On January 21, Fr. Albert Sterzer, C.Ss.R. passed away at 89 years old. And just a few days later on January 29, Fr. Rajmund Dorawa, C.Ss.R. passed away at age 75.

Both Fr. Albert and Fr. Rajmund served in the archdiocese for many years, with their final assignments before retirement being with St. Joseph Church in Grande Prairie. Fr. Albert’s funeral was held on January 27 and Fr. Rajmund’s funeral was held on February 3 at St. Joseph Church.

The priests leave behind an important legacy in the region. Though they have now moved beyond this mortal coil, the memory and impact of their lives continue here on earth in the hearts of the parishioners and fellow priests who knew them.

Reflecting on his life of witness, parish administrator Fr. Ed Eherer, C.Ss.R. emphasised that Fr. Albert’s life could rightly be described as a lifelong response to God’s call. “Once he was convinced of God’s call and God’s providence, he would follow through to the end,” Fr. Ed said, during his homily at Fr. Albert’s requiem Mass. “He was a stellar example of what it means to bring good news to the poor, to have “C.Ss.R.” after one’s name. We thank him for his service; he was a good mentor to many of us.”

Fr. Albert himself emphasised how much the call to serve God was the central mission of his life. As he noted in a 1996 interview: “The greatest influence on my life was the all-encompassing conviction that happiness in this life would be achieved only by doing what God wanted me to do. When it became clear to me that being a Redemptorist is what God wanted me to do, I followed that prompting. So far I have not been disappointed.”

It was in 2006 that Fr. Albert was assigned as associate pastor to St. Joseph Church in Grande Prairie. His life and service left an impact on many people. St. Joseph parishioners like Rae Weniger remember Fr. Albert for his commitment to the parish’s social justice committee. In particular, he was a strong advocate for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, a charity organisation dedicated to ending global hunger. Fr. Albert was friends with persons in Manning who grew food for this charity, and on occasion he invited them to Grande Prairie to give presentations at parish social justice events. Rae even had the chance to interview Fr. Albert for a presentation on the 50th anniversary of Development and Peace, where he talked about the importance of this outreach.

“He was very involved with the parish’s social justice group. Even after he retired he continued to help us for a long while,” said Rae, who has a cherished photo of her and a retired Fr. Albert peeling potatoes for a parish social justice dinner.

“I treasure that picture for sure. He was a very accessible and reverent man.”

This attention to the cause of social justice reflected a strong bond to the plights and concerns of others. Fr. Ed emphasised how much Fr. Albert embodied the Redemptorist charism to be close to the people. This was also seen in humble and humorous ways – like his willingness to wear a “Kiss Me I’m Irish” shirt on St. Patrick’s Day or to dress up as Merlin the magician for a parish costume party.

Parishioner Ray Biggs also saw this closeness to the people in Fr. Albert. He first met the priest when he was a social worker employed at Mackenzie Place Continuing Care Centre. Fr. Albert routinely visited the centre to deliver Holy Communion to residents. Ray was always impressed by the priest’s quiet and humble demeaner. When Ray himself converted to Catholicism and entered the RCIA program in 2008, he got to see those qualities even more as a parishioner.

“He was thoughtful in the way he said Mass,” Biggs recalled. “For example, he told us once that the most important part of Mass is the dismissal, because you’re sent to go out and share the Gospel. And at the end of Mass, he made sure to emphasize this point in his dismissal. He said, ‘Alright now, get lost!’”

Fr. Albert also was known for his talents in conversation, for being always willing to talk and always inquiring into what the other person had to say. If someone had a question he could not answer, he made it his priority to do whatever research he could and get back to the person. “He was a great conversationalist. He was always able to keep a conversation alive; he never shut a person down but was always one to say ‘Is that so?’ and inquire further,” said Ray Biggs.

In his later years Fr. Albert began to have growing health concerns, particularly with dementia and memory loss, and this tragically impacted his skills in this area.“As time went on, that became an issue. And that was the thing that saddened me most – the struggles he started to have with keeping up a conversation,” said Biggs.

In 2014, Fr. Albert retired from active ministry, though still stayed involved in the parish in other ways. In 2023, he moved from the Redemptorist’s community house to the Heritage Lodge, and then finally the Grande Prairie Care Centre. Ray was a faithful visitor and helper to Fr. Albert in his final years, as his health struggles intensified. But even as those struggles grew, Ray notes that Fr. Albert never lost his humility or his sense of humour.

“I remember one Mass where, because he had started to lose some of his memory, he had lost his way a bit in the order of the Mass,” Ray recalled. “But he just paused, laughed and said ‘Now where were we?’ He didn’t take himself too seriously.

“As well, I remember when I took him to get re-assessed for his driving. And even though he passed his driving test, he said to me that he realized he was no longer safe on the road, and it was time to give up driving. To me, that really spoke of his character.”

The Redemptorists take a unique vow of perseverance, alongside the other religious vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Fr. Albert was known especially for his obedience and steadfast dedication to his Redemptorist community. Even when it came time for him to move out of the Redemptorist community home and into long-term care, he did so first and foremost out of obedience to his order.

“He didn’t resist,” Biggs said of Fr. Albert’s move into long-term care. “He would just say, ‘Well this is what my community asks of me’. He would talk a lot of his Redemptorist vows, and he stayed faithful to his vows right up to the end.”

Only a few days after Fr. Albert’s passing, the other retired Redemptorist priest in the archdiocese, Fr. Rajmund Dorawa, also passed away. At the time he was residing at Pearson Place Care Home in Hythe, about one hour outside of Grande Prairie.

At Fr. Rajmund’s funeral, some noted that there was something symbolic in the two priests passing one after the other, for Fr. Albert was the man who first welcomed this Polish priest to Canada.

Grande Prairie parishioner Beata Bator notes that when Fr. Rajmund came to serve in Grande Prairie, it was especially a blessing to the local Polish community, as he would celebrate an annual Polish Mass in Webster for them each year.

“We cherished every opportunity to spend time with Father Rajmund,” said Beata. “He was genuinely interested in our family life and always prayed for our intentions. Six years ago, when Mirosław and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary, he gave us a beautiful blessing that we will never forget. When he became ill and was confined to his home, we visited him regularly— bringing pizza, sitting together, and talking about life. Those simple moments meant so much.”

Jagoda Wilk, a Grande Prairie parishioner and former president of the Canadian Polish Society, was also deeply grateful for Fr. Rajmund’s service to the Polish Catholic community in northern Alberta. Fr. Rajmund not only celebrated annual Polish Masses, he also brought to St. Joseph Church some Polish traditions like the blessing of the Easter baskets on Holy Saturday.

“For many years, Father Rajmond walked with our community, supporting us not only as a priest, but as a caring shepherd and a true friend. He served with gentleness, humility, and deep compassion, always present, always attentive, always ready to give of himself,” said Jagoda. “We will forever carry his kindness, his warmth, and his faithful service in our hearts.”

Fr. Santo Arrigo, C.Ss.R., Provincial Superior of the Redemptorist Province of Canada, emphasised that amongst his Redemptorist confreres, Fr. Rajmund will especially be remembered as a learned man. He was a priest of extensive study, with a doctorate in moral theology. At his funeral Mass, Fr. Santo recalled a Scripture course Fr. Rajmund had once offered in Toronto. With all that Fr. Rajmund had imparted at that class, Fr. Santo said, most of the participants could have left with their own PhDs.

Even in his later years, Fr. Rajmund still demonstrated his intellectual gifts.

Beata Bator recalled that whenever she and her husband Miroslaw visited him in hospital, he often spoke with great intrigue of things happening in Rome, as he stayed attentive to all that was going on in the life of the Church.

While his mind remained sharp, due to decreased mobility and weaknesses in his legs, Fr. Rajmund became less and less active in ministry at St. Joseph Church. In 2024, he permanently moved into long-term care.

Fr. Rajmund continued to keep up his friendships and he received the occasional visitor in Hythe and when he was in hospital in Grande Prairie. The Bators would often bring him flowers every time they visited, and Fr. Rajmund would joke that the nurses no longer came to his room to see him, only to look at his flowers.

“One of Fr. Rajmund’s greatest gifts was his ability to listen,” Beata reflected. “He was always deeply interested in our family, especially our daughters— praying for each of them and for our marriage. During the last two years, our 3 daughters were able to visit him a few times, and he treasured those moments deeply. Fr. Rajmund loved chocolate and my homemade sour cherry jam. I would bring him small jars, and he would smile and ask, ‘Is there any chance you might have a little bit more of that jam?’ Even now, thinking of that makes me smile.

“I was profoundly honored to be with him at his last breath, and we will treasure these memories forever.”

While the passing of these priests is deeply saddening, their deaths remind us of the very goal that was at the root of their priestly lives – to draw souls to Jesus Christ, so that each of us may enter into His heavenly kingdom when we draw our last breaths.

“As a Redemptorist, Fr. Rajmund trusted in his Redeemer, who has promised to stand with us in the midst of death, before the dawn of new life,” Fr. Santo said during his funeral Mass homily.

“Death is not the final word. Death will no longer have dominion over us. This fundamental teaching of our faith - this promise made to all of us - was at the heart of all Fr. Rajmund did in his teaching, in his compassionate service, in his care of the sick in hospital, in his work in moral theology, in his pastoring, in his being a friend to so many.”