Lethbridge’s St. Patrick’s Church reopens, group advocating for full-time use – Lethbridge | 24CA News
Long-time Lethbridge parishioners stepped foot inside St. Patrick’s Church for the primary time in 12 years Thursday afternoon.
More than a century outdated, the Catholic church at 917 Fourth Avenue South final hosted a service in 2011, when it was closed by Calgary’s then-Bishop Frederick Henry.
“For me, it’s overwhelming. I was going there for 40 years,” mentioned Joe Kelenc.
“Three, four days after I came to Canada, my uncle brought me (to St. Patrick’s) and I never left. Well, I left when they shut it.”
Two years in the past, the Vatican’s highest courtroom discovered the choice to shut the church invalid.
The Diocese of Calgary has been suggested that mass be held on St. Patrick’s Day and the anniversary of the church’s dedication on Sept. 24.
The church may also open for personal prayer every now and then.
But a neighborhood advocacy group referred to as Save Our Churches Association (SOCA) needs the constructing returned to it’s full-time use.
“At the time of closure, it was a vibrant, beautiful church, fully-packed,” mentioned SOCA member Prisca Baptista.
“It had everything going for it.”
Earlier this 12 months, Diocese of Calgary Bishop William McGrattan launched the East Lethbridge Catholic Parish Assessment Project.
It’s gathering suggestions from parishioners to find out the way forward for church buildings and is predicted to complete in January.
“Everything is on the table,” McGrattan mentioned. “The process is really to help assess the current needs, but also the future needs for All Saints Parish and the use of either the current buildings, possibly a new building or modifications to some of them.”
According to McGrattan, SOCA members have been invited to take part within the session.
“At this point, they have indicated to me they are not open or willing to participate in that formal process and to be part of the committee,” McGrattan mentioned.
“That invitation still extends to them.”
But the group says given the historical past of what it calls empty guarantees, they aren’t shopping for into the undertaking and SOCA is planning its personal public dialogue this Sunday.
Calgary Diocese members are welcome, says Kelenc, who serves as SOCA’s chairman. McGrattan instructed Global News he isn’t attending.
The church was inbuilt 1903.
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