Joachim and Anne ‘special people’
By Frank Flegel
REGINA — The Bible says little about Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of Mary and grandparents of Jesus, but a former pastor of Regina’s St. Anne’s Parish pictured them as holy and special people in his July 26 homily ending a year of celebrating the parish’s 50th anniversary.
Because Mary was a special and holy person, they too must have been holy and special, said Rev. John Perry, SJ. He was one of seven priests, current and former pastors and guests, who attended the special evening mass and following banquet. Current pastor Rev. Gary Lindenbach was the primary celebrant of the mass.
The year’s celebration began July 26, 2011 with a special mass
and the reading of a proclamation written by parishioners with help
from Msgr. Ken Miller, a former pastor who also attended the July 26,
2012 mass.
The anniversary year was front and centre of all the usual parish activities
during the year, said 50th anniversary chair Rose Romanowich. “I’ve
been very very pleased. I have had a hard-working and diligent committee.
They have done everything with great gusto and great pleasure, with
class and dignity.”
People came from across Canada for the mass, including some original members. Carl Bolen and his family moved into the area before the church was built. He said the first masses were held in the hall. “We have good memories. We had a good priest. We had a good bunch of guys working here and it was really wonderful.”
Parish council chair Don Barber has been a member for 30 years. He said the church has been good for the community. “There are lots of challenges coming in the next few years and I hope the people will continue supporting us and build on what we have established over the last 50 years.”
The church’s early problem with a leaking roof was the subject of many conversations. Perry said it seemed a common problem with churches of a similar design, including another of which he was pastor in another city. He noted in his homily that compared to what Joachim and Anne had to live with a leaking roof was not that much of a problem.
 |
|