In the heart of inner-city Edmonton, there is a magnificent French Gothic Revival style parish, Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples, where Christ’s words and deeds are daily being enfleshed through the loving work of a collaborative team of lay and clerical Christians. Sacred Heart Church is an Oblate parish that serves the needs of Edmonton’s Indigenous community, as well as the needs of all Aboriginal people in Canada. As Father Susai Jesu, O.M.I.—the pastor of Sacred Heart Church—said recently to a group of fellow students from Newman Theological College and myself, “Sacred Heart Church is a national parish for all Indigenous peoples.”
In 1911, Sacred Heart Parish, the precursor to Sacred Heart Church, was established as an offshoot of Immaculate Conception Church—which was initially founded in 1906 to help all new immigrants to Edmonton. Sacred Heart Parish officially became Sacred Heart Church on Christmas Day in 1913 when it opened its doors for the first time
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First, ministry is not something that we do for “others,” instead ministry is a two-way relationship that also includes the minister. By engaging in ministry with this mentality, it will then become a more fruitful and life-giving experience for everyone involved. Second, there are two essential qualities that a minister needs to look for in someone who is interested in helping him in his ministry, and that is honesty and love. Without these two qualities, the team will never be truly able to accomplish all that God has in store for them. Third, a minister needs to take good care of himself by eating well, getting a restful sleep each night, and exercising regularly. By implementing these three insights into my future ministry as a priest, I know that I will be able to be a much better pastor for the people that God will entrust me with to serve and