Home Catechetics Program

I have been away visiting my mother and my family before Christmas. With the weather being so unpredictable and taking into account my need to be in Regina over the Christmas and New Year's season, I decided to make my "Christmas Visit" home to see my family before Christmas this year. But before I left there were some interesting events.

The first of these was a lunch with the Facilitators for the Home Catechism Program in the Archdiocese. This program helps families whose children are not in Catholic Schools to teach the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Faith to their children throughout the diocese. A program is provided for the families and the work done is supervised and corrected by these facilitators. This program was originated in the archdiocese by the Sisters of Service.

In this picture along with Sr. Anastasia Young, Director of Pastoral Services, on the far right and Jo-Ann Selinger of the archdiocesan Secretarial Services are Eleanor Pletz, Joan Dalrymple and Penny Forrest. Missing from the picture is a fourth facilitator, Marmy Wagner.

The need to make sure that our children and young people know the teachings of their Church and the practices of their faith is a demanding and important one in our Church today. To know Jesus and his words are light and life to all who believe in Him. We want this blessing for our children.

We are very grateful for the generosity of our volunteers and their work for the wellbeing of our children and youth. We remember Jesus' words: "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them, for to such as these belongs the Kindgom of Heaven."

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Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Recently I had to pleasure to meet Sr. Esberta Nicampo Pugong, SIHM and welcome her to the Archdiocese for an introductory visit.

Sister Esbert belongs to a Phillippine community whose origins are in the Cordillera region of the Phillippines where there are numerous indigenous tribes. She is in our diocese to see if her community could establish itself here and perhaps build on its history and experience of working with indigenous peoples to help in the work of ministering to the Aboriginal Catholics in our archdiocese.

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Catholic Family Services and its New Home

Thursday past Catholic Family Services celebrated the Grand Opening of its new facilities at 974 Albert Street in Regina. There was a very good crowd in attendance and its new location provides them with very bright and cheerful surroundings.


We asked God's blessing on the building and on the staff and all who would come to Catholic Family Services seeking health and wholeness in their lives and those of their families. I was assisted in these prayers of blessing by Deacon Joe Lang and Fr. Richard Jasiak, Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish and Representative of the Archdiocese on the Board of Directors.

In the middle is Fr. Gary Kuntz, clinical supervisor, counsellor and consultant at Catholic Family Services.

After the Blessing of the whole facility, the Executive Director, David Sax cut the ribbon officially opening the new facility. Beside him is Marueen Dumonceau the president of Board of Directors.

And of course afterwards there was a lunch and a few speeches. Here we see Councillor Mike O'Donnell giving words of congratulations and encouragement on behalf of the City of Regina.

"CFSS exists to assist families and individuals to utilize their capacities and strengths to grow toward enhanced well-being and preserve the integrity of their relationships, foremost their family. The agency recognizes the family as central in the healthy development of its members and is committed to advancing the strengths of families through its various programs. Our focus is on building healthy relationships."

You can get a full idea of their operation and services on their web-site http://www.cfsregina.ca/

It is a blessing to have this organization to help people deal with challenging situations in a way that brings a fuller and happier life to families today.

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