Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton#Western Catholic Reporter

{{Short description|Catholic ecclesiastical territory}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox diocese

| jurisdiction = Archdiocese

| name = Edmonton

| latin = Archidioecesis Edmontonensis

| local =

| image =

| image_size =

| image_alt =

| caption =

| coat = Coat of Arms of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton.svg

| coat_size = 175px

| coat_alt =

| coat_caption =

| country = {{flag|Canada}}

| territory =

| province = Edmonton

| deaneries =

| headquarters =

| coordinates =

| area_km2 = 81151

| area_footnotes =

| population = 1,981,575

| population_as_of =

| catholics = 495,393

| catholics_percent = 25

| parishes = 116

| churches =

| congregations =

| schools = 10

| members =

| denomination = Catholic

| sui_iuris_church = Latin Church

| rite = Roman Rite

| established = 1912-11-30

| cathedral = St. Joseph's Basilica

| cocathedral =

| patron =

| priests = 70

| pope = {{Incumbent pope}}

| bishop = Sede vacante

| bishop_title = Archbishop

| coadjutor =

| suffragans =

| auxiliary_bishops =

| apostolic_admin = Richard W. Smith

| vicar_general =

| episcopal_vicar =

| judicial_vicar =

| emeritus_bishops =

| map = Erzbistum Edmonton.svg

| map_size =

| map_alt =

| map_caption =

| website = {{Official website|http://www.caedm.ca|caedm.ca}}

| footnotes =

}}

The Archdiocese of Edmonton ({{langx|la|Archidioecesis Edmontonensis}}) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese in the Canadian civil province of Alberta and the seat of its archbishop is at St. Joseph Cathedral, a minor basilica in Edmonton. The Archdiocese of Edmonton is the metropolitan see of its ecclesiastical province, which also contains two suffragan dioceses: the Dioceses of Calgary and Saint Paul in Alberta.

From 2007 to 2025, Bishop Richard W. Smith served as the Archbishop of Edmonton, having been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI. On Saturday, July 14, 2012, an official news release from Vatican Information Service (VIS), an arm of the Holy See Press Office, stated that Pope Benedict XVI had appointed Gregory Bittman, who until then had been serving as the Judicial Vicar and as Archdiocesan Chancellor, as an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Edmonton and Titular Bishop of Caltadria.{{cite web |url=http://www.microsofttranslator.com/BV.aspx?ref=IE8Activity&a=http%3A%2F%2Fpress.catholica.va%2Fnews_services%2Fbulletin%2Fnews%2F29477.php%3Findex%3D29477%26lang%3Den |title= Bing Microsoft Translator|website=www.microsofttranslator.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004184153/http://www.microsofttranslator.com/BV.aspx?ref=IE8Activity&a=http%3A%2F%2Fpress.catholica.va%2Fnews_services%2Fbulletin%2Fnews%2F29477.php%3Findex%3D29477%26lang%3Den |archive-date=October 4, 2013}} On February 6, 2018, Pope Francis appointed him the seventh Bishop of the Diocese of Nelson in southeastern British Columbia.{{cite web |url=https://www.nelsondiocese.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1069723&type=d&pREC_ID=1358545 |title=Bishop Gregory J. Bittman}} He left the Archdiocese of Edmonton and took possession of the Diocese of Nelson on April 25 that same year. Archbishop Smith was appointed Archbishop of Vancouver on February 25, 2025. He will continue to serve as the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese until his installation in Vancouver.

Ecclesiastical province

The Ecclesiastical province has the following suffragan sees:

History

Established on 22 September 1871 as the Diocese of St Albert (Latin Sancti Alberti), on territory split off from the then Diocese of Saint-Boniface, to which it lost territory again in 1889 (meanwhile Metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint-Boniface)

Promoted on 1912.11.30 as Metropolitan Archdiocese of Edmonton / Edmontonen(sis) (Latin), having lost territory to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary as its first suffragan.

Lost territory again on 1948.07.17 to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Paul, Alberta, which became its second suffragan.

It enjoyed a Papal visit from Pope John Paul II in September 1984.

The Archdiocese of Edmonton was later criticized for its handling of sex abuse allegations against Rev. Patrick O'Neill and was sued by one of O'Neil's alleged victims in 2012.{{cite web| url = https://torontosun.com/2012/01/19/ex-altar-boy-sues-catholic-church-over-sex-abuse-allegations| title = Ex-altar boy sues Catholic church over sex abuse allegations {{!}} Toronto Sun}}

From March 28 to April 1, 2022, a delegation of 32 Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers, residential school survivors, and youth – as well as support staff – journeyed together from across the country to meet with Pope Francis, accompanied by a small group of Canadian Bishops. Metis, Inuit and First Nations delegations met with the Pope over three days. The delegation was supported by Archbishop Richard Smith on the Archdiocese of Edmonton's behalf.

Their visit to Rome concluded in a final audience with Pope Francis on April 1 with all three Indigenous groups. At that time, the Pope made an historic apology for the Church's role in the residential school system, and promised to come to Canada to apologize on Canadian soil. During that encounter, Pope Francis said he was very sorry during his Final Audience with all the Indigenous delegates:{{Cite web |title=Meeting with Representatives of Indigenous Peoples in Canada (1st April 2022) {{!}} Francis |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2022/april/documents/20220401-popoli-indigeni-canada.html |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=www.vatican.va}}

"I also feel shame … sorrow and shame for the role that a number of Catholics, particularly those with educational responsibilities, have had in all these things that wounded you, and the abuses you suffered and the lack of respect shown for your identity, your culture and even your spiritual values. For the deplorable conduct of these members of the Catholic Church, I ask for God's forgiveness and I want to say to you with all my heart, I am very sorry. And I join my brothers, the Canadian bishops, in asking your pardon."{{Cite web |title=Delegation To Rome (Spring 2022) |url=https://caedm.ca/delegation-to-rome-spring-2022/ |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=caedm |language=en-CA}}

His Holiness said it was his hope to visit Canada “soon” and possibly “in the days” around the Feast of St. Anne, which is on July 26. This date was chosen by Pope Francis because the Lac Ste Anne Pilgrimage {{Cite web |title=Welcome to the Lac Ste Anne Pilgrimage |url=https://lacsteannepilgrimage.ca/ |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=Welcome to the Lac Ste Anne Pilgrimage |language=en-CA}} has been a traditional place of gathering for Indigenous peoples, and is also the largest annual Catholic gathering in Western Canada. First called Wakamne or God's Lake by the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation who live on the west end of the Lake, and Manito Sahkahigan or Spirit Lake by the Cree, Lac Ste Anne, about 75 km northwest of Edmonton, is the site of the annual pilgrimage, one of the most unique and memorable spiritual gatherings in North America. This choice thus demonstrated Pope Francis' intent to help reconcile indigenous and settler populations, respecting both cultures simultaneously.

Pope Francis then visited sites across the Archdiocese of Edmonton:

  • Sunday, 24 July 2022: Arrival and welcome at Edmonton International Airport
  • Monday, 25 July 2022: Meeting with indigenous peoples: First nations, Métis and Inuit at Maskwacis,{{Cite web |title=Apostolic Journey to Canada: Meeting with indigenous peoples and members of the Parish Community of Sacred Heart at Edmonton |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/events/event.dir.html/content/vaticanevents/en/2022/7/25/incontroedmonton-canada.html |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=Vatican.va |language=en}} and meeting with indigenous peoples and members of the Parish Community of Sacred Heart at Edmonton{{Cite web |title=Apostolic Journey to Canada: Meeting with indigenous peoples and members of the Parish Community of Sacred Heart at Edmonton |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/events/event.dir.html/content/vaticanevents/en/2022/7/25/incontroedmonton-canada.html |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=Vatican.va |language=en}}
  • Tuesday, 26 July 2022: Holy Papal Mass at "Commonwealth Stadium" in Edmonton{{Cite web |title=Apostolic Journey to Canada: Holy Mass |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/events/event.dir.html/content/vaticanevents/en/2022/7/26/messa-edmonton-canada.html |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=Vatican.va |language=en}} and participation in the Lac Ste. Anne Pilgrimage and Liturgy of the Word at the Lac Ste. Anne {{Cite web |title=Apostolic Journey to Canada: Participation in the “Lac Ste. Anne Pilgrimage” and Liturgy of the Word |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/events/event.dir.html/content/vaticanevents/en/2022/7/26/omelia-lacsteanne-canada.html |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=Vatican.va |language=en}}

In August 2023, a former student of St. Mary's Salesian Junior High School, Stephen Bounds, filed a lawsuit claiming he was groomed and sexually assaulted as a 12-year-old by a teacher, Marc Desjardins, in the 1980s. Bounds says he asked for "protection" from the school's acting principal, Father Stephen Whelan, who instead "chastised" Bounds for making the allegation of assault. Whelan himself had previously been accused of sexual abuse when he was vice-principal of a California Salesian high school in the 1970s.{{cite news |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/crime/religious-order-and-edmonton-archdiocese-sued-for-6-9-million-over-alleged-historic-sex-abuse-at-st-marys-salesian-junior-high |title=Religious order and archdiocese sued for $6.9 million over alleged historic sex abuse at Edmonton's St. Mary's Salesian Junior High |first=Jonny |last=Wakefield |date=August 17, 2023 |newspaper=Edmonton Journal}} A year later, three other men came forward with allegations of sexual abuse at the school.{{cite news |title='The forgotten boys': Three men file lawsuits claiming sex abuse at former Edmonton Catholic boarding school |newspaper=Edmonton Journal |date=August 21, 2024 |first=Jonny |last=Wakefield |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/crime/the-forgotten-boys-three-men-file-lawsuits-claiming-sex-abuse-at-former-edmonton-catholic-boarding-school}}

Diocesan episcopate

(all Roman rite)

;Suffragan Bishops of Edmonton

;Metropolitan Archbishops of Edmonton

;Coadjutor bishops

;Auxiliary bishop

;Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

Statistics and extent

The archdiocese (not including its suffragan dioceses) covers Central Alberta, Edmonton Capital Region and the middle and upper half of the Alberta's Rockies region. The Archdiocese includes the greater Edmonton area but also covers a geographic region stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the west to the Saskatchewan boundary in the east, from Olds in the south to Grande Cache in the north.

It acknowledges that the Archdiocese is situated on traditional lands, parts of which are within Treaty 6, Treaty 7 and Treaty 8 territories of the Alexander First Nation (Cree), Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation (Stoney), Enoch Cree Nation (Cree), Ermineskin Cree Nation (Cree), Louis Bull Tribe (Cree), Montana First Nation (Cree), O’Chiese First Nation (Western Ojibwa), Paul First Nation (Cree/Stoney), Samson Cree Nation (Cree), and Sunchild First Nation (Cree). Mass is celebrated in at least 16 different languages, including Cree, French, Spanish, Polish, Chinese, Croatian, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Italian, Hungarian, Korean, Latin, Sudanese, and American Sign Language.

As of 2020, it pastorally served 436,792 Catholics (26.4% of 1,899,097 total) on 150,000 km² in 122 parishes and missions with 126 priests, 40 permanent deacons, 163 religious sisters, 8 religious brothers, 5 members of lay institutes, 15 lay missionaries and 12 seminarians.{{Cite web|url=https://caedm.ca/about/|title = About the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton}}

= Edmonton parishes =

{{col-begin}}

{{col-3}}

  • Annunciation
  • Assumption
  • Corpus Christi
  • [http://www.goodshepherdcatholicchurch.ca/ Good Shepherd]
  • [http://www.hrp.ca/ Holy Rosary (Polish)]
  • Mary Help of Christians (Chinese)
  • Nativity of Mary (Croatian)
  • [http://www.ourladyoffatimachurch.net/www1/php/ Our Lady of Fatima (Portuguese)]
  • Our Lady of Good Help, Maronite Catholic Community
  • Our Lady of Guadalupe (Spanish)
  • Our Lady of Loretto (Military)
  • [http://www.mbkp.com/ Our Lady Queen of Poland (Polish)]
  • Queen of Martyrs (Vietnamese)

{{col-3}}

  • Resurrection
  • Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples
  • St. Agnes
  • St. Alphonsa (Syro-Malabar Rite)
  • St. Alphonsus
  • St. Andrew
  • St. Angela Merici (merged with St. Edmund in June 2013)
  • St. Anne (French) (merged with St. Joachim in October 2014)
  • St. Anthony
  • St. Benedict Chapel
  • [http://www.saint-charles.com/ St. Charles]
  • [http://www3.telus.net/stclare/ St. Clare]
  • St. Dominic Savio
  • St. Edmund
  • St. Emeric (Hungarian)

{{col-3}}

  • St. Joachim (French)
  • St. John Bosco
  • [https://stjohnevangelist.edm.caedm.ca/ St. John the Evangelist]
  • [http://www.stjosephbasilica.com/ St. Joseph's Basilica]
  • St. Joseph's College Chapel
  • St. Jung Ha Sang (Korean)
  • Santa Maria Goretti (Italian)
  • St. Mark's Catholic Community of the Deaf
  • St. Matthew
  • [http://www.strcp.com/ St. Theresa]
  • St. Thomas d'Aquin
  • [http://www.stmparish.com/ St. Thomas More]
  • Vital Grandin Chaplaincy (Latin Mass)

{{col-end}}

= Rural parishes =

{{col-begin}}

{{col-3}}

Alberta Beach

  • Lac Ste. Anne

Bashaw

  • Immaculate Heart of Mary

Beaumont

  • St. Vital

Camrose

  • St. Francis Xavier

Devon

  • St. Maria Goretti

Drayton Valley

  • St. Anthony

Edson

  • Sacred Heart

Enoch

  • Our Lady of Mercy
  • St. Alexander Mission

Evansburg

  • St. Elizabeth

Fort Saskatchewan

  • Our Lady of the Angels

Gibbons

  • Sacred Heart

Grande Cache

  • Holy Cross

Hinton

  • Our Lady of the Foothills

{{col-3}}

Innisfail

  • Our Lady of Peace

Jasper

  • Our Lady of Lourdes

Killam

  • Killiam-Daysland-Heisler

Lacombe

  • St. Stephen

Leduc

  • [http://www.rc.net/edmonton/st_michael/ St. Michael]

Lloydminster

  • St. Anthony

Ma-Me-O-Beach

  • St. Theresa

Maskwacis

  • Our Lady of Seven Sorrows

Mayerthorpe

  • St. Agnes

Onoway

  • St. Rose of Lima

Olds

  • [http://www.ststephens-olds.org/ St. Stephen]

Ponoka

  • St. Augustine

Provost

  • St. Mary

Red Deer

  • Sacred Heart
  • St. Mary's

{{col-3}}

Rocky Mountain House

  • St. Matthew

Rimbey

  • St. Margaret

St. Albert

  • Holy Family
  • St. Albert Francophone Community
  • St. Albert
  • St. Peter, Villeneuve

Stettler

  • Christ - King

Spruce Grove

  • [http://www.trinitycatholic.net/ Holy Trinity]

Sherwood Park

  • Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Sylvan Lake

  • Our Lady of the Assumption

Thorsby

  • Our Lady of Victory

Trochu

  • St. Anne of the Prairies

Wetaskiwin

  • Sacred Heart

Wainwright

  • [http://www.sacredheartchurch.ca/ Blessed Sacrament]

Vermilion

  • Holy Name of Jesus

Vegreville

  • St. Martin of Tours

{{col-end}}

File:St Joseph s Basillica Compressed.jpg|Saint Joseph's Basilica, Edmonton

File:Sacred Heart Church Edmonton Alberta Canada 05A.jpg|Sacred Heart Church, Edmonton

Education

The following school districts operate Catholic schools within the boundaries of the Archdiocese:

  • Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord (francophone)
  • East Central Alberta Catholic Schools
  • Edmonton Catholic Schools
  • Evergreen Catholic Schools
  • Elk Island Catholic Schools
  • Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools
  • Living Waters Catholic Schools
  • Lloydminster Catholic Schools
  • Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools
  • St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Schools

Archdiocesan Media

The Western Catholic Reporter was a weekly newspaper published in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada that covered the Catholic religion.

The newspaper was owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton. Its declared mission was to serve its readers by helping them deepen their faith through accurate information and reflective commentary on events and issues of concern to the Church.

The Reporter closed in 2016 and was replaced by the news website [https://grandinmedia.ca Grandin Media]. Grandin Media lasted until the website was shut down in early 2024. All stories from the Grandin Media website were then transferred on to the Archdiocesan website, [https://caedm.ca].

References

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