Lutherans and Ukrainian Catholics joined the annual celebration of the Anglican and Roman Catholic ecumenical Covenant on Sunday afternoon, May 26. The Covenant began in 2011 between the Anglican Diocese of Qu’Appelle and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina. In recent years, the Covenant partners have been working towards a renewed covenant which will include the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) and the Ukrainian Catholic Church. This year’s annual covenant service was an opportunity to give thanks to God for drawing the four churches towards this renewed relationship.
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Pope Francis has named Bishop Donald Bolen of Saskatoon, Sask., as the new archbishop of Regina.

Archbishop Bolen’s appointment was announced July 11 at the Vatican. He succeeds Archbishop Daniel Bohan, who died in January.

Archbishop Bolen is known nationally and internationally for his work promoting Christian unity. From 2001 to 2008 he worked at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity at the Vatican, before returning to Regina in 2009. Since his return, he has served as a bishop member of the Christian unity council and as co-chair of the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission. Since 2013 he has served as co-chair of the Joint International Commission for Dialogue between the World Methodist Council and the Roman Catholic Church.

Speaking of his new appointment, Archbishop Bolen, who was ordained a priest in Regina and served as archdiocesan vicar general and chair of the archdiocesan ecumenical commission, said: “To be moved from the Diocese of Saskatoon is painful, because it has been such a grace-filled experience to live and to serve here as bishop, but, at the same time, to move to the Archdiocese of Regina is to go home. I am profoundly grateful to remain in my home province.”
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The Anglican-Roman Catholic Covenant between the Regina archdiocese and the Diocese of Qu’Appelle signed in 2011 continues to grow, with activities between the two faith communities. They gathered May 15, Pentecost Sunday, at St. Paul’s Cathedral for a traditional Anglican evensong service with a homily delivered by archdiocesan administrator Rev. Lorne Crozon and the apostolic blessing performed by Winnipeg Archbishop Emeritus James Weisgerber. Canon Michael Jackson, Anglican co-chair of the Covenant Implementation Committee, opened the service, followed by St. Paul’s Cathedral dean Michael Sinclair, who welcomed everyone.

Susan Klein, Roman Catholic co-chair of the Covenant Implementation Committee reported on the numerous activities the covenant participants have shared since the last time they met. Among the highlights was Signs of Hope: A Conversation on First Nations Ministry, held in the fall of 2015. It attracted Aboriginal and non-Aboriginals who engaged in conversations following presentations by Rev. Dale Gillman and Sister Re-Anne Letourneau.

Sinclair spent a week in Rome attending a Christian leadership course at the Anglican Centre, visited Assisi and attended a public audience with Pope Francis. Archdeacon Catherine Harper presented on the diaconate program, and Canon Jackson is in touch with the Roman Catholic Diaconate programs in Saskatoon and Prince Albert as well as Roman Catholic authors and diaconate leaders in the U.S.

In addition to these highlights, there were several joint parish activities, including a vacation Bible school, marriage course, Advent and lenten programs. “Concrete examples of what we are doing together,” said Klein in her report.
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Reverend Dennis Vavrek, OFM, Western Canada Provincial for the Franciscans, in a January 2 telephone interview confirmed that Franciscans are leaving St. Michael’s Retreat Ministries. “Like most religious communities in the Western world our numbers are declining and we have two retreat centres. At our chapter meeting in May 2013 the future was discussed and it was decided that we can no longer maintain two retreat centres, that we’d have to leave one and it was decided that we would leave St. Michael’s Retreat in Lumsden on or before the next Chapter meeting which will be in 2016.” St. Michael’s Retreat Ministries celebrated its 50th anniversary during 2013 and the community did not wish to discuss the issue until the end of the anniversary year. The other Retreat facility is Mount St. Francis in Cochrane, Alberta.

Retreat houses do not make money, said Vavrek. St. Michael’s income pays the operating bills but doesn’t make a profit and the Franciscan community, because it owns the building, pays all capital costs.

Vavrek said the ecumenical board of Anglican, Evangelical Lutheran, Roman Catholic faith traditions and representatives from the Franciscans and the Regina Archdiocese will continue to govern but other options are being considered. “Yes, we have sort of tested the waters to see what interest there might be but our number one priority is to find a way to continue as St. Michael’s Retreat Ministries,” said Vavrek.
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by Lisa Schmidt, Regina Leader Post One of the largest ecumenical services ever held in Regina brought together thousands of Christians from all denominations for an afternoon of celebration at the Agridome Saturday. More than 3,500 people attended the service, which was the highlight of a day-long festival and tradeshow at the exhibition grounds. The
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