SAVE OUR CHURCHES ASSOCIATION
Upcoming
APRIL 7, 2024 - 2 pm - Assumption Church Hall
Bishop McGrattan To Lead A Town Hall Meeting
We have no information on what Bishop McGrattan will speak about but it is fairly certain that he will reveal his plan for the churches of East Lethbridge based on the data collected over the past year by the East Lethbridge Catholic Parish Assessment Project (ELCPAP). What he has to say will affect the future of the Catholic Church not only in Lethbridge but also in surrounding areas so please attend and urge your family and friends to do so if they care about the future of our church in our area.
Eucharistic Adoration
Eucharistic Adoration is held the First and Third Saturdays of each month
from 10:00 am - 12 noon, at St. Patrick's Church.
The next exposition of the Holy Eucharist will be held on April 6.
Come, and spend some time with Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
UPDATES
St. Patrick's Day Mass
Sunday March 17, 2024,
St. Patrick's Church
St. Patrick's opened its doors on a glorious Sunday morning to celebrate Mass on the feast of its Patron Saint. It was standing room only as parishioners once more flocked to worship God in their beloved church. The celebrant was Fr. Santiago Torres. Mass at St. Patrick's will again be offered on September 24, the day of its Consecration.
Please pray for the full reopening of St. Patrick's Church. Parishioners showed their continued love and support of St, Patrick's by filling the church to capacity on the two Masses offered last year (despite the Church being closed for the past 12 years). By your presence at Holy Mass let us continue to show Bishop McGrattan that we want St. Patrick's Church to be fully reopened.
January 18, 2023 - Bishop McGrattan Makes A Suprise Visit To All Saints Parish
Bishop McGrattan made a surprise visit to All Saints Parish Advisory Council on January 18, 2023. There was no formal notice of his coming or the purpose of his visit. Bishop McGrattan has had no communication with the Parish or SOCA acknowledging the March 12, 2021 decision of the Vatican's highest court, the Supreme Tribunal. Despite being the Petitioner in the case, SOCA has not received a copy of the judgment until it was recently posted on the All Saints website. The Court ruled that Bishop Henry had illegally closed St. Patrick's Church in 2011 and that it was to be reopened after 10 years of closure. SOCA has written the Bishop on at least two occasions asking how and what he planned to do in response to the ruling, receiving no response.
In a slide presentation, Bishop McGrattan outlined his plan to address the decision of the Supreme Tribunal. He proposed "a renewed consultation process to assess the future pastoral needs of All Saints Parish" and to come up with a "Made In Lethbridge" solution. Bishop Henry also proposed a similar process in 2006 which proved to be disingenuous. Bishop McGrattan asked that a committee be formed entitled the East Lethbridge Parish Assessment Project (EPCPAP) and that it be headed by Fr. Kevin Tumback. The committee's recommendations are to be sent to the Bishop for his decision by December 31, 2023
Bishop McGrattan went on to say that he would comply with the ruling of the Supreme Tribunal and reopen St. Patrick's Church - two times per year, once on St. Patrick's Day and on the day of its dedication (September 24). He also stated that the Church must be made safe for parishioners to enter, but that no financial support would be forthcoming from the Diocese for its cleaning and repairs.
SOCA has declined to participate in the East Lethbridge Catholic Parish Assessment Project believing that the Bishop's decision to only open St. Patrick's Church two days per year is in contravention of Rome's ruling. It is preposterous to believe that the Supreme Tribunal would consider St. Patrick's opening for 2 days per year as meeting the terms of their sentence. SOCA holds that St. Patrick's must be fully opened as it was before its illegal closure in August 2011.
SOCA also believes that Fr. Kevin is biased against the reopening of St. Patrick's and that he will not conduct a fair hearing of his committee. Throughout the past 20 years, the views of parishioners opposing the closing of their churches to build a new church have been dismissed and ignored by their two priests and two Bishops. To this time they have shown no indication that they intend to alter their plans even to the point of opposing the sentencing of the Tribunal.