By Luke Stocking, Interim Executive Director
I was not prepared for the wave of emotion that hit me during this Share Lent campaign in this Jubilee year. On April 6, the Most Rev. William McGrattan, bishop of Calgary and president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, was celebrating a special Solidarity Sunday Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Calgary. He kindly gave me time during the Mass to share some words of inspiration on the importance of the Share Lent campaign to our mission and then, after communion, the collection was taken up.
It was as the baskets were being passed through the hundreds of people present that the feelings welled up inside me. I felt a deep sense of pride and joy of belonging to this Catholic community of faith opening their hearts to the suffering of so many of our sisters and brothers throughout the world. The feelings intensified as I imagined the hundreds of thousands of Catholics across the whole country who on this Solidarity Sunday were doing the same in their own parish communities.
The image, and the emotion, were the natural consequence of the last 12 days I had just spent promoting Share Lent in the great province of Alberta and the beautiful Northwest Territories. The tour was organized through the incredible efforts of our regional animator, Carmen Michaud, and the dedicated members she works with.
A Share Lent voyage of discovery and inspiration
It was my first time in this part of Canada, and I saw a lot of it: Edmonton, Yellowknife, Grande Prairie, Canmore, Banff, Calgary and all the places in between! It was my first time, but it certainly will not be my last. I would like to express my infinite gratitude to the Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada (DPCC) community that I encountered during the trip. Your hospitality, and genuine commitment to making our mission a success in Alberta and the Northwest Territories truly inspired me. I would list all your names here, but it would take up all the space I have to write, and I would be sure to forget someone! Know that breaking bread with you and working alongside you to make the tour a success renewed my own passion for our work.
Edmonton served as our “homebase” for the trip, and the St. Joseph Seminary gave me a place to lay my head. Talking to young seminarians about Share Lent between times of prayer and while sharing meals was a highlight for me. How important it is that we share our mission with the next generation of clergy!
Our two youth representatives for the region, Shanice Pinto and Oscar Javier Baron Ruiz, are also doing wonderful work. I got tired just watching Shanice run around organizing things for the Mass and community supper at the cathedral in Edmonton on the first day of our trip!
A Share Lent of the North
In Yellowknife, I had a profound spiritual experience at the Trapper’s Lake Spirituality Centre in the presence of its white wooden cross and with the breathtaking northern lights. The centre is home to the Most Rev. Jon Hansen, who offered us hospitality and put us to work promoting Share Lent at all the masses at St. Patrick’s co-cathedral over the weekend.
We are grateful for the many hours that Bishop Jon, a member of the executive committee of our national council, and the members of the local diocesan council dedicate to our success. Our efforts are not just coast to coast. They are coast to coast to coast. I will never forget the North!
Share Lent, shared roofs, shared meals
One of the things I miss most from my time as a regional animator is being a guest of our members while on the road. I got to experience a little bit of that again thanks to Bill and Maura Good, who were our gracious hosts for the Grande Prairie leg of our trip in the Diocese of Grouard-McLennan. The social justice committee at St. Joseph Parish in Grande Prairie has been engaging their community on issues of social justice for years through their Lenten Soup Supper series and it was an honour to be a part of it this year!
Speaking of soup suppers, I don’t think I have ever seen as many soups in one place in my life as I saw at St. Bonaventure parish in Calgary for their “Soup and Stations of the Cross,” (where we did the Share Lent Stations of the Cross). I counted no less than 23 crockpots!
Share Lent from the campus to the crags
A tour of St. Mary’s University by Prof. Peter Baltutis (who did his doctoral dissertation on DPCC!) was another highlight of the Calgary leg of the trip. Our engagement with universities is key to our success in engaging future generations.
And of course, I could not say I had truly been to Alberta if I had not paid a visit to Our Lady of the Rockies Shrine in Canmore and Banff National Park. We had stunning weather and even more stunning views. I will admit, though, that we cheated a bit and took the cable car to get to the top of the mountains!
Is it any wonder then that I shed a few tears of gratitude on Solidarity Sunday after such an experience?
I do not think so. As we approach Pentecost and the end of our annual Share-Year Round matching fund that truly marks the end of the Share Lent campaign for 2025, I would like to extend my gratitude beyond Alberta and Northwest Territories to embrace the entire church in Canada. I have no doubt that I could have just as easily lived as rich a Share Lent experience in any region of the country. Thank you. I am truly proud of your work and generousity year after year in the service our vision, “Our human family, living on a healthy planet in dignity, solidarity, justice and peace.”