Our home at Villa Marguerite was a community for those who were living their latter stage of their life.  With the recent death of Stan Liska C.Ss.R.,  Dino Benedet C.Ss.R. was the sole Redemptorist resident at Villa Marguerite. Through discernment on the future of our residence at Villa Marguerite, Dino expressed his desire to return to Ontario and is now living at St. Bernard’s Residence in Toronto.  Fr. Dino has been the faithful and competent superior of this community for many years, often putting the needs of his confreres above his own.

As a Province, we share in gratitude to Dino’s committment and dedication, not only to the affairs of the community and  support of the confreres that he served, but for the generosity of spirit to any visiting Redemptorist and to the residents of Villa Marguerite whom Fr. Dino visited and built great bonds of friendship and service. To prepare to leave Villa Marguerite, Dino enlisted the help of friends and parishioners of St. Alphonsus Church in Edmonton, which was formerly served by the Redemptorists. Special attention was given to the packing of Dino’s personal items to prepare to ship to Toronto, but also to prepare suitcases for the journey east by plane. Fr. David Louch C.Ss.R., after providing coverage for the community in Grande Prairie, AB, arrived in Edmonton to assist Dino in the remaining packing of his belongings, and accompany Dino on the flight to Toronto.  Dino arrived in Toronto on September 18, and after visiting the community at St. Patrick’s for a the weekend, moved into his new home at St. Bernard’s Residence.

In the weeks that followed Dino’s departure from Edmonton, the friends of the Redemptorists, Clement Laframboise, Carol and Gord Alloway and Pat and Rick McKinlay remained instrumental in removing several small items from the residence including personal items and medical supplies. These were given away to different projects and programs serving the poor in the area. In the last week of September, Fr. Santo Arrigo C.Ss.R. arrived at Villa Marguerite to complete the administrative transition of the community, as well as find new homes for the remaining furniture and chattels. We are pleased to share with you that much of the Chapel supplies went to the church in Morinville, AB (which was previously served by the French-Canadian Redemptorists from 1959-1966), as they are completing their new church following a fire that destroyed the church. The Salesians of Don Bosco took a number of pieces of furniture for their local community.  The Oblates of Mary Immaculate came with a number of vehicles to move items that will be used for their mission and work at Lac Ste. Anne, and other Oblate projects.  St. Vincent de Paul Society came for a number of household items, and finally, the remainder of the furniture, namely the large desks, desk chairs and recliners were taken away through the services of 1800-Got-Junk who have connections to provide good pieces to go to other charities.  The beds and some items remained at Villa Marguerite for the use of current residents.  The grand-father clock in the living room that was made by Grat Feehan C.Ss.R. will remain and be relocated to the old chapel in memory of the Redemptorist presence and contribution of the Villa Marguerite community.

Transition and closure is never easy.  We are aware of the many Redemptorists who have called Villa Marguerite home over the last few decades, as well as the many Redemptorists in the Province today who have roots in the Edmonton area. This truly is the end of an era, and we hold in our hearts the rich contribution of the Redemptorists to the people of Edmonton and all of Alberta where Redemptorists have served and proclaimed the good news of plentiful redemption. The great legacy of mission and presence in Alberta has helped to weave the fabric of the Church’s mission to the people of God. For this, we give thanks and celebrate, and honour those who have gone before us, while holding in hearts those who acutely feel this transition as one of deep loss, for both Redemptorists and the people who have been at the heart of our mission there.