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Home
> Vocation: Calling > Consecrated Life
> Professions and Ordinations
Fr. Galen Bank  On
July 8, 2001 Fr. Ed Hengen and his parishioners of Our Lady of the
Holy Rosary Church in Glenavon, Sask. hosted the celebration
of a solemn mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by the newly ordained
Fr. Galen Bank with Fr. George Sammut of Ottawa as the guest homilist.Galen was born in 1970, the youngest son of Sam and Kathleen (Perras) Bank, and was raised on a farm with his brothers Gregory, Kevin, Tim and sister Michele. After graduation he spent time in various occupations, in 1993, after graduating from SIAST, he worked at Sask. Power in Weyburn. In the fall of 1994, with the help of many people, the CCO weekends at the Sisters of the Presentation Discernment House in Saskatoon, and 'Live In' retreats with the late Sr. Evelyn Gauthier, Galen reached a turning point in his life. journeyed to Ottawa, and joined the Community of the 'Companions of the Cross' as a seminarian. He studied at St. Paul's University and received his BA in Theology and Philosophy. He interned at St. Timothy's in Toronto and on June 9th, 2001 he was ordained a to the preisthood by Archbishop Marcel Gervais and has been assigned as associate pastor at St. Maurice Church in Nepean, Ontario. Chantelle Bonk Sister Chantelle lives in Saskatoon and is the director of the Discernment House at 851 University Drive. 
My name is Sister Chantelle Bonk. On August 12th, 2000 I
made my final and permanent commitment as a Sister of the Presentation of
Mary in my home town of Glenavon, Saskatchewan.
The story of my vocation, however, began long before this day on
July 16, 1968 when I was baptized and claimed for God the Father.
My baptism was the day the seed of my vocation was planted.
Through the years this seed grew and began to manifest itself.
I grew up with my four other siblings on a farm outside of town.
Like every family we had our ups and downs and there was always
plenty of action around the house. Our
faith as a family and my own faith was lived in the ordinariness of life.
I remember, as a child, taking long walks down the side road that passed beside our farm. I would pause to examine the many beautiful stones that I would find on my way. During these moments as I held and contemplated these small pebbles, I too had the feeling of being held by a great God. As I was in awe of the little stone in my hand, I felt the Father was also holding me in his hand, looking at me with great love and awe. My vocation story is one of growing in an understanding of the miracle and purpose of my creation. My gradual understanding of being held by God, of being created for a special purpose and seeking to know God's purpose in my life came over a time span of many years. I was a normal teenager who was involved in sports, had lots of giggling friends, and wanted to be cool and hang out with the "in" crowd. I never once thought about being a Sister. I had my life clearly planned out in my mind, a life which included a husband and children. During this time of planning out my own life I always felt a nudge coming from within myself. I like to think of it as the Father's hand, reminding me that He was still present in my life. I found myself turning to God when I was in a tough spot, or when I wanted something from him. I "sort of " used God for my own selfish purposes. Now I can see that He was calling me to something more than this. After I finished high school, I left Glenavon to attend university in Saskatoon. It was in Saskatoon that I began to make my faith my own, and where I met young students who were serious about their faith life, and living it out with a contagious joy. I began to attend prayer meetings with them and discovered a God who was far more than someone who is there to fill my needs and wants, but a God who loves unconditionally and completely. Slowly within myself a desire grew to give my life to God, rather than a life of trying to 'get' things from God. My desire to do something radical, and total for God grew stronger. I found myself wanting to dedicate my life to him in some way. It was then that I began to think about religious life. This was an idea that was not particularly welcome at first, but it was so persistent in my inner self, that I could not ignore it. It was at this time that I decided to look seriously at the option of religious life. I moved into a vocational discernment house operated by the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary. It was here, while living in faith community with other young women, that I had an opportunity to look closely at all Christian vocations. In this atmosphere of support, love, and freedom I was able to enter into a process of discernment, to help me see more closely God's call in my life. A year and a half after I moved into the house, I decided to make the leap in faith (for that is what it is) and to offer God my life, my hopes, my future, all the plans that I had ever made for my own life and to follow what I felt to be his plan for me. It was not without a struggle that I was able to do this, but from that time forward I have never regretted it. The peace and joy I felt after making this decision was my confirmation that I had in fact made the best choice for myself and for God. I understood that for myself, it was in religious life that I could be the best lover of God. The Father speaks through his peace, and I have learned that I can only hear him if I have the faith and courage to listen to that peace. I have come to realize that it is not I who has chosen God, but God who has chosen me. It is the greatest gift of my life to be chosen and loved by God. In its hidden way, the hand of God has always been there holding and guiding me, as it is for all people. It is forever. Sr. Roberta Marie Lapierre O.S.C. - Life Coming Out of Death Sr. Roberta, who was raised in Storthoaks, made Solemn Profession with the Order of St. Clare on December 12, 2000. She is keeping our diocese in prayer before the Lord. Here’s her story.  Running. Always running. That is - until I
came
face to face with death. Within
two years, my
parents, the
two most important people in my life
died and I was brought up short.
This crisis called
me to take an honest look at myself and where I
was
going. During this time, a
friend suggested
very quietly and casually that I could go to
confession. The Sacrament changed my life.
I experienced a peace I did not know existed nor had ever dreamed
of.Strong-willed by nature, I uncharacteristically placed myself in God’s hands. Under the prudent guidance of a priest, I re-established my faith. The teachings of the Church answered the questions I’d always had about life. The Liturgy was beautiful. Adoration and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament brought a peace I didn’t know existed. Before Our Lord, I could just be, be who I was - a sinner, a sinner loved by, and, in love with, her Lord. Over time, my love for Jesus grew. Along the way I met the Poor Clares and something within me clicked. I entered their monastery. In the years of formation, I came to understand my need to respond to God’s love for me, and on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the 12th of December, 2000, I made my Solemn Profession, thus totally and irrevocably giving myself to God. Fully aware that God’s tender mercy was at work, I knelt before my abbess, placed my hands in hers, then promised and vowed “for the whole time of my life to live in chastity, without anything of my own, in obedience and in enclosure” for the sole purpose of giving “praise and glory to God.” Sr. Roberta Marie Lapierre O.S.C. St. Clare’s Monastery Box 3370 Mission, B.C. V2V 4J5 604-826-2818 More information about the Poor Clare Sisters |
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