From the Archives


On this page, we share from time to time the things that our archivist found and wants to share with you! It tells you about our history in Canada and how our mission began and developed over the years. "From the Archives" currently draws on content from the Franciscan Archives of Western Canada, which contains records from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. To learn more, visit us at archives.franciscanfriars.ca.
Every month, we share a photo from our archives! – Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Resurrection in Dauphin, Manitoba, [1950s]. (…)
- From the Archives
- 27 March, 2023
On August 4, 1963, the Franciscans welcomed over 6,000 guests to the dedication and opening of the newly constructed St. Michael’s Retreat House near Lumsden, Saskatchewan. This retreat house was the first of its kind in Saskatchewan and was operated by the Franciscans until (…)
- From the Archives
- 16 March, 2023
Every month, we share a photo from our archives! — Blessed Frédéric Janssoone with friars, 1906. (…)
- From the Archives
- 27 February, 2023
In 1912, there were around 40 Catholic families in Beverly, Alberta, and the Franciscans began to say Mass there regularly. Fr. Ethelbert arrived from Montreal in 1915 to help at the missions and took it upon himself to build a church in Beverly for (…)
- From the Archives
- 16 February, 2023
Every month, we share a photo from our archives! — Br. Michael, Br. Bonaventure, Br. Claude, and Br. Paschal at St. Francis Friary in Vancouver, BC. (…)
- From the Archives
- 30 January, 2023
In 1918, Fr. Boniface Heidmeier became the priest in charge of the Pine Creek and Warspite missions in Alberta. That same year, the Canadian National Railway built a new rail line with four new stations through the district, but not one station was near (…)
- From the Archives
- 18 January, 2023
Every month, we share a photo from our archives! – A nativity scene in a parishioner’s home in Ilo, Peru, Dec 1972. (…)
- From the Archives
- 19 December, 2022
“St. Michael’s Retreat 40th Anniversary Memory and Cookbook” was put together in 2003 in response to the many retreatants who had requested recipes of dishes they had enjoyed while on retreat, and in gratitude to the many cooks who provided food to thousands who (…)
- From the Archives
- 8 December, 2022
Every month, we share a photo from our archives! — The first students of St. Francis school in Vancouver, 1946. (…)
- From the Archives
- 24 November, 2022