HOLY CROSS PARISH – GRANDE CACHE OUR LADY OF THE ROCKIES MISSION – SUSA CREEK
Since the mid 1800s, the spiritual needs of the Indigenous people throughout Northern Alberta were served by the Oblate Fathers. These Priests travelled, several times a year, to Entrance by train and then by horse and foot the 85 miles to the surrounding areas of present day Grande Cache. At these times they would officiate at marriages, baptize the newly born, give religious instruction and bless the graves of those who had died since the last visit. In the late 1960s, Fr. Edouard Rheaume, O.M.I., was coming to care for the spiritual needs of the Indigenous people at Susa Creek and Muskeg River. Several people in Grande Cache approached Fr. Rheaume to offer Mass in Grande Cache and since there was no church, Mass was offered in the Shopping Mall and later in a house which had been converted into a small Community Hall. In 1970, Archbishop Anthony Jordan, O.M.I., was approached to appoint a resident Priest to Grande Cache. Since no Priest was available at that time, Grande Cache was made a Mission of Hinton and Fr. Claude Lemieux, C.Ss.R., cared for the spiritual needs of the people in Grande Cache for the next two years. During this time Fr. Rheaume still came regularly to care for his beloved people at Susa Creek. In 1970 Grande Cache was raised to the status of a Parish but still had no resident Priest until April, 1972 when Fr. Joseph Kiloran became the first resident Priest. A trailer became the Priest’s home and first Parish Centre. In September of 1973 the Parish Council decided to sell the trailer and purchase one of the vacant houses in Grande Cache. After remodeling, the house provided living accommodation for the Parish Priest, an office and a Chapel/Meeting Room. In 1977 the Parish had grown to such a point that the decision was made to build a Church Complex and construction began in May of that year. The building was completed to the point where Mass was offered in the Church hall on the first Sunday of March, 1978 and the first Mass in the Church proper on Saturday evening, June 17, 1978. The Church was officially blessed and dedicated by Archbishop Joseph MacNeil, D.D., on Sunday, March 25, 1979. These many Priests will be remembered for the hardships they endured in the early days, their dedication and love they had and still hold in their hearts for the people of Grande Cache, Susa Creek and surrounding areas. We owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude. God Bless each of them. Fr. Edouard Rheaume Fr. Patrick O’Neill Fr. Joseph Kiloran Fr. Albert Laisnez Fr. Enzo Agnoli Fr. Merton Miller Fr. Andrzej Rybak Fr. Isagani Avinante Fr. Kragbe Legare Fr. Claude Lemieux Fr. Andrzej Rybak (2nd Term) Fr. Mark McGee Fr. James Bodula Fr. Thomas Basani Fr. Jojappa Chinnabathini Fr. Anthony Narisetty Fr. Anthony Narisetty Fr. Rajesh Jesuraj Fr. Jinu Rajan Fr. Jimmy Puttananickal
