By Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News
This summer, Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen and a team of young adults visited the northern Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, where Hagemoen previously served as bishop, before his appointment to Saskatoon.
The diocesan summer mission team included seminarian Huy Le of Saskatoon, Ian Lam of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, and Jean-Paul Lefebvre of the Diocese of Whitehorse. Accompanying the group on part of the journey was Kevin Philip of the Archdiocese of Regina, sponsored by Renewal Ministries.
Young adults Jean-Paul Lefebvre, Ian Lam, and seminarian Huy Le joined Bishop Mark Hagemoen (l-r) on a summer mission trip to the northern diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith. (Submitted photo)
The purpose of the young adult mission trip was to provide practical support at the Trapper’s Lake retreat centre near Yellowknife, NWT, which also serves as a central meeting and training centre for clergy and lay leaders of the largely Indigenous diocese.
It was also to prepare for and assist with the Deline Spiritual Gathering held Aug. 13-18 in Deline on Great Bear Lake, added Hagemoen.
“We began the two- day drive from Saskatoon to Yellowknife on July 30, 2026. Mid-way we were hosted overnight by Fr. Nelson Esguerra and the Parish of Our Lady of Peace, Peace River, Alberta. Fr. Nel also hosted us on our return trip on Aug. 19,” said Hagemoen.
The Diocese of MacKenzie-Fort Smith is geographically massive, covering all of the Northwest Territories and the western part of Nunavut. It is considered a missionary diocese, and is is the home of Dene, Inuit, and Metis peoples.
Breathtaking scenery and vast distances were part of the northern trip. (Submitted photo)
Trapper’s Lake
Upon their arrival, Mackenzie-Fort Smith Bishop Jon Hansen, CSsR, led the way as the visitors carried out maintenance and renovation projects at the Trapper’s Lake Spirituality Centre, including restoring important walkways connecting retreat and residence buildings, and restoring a large cross on the hill overlooking the property.
Huy Le and Ian Lam work on restoring walkways at the Trapper’s Lake retreat centre as part of their diocesan Sts. Benedict and Scholastica summer mission experience. (Submitted photo)
The participants also visited St. Patrick Co-Cathedral parish in Yellowknife, providing testimonials regarding their mission trip experience.
Connections while at Yellowknife also include meeting up with Bishop Emeritus Denis Croteau, OMI; Fr. Mick Fleming, CSsR, who used to serve in Saskatoon; and Saskatoon CWL member Mary Kehrig, who was en route to Fort Simpson to assist the On Eagle’s Wings organization with children’s ministry.
Huy Le, Bishop Mark Hagemoen, and Ian Lam at St. Patrick Co-Cathedral in Yellowknife, NWT. (Submitted photo)
Deline Spiritual Gathering
From the Yellowknife area, the group travelled to the Dene community of Deline on Great Bear Lake. “Deline is the only community on the largest northern Great Lake in North America, and is home to the Deline Sahtu Dene people,” explains Hagemoen.
Kevin Philip, Huy Le, and Ian Lam (l-r) at the Prophet’s House at Deline, NWT.
The visitors prepared presentation topics and planned group discussions and strategies for sharing before their arrival by small aircraft.
“The Deline Spiritual Gathering has been celebrated for several decades, and is dedicated to recalling the teachings of the four Deline prophets – Ehsta Louise Ayah, Joseph Naedzo, Andre Andre, and Joseph Bayha.”
Learn more about the Deline prophets at: on the Catholic Missions in Canada website – LINK.
The Deline Spiritual Gathering was an immersion into a spiritual and cultural experience of the Sahtu Dene community of Deline, said the bishop.
“At the gathering, we were asked to help with a number of preparations activities, which included repairs on the Prophet’s House (where elders gather for presentations); preparing the grounds for the gathering; and finalizing preparation logistics,” said Hagemoen.
“A special request was given to Bishop Jon Hanson and myself for this year’s gathering: to celebrate Holy Mass on Great Bear Lake,” he noted.
“The people have a great love and appreciation for the lake as a great gift from Almighty God the Creator, which provides life, sustenance, and meaning to not only the people on and around Deline – but many other communities throughout the north.”
The desire of the community was that the lake be ‘blessed and dedicated’ to God by the celebration of the Mass on the lake — with the two bishops celebrating from a platform out on the water, and the people gathered on the shore.
“It was indeed a privilege and an awesome experience to do this.” said Hagemoen.
Celebrating Mass on the Great Bear Lake. (Submitted photo)
Mass on the shores of Great Bear Lake. (Submitted photo)
That celebration on the lake shore was preceded by the “Feeding of the Fire” ceremony, and the raising of the Spiritual Gathering Flag near the Prophets’ House, he said.
“In the days that followed, the teachings of the prophets were recalled and celebrated. Our young adult mission team was asked to gather and present to the young people who gathered a presentation that aimed to link the teachings of the four Deline Prophets with Catholic teaching.”
The title of the presentation was: The Deadly Sins and the Good Ways of the Virtues. “This was a challenging presentation to give, but was requested by the community to help the young people name real present challenges, and to highlight positive pathways forward,” the bishop explained.
Sharing, prayer, reflection, and discussion – part of the Deline Spiritual Gathering. (Submitted photo)
Each day of the Sacred Gathering also featured large community meals, community games, and nightly drumming and dancing.
“The great hospitality of the people – along with their honesty, generosity, and warm-heartedness – had an impact on all of us,” said Hagemoen.
“So did the honest way in which the people shared their hopes along with their real and common struggles. The beauty of the peoples and the place continues to ‘bless’ all of our team, and will have an impact on us for a long time.”
RELATED: Reflection by participant Huy Le, seminarian for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon – ARTICLE
Photos:
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Working with Bishop Jon Hansen, CSsR, (right) of the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith was part of a summer trip from Saskatoon to the Northwest Territories that included (l-r) Ian Lam and seminarian Huy Le of the Sts. Benedict and Scholastica summer mission project and Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen. A third young adult, John Paul Lefebvre of the Diocese of Whitehorse, also assisted with projects and prayer during the visit. (Submitted photo)
Ian Lam, Bishop Mark Hagemoen, and Huy Le (l-r) at Trapper’s Lake retreat centre, working on repairs. (Submitted photo)
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Diocesan seminarian Huy Le works on the walkway at Trapper’s Lake. (Submitted photo)
Bishop Jon Hansen, CSsR, led the way with repairs at Trapper’s Lake retreat centre. (Submitted photo)
Jean-Paul Lefebvre works on the project at Trapper’s Lake retreat centre. (Submitted photo)
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Mackenzie-Fort Smith Bishop Emeritus Denis Croteau, OMI. (Submitted photo)
Bishop Mark Hagemoen was also assisting with repairs at Trapper’s Lake retreat centre. (Submitted photo)
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Huy Le, Bishop Mark Hagemoen, and Ian Lam at St. Patrick Co-Cathedral in Yellowknife, NWT. (Submitted photo)
Fr. Mick Fleming, CSsR, at the podium during Mass in Yellowknife, NWT. (Submitted photo)
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CWL member Mary Kehrig was also in Yellowknife, stopping en route to Fort Simpson with On Eagle’s Wings ministry program. (Submitted photo)
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Bishop Hagemoen met up with an old friend, Thomas, his wife and newborn twins at the airport. (Submitted photo)
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Enroute to Deline. (Submitted photo)
Bishop Hagemoen at Deline shrine. (Submitted photo)
Deline, NWT (Submitted photo)
Repairs at the Deline Prophet’s House. (Submitted photo)
Repairs at the Deline Prophet’s House. (Submitted photo)
A banner announces the Deline Spiritual Gathering. (Submitted photo)
Detail from the banner about the Deline Sacred Gathering: “…you are defined by the love that God has for you…” (Submitted photo)
Deline Sacred Gathering. (Submitted photo)
Deline Sacred Gathering. (Submitted photo)
A time of prayer, reflection, tradition and community at Deline, NWT. (Submitted photo)
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Mass on the shores of Great Bear Lake. (Submitted photo)
Deline Sacred Gathering. (Submitted photo)
Gathering with youth at Deline, NWT. (Submitted photo)
Deline Sacred Gathering. (Submitted photo)
Deline Sacred Gathering. (Submitted photo)
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Deline Sacred Gathering. (Submitted photo)
Deline Sacred Gathering. (Submitted photo)
Deline Sacred Gathering. (Submitted photo)
Drumming, songs and Dene culture are part of the Spiritual Gathering. (Submitted photo)
Deline Sacred Gathering. (Submitted photo)
Bishop Jon Hansen, CSsR, of the Catholic Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith (left), prays with Dene people at the annual Deline Spiritual Gathering. (Submitted photo)
Deline Sacred Gathering. (Submitted photo)
Deline Sacred Gathering. (Submitted photo)
Deline Sacred Gathering. (Submitted photo)
Deline Sacred Gathering. (Submitted photo)
Deline Sacred Gathering. (Submitted photo)
A community meal at the Deline Sacred Gathering. (Submitted photo)
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Kiply Lukan Yaworski is the communications coordinator for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon: rcdos.ca.
Communications and Catholic Saskatoon News are supported by gifts to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal: dscf.ca/baa.