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- Service and Outreach | www.stpiusx.ca
Service and Outreach MINISTRIES Join Our Service Groups Being part of one of the service groups at St. Pius X means that you are also serving Christ and the Church! You are welcome to join our vibrant community! Please fill out our Ministry Sign Up online form to register with one of the Ministries and Groups. Pastoral Health Care Catholic Women’s League Society of St. Vincent de Paul Knights of Columbus St.Rita’s Group Manna Ministry Grocery Cards Program Ministry Sign Up First Name Last Name Email Message Thanks for submitting! Send
- Young Adult Group | www.stpiusx.ca
Young Adult Group Prayer and Faith Young Adult Group The youth group will meet the 1st Sundays of every month for Bible Studies after the 11am service. Enjoy some time reflecting about God and making new friendships. Next meeting: Sunday July 6th, after 11am service at the Church's Library. All youth between 18 and 35 are welcome. Snacks will be provided. Our next meetings are on : Saturdays June 28 at 6pm (Bible Studies) July 26 August 30 September 27 October 25 November 29 December 20th Sundays (Bible Studies) July 6th after 11AM Mass August 3rd after 11AM Mass September 7th after 11AM Mass October 5th after 11AM Mass November 2nd after 11AM Mass December 7th after 11AM Mass * Saturday meetings activities will vary. More details will be announced in the weekly bulletin. Get Involved! Being part of one of the service groups at St Pius X means that you are also serving Christ and the Church! You are welcome to join our vibrant community! Please fill out our Ministry Sign Up online form to register with one of the Ministries and Groups. Youth Group Sign up
- About | www.stpiusx.ca
About Us Our Patron saint Who was Saint Pius X? On June 2, 1835, Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto saw the light of earth at Riesi, Province of Treviso, in Venice; on August 20, 1914, he saw the light of heaven; and on May 29, 1954, he who had become the two hundred fifty-ninth pope was canonized St. Pius X. Two of the most outstanding accomplishments of this saintly Pope were the inauguration of the liturgical renewal and the restoration of frequent communion from childhood. He also waged an unwavering war against the heresy and evils of Modernism, gave great impetus to biblical studies, and brought about the codification of Canon Law. His overriding concern was to renew all things in Christ. Above all, his holiness shone forth conspicuously. From St. Pius X we learn again that “the folly of the Cross”, simplicity of life, and humility of heart are still the highest wisdom and the indispensable conditions of a perfect Christian life, for they are the very source of all apostolic fruitfulness. His last will and testament bears the striking sentence: “I was born poor, I have lived in poverty, and I wish to die poor.” His feast day is August 21. Source: Catholic Online Parish History A Brief History St. Pius X Parish 1954 – 2017 “On November 11, 1954, Most Reverend Francis Carroll, Bishop of Calgary, blessed St. Pius X School at 18th Street and 24th Avenue NW, which had been opened the previous September. After the school site had been chosen and the school nearly built, the Bishop, with his Diocesan Consultors, decided on June 7, 1954 to erect a parish named St. Pius X, the name chosen by the Bishop for the school, in honor of the pope who founded the Diocese of Calgary.” 1 The first Mass of the new St. Pius X Parish was held at St. Pius X School on Sunday, July 18, 1954. The first parish priest was Father Bernard Holland. Father Holland came to St. Pius from Bellevue, in the Crowsnest Pass, where he had a multitude of interests, one of these being hockey. He was even the Secretary of the Crowsnest Hockey Association. He was a very humble, gentle but nervous person. He had a big mind about what he wanted to do to please people and what was necessary for the community in general. One of the first things he did upon his arrival at St. Pius X was to form the Sarto Society. This was an all-men’s group whose expressed purpose was “to organize and attend to the temporal welfare of the parish, leaving him free to look after the spiritual needs of the people”. This wouldn’t happen today, however, in 1954, it was quite extraordinary. To the Sarto Society was entrusted the great challenge of raising funds to build a church. Father Holland decided to build the church on farm property, owned by the diocese, where the present Parish Hall is located. A census was taken of the northwest community to determine how many people would belong to the parish: at that time there were 250 families. The Catholic Women’s League was also organized by Father Holland in 1954, with Adele Schwinghamer as President. The League filled a need as a spiritual as well as a social organization in the new parish. With over 200 members, the C.W.L. was also “needed to care for the church, the rectory and the pastor’s clothes and meals. The meal book was devised to remind Father where he was expected for dinner, each day.” The membership was divided into nine groups, with the Captains on the Executive. The small groups would gather every two weeks and the whole community would gather once a month. During 1954, while Sunday mass was still celebrated at St. Pius X School, a building fund drive was launched and designs were sought for a church building for the new parish. The church was a Quonset style of building with a bell tower on the front, giving the church a Spanish Adobe type appearance. A small apartment on the north end of the church housed Father Holland. The first Mass in the new St. Pius X Church was celebrated on Christmas Eve 1955. “The building served two main functions. First it was a church with an altar at the north end; rows of stacking chairs completed the church-like appearance. The church could be converted quickly into a hall by dropping a curtain in front of the altar and removing the chairs and kneelers. Once the parish had its church/hall built, life settled into a comfortable, but active routine. Perhaps one attribute which distinguished St. Pius X was friendliness. Father Holland always preached, “if you see someone you don’t know, go and introduce yourself and learn his/her name, then, on the following Sunday, introduce that person to one other person or couple.” “The Provincial Gaol, opened in 1958, was given to Father Holland as a chaplaincy. It was his care to say Mass on Sunday afternoons, to visit weekly at the gaol, becoming acquainted with the men, counselling them, keeping in touch with their families and often assisting them when they were released. In the meantime, the parish grew rapidly. Several schools were built in the parish including St. Francis High School. The temporary church was seriously over-crowded in spite of a schedule of four masses on Sunday. In 1962, Father Holland unveiled plans for his “roundish church”; construction began in 1963 on a tender of $141,000. with a loan of $90,000.” 2 The new St. Pius X Church (the present church) was blessed by Most Reverend Joseph L. Wilhelm, Auxiliary Bishop of Calgary, on December 22, 1963. The old, temporary church was reduced and became the parish hall. Following the completion of the church, Father Holland began negotiations to buy a house immediately west of the Parish Hall to serve as a rectory. Before these were completed, he suffered a severe heart attack and died on October 2, 1964. The Basilians at St. Pius X After the death of our founding father, Bishop Carroll had no diocesan priest to replace Father Holland. “Bishop Carroll turned to the Basilian fathers to accept St. Pius X Parish with the possibility of chaplaincy and other relationships with the University of Calgary but with the proviso that the parish would first be divided. St. Luke’s Parish was divided from St.Pius X on October 8, 1964. It was agreed that the assistant priests should be supplied by the Diocese until the Basilians had sufficient personnel. The parish was relieved of the chaplaincy to the Provincial Gaol.” 3 Father Michael Oliver, C.S.B., arrived on November 4, 1964 as administrator. The first Basilian to become University Chaplain was Rev. Edward Sullivan, C.S.B., in 1966. Since Father Oliver, St.Pius X Parish was fortunate to be served, until August 2001, almost 37 years, by priests who continued to forge an alive and active Christian community. Father Oliver was only a temporary Administrator until Father Curran, C.S.B., arrived in mid-1965. His first challenge – to remodel the sanctuary, in compliance with the decision of the Second Vatican Council to have the altar turned around as the priest would be facing the congregation. At the same time, Parish Councils were to be established. A committee was set up to study already functioning Councils. “It was decided, to no one’s surprise that none of the Council Constitutions suited the needs of St. Pius. The Committee settled for a set of guidelines which could be modified as needed, but always subject to the parishioners’ approval at each annual meeting! Those initial parish annual meetings were well attended! And very lively!” Laity became much more involved in church ministries with over 100 lay persons performing liturgical functions. Church music was given new impetus and folk groups sprang up to implement the music of the “senior choir”. A new pipe organ was installed in the upper left balcony. It proved to be a very difficult organ to play. To solve the problem, Parish Council sent Leslie Smith to Toronto to learn the secret of playing this remarkable Walker from Frankfurt, Germany. He was so well trained that he was hired immediately by St. Mary’s Cathedral upon his return to Calgary.” Eventually the organ was moved downstairs, installed behind the altar, and later sold to a Lutheran Church in Pennsylvania. The Parish Council’s Social Committee revived parish social events on such occasions as New Year’s Eve, St. Patrick’s Day, and Halloween, and the hall was filled for these socials. “In addition, a Bowling League was formed and operated successfully for six years; a Mixed Bridge Club enjoyed weekly gatherings for many years;” and, even a bi-weekly Ukulele Group “made music” during Father Tom McReavy’s tenure, with his involvement. Throughout these years of change in the parish, the ladies of the C.W.L. added community projects such as catering to their list of involvements. The parish hall and the kitchen were equipped with dishes, cutlery, tables, and table linen from catering projects. In addition to these “paying” catering jobs, the ladies served dinners for deanery meetings and priests’ reception in the hall. They catered a large receptions in St. Mary’s Cathedral on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Confederation in 1967. The C.W.L. also went out to the city community to provide many Christmas dinners to the homeless of the Inner City Drop-in Center, and the mentally handicapped from Advance Industries and V.R.R.I. The arrival and presence of the University of Calgary campus within the parish boundaries meant that another Catholic Community existed in our midst with needs that were different from our parish needs. In 1964, St. Pius X priests assumed the University Chaplaincy on a part time basis, which became full time in 1966 when the Basilians, with Father Hugh Foley, then FatherTed Sullivan, took over this role until their departure in 2001, except for a period from 1971-78 when the Resurrectionist Fathers took over the chaplaincy. In 1973, the Diocese mandated that St. Pius X run Catechism classes for all Catholic students attending public school in North West Calgary. This program continued every Saturday during the school until 2012. In 1979, the Diocese of Calgary and St. Pius Parish determined that more space was needed at St. Pius to adequately accommodate the parish and the U of C Community, so an addition was built to the church. The University Community remains a vital part of our parish and yet a community in its own right. In 1997, we began purchasing property adjacent to the church. The first property, now our rectory, came by chance, when Mr. Vincent, a neighbor, passed away and his wish was that the parish would buy his property. Thus began our newest expansion journey. Over the next few years we managed to purchase all the properties west of the parish hall to 24th street on 24th avenue. In August 2001, the Basilian fathers were moved to St. Thomas More, Calgary. Thirty-seven (37) years of Basilian parish leadership saw 26 priests serve as Pastor, Associate Pastor, or, U of C Chaplain. The Basilian Fathers are a teaching order so most of the priests who served the parish were teachers, and education was very important in their ministry at St. Pius. Their influence is still apparent in our parish and our parish programs. The Multicultural Years 2001-2017 After the departure of the Basilian Fathers in 2001, St. Pius X embarked on what might be described as its multicultural period, blessed with pastors, in succession, from Poland, the Philippines, and, Mexico. In August 2001 Fr. Bogdan Sianozecki was appointed Administrator, then Pastor in 2001. During this time, our Facilities Expansion Committee set out to survey parishioners, parish groups and staff to determine the wishes and needs for the facility expansion. A plan was put in motion which included a renovated church, more meeting rooms, new offices, more storage space, new hall facilities and a new parking lot. A new Rectory was built on the Vincent property across the street. In May 2009, during Father Silvano Vargas’ tenure, renovations began to the church sanctuary. The renovations to the church required that the sanctuary be vacated over the summer of 2009, so, we moved back to our roots. All masses at St. Pius X were held in the original church, now the Parish Hall. The space was small and intimate. A general sense of closeness developed within the community. Parishioners look upon this period with great fondness. The first Mass was held in the newly renovated church on September 9, 2009. Bishop Henry presided at this Mass and the dedication of the new Altar and Tabernacle. The new fire alarm was also unexpectedly initiated during the dedication Mass. Since then a new crucifix, stained glass windows, A/V equipment, altar furnishings, and, piano have been added to our beautiful Church; the buildings west of the Parish Hall have been demolished and a temporary parking lot has been set up. During this same period, Bishop Henry instituted the Permanent Diaconate shortly after he became Bishop of Calgary. Deacon Dave Bentham was assigned as Deacon to St. Pius X in September 2004. Deacon Stephen Robinson, a long-time parishioner, joined him at St. Pius after his ordination to the diaconate in June 2008. Deacon Stephen transferred to St. Luke’s parish in 2015, and was ably replaced by Deacon Dan Deck. In 2012 the houses on the properties acquired by the parish west of the Church Hall were removed and construction of a gravelled parking lot for the Parish on that site was completed. Fr. Luis Moreno Nava presided over the Parish until Fr. Bill Corcoran’s arrival in 2014. In 2016 the Parish commenced an assessment of its current facilities with a view to determining what facilities will be required moving forward. The Parish has also been in continuing discussions with the City of Calgary on a proposed interchange at Crowchild Trail and 24th Avenue, N.W. and its impact on Parish Church, Hall, and, Parking Lot. In late 2018 a New Parish Hall Committee was struck to commence a feasibility study with the intention of planning to build a new Parish Hall within five (5) years. The Parish’s long commitment to the University of Calgary Catholic Community was moved on March 17, 2019 to the St. Francis Xavier Chaplaincy, along with SAIT and MRU students to St. Bernard’s Parish in Parkdale. This brief synopsis makes it appear that the history of St. Pius X Parish has been buildings, renovations and priests, but that is far from the truth. It reflects the change and growth of the parish but not the “heart”, the remembrance of the “little things” that demonstrate the spirit and faith St. Pius X Parish flourished over the past 62 years. The life of the parish has been the people who made up, and still make up our parish family; those families and individuals who have been, and are, generous with their time and talents, ever friendly, committed, and enthusiastic. “We strive to be a Parish thriving in spirituality, gratitude, service and hospitality”. This continues to be our challenge and battle cry as we move on in our history Footnotes: 1 From the Buffalo to the Cross, M.B. Venini Byrne, pg. 181 2 idem, pg. 182 3 idem, pg. 183 Submitted by: Al Roach May 2017 Updated: June 2019 Acknowledgements: Tedd Jennings, Dawn Gartner, Dave Rowbotham Our Parish Schools "Let us thank all those who teach in Catholic schools. Educating is an act of love; it is like giving life" ~ Pope Francis Elementary School Junior High School St. Pius X School Elementary Bienvenue to St Pius X School! The school is a Kindergarten to Grade 6 French immersion school. The students’ days are filled with living and learning in the Catholic faith. Within the school, St Pius X is building more inclusive communities where respect for one another, the community and diversity are celebrated. Using these values as building blocks, they create a positive school community by developing relationships through activities such as student leadership, social justice projects and professional development opportunities. Contact St Pius X School: Phone: (403) 500-2015 Go to School Website Madeleine d’Houet School Junior High Madeleine d’Houet School is a Calgary Catholic School. Catholicity represents their “raison d’être” and for that very reason, it becomes necessary to elaborate their spiritual objectives. Presently, Madeleine d’Houet School is a vibrant Junior High that serves the northwest quadrant of Calgary. Students who have completed Grade 6 in an all-English reg ular program may enter a three-year Late Immersion program in Grade 7. Students are enrolled in separate Late Immersion classes for Grades 7 and 8 and are merged with Early Immersion students for Grade 9. Contact Madeleine d’Houet Phone: (403) 500-2008 Go to School Website
- Infant Baptism | www.stpiusx.ca
Infant Baptism "Let us remember the date of our Baptism, the date of our initial sanctification, of our reception of the Holy Spirit from the Father, and of great forgiveness." ~ Pope Francis Sacraments Infant Baptism The birth of a new child is a very happy and holy event. Therefore, when we introduce the child into the Church Community through Baptism, it calls for a celebration. Baptism preparation anticipates this celebration. Participants enjoy and appreciate the opportunity to discuss and share views on this important sacrament. Our Baptism preparation program was initiated to help parents and sponsors understand why we baptize our children. The subject is discussed in practical rather than theological terms. The basic themes of Christian Community and parental responsibility are developed in the overall context of the Baptismal Ceremony. Thus, the Baptism event has more meaning for those present. Parents are required to take an Infant Baptism Session prior to the Baptism of their child. Please fill out the online Baptism Registration Form and complete the Baptism Preparation Session – details below. Registration Form BAPTISM PREPARATION SESSION We are resuming in person Baptism Preparation Sessions in September 2022. Sessions will be held once a month on the second Monday of the month at 7 pm at the Church. Please contact the Office or the Deacon if you plan to attend. For the time being, we will continue to offer online baptism preparation for those people who are not yet ready to return to in-person Sessions. These Sessions are offered through Formed . There is a series called “Reborn”, which consists of 3 videos. When you have watched all three videos, please contact Deacon Dan to arrange a Baptism date and complete the Baptism Registration Form above. If you have not signed up for Formed , please do so, using the Parish login credentials. 1. Visit formed.org 2. Click Sign Up 3. Select “I Belong to a Parish or Organization” 4. Find St. Pius X Parish by postal code: T2M 2A2 5. Enter your email – and you are in! Older teens, young adults and adults are invited to contact the parish office for programs suited to their needs. See also RCIA .
- Building Reports & Documents | www.stpiusx.ca
Building Reports St Pius X Hall 2424 – 24 Ave NW, Calgary AB Functional and Physical Condition Assessment March 16, 2022 View File Recommendation to St. Pius X Parish Pastoral Council on the Parish Hall from the St. Pius X Building & Maintenance Committee May 7, 2017 View File St Pius X Hall 2424 – 24 Ave NW, Calgary AB Functional and Physical Condition Assessment March 16, 2022 View File St Pius X Chronology of New Hall Activities January 10, 2025 View File
- Contact Us | www.stpiusx.ca
Contact St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church, Calgary Alberta Mass Times Read Our Bulletin GET IN TOUCH Contact & Visiting Info Worship Gatherings Wed, Thurs, Fri 9:00 am Saturday 5 PM Sunday 9 & 11 AM Mailing Address 2424 24 Avenue NW Calgary, AB T2M 2A2 Phone & Email (403) 289-3602 office@stpiusx.ca Email Fr. SAJO Email Deacon Dan Email Bookkeeper Office Hours 9:00 am – 1:30 pm Monday – Friday Closed Statutory Holidays Want to send a Prayer Request? Please use the form below and we will add your intentions to the weekly or weekend Mass. First Name Email Last Name Email Message Send Message Office Location & Hours Office Location: Southwest corner of the church facing 24th Avenue NW. Office Hours: 9:00 am – 1:30 pm Monday – Friday Closed Statutory Holidays Parking Parking stalls can be found around the church and parish hall. For Saturday and Sunday masses the parking lot between the parish hall and 24 St NW is open and can be accessed via the alleyway on the north side of the church. The parking lot is also open for larger events during the week. This map shows the availability of on-street parking around the church. Sacraments For Sacrament Information (Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist etc.) please check our Menu links at the top of the page. For Funerals , please contact us using the form above. For detailed information about a Celebration of Life (Funeral) Mass and reception, please visit the Funerals page . New Parishioner? Fill out our online form. We would love to meet you! Online Form Support The Parish Thank you to all of our Parishioners who continue to support our Parish during this time of pandemic with their donations . We would like to make it as easy as possible for you to make a donation, so we have a number of ways to donate. Click the button below to see your options. Donate Our Parish Bulletin Join our email list to stay up to date with the latest news and events from our Parish. E Mail Adress* First Name* Last Name Subscribe *indicates required
- Ministry of Praise | www.stpiusx.ca
Ministry of Praise Prayer and Faith Ministry of Praise WHAT is the Ministry of Praise? It is a spiritual ministry in which the members offer daily prayers, joys and sufferings to God for the parish, and, the community. WHO can belong? l parishioners and interested persons. WHAT do I have to do? You are asked to pray daily for the parish, the church, and our community. WHAT good will it do? It will provide a spiritual powerhouse that will bring God’s blessings on our Priests, families, youth, and anyone in need of spiritual strength and direction. DO I have to say special prayers? No, you may continue your daily prayers. You will be provided with a Book of Prayers. You may use these prayers if you wish. HOW will I know what I should pray for? Each month you will receive a “bulletin” with the “intentions” to pray for during that month. DO I have to pay DUES? No, your offering of prayers, sufferings and joy is all that is needed. These gifts are very pleasing to God. DO I have to attend meetings? No, this is a personal, yet communal spiritual ministry. HOW do I join? Contact the Coordinator, (see below). He will send you an application form, which, when completed, you may send back to him or mail/deliver it to the Parish Office. The Coordinator will confirm your acceptance. Please contact our coordinator , Al ,for more details. Get Involved! Being part of one of the service groups at St. Pius X means that you are also serving Christ and the Church! You are welcome to join our vibrant community! Please fill out our Ministry Sign Up online form to register with one of the Ministries and Groups. Ministry Sign up First Name Last Name Email Message Thanks for submitting! Send
- Spiritual Dimension of Women | www.stpiusx.ca
This is the women parish group and they meet every week Spiritual Dimension of Women Prayer and Faith Spiritual Dimension of Women Faith sharing with other women every Friday morning from 9:30 am to 10:30 am. Get Involved! Being part of one of the service groups at St Pius X means that you are also serving Christ and the Church! You are welcome to join our vibrant community! Please fill out our Ministry Sign Up online form to register with one of the Ministries and Groups. Ministry Sign up First Name Last Name Email Message Thanks for submitting! Send
- Did You Know | www.stpiusx.ca
Did You Know? Contact us Live Stream In an effort to keep everyone informed as to what is happening in our Parish, Parish Council has reintroduced the popular “Did You Know” series begun several years ago. Especially in this time of pandemic when we cannot gather our entire Parish family within the church, it is hard to keep up with the changes happening within our Parish and our Diocese. We will keep you informed here on our website, through occasional presentations at Mass and the Liturgy of the Word and with some Zoom Q & A sessions. We will post updates on this page. More information about the Building Project Building Project details Did You Know? A Proposed Path Forward for St. Pius X Parish After months of prayer, discussion, and community input, we have reviewed the results of the Evaluation Scorecard and proposed a new plan for our parish buildings. Options 3 and 4—partial or full redevelopment—received strong support, confirming our desire to move forward with meaningful change that respects our past and embraces accessibility, community needs, and long-term sustainability. We are now recommending to the Diocese a plan that retains our existing church, builds a new hall within a residential complex, and replaces the annex to address accessibility needs. Please join us on Saturday, May 3 at 3:30 pm for a Town Hall where Bishop McGrattan and the committee will present the details and celebrate this next step in our parish’s legacy. Click here to see The Presentation Did You Know? Select a Development Option for Our Parish The New Hall Committee has carefully explored potential solutions, and in collaboration with the Diocese, is presenting four options for parish consideration. We invite you to prayerfully reflect on these choices, considering not only the practical implications but also the spiritual and communal impact of each option. Your voice matters, and your participation is essential in shaping a future that reflects our shared faith and values. Click here to see The Presentation Did You Know? Parish Building Options Update St. Pius X parishioners have an exciting opportunity to shape the future of our parish buildings. The building committee and parish council are working to explore and discern the best path forward for our parish. Over the next few weeks, you will have opportunities to engage and provide input as we make this important decision together. A Brief History The need for a new hall was first identified in 2015, and since 2018, a dedicated committee has worked tirelessly to find a viable solution. Multiple options were explored, but progress has been slow. In late 2024, the Diocese, in partnership with Homes by Avi, brought forward a proposal to replace the church and hall with a six-storey residential building that includes these spaces. In January 2025, this proposal was further refined to offer two different options, and parishioner input through the “Conversations in the Spirit” process has been vital in guiding this decision. Parishioner Feedback Through the Conversations in the Spirit discussions, parishioners identified three key themes: Community Spiritual development and support Service Additionally, important attributes for the new buildings have been identified, including accessibility, inclusivity, and the spiritual, welcoming nature of the worship space. Building Options There are four primary options for the future of our parish buildings: Do Nothing: Defers action but continues short-term repairs on the hall. Replace the Hall: Replaces only the hall, requiring significant fundraising. Homes by Avi Option 1: Retain the worship space and incorporate a new hall into the ground floor of a six-storey residential building. Homes by Avi Option 2: Replace all current buildings with a new church, hall, meeting rooms, and offices, integrated into the ground floor of a six-storey residential building. Each option has distinct advantages and challenges, which are being shared with parishioners both after mass and online. Next Steps March 15-16: Preliminary renderings of the two Homes by Avi options will be unveiled. March 22: Town Hall meeting with representatives from Homes by Avi, the Diocese, and the committee to answer questions and outline the process for parishioner input. March 22-31: Parishioners will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed options. Mid-April: Final decision to be submitted to the Diocese. Thank You! We are committed to transparency and will continue to consult with parishioners throughout this process. Thank you for your attention, and please feel free to reach out with any questions or comments. Click here to see The Presentation Did You Know? Conversions in the Sprit Conversations in the Spirit – Summary Document. Three qualities were identified, warm inclusive Community, support for Spiritual development and Service to others. These elements were widely shared as important to the congregation. Community refers both to the internal welcoming group of parishioners along with the multiple targeted programs for people of all ages and stages. Support for spiritual development refers to the sacredness and thoughtfulness of the multiple liturgies that are performed from daily mass through major holidays and the sacraments. It also highlights a number of selected programs for faith formation and sacramental preparation. Service was often highlighted as the doorway to further integration in the community. Service is well supported both internally to the community of St Pius X as well as outreach to others in need. A core statement was drafted using the above input. The statement will be discussed with the parishioners to see how well it will support the future direction of St Pius X. Rooted in Christ, St. Pius X Parish is a welcoming community dedicated to worship, service, and discipleship, fostering spiritual growth and compassionate outreach for all generations. 2 Purpose and Process The Parish of St Pius X is moving through a discernment process to decide the future of the buildings that will support our parish activities and long-term vitality. In order to better understand the perspective of parishioners, focus groups were conducted with focused questions to better understand the values of parishioners and their experience of being a parishioner as well as what they would want in the future from a parish community perspective. Feedback opportunities were booked on January 30, February 1, 4, 6 and 8. Standardized questions were used. Overall, there were 12 groups of 8 to 10 individuals for a total of over 100 parishioners who were able to give feedback. We had 6 facilitators who worked with the groups as facilitators or recorders as they were needed. Each session lasted about 2 hours, and the process followed the protocol for ‘Conversations in the Spirit’ for the most part. Questions were focused on the qualities of the parish community that had attracted them to the parish, the ongoing support for their spiritual growth within the parish and their future aspirations for the parish and for themselves within the parish. All discussions were taken with the idea of finding the first step of reviewing and renewing our mission. A previous exercise about 20 years ago had determined that the mission of St Pius X was ‘To Restore all Things in Christ’. Questions were: 1 **Introduction: Please introduce yourself and your pathway to becoming a member of St Pius X Parish. What aspects of St Pius X Parish attracted you initially to the parish 2. **In what ways does our parish currently support your spiritual growth - Share how the parish has been meaningful to you. 3. **What specific improvements through ideas, resources or programs would help you deepen your relationship with Christ within our parish community? ** - Consider activities, ministries, or resources that could make a positive impact on your spiritual journey. 4. **What direction should St. Pius X take for the future of the parishioners and church? ** - Offer your ideas of what our mission or purpose should be. Consider our role in supporting your personal faith journey as well as the broader mandate of Christ’s mission Recorders attempted to record all thoughts in each category and identify words that were central to the parish community. A subgroup of the facilitators and recorders reviewed the recorded conversations and organized the thoughts into themes. 3 Themes from the Conversations There was overall understanding of the changing nature of our society and in particular our parish. Attendance is down over the past 10 years. We are a much older parish with many seniors. Of note, the 35 to 65 age group is quite small in comparison to other parishes. We also have a larger group of single people. A majority of people understand the need for a new hall. This has been a topic of conversation and many town halls over the past 10 years. There is a much lower understanding of a need for a new church building. The overall themes related to A. Community 1. A Welcoming, Inclusive Community St. Pius X Parish is known for its warmth, hospitality, and strong sense of belonging. Parishioners consistently highlight that they feel "at home" here. The small size of the parish fosters deep personal connections, distinguishing it from larger, more impersonal churches. Personal invitations and word-of-mouth have been key in attracting new members. The building and its physical space hold sentimental value, reinforcing a sense of spiritual comfort and history. Elements such as the wood arches, the stone walls which were built by original parishioners and the church furnishings hold special meaning and contribute to the warm atmosphere. The architecture and layout contribute to a home-like feeling, and many parishioners choose SPX over other churches despite not living in the immediate area. 2. Family Oriented with programs for children, teens, young adults and seniors Many people were initially attracted to the programs for specific areas of the age spectrum. Religious education classes for kids, pre school and school age programs for kids during mass, young adult programs, University and young adult community. As well as groups like scouts and others were prominent in the early days and maintained in many cases until recently. All the programs required additional space over and above what the church itself provided. The full use of the available space drove the addition of offices and small classes and the basement early in the life of the church. The hall was the early church and was not purpose built to support the programs but was used fully and people adapted to the reality of the physical space. 4 B Spiritual Development 1. Worship – Mass, sacraments, homilies, and music are essential elements in the faith journey of parishioners. Much effort has gone into creating meaningful and engaged experiences for parishioners in all the elements of worship. It was a common observation that an individual parishioner was invited to be a minister at mass as a first step to feeling involved. This parish has been in the forefront of many of the church liturgical changes. Examples are the introduction of girls as altar servers and communion under both species. Some of the specialized liturgical programs have been lost. Examples include a children’s mass, a mass for the hearing impaired and the university chaplaincy. 2. Faith Formation Faith formation through Bible studies, retreats, and small group programs is highly valued. The role of priests and deacons is consistently mentioned as a crucial element in fostering spiritual engagement. Music ministry is highlighted as an essential part of worship and healing. Specific programs such as Alpha, Formed, retreats and bible studies were often mentioned as being important for both faith formation and community enrichment. C Service 1. Internal service to the St Pius X community Ministry within the parish community is a strong part of the community ethic. Liturgical ministries at mass, support of faith formation activities, support of the sacramental preparation programs and bringing the eucharist to our shut ins are all programs that are well supported. 2. Outreach Service Ministries such as St. Vincent de Paul (SSVP), RCIA, CWL, and St Rita’s have significantly shaped faith formation. Outreach programs and social justice initiatives are central to parish life, helping parishioners grow spiritually while serving others. There is strong support from the parishioners for any service outreach program that is managed by the parish. The role of the community in engaging the members of the congregation in the above areas of activity and spiritual growth is highlighted often. People commented on being invited to participate and finding the experience helpful to them in creating their spiritual home community. 5 Adequacy of the current church buildings The church building supports most but not all of the liturgical activities. This particular building has many of the aspects that contribute to this feeling of engagement. The balcony allows line of sight for children and others, the pews permit a feeling of togetherness with all areas of the church visible to each other. Architectural features of wooden arches and the textured stone also create a feeling of warmth. Access to the altar has been an ongoing issue for those who require mobility assists. Support of the many activities has changed over time. Each ministry requires significant space and storage specifications. Over the years we have lost some functions because of the changing world. Preparing food now requires a commercial kitchen. St Vincent de Paul support has new requirements. We have added the North of 60 support program. Meeting rooms of many sizes, and a large gathering area for the ongoing social and faith formation and educational events are required. Many of the current spaces are not accessible. There has been a reduction of social events since Covid and the changing public health requirements for food preparation. The hall is old, with difficulty to access the washrooms. Future Considerations: Community It is essential to retain these aspects of community within St Pius X There is fear that this will be lost if the church is , and the congregation needs to have an alternate place to worship for a couple of years. There is openness and encouragement to grow the congregation, and several ideas were presented with ways to do this. Social events like the weekly coffee after mass and other events are critical to maintain the community. There are many events and socials which took place in the past which parishioners would like to re institute. Maintaining the parish identity while adapting for the future—preserving the welcoming atmosphere, spiritual depth, and sense of belonging. Stronger Community Ties—encouraging fellowship through social events, coffee Sundays, and potlucks. 6 In recent years lack of a commercial kitchen has reduced the number and type of events that can be held on site. Renting other facilities is very expensive and requires significant transportation logistics. Access for those who require mobility aids was noted as a problem with the current structures. Also, washrooms are not wheelchair accessible in either the hall or the church. Rebuilding youth and family engagement—revitalizing children’s programs, youth ministry (ages 13-18), and outreach to young parents. Strengthening university and school connections—bringing back U of C Mass, engaging Newman College, and fostering stronger ties with Catholic schools Preserving the Parish’s Identity—concerns about redevelopment and the risk of losing the warmth and community spirit that defines SPX. Growth & Sustainability—ensuring financial and community longevity while adapting to modern challenges. Spiritual Support Spiritual Growth through liturgy, and faith formation The history of programs within the parish was supported by paid pastoral assistants with a mandate of leading the organization of programs. The parish has a strong history of volunteerism but benefits from an organizational lead for these programs. The position was lost during COVID and has not been replaced with the same scope. Currently sacramental preparation for children is supported but the broader range of programs is not. Our Deacon has provided many faith formation programs, but he also would benefit from the organizational support for these. Outreach to various groups is mentioned frequently. Work with the University and Young Adult Community has begun. Rebuilding the children’s liturgy program would benefit. Given the changing demographics of our parish, there were several suggestions of ways to support our seniors in an enhanced way. Developing leadership and support—hiring a paid Pastoral Assistant to coordinate ministries and ensure sustainability. Expanding faith formation and educational opportunities—more Bible studies, retreats, guest speakers, and discussions on Catholic teachings. Service There is a recognition within the community of the role that service both within the community and for outreach has played a major role in developing the community ties. 7 Parishioners maintain significant interest in each of these areas. As a parish we provide significant social outreach. St Vincent de Paul could be enhanced with additional food storage areas to take advantage of sales. At this time there is a hesitancy to take on more with the smaller and aging congregation. Although in the past we have always stepped up to support the need, we are beginning to see areas of concern for ongoing volunteer work. We have trouble finding altar servers. Several programs were stopped during COVID and are only now beginning again. Only now our pool of volunteers is smaller. One of the desired outcomes of the consultative conversations in the spirit process was to begin a process of potentially revising our mission to reflect the shifting demographics and current situation of our parish. We have a previous mission developed about 20 years ago. Based on the outcomes of the conversation, a potential mission statement has been developed. Overall Core Statement Previous mission To restore all things in Christ Core Message from consultation Rooted in Christ, St. Pius X Parish is a welcoming community dedicated to worship, service, and discipleship, fostering spiritual growth and compassionate outreach for all generations. Click here to see The Presentation Did You Know? Building Update On January 18 we held our second town hall meeting regarding the proposal for our parish buildings. Slide 1 110 of our parishioners came to listen and participate. We had collated all the previous questions and had planned to respond to these. Happily, at this meeting, there had been a decision the previous evening by the Diocese to investigate another option within the Diocesan and Homes by Avi partnership. The new proposal would determine if developing only the land on which the parking lot and hall sits is a feasible option. We had previously gained a delay for coming to a decision on the building proposal. We are no longer at a yes/no decision but are in a position of true discernment around several options. This development is impacting the next steps and our work on how the decision will be made. More details need to be developed and shared about the new option. We will be working on a project matrix that describes the benefits and risks of each option. Slide 2 Current activities within our parish include sharing information as we receive it. We are currently updating the website in light of the new option and modified process. We continue to receive questions and find ways to respond. To date the questions and comments have been very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to do this. Our next step is to conduct conversations with parishioners about their values and their community. We will be following a Conversation in the Spirit process developed by the Diocese to support the Parish Renewal initiative. As well, we will be preparing for the next town hall meeting in early March where further details of all the options will be presented. We already have the hall alone design based on the needs assessment of 2019. At this time, we are waiting for Homes by Avi to let us know when the architectural renderings will be available. They are planning for 3 different renderings for each option. Slide 3 We are holding our focus group conversations in early February. These discussions will be rooted in honoring our senior parishioners to better understand the values they held and the decisions they made to create the wonderful parish of St Pius X which we call our spiritual home. As well we have data from the Synodal information gathering of 2020, data from the survey of June of 2024 and the strength of our present community. We will meet with 2 selected groups, one for the more senior members of our parish and one for the young adults (18-35). After that, we will hold three more sessions that are open to everyone. As noted on the slide, they will be held in the evening on February 4 and 6 and one in the afternoon on February 8. All will be held in the hall. We will have focused questions about the value and role that our St Pius X parish has had in supporting your faith journey. The information gathered will be reported back to you. We are hoping that these conversations will help us to generate a draft mission for our parish community to guide us through the next several months and years. Please sign up for these conversation sessions. Sign up forms are at the back of the church. If you prefer, you can call the office to sign up. If there is higher interest than our planned meetings can accommodate, we will create more. Slide 4 In summary then, we will continue to receive and respond to question, concerns and comments about the process and the presented options. We have and will continue to share information as we receive it. Please consider participating in the conversations to be held in early February. Each of you contributes to this parish community that we call our spiritual home. We want to hear from everyone if possible. We are looking forward to seeing the ideas that are presented in early March. As we all know change is difficult. We are grateful for the extra time that has been given to us and hope we are using it wisely to ensure that all of you are part of our upcoming decision. Our response to the Diocese is due in March of 2025. Thank you for your attention. As always, I will be around to answer questions about this presentation. Click here to see The Presentation Did You Know? Parish Synod Sessions Our Diocese has been on a journey over the past 7 years. As part of that journey, you all had the opportunity to participate in the Synodal activity in the spring of 2021. We are now moving into the next phase of the pastoral renewal work. Simultaneously much work is being done as a result of the Synod in October of 2023 in Rome. This work will be revisited in October of 2024. All of the summary documents from the synodal consultation emphasize the importance of ongoing discussions at the parish level. Pope Francis has stated very strongly his view that the parish is a critical place for self-renewal and constant adaptation to be the Church Living. In the midst of the home of her sons and daughters. We at St Pius X will be offering several opportunities for our parish to discuss these activities which are happening in our broader church. At these sessions, we will review the Synodal process to date to learn about all the efforts made to truly engage with the broader church. We will also review the strong theological base for the synodal process. We are very interested in each of your understandings of how this initiative has impacted you, and how you think we should move forward within St. Pius X to renew our faith community. We are offering initially 3 sessions to have this discussion. Our sessions will be on June 7 and 8. June 7 – 1 to 3 pm in the church hall June 7 – 7 to 9 pm in the church hall June 8 – 1 to 3 pm in the church hall Hopefully this will provide a reasonable time for each of you. We hope you will be able to find time to contribute to the pastoral renewal within our parish and to better understand your role within the broader church community. Did You Know? November 23, 2024 Town Hall meeting with Bishop McGrattan On November 23, 2024 parishioners met with Bishop McGrattan and the Parish Council representatives to discuss the proposal from Avi Homes to develop a new Church and Hall. Parishioners who may want to share comments, concerns, and questions with members of our Parish Council can get in touch with Glen Jones or June Bergman at the following email addresses: glen@stpiusx.ca june@stpiusx.ca In February 2019 we conducted a parish survey with regards to building a new Hall. During the mid 1950’s our current hall was constructed. Since then, it has served in many roles including: church, rectory, dance hall, conference center, Inn from the Cold, reception hall for weddings and funerals, and gathering place for coffee and parties. Materials have changed, building codes have changed and parish needs have continued to evolve. With this in mind, Parish Council requested a comprehensive study of the existing hall by the Building and Maintenance Committee (BMC) to determine how best to respond to these many changes. There were a number of proposals investigated by the Building and Maintenance Committee. Many of these were very expensive and did not address all of the concerns highlighted during the reviews. Based on the results of the BMC report, Parish Council recommended to Fr. Bill Corcoran that a new hall should be constructed within the next 5‐7 years, as that is the projected life of the current hall. Our Finance Committee creates our annual budget and tracks our financial history. They reported that St Pius X Parish continues to be financially stable, meeting all financial obligations. Our weekly collections have been increasing, further adding to our financial stability and this is directly through your generosity. Our Building and Maintenance Report estimates a new hall will cost approximately $1.2 million. Based on our history and current trends, we can financially carry this debt. We are required first to collect 50% of the estimated amount to be able to proceed with this project. We are committed to developing a well thought out project plan and have already begun the necessary steps. We have had discussions with the Diocese of Calgary and recently requested in writing their formal approval of the plan. Once the Diocesan approval is received, we will seek membership for a fundraising committee, engage an architect continue to dialogue with you about your new hall require your involvement at many levels. We hope to be able to share the Diocese’s response with you soon and continue with a new hall to meet the needs of the parish community for many years to come. Did You Know? December 11, 2021 Parish Building Repair Update Some of you may have noticed over the years, the sidewalk and parking lot sinking as well as water collecting at the end of the sidewalk on the alley side of the church (at the corner nearest the hall). You may even have noticed the construction fencing and excavation in this area last fall (2020), as well as this fall (2021). The Building & Maintenance Committee (BMC) had noted this too and that the buckling sidewalk was damaging the brick facing of the church, so they undertook the project to correct this. When the sidewalk was excavated in 2020, a large sinkhole was found underneath and the soil was very water saturated around the church foundation. Further investigation was not possible at that time, due to the water saturation of the ground and the source of the water was not obvious. Looking for the water source required multiple camera inspections of pipes, opening a wall in the office, and plugging various other pipes. We again excavated in 2021 and determined that: a roof drain over the office was broken and not connected to the storm drains, the former electrical supply conduit to the hall had been broken and patched allowing water into the boiler room, resulting in the church basement flooding in June 2019 and subsequent requirement for a new electrical service to the Hall the storm drain manholes surrounding the church drained not only to the city drains, but also directly into the ground As a result of this high-tech investigation, the BMC determined that the church foundation had not been compromised by ground water over the years, however to prevent future damage, remediation of the above problems needed to be addressed. The BMC then undertook the project of replacing storm water lines, repairing manholes, permanently capping electrical conduits into the boiler room with cement and connecting roof drains to new lines. This project has cost $33,500 (2020-2021), while the flood clean-up and new electrical supply to the Hall (2019) cost $9,300. Still to be done: parking lot grading for proper drainage, sidewalk replacement, and parking lot paving repairs, which will be done next year after compacted soil has fully settled. Click Here To See The Presentation Did You Know? April 24, 2021 Diocese: That Bishop McGrattan is making a number of changes to how things work within the Calgary Diocese. These changes impact across many aspects of Diocesan leadership. The main areas of change are reviewed in this slide. Some of these changes you have seen a couple of weeks ago. They are reviewed here for you. Finance: Our Diocese will now operate within certain financial principles. As has always been the case, we are not allowed to run a deficit budget. What is new is that some budget categories now have a targeted percentage based on our usual donations. For example, we must maintain our costs for personnel to between 32% and 35% of budgeted donations. These numbers are derived from other charitable organizations. Another area of budgetary targets is maintenance where the maximum is 30% of budgeted donations. Thanks to our strong building and maintenance committee and the volunteers, we are usually well within this target. In the Calgary Diocese, the Diocese functions as our banker. We must borrow from the Diocesan central fund if we require funds for development. Loans are assessed at 1% and interest on cash reserves at 0.2% through this central fund. From March 2020 until December 2020, the Diocese waived collection of the 14.5% levy on all parish collections. This levy goes to support the operation of the Pastoral Centre. The levy has been reinstated as of January 2021. That Diocese wide, collections have reduced by about 30%. Our donations here at St Pius X have been tracking the same, about 30% decreased from previous years. With the 30% reduction of the total, the amount that is available for spending in certain budget categories has generally reduced by 30%. These changes reduce our flexibility in choosing how our finances are spent internally within the parish. Human Resources: The parish currently has reduced staff. We no longer have a sacramental assistant position. As well we have reduced secretarial time. The current cost for staff at the reduced level meets the diocesan maximum of 32-35 % of collections. The Diocese has assumed responsibility for all human resources in the Diocese. This will result in a more protected and supported benefit package for employees. It also means that we must apply to the diocese if we wish to hire any additional employees. In this application we must make a case for the need for the new hire position along with the expected role that this new employee will fill. Further, we must demonstrate that the additional remuneration for any new positions does not cause our costs for paid employees to exceed the 32% to 35% of donations threshold set by the Diocese. At the present time, all new hires must be approved by the Bishop. Your parish council is currently reviewing the various roles and tasks required in the parish along with the financial restraints to see if there is need for enhanced parish support. We are particularly trying to ensure that all the parishioner supports remain strong. Central Purchasing and Procurement: The Diocese is in the early stages of developing a centralized process for bulk buying and establishing trusted suppliers for a variety of services and goods. Parish Council Activities: As noted, 2 weeks ago, in response to these changes, your parish council has met with the Bishop, William McGrattan, Rev Wilbert Chin Jon and Alejandro Henao. As mentioned previously, we are currently reviewing the operation of the parish with all of the various tasks that need to be accomplished for support of the parishioners. We recognize the very strong role played by you our volunteers in the community of St Pius X. Supporting this role in the future is central to us. Next Week: This is lot of information and we will continue the discussion on Wednesday, April 28 with zoom meetings at 10:00 am and 7:00 pm. Parish council members will be available to clarify and respond to questions. Ideas to move forward are welcome. We are also planning a broad based survey or town hall for parishioners in the fall once the world opens up again. But for now, please let us know what you think. If you cannot come to our virtual coffee sessions, please contact the office with your questions and we will respond. Thanks so much to all of you for your continued support of St Pius X parish. As you learn about these changes and how we will deal with them, we believe that we all can grow together to be a stronger parish. Click Here To See The Presentation Did You Know? Together in Action (TIA) is the Diocese of Calgary annual campaign to support key ministries, partner organization and agencies. Embracing God’s plan allows us to enrich lives and support those in need. This year's "Together in Action" campaign aims to raise $2 million for crucial causes such as caring for retired priests, hospital chaplaincy, pastoral care, diocesan ministries, and the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund. Together we enrich lives and support those in need, embodying the spirit of Philippians 4:19, which reminds us that God will meet all our needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus. The 2024 TIA supports the following ministries: Click Here To See The Presentation
- Funerals | www.stpiusx.ca
Funerals Celebration Of Life Please contact the parish office to book the date and time for funeral arrangements. To see the Sacred Scripture Selections and Prayers of the Faithful Please select from the following: Funeral Celebration Planning Form Liturgy First Readings Liturgy Second Readings Liturgy Gospel Readings Prayers of the Faithful-A Prayers of the Faithful-B Prayers of the Faithful-C Psalms for Funerals Funeral Services St. Rita’s Ladies Group will host funeral receptions with Tea, Coffee and Juice for $5.00 per person attending. Food and desserts are to be provided by the funeral family.
- About Us | New Faith Gospel Church
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