat that helps engaged couples in Calgary prepare for marriage, and For Better and For Ever assists couples in specific circumstances, such as those who have been previously married or who are beginning marriage with children.

Marriage Encounter is a retreat weekend for married couples that encourages marriage enrichment, and Transitions is a fifteen-week support program for recently separated and divorced parishioners.

In addition to these marriage-centered programs, there are many more for parishioners in general.

Beyond Transitions sponsors educational and social activities throughout the year to foster Christian kinship and support.

These include a Lenten movie and popcorn night, a potluck supper and games night, a bowling night, and a season-end barbecue.

Through its Rainbows program, the diocese lends support to children and youths facing a death in the family or parental separation or divorce.

Anyone curious about the history of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary during the last four decades may purchase The Winds of Change, a text that chronicles the development of the church since 1968.

The diocese also publishes an online newsletter, The Carillon, in computer-friendly PDF format.

Dates, times, and places for these activities, as well as information on obtaining the book and viewing the newsletter, are available at the diocese’s website.

The philosophy that governs these programs is one of inclusion, and the many Roman Catholic churches located throughout Calgary reflect this welcoming spirit.

These churches embody a world of different cultures united by one faith, and anyone seeking a congregation of one predominant ethnic group has an excellent chance of finding it among the Calgary locations.

The following list indicates various ethnicities and the Roman Catholic churches that represent them in Calgary.

Chinese: Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 400 Edmonton Trail NE

Croatian: Our Lady of Mt. Bistrica, 14680 Deer Ridge Drive SE

French: Ste. Famille, 1717 5th Street SW

German: St. Boniface, 1923 Broadview Road NW

Italian and English: Our Lady of Grace, 1714 14th Avenue NE

Korean: St. Anne, 910 21st Avenue SE

Magyar: St. Elizabeth of Hungary, 819 13th Avenue SW

Polish: Our Lady Queen of Peace, 2111 Uxbridge Drive NW

Portuguese: Our Lady of Fatima, 4747 30th Street SE

Spanish: Our Lady of Guadalupe, 2519 Edmonton Trail NE

Vietnamese: St. Vincent Liem, 1405 8th Avenue SE

If you’d like to join a spiritual community that welcomes many different voices, the Roman Catholic churches in Calgary offer dozens of possibilities.

For more information and a listing of churches and programs, visit Roman Catholic Diocese Website

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