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August 25, 2009 Reverend Don McNeil’s 50th anniversary of his ordination as a priest was a relatively low key affair; a May 23rd dinner at Holy Trinity parish with 8 brother priests. Since then however, word has spread and he’s attended 9 suppers in his honour put on by various groups of people. McNeil entered St. Peter’s Seminary, London, Ontario in 1952 immediately upon graduation from Regina’s Campion College and was ordained May 23, 1959 at Holy Rosary Cathedral. His life as a priest has changed dramatically since his ordination. Besides serving several parishes throughout the Regina Archdiocese, he’s received a Master’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Regina, a Clinical Certificate in Psychology, practiced as a Clinical Psychologist at the Yorkton Psychiatric Centre, a counsellor at the Regina Community Clinic, Chairman of the Blue Mantle Clothing and Furniture store for 18 years, was on the Board of Advisors for the John Paul II Centre and Visitation House in Regina, Chaplain at the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre and for 20 years was Honorary Chaplain at RCMP Depot Division where all RCMP members take their training. The Blue Mantle serves low income people, the John Paul II was a Catholic education centre and Visitation House is an inner city drop in centre for women. He was a 20 year member of the Regina Cosmopolitan Service Club and at the 1996 international convention in the United States he received the International Cosmopolitan of the Year Award. “It’s been a great life,” he said in a recent interview. His first memory of wanting to be a priest is when he received his First Communion at Holy Rosary Cathedral. “I thought then that I wanted to do that.” He attended Holy Rosary Elementary School, St. Peter’s College Muenster, Saskatchewan and finished high school at Campion College. It was while he was at St. Peter’s and the Benedictine Monks where he decided “for sure that I wanted to be a priest.” He worked full time at the Yorkton Psychiatric Centre and the Regina Community Clinic and during those years filled in at weekend masses for priests who were away. Along the way be achieved a proficiency in French and since 1998 has celebrated a Wednesday afternoon French Language mass at Regina’s St. Jean Baptiste Parish. The highlight of his vocation was the combination of psychology and his priesthood. “Psychology gives you some practical tools in counselling to help people.” A series of health problems in recent years have curtailed some of his activities and he now does “part time work” serving on the pastoral team at Regina’s St. Peter’s Parish. The RCMP re-instituted Sunday denominational services at the famous Chapel on the Square and have invited him to celebrate Sunday mass there once a month. Frank Flegel  Enlarge |
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