World Day of Consecrated Life celebrated on Feast of the Presentation

By Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News

Consecrated women and men in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon were recognized, celebrated, and thanked at a diocesan Mass held to mark the World Day of Consecrated Life on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Feb. 2.

The afternoon Mass at St. Philip Neri Parish in Saskatoon was concelebrated by diocesan Vicar General Fr. Kevin McGee, Abbot Peter Novecoskiy, OSB, Holy Family Cathedral Rector Fr. Gerard Cooper, and Fr. Joseph Jacek, OMI.

Consecrated religious provided ministries during the celebration — including music ministry led by Sr. Teresita Kambeitz, OSU, with Fr. Bill Stang, OMI, serving as Cantor of the Psalm, and Sr. Louisa Brost, OSU, as reader.

The celebration began with blessing of candles — a tradition on the Feast Day that is also known as Candlemas — and included the renewal of vows by the consecrated women and men in attendance.

In his homily, McGee acknowledged the many gifts and charisms that consecrated women and men have brought to the diocese and to the world “bringing that Child that was brought into the temple into your work: into churches, hospitals, schools, universities, prisons, community centres, senior citizen residence, sidewalks and the marketplace.”

He shared how he owes his own vocation as a diocesan priest to a religious priest – a Redemptorist priest who served in Edson, AB. “When I was a young teenager, Fr. George was a support to me when I was going through a very difficult time… he believed in me when I could not believe in myself,” McGee said, noting that he was also baptized by a Redemptorist priest in Beaverlodge, AB.

Therefore, when as a diocesan priest McGee came to be pastor of St. Mary Parish in Saskatoon, served for some 86 years by Redemptorist priests, he was able to say to the parishioners: “I may not be a Redemptorist priest, but I am a priest because of the Redemptorists.”

Addressing the consecrated women and men present at the celebration, he added: “For you religious, those of you who have consecrated yourselves through the evangelical counsels to serve the Lord, you may not know the impact that you have on those whom you serve, and you may not fully know that until you are walking down a corridor in heaven, and you meet someone who says to you: ‘it was because of you that I was able to choose a better path, it is because of you that I am here.'”

Pope Saint John Paul II instituted this day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life in 1997. The Feast of the Presentation is also known as Candlemas; a day on which candles are traditionally blessed, symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ in our world.

Livestream video of the Mass:

Photos:

Arriving for the celebration of the World Day of Consecrated Life Feb. 2 at St. Philip Neri Church, Saskatoon. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

Abbot Peter Novecosky, OSU, greets Sr. Judy Schachtel, SMS

Those in attendance gathered around the baptismal font at the start of Mass for the blessing of candles. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

Abbot Peter Novecosky, OSB, of St. Peter’s Abbey (left) and Fr. Kevin McGee, Vicar General for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon, with Fr. Joseph Jacek, OMI, at the back, right. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

(Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)

The entrance procession for Mass at St. Philip Neri Parish, Saskatoon for the World Day of Consecrated Life. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)