Athabasca – St. Gabriel’s parish
1940-1966
Athabasca epitomized the pastoral ministry for the Redemptorists in Western Canada with its large territory and rugged setting in Northern Alberta. The Redemptorists accepted the parish from the Archdiocese of Edmonton when there was the shortage of priests. By 1950, they served 16 outmissions with Fr. Josef Knapik taking care of the Polish outmissions (1945-1947). Following the establishment of the Diocese of St. Paul’s in 1948, which included St. Gabriel’s, and the increased number of diocesan priests, the parish was returned to the diocese by the Edmonton Province Redemptorists.
Calgary – Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish
1929-1981
At the request of Bishop J.T. Kidd of the Calgary Diocese, the Redemptorists took charge of the four-year-old parish, originally named St. Angela’s, and changed the name to Our Lady of Perpetual Help in April 1929. By the end of that year, a new one-storey church, nicknamed the basement church, was opened. Under pastor Fr. Victor Crean, the construction of a new church began in August 1954 to replace the basement church and was blessed in June 1955. In 1931, the Redemptorists took charge of Holy Trinity in Forest Lawn until 1962 when it became a parish and also served as chaplains at the Calgary General Hospital, and later at the Colonel Belcher Hospital and the Cross Bow. The Edmonton Province Redemptorists returned the parish to the diocese.
Calgary – Holy Trinity parish
1931-1995
Bishop J.T. Kidd founded Holy Trinity in 1926 as a mission church. The following year, Bishop Kidd of the Calgary Diocese arranged to have an abandoned church at Bankhead near Banff moved to Forest Lawn and rebuilt there. On Nov. 13, 1927, the Bishop blessed the church under the title of the Most Holy Trinity and offered Mass in it. This church was served by various priests, generally from the Cathedral until the Redemptorists on Feb. 15, 1931 took charge of the church in Forest Lawn as an outmission of Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish.
On February 10, 1962, Bishop Francis Carroll established Holy Trinity Forest Lawn as a parish and appointed Fr. Leonard Murphy as the first pastor. Construction of a new church began in August 1962. Bishop Carroll blessed the new church on June 9, 1963. The Holy Trinity Activity Centre was opened in 1990. The Edmonton Province Redemptorists returned the parish to the diocese in 1995.
Calgary – Holy Redeemer parish
1981-1987
Holy Redeemer parish was established in 1981 from Holy Trinity parish in the southeast area of the city. Mass was celebrated in various locations until a church was completed in 1985. Fr. Brendan Boland served as the founding pastor and left in 1987 when the Edmonton Province Redemptorists returned the parish to the Calgary Diocese.
Claresholm – St. George’s parish
1941-1947
With a shortage of priests Bishop Francis Carroll of the Calgary Diocese transferred the parish an hour south of Calgary to the Redemptorists. The parish included the RCAF station housing 1,200 airmen and the surrounding farming area as well as outmissions of Stavely, Nanton and Granum. The parish was returned to the diocese.
Edmonton – St. Alphonsus parish
1924-1999
Edmonton Archbishop O’Leary invited the Redemptorists to begin a parish – the newly-created St. Alphonsus parish – and to give missions in the area. The rectory/monastery became the core foundation for Western Canada. A new church was blessed on October 26, 1924. The Redemptorists took temporary charge of the parish in Gibbons in August 1931. Over the years, the Redemptorists also served parishes and outmissions, including Tofield, Ardrossan, Hastings Lake, Holden, Bruce, Sherwood Park, St. Clare’s and Beverly. In 1938, a credit union was founded and was granted the first provincial charter in Alberta. It was named the Mangan Credit Union Society after Fr. Thomas Mangan, pastor/rector (1933-1939). Under pastor Fr. John Cunningham, a new church was constructed and opened in April 1953. The parish monastery served as the administrative headquarters of the Vice Province of Edmonton (1945-1961) and the first year of the Edmonton Province (1961-1962). Under pastor Fr. Mageste John Santopinto, the church was renovated for the liturgy following the Second Vatican Council. After the celebration of the parish’s 75th anniversary, the Edmonton-Toronto Province returned the parish to the archdiocese.
Edmonton – Holy Redeemer College
1960-1974
Established by the Vice Province of Edmonton as a minor seminary, Holy Redeemer College was built on a hillside overlooking the North Saskatchewan River. It provided high school education and first year of a university arts program before students entered Novitiate. Classes began on September 3, 1960 with an enrolment of 65. In 1961, a private cemetery was dedicated for deceased Edmonton Redemptorists. Declining enrolment forced the college’s closure in 1970, although it operated as a centre for various educational, social and religious groups. It was sold in 1974 to the Alberta government. The bodies from the college cemetery were re-interred in the Redemptorist plot at Holy Cross cemetery in the city’s north west end. The college art works were relocated or sold. A 20-foot, 10,000 pound sculpture of “Christ the Teacher” by artist Elek Imredy was moved to St. Joseph Seminary and Newman Theological College and now sits on the grounds of the new seminary and college.
Edmonton – Liguori House
1962-present
Bearing this name was the first provincial residence and headquarters for the Edmonton Province. The first site was located in the city’s Glendale area and was sold in 1990.
The second Liguori House was a renovated house adjacent to Clement House on Jasper Avenue in the city’s east end. The Redemptorist Bio-Ethics Consultancy operated from the house (1993–1997). The house now serves as a residence.
Edmonton – Scala House
1975-2004
For the Edmonton Province, Scala House served as the formation house (1975-1985) and as the Novitiate (1976-1977). It was the combined Novitiate (1979-1980) for both the Edmonton and Toronto Provinces. From 1986, the Redemptorist Centre for Growth used the house for their adult counselling initiative until it closed in 2004. The house was sold in 2004.
Edmonton – Clement House
1985-2007
In 1985, this newly-built residence was opened to house students and later the administrative headquarters of the Edmonton Province (1990-1996) until the Edmonton and Toronto Provinces merged. Overlooking the North Saskatchewan River, the residence was also used for youth ministries. It was sold in 2007 to the Franciscan Fathers.
Edmonton – Grey Nuns Regional Centre, later Villa Marguerite
1999-present
Retired Redemptorists live in this residence.
Edson – Sacred Heart parish
1949-1985
From the Archdiocese of Edmonton, the parish was transferred to the Edmonton Vice-Province on October 1, 1949. Under Fr. Isadore Shalla, a new church and rectory, designed by Fr. Francis Dales, were opened in 1953. Over the years, outmissions included the Coal Branch Line communities of Cadomin, Blackstone, Brule, Coal Valley, Pocohontas, Jasper, Mountain Park, Coal Spur, Luscar and Marlboro. Our Lady of the Foothills in Hinton was an outmission until 1959. Fr. George Gunnip, the longest-serving Redemptorist pastor, arrived in 1964 and served until his death in July 1985. The Edmonton Province returned the parish to the archdiocese.
Grande Prairie – St. Joseph’s parish
1932-present
At the request of the Bishop Joseph Guy, OMI, of the Apostolic Vicariate of Grouard, the Redemptorists assumed responsibility of St. Joseph’s parish. Under the Redemptorists, three churches have been built. Under pastor Fr. John Martin, a new church opened in 1952. Designed by Fr. Francis Dales, it became the model of churches the Redemptorists built in their parishes of Edson, Athabasca and Sexsmith. On December 12, 1966, that church burned to the ground. Two years later, a new and spacious St. Joseph’s church and parish centre opened under the direction of pastor Fr. Neil Corbett. A new rectory was opened in 1977. Two decades later a growing congregation resulted in a new church to be built under the direction of pastor Rev. Gerard Pettipas, who presided at the blessing on May 20, 2007 as the newly-appointed Archbishop of Grouard-McLennan. Over the years, outmissions included Rio Grande, Beaverlodge, Hythe, Sexsmith, Kleskun Hill, Webster, Bezanson, Badheart, Buffalo Lakes, TeePee Creek and Saskatoon Lakes. Eventually Beaverlodge and Sexsmith were established as separate parishes with Redemptorists as resident pastors.
Hinton – Our Lady of the Foothills parish
1959-1986
As an outmission of Edson, it became a parish under Fr. Francis Malone, who oversaw the construction of a new church in 1959. Fr. Gerald Redmond, who was appointed on two occasions: 1964-1970 and 1980-1983, was honoured by the naming of Gerald Redmond Community Catholic School in recognition for being “instrumental in the initial development of a Catholic school system.” Upon the departure of Fr. Joseph Boyle of the Edmonton Province, the parish returned to the Edmonton Archdiocese.
