Some parishioners and their pastor discovered a unique way to raise money for a proposed new church in the Calgary area.They decided to climb a mountain.
Rev. John Nemanic, pastor of St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish in Chestermere, says the initiative has raised about $45,000 which will go toward building a church for the Roman Catholic congregation.
On August 12, 12 brave souls, including the pastor, climbed Mount Temple, the second highest mountain in Banff National Park at 3,544 metres and became Angels on High — the name given to the mountain climbing adventure to raise funds.
Nemanic supported Angels on High as a creative way to begin the monumental task of building a church.
“In as much as a home is always more than a house, a house is critical to a loving home,” he says. “I see the future St. Gabriel church in the same way. The church building helps us become the church where we can encounter, praise, and serve Jesus in the world. What is great about Angels on High is that it was an innovative project, brought our parish community together, and encouraged personal growth.”
St. Gabriel started out as a mission of St. Mark’s in 2005 and grew to a point where it could have its own priest. It officially became a parish in 2008.
It is still finalizing land for the new church and a design is pending the purchase of that land but Nemanic says he would like to have a building in place by 2018.
The 12 Angels on High were: Fr. Cristino Bouvette, Mike Doucette, Johanne Hachez, Philip Holy, Ryan Jefferies, Ted Laing, Jeff Morris, Nemanic, Kevin Papke, Marcel Seguin, Patrick Watson, and Owen Wourms.
The idea for the climb was sparked by one of the parishioners, Papke, who in one year climbed 50 mountains in a campaign called Summits for Seniors to raise money for the Bethany Care Foundation.
Mount Temple was chosen as the church climb because it was challenging and also its name had some religious significance.
Angels on High began with a sold-out fundraising dinner on June 7 at the St. Gabriel School gymnasium, where the parish community currently worships.
Ted Laing, one of the climbers and a parishioner at St. Gabriel’s, says that Angels on High inspired him to be part of building a Catholic church in Chestermere.
“When Father John first floated this idea of Angels on High at church, I was excited because he was putting actions behind his vision for a new church and a new meeting place for us and for our community with the slogan, ‘Climb, Celebrate, Create’. I thought, ‘We need to back this guy.’ When I started training I kept thinking of the “3 C’s” that he embodies, ‘Christ, Courage and Commitment’. What better motivation for climbing Mount Temple?,” says Laing.
Johanne Hachez, another climber and parishioner, says Angels on High was an unforgettable adventure.
“Not only did I get to hang out in the mountains, my favourite place, but I got to participate in an exciting fundraiser for our future Catholic church. Along this journey I got to know some amazing individuals, see some pretty spectacular scenery and experience a thunderstorm way too close for comfort. The entire experience has refreshed and revived my faith. I can’t wait for the second annual Angels on High adventure,” she says.
As Papke said: “It’s not a church we are building, it’s a community.”
St Gabriel’s Parish will conclude Angels on High 2013 with wrap-up parties following the parish’s weekend masses on Saturday September 7 (5 p.m.) and Sunday September 8 (9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.).