The Ripple Effect: Priests Donating in Faith

*Note: As of 2025, plans for the building of the Pastoral Centre are on hold.

Among the first donors to the Archdiocesan Rebuilding Our Church Campaign were a number of men whose lifelong vocation is to serve as ministers to our faith. In our interviews with priests, we heard much that is inspiring in what motivated their generosity.

They all spoke of the significance of the Cathedral, not only as the “mother church” of the diocese, but as a landmark in the landscape of the city, part of its heritage, giving a name to a neighbourhood, a symbol of our faith, a lasting testimonial to the people who gathered to build it over a hundred years ago. They all spoke of their personal relationship to it: a gathering place for the installation of bishops, the ordination of priests, the celebration of liturgical feasts, the funerals of brother-priests. Thus the importance of refurbishing its structure to keep the building standing for the near future as well for the next hundred years, of leaving a legacy for future generations.

A new Pastoral Centre is of equal importance to them, as the archdiocesan staff members are central to the services needed in the parishes: educational, liturgical, theological, ecumenical. They speak of the staff as having created an “atmosphere of kindness, generosity, and accountability, thanks to Bishop Don!”

Fr. George Thattuparampil speaks of the Campaign as” a genuine cause”, his donation an expression of his mission to “build the church of God”. He sees the need for a welcoming, functional Pastoral Centre to house the “great team of service-minded people” who work for the Catholic community.

Fr. John Weckend has a personal kinship with the Cathedral as he was ordained in it, was its Rector for a number of years, has maintained friendships with many in the parish. In this time of pandemic, he has been able to redirect his vacation budget to charities and to the Rebuilding Our Church Campaign. He hopes to be able to donate beyond his pledge down the road, and encourages others to do the same. He says that “donating to bricks and mortar may not be as compelling as works of charity, but we have to think of the Cathedral as belonging to all of us”.

Fr. Lawrence DeMong and Abbott Peter Novecosky, monks of the Benedictine Order whose ministry is based in Saskatoon, are happy to be able to donate to the Campaign in our diocese. Abbott Peter said that “Don is a good guy. We should support him!” For him, the donation is a way to give thanks for the blessings we have in Saskatchewan. Fr. DeMong, after retiring from a ministry in the north, was happy to answer Archbishop Don’s invitation to serve as pastor at Holdfast parish. He sees generosity as “begetting generosity. It creates a circle of giving. I gave because our community received.”

That metaphor of the ripple effect is echoed in Fr. Ken Koep’s image of drops of water making up an ocean. Long retired after more than six decades of shepherding parishes, but still continuing to serve wherever and whenever he can, Fr. Koep says with a big smile, “I love being a priest! The priesthood is a way of life, not a 9 to 5 job!” He says the pledge makes it possible for him to contribute to the Campaign, to remain a “part of the team”.

Fr. Rick Krofchek’s version of the metaphor is that of a “pebble, mixed in the concrete”. Every little bit counts. He is happy to have pledged to the Campaign because “it is not a charity. It is a privilege and a responsibility.” Donating is necessary for many of us who “need to help.” He insists on the importance of maintaining the Cathedral, as the edifice ” shows that our faith is real and alive.”

Fr. Dan Rafael, as Pastor of Holy Rosary Cathedral, has obviously a vested interest in donating to the Rebuilding Campaign; and like his fellow-priests, he sees the necessity of a viable Pastoral Centre. He sums up everyone’s thoughts in saying that he “knocks on people’s pockets and hearts to pray and support” this archdiocesan effort, and prays that people’s generosity be rewarded abundantly by the risen Lord.

by Samira McCarthy