Despite Vatican ruling, the struggle for St. Patrick's Church continues

On St. Patrick's Day, nearly 600 faithful filled the saint's namesake church in Lethbridge — its first mass in years.

"When I went, it was [like] coming home," said longtime parishioner Celeste Pryde, one of those who packed the historic building just outside the Alberta city's downtown.

For churchgoers, the religious celebration also marked a hard-fought victory.

St. Patrick's Church, shuttered by the diocese in 2011, was allowed to host the mass following an appeal that reached all the way to the Vatican's highest court.

The ruling means the church will open for mass twice a year, according to the Calgary Roman Catholic Diocese.

But some of the parishioners behind the successful appeal say opening the church on St. Patrick's Day and the anniversary of its dedication is simply not enough.

"We want this church fully opened," said Grant Alger, vice-president of Save Our Churches Association.

Parishioners felt ignored, says group

The long-running saga dates back about a dozen years.

St. Pat's, as it's fondly known, was closed in 2011, when Bishop Fred Henry led the Calgary Roman Catholic Diocese, which includes southern Alberta.

The diocese planned to sell the aging church — and two others in Lethbridge — to help fund a new one on the city outskirts, where the church bought land. The decision did not sit well with many parishioners. 

The Save Our Churches Association was formed when St. Patrick's was closed and has fought to reopen it ever since. The group, now over 500 members, wrote letters and signed petitions but felt ignored.

"We were not heard and listened to, and we were frustrated that we didn't seem to have an avenue as to where to go," said Alger.

Things changed when they got in touch with the St. Joseph Foundation, a non-profit that educates Catholics about their rights within the church.

"We learned that we had at a right of appeal if the bishop makes a decision that we do not feel is the right decision and not in our best interest as a parish," said Alger.

The group lost its first appeal before taking the case to the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura — the highest judicial authority in the Vatican, besides the Pope — where they won two years ago.

For parishioners like Pryde, being back in the church for St. Patrick's Day last month was a special moment.

She attended St. Patrick's since she and her husband moved to Lethbridge in 1985. Her son was baptized there and her daughter was married there.

Pryde uses a wheelchair due to health issues. She says the church's elevator was not cleared for use, so she had to walk into the church's foyer during the St. Patrick's Day mass.

"I haven't climbed that many steps in so many years, but I wanted to be there so bad, it didn't matter."

The church's history helps explain the community's devotion to it.

Church eligible for historical designation

The church was first built as a covered basement in 1913. A lack of funds, world wars and the Great Depression meant it stayed that way until 1952.

"That church was built through the sweat equity of the members of the congregation," said Belinda Crowson, president of the Lethbridge Historical Society, during a presentation on the building's history at a public forum held by the Save Our Churches Association.

High school students moved bricks after school, people hammered the roof during lunch, and many parishioners dedicated weekends and holidays to constructing the building that stands today.

Outside, it features a marble statue of St. Patrick imported from Italy.

The 22,000 pieces of stained glass that make up its windows were imported from France, and inside the building is a bell from the 1800s.

Crowson says the church is a prime candidate for historical designation but that process has to start with the building's owner, the Calgary Roman Catholic Diocese.

Costs, changing demographics

In documents, the diocese cites insufficient parking, increasing maintenance costs and changing demographics as reasons for the closure.

The diocese's translation of the Signatura's decision points to the building's "ruinous condition," with repairs estimated to cost up to $4.5 million, while the structure was valued at $1.8 million. The parishioners' group disputes these claims.

In the translation, current Calgary Diocese Bishop William McGrattan is said to have asserted "it would be more suitable to demolish the whole structure and sell the land."

The document also identified some of the issues associated with the proposed 900-seat church. The estimated cost is $20 million, but just under $5 million has been raised in 10 years.

The area where the church purchased land, just southeast of Lethbridge, is undeveloped and doesn't have services like water or sewage.

Parishioners reject ongoing consultation

In January, McGrattan launched a consultation process on the future needs of the parish. It's called the East Lethbridge Catholic Parish Assessment Project.

On its website, the parishioners' group says it won't participate, saying it does not believe the process will be fair as they have been ignored by priests and bishops in the past. The group says it will continue to fight.

"It's important for our sense of identity and our religion that we have this church reopened," said Alger.