Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples was damaged by fire, sustaining serious damage which requires rebuilding and upgrades. Sacred Heart church was designated as a national Indigenous Parish in 1991. It serves indigenous peoples and settlers as natural hub for Catholic reconciliation work in the Edmonton area. The campaign…
As we prepare to welcome Pope Francis to Canada, let us invoke the intercession of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the Mohawk saint who bears the title, “Protectress of Canada.” Please join in praying this novena to St. Kateri for the healing of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, as they prepare to…
A few months back when the Indigenous delegation went to Rome, Father Susai went along to support and accompany them. He brought with him a letter of invitation inviting the Holy Father to come to Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples parish, which is an indigenous parish that has…
We are pleased to see so many people responding to the opportunity to attend Mass with Pope Francis, walking together on a journey of reconciliation. Approximately 16,000 seats were reserved today. The next block of seats will open on Monday, July 11, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. (Mountain Time). We are…
In preparation for the Holy Father’s historic visit to Canada, you are invited to participate in an online Novena with members of the Papal Visit Team, Adam & Julia Kozak. This Novena will be live and online using Zoom for nine consecutive days, each evening for about 10 minutes at…
The official program for the Papal Visit to Canada was released on June 23, 2002. We continue to work with National Indigenous Organizations and other Indigenous partners to prioritize space for residential school survivors, Elders and Knowledge Keepers at papal events. This work will continue in the days leading up…
Pope Francis will visit the Treaty Six Territory of Maskwacis, Alberta. This is a pivotal moment for the world to witness and understand the impacts of the intergenerational traumas suffered by indigenous people in the residential school systems in Canada and around the World. This is an important step towards…
Canada’s Catholic Bishops welcome the June 23 announcement from the Holy See providing further details of the itinerary of Pope Francis’ historic visit to Canada, July 24 – 29, 2022. This will be the fourth papal visit to Canada and the first since Saint John Paul II’s journey in 2002.…
One night in mid-November 2004, the pyramid at Edmonton’s Muttart Conservatory was empty except for myself and my girlfriend. Though there are many different types of plants featured in the arid pyramid, I wasn’t really paying attending to any of it. I had realized that this was the opportune moment…
For National Indigenous Peoples Day, Indigenous elder Fernie Marty, a parishioner at Sacred Heart of the First Peoples, prayed before Mass. Fr. Susai Jesu OMI offered the Mass with the path to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples both in Canada and worldwide as the special intention.