The celebration began with a pre-reception in the parish hall where we were able to reconnect and share memories with the Redemptorist priests who had returned to the parish. This was followed by a Mass of thanksgiving celebrated by Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe. An honour guard by the Knights of Columbus ushered in the Redemptorists, and diocesan priests who attended the celebration. It was quite touching to see the parishioners reach out and touch the Redemptorists as they processed into the church. In his homily, Bishop Plouffe spoke about the strength of the Holy Redeemer community. The theme of the Mass was thanksgiving and hope as we step forward into a new era.

After the Mass, it was time to change venues and make our way to the Caruso Club. The hall was decorated with a Redemptorist flare. Each table was identified by a photograph of a Redemptorist. The MC was Samantha Shewring. Justine and Stephane Houle began with the song “Come to the Banquet Hall” (a song written and composed by Deacon Bob Williston-a Redemptorist Mission Preacher). This was followed by grace and a delicious four-course meal. There were several speeches by Sister Costanza Romano, Linda Dupuis, Geoffrey Lougheed, Father John Caswell, Father Mark Miller who read a letter from Superior Mike Brehl, Wayne Lavallie (one of the first altar boys) and Father Rémi Hébert. All the speeches touched upon the faith and strength of the Holy Redeemer community. After dinner, dancing was enjoyed by all. Although we are sad to see the departure of the Redemptorists, we are grateful to them for having enriched the roots of our faith. We will continue to grow in the hope of the Risen Lord.

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Many Hearts, Many Memories, Many Thanks!
(Article by Linda Dupuis and Sister Costanza Romano, Co-Chairs of Parish Pastoral Council)

On behalf of the Parish Pastoral Council, we would like to thank the Holy Redeemer staff and the following committees/groups for making our day of celebrating the Redemptorists on June 14th such a resounding success! There were many, many people, both behind the scenes and in the forefront, who contributed so much and we are truly grateful. It wouldn’t have been such a great day without so many willing hands and hearts.

To the CWL, thank you for the wonderful pre-reception! The room was beautiful and the food was fabulous…it was a great way to begin our day of celebration and thanksgiving.

To the Mass Committee, thank you for making this such a meaningful celebration! There were many people involved in the Mass, such as the choir, the servers, the ushers, the Knights of Columbus, the décor volunteers, and many more. We were happy to have all of our guests from near and far, and of course, Bishop Plouffe, our presider, made this a very special Eucharist.

To the Historical Committee, thank you for creating such a beautiful book of memories! We will cherish those memories as we go forward.

To the Farewell Dinner Committee, thank you for the organization and implementation of such a well-orchestrated dinner and dance! The food was delicious and the evening went so well, with such a warm feeling of friends and family coming together to acknowledge the contribution of the Redemptorists to our lives. It was truly a time to celebrate and be thankful for all we have been given.

Thank you to the parishioners, as well, for your generosity and support in this time of transition. We hope that you enjoyed the day and the opportunity to reconnect with our beloved Redemptorists. We now carry forward in HOPE as we look forward to the next path on our journey as the parishioners of Holy Redeemer.