Fr. Gaborit receives Bishop Legal

1910-1948: Early Years in Alberta

• In 1910, Fr. Leo John Dehon, founder of the Priests of the Sacred Heart (SCJ), sent four French SCJs to Alberta, Canada, at the request of Bishop Émile Legal. They established parishes along the railroad, including Wainwright, Beaumont, and others, building churches and a junior seminary in Beaumont.
• Challenges included isolation, lack of reinforcements from France due to political issues and World War I, and pressure from an Irish bishop to replace French SCJs with English-speaking priests. Some SCJs joined the diocesan clergy or returned to France. By 1940, after Fr. Edmond Gaborit’s death, the SCJ presence in Western Canada ended.

1948-1969: New Beginnings with Dutch Influence

• In 1948, Dutch SCJs, led by Fr. John Van Buuren, arrived to minister to Dutch immigrants and revitalize the SCJ presence. They established a junior seminary in Delaware, Ontario, in 1950, which trained 442 students, including 7 SCJs.
• The Canadian SCJ regions became vice-provinces in 1962 and full provinces in 1974. The Delaware seminary closed in 1969 due to changing needs, freeing resources for new ministries and marking a shift toward Ottawa and Toronto.

1969-Present: New Directions

• Post-Delaware, SCJs expanded into parish ministry, education, and social work. Parishes were established in Southern Ontario and Ottawa, with a focus on community living. SCJs pursued graduate studies for specialized ministries in theology, counseling, and social work.
• Social ministries included work with Dutch and Indonesian immigrants, operating Hope Cottage in Halifax (1982-1990) for the marginalized, and supporting Catholic education and social welfare.
• Formation programs evolved, with a joint North American novitiate (1985-1994) and a candidacy program in Toronto and Ottawa. Vocation ministry adapted to cultural changes, promoting religious vocations broadly.
• By 2002, the Anglo-Canadian and Franco-Canadian provinces merged into the Region of Canada, reflecting declining membership (from over 40 in the 1970s to 14 by the 2000s) and a commitment to shared governance despite linguistic and cultural differences.

Key Themes

• The SCJ mission in Anglo-Canada evolved from rural parish work to diverse ministries, emphasizing education, social justice, and community collaboration.
• The merger with the Franco-Canadian province in 2002 unified efforts under a shared vision rooted in Fr. Dehon’s charism of love and reparation, addressing contemporary Canadian societal needs.