Every month, we share a photo from our archives! – A group of children who received their first communion standing outside St. Francis Parish in Vancouver, BC, 11 May 1958. (…)
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.
The Franciscans have a rich history in western Canada serving in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba in various parishes, schools, and retreat centers. Featured below is a pamphlet from our Archives that was created to promote vocations and inquiries into (…)
Every month, we share a photo from our archives! – Junior hockey team of St. Anthony’s College, Edmonton, AB, 1942-1943. (…)
Fr. Boniface Heidmeier’s first visit out to Chipman, Alberta, was in August 1909. At that time, Mass was held in the house of a local family, the Diederichs. When everyone came for Mass, the house was so full that Fr. Boniface once thought to (…)
Every month, we share a photo from our archives! – Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Resurrection in Dauphin, Manitoba, [1950s]. (…)
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 (…)
Every month, we share a photo from our archives! — Blessed Frédéric Janssoone with friars, 1906. (…)
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 (…)
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. (…)
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 (…)
