St. Jean-Baptiste Parish, Regina

• Paroisse St. Jean-Baptiste

At the time of Bishop Mathieu, the French-Canadian Catholics in Regina had a special Mass in French on Sundays at the Holy Rosary cathedral. Beginning in 1932, at the request of Archbishop McGuigan, the Franciscans provided regular French Sunday services in their chapel at Regina Minorum Friary. For the next 21 years, the Friary chapel was used for these services until it could no longer accommodate the number of attendees.

In 1953, a building at the corner of McIntyre Street and 15 Avenue was purchased and the first mass was celebrated at Christmas. With official Vatican approval, Archbishop O’Neill signed the Decree of Erection of St. Jean-Baptiste Parish on 4 Nov 1954. The first parish priest was Fr. Sylvestre Beaudette OFM, who had arrived in Regina in 1950. He was assisted by Lucien Kemble, Sigismond Lajoie, and Raynier Chabot.

St. Jean-Baptiste Parish organized many activities including a women’s society The Ladies of the Altar, Council of French-speaking Knights of Columbus, a parish choir, and a parish school Mathieu. In 1962, construction began for a new parish complex, which was opened on Christmas Eve 1963. The old church building was also sold in 1963.

The Franciscans were priests for St. Jean-Baptiste Parish from its foundation in 1954 until 1974, when the Oblates took over parish ministry.

Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Franciscans who served as parish priests:

• Fr. Sylvestre Beaudette, 1954-1955
• Fr. Amedee Houle, 1955
• Fr. Rufin Turcotte, 1956-1962
• Fr. Stephen Gattafoni, 1962-1964
• Fr. Hercules Paradis, 1964
• Fr. Ildefonso Riopel, 1964-1967
• Fr. Marius Bedard, 1967- ca. 1974 (Fr. Fidelis Chichoine and Fr. Sebastien, acting priests in his absence in 1973-1974)

Christ the King Province.

• 05-03-01, Foundation of Parish file
• Rottier, René. "La petite histoire de la paroisse Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Regina." Retrieved from http://musee.societehisto.com/la-petite-histoire-de-la-paroisse-saint-jean-baptiste-de-regina-n163-t1021.html