The 2nd Annual Angels on High fundraising dinner proved to be another successful event hosted by St. Gabriel the Archangel (SGA) Parish. Angels on High is a fundraising adventure to build a Catholic Church building in Chestermere and the strong desire for this dream to one day be reality was evident by the number of people who attended the sold-out event.
The fundraiser, which will see 18 volunteer parishioners scramble up and along Centennial Ridge on August. 9, kicked off with the dinner and auction on Saturday June. 14 at the Chestermere Recreation Centre.
The Pastor at SGA Parish, Rev. John Nemanic welcomed the nearly 300 guests by stating that there are two things a Catholic community should be known for: joy and thanksgiving. “I am so grateful that our community has joyfully received and shared the graces it has received from God. This is evident in the way we support one another in our Sacramental life every weekend and it is also seen in the way we share those graces of God in the wider community.” said Rev. Nemanic.
“Secondly, a Catholic community always gives thanks to God for the abundant blessings he pours on us. The primary purpose of a Catholic church is celebrating Mass, which we also call the Eucharist. In Greek this means Thanksgiving.”
Currently, the SGA Parish holds mass out of the gymnasium at the local Jr. /Sr. High School with the same name. “We’ve been worshipping in the gym at the school now for nine years, and I believe it’s time for a space to call our own,” exclaims Rev. Nemanic, who adds, “A church building will help us to relieve the suffering and alienation of people through our worship, witness and by serving those in need.”
Former NHLer Charlie Simmer once again did a fantastic job emceeing the event, which saw special guest Bishop Frederick Henry give a thoughtful speech to the hundreds of faithful attendees in which he shared a message of the importance of family and setting priorities that are in line with their faith.
In light of Father’s Day, Bishop Henry reminded parents and spouses that time is the best gift you can give your loved ones and emphasized the significance of small gestures, citing Pope Francis as an example of a person who frequently engages in the smallest of gestures which make tremendous impacts.
“I know you all want a church and I want you to have a church,” remarked Bishop Henry, who went on to say that Christians must be joyful people because of the salvation God gives them, and he explained they must continue to build up their community. “Then a church will come sooner than we think,” he concluded.
With an ultimate goal of raising $50,000 for the 2014 campaign towards building the SGA Catholic Church in Chestermere, the participants making the climbing journey in August will collect pledges for their inspiring efforts. Rev. Nemanic and his parishioners know that it will take time to build a church building but they hope to break ground and begin construction in 2018.
“Not only will a church building enable us to heed the first of the great commandments of Jesus: a place to love our God and draw deeper into what the call to love God means by learning more about our faith, but it is also an extension of the second great commandment of Jesus to love our neighbour as ourselves”, said Rev. Nemanic.
For more information about Angels on High, you can visit www.angelsonhigh.ca or find them on facebook and twitter to stay up to date with the journey.
