9 April 2020- The scaffolding is in place for the installation of the stained glass window of Our Lady of the Rockies, beginning after Easter. The scaffolding provided for some unique photos of the upper sections of the clerestory!
I will be away at St. Mary's Cathedral this week helping to serve as the MC for the Chrism Mass and Holy Triduum so no construction updates until after Easter. God bless you all!
8 April 2020- The remaining 5 Stations of the Cross have been installed. Wood paneling behind the Queenship of Mary Statue is nearing completion, confessional lights are operational and we had our first drone pilgrim in the Shrine Church!
7 April 2020- Yesterday we installed 9 of the 14 Stations of the Cross! 5 stations to go and the Roman numerals at each station remain to be installed. A great joy for me be part of this installation during Holy Week and ponder Our Lord’s Passion as we set each station in place.
2 April 2020- The cove and pedant lights were illuminated this evening. The actual colour of the light is a warmer yellow than these pictures do them justice. Fiat Lux!
1 April 2020- As we move into April, it is exciting to see so many finishes taking place in the new shrine church. The altar, ambo and pedestals for the tabernacle are nearly finished and await their new marble tops. Statuary lighting being put in place, the wood paneling for the servery opening is installed, the Columbarium nearly finished and cabinets continue to go into the Sacristies and at the small kiosk area.
Let us ask Our Lady of the Rockies and St Joseph to bestow a spirit of encouragement in our trades and keep everyone onsite safe and healthy!
29 March 2020- An afternoon walk up on the Benchlands revealed how close we are to having the exterior of the Shrine Church complete! Just the upper clerestory remains to be stuccoed!
Our Lady of the Rockies, please continue to watch over the Bow Valley and bring health and wellbeing to one and all.
27 March 2020- After learning that all publicly celebrated Masses in the Diocese of Calgary, including the the Holy Week liturgies and Easter Sunday, will be cancelled for an indefinite period of time, I am praying more than ever that construction updates of the new Shrine Church will be ray of light in these dark times.
Here we see detailing work on the Ambo, the columns and capitals that will support the baldacchino over the tabernacle, the painted wooden cross that will go on top of the baldacchino and the install of the refurbished door for the Tabernacle of Repose in the main sacristy.
26 March 2020- When visiting the new church yesterday, I was encouraged by our ecclesiastical artist Josef to write something on the inside of the altar before the Mensa is placed over top.
I opted to write a portion of Psalm 42:4 “I will go onto the Altar of God” in memorial of all the bishops and priests who will offer the Holy Mass upon this altar in days to come.
I also wrote Auspice Maria “under the protection of Mary”, as she will continue to watch over her Shrine Church and her children around the world.
Be assured of my prayers when I offer the Holy Mass daily
25 March 2020- Today’s Solemnity of the Annunciation invites us to ponder the mystery of the Incarnation, that Jesus Christ, the Word of God, co-eternal with the Father, became flesh in the Womb of the Immaculate Virgin Mary and became like us in all things but sin.
This means that Mary became the first tabernacle, the first to house within her body the very Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ and know communion with her Lord and her Son.
The new shrine church is blessed to have this tabernacle serve as our tabernacle of repose in our main sacristy for those times when the Blessed Sacrament needs to be removed from the main tabernacle and properly reserved in the sacristy. It will also serve as part of the Altar of Repose on Holy Thursday. The tabernacle door is currently being refurbished and will soon be installed.
24 March 2020- Finishing work continues on the main altar as the 4 corner columns and capitals are now in place. Work on the podium for the tabernacle is underway, as are finishing details for the concrete pedestals that will support the transept statues of Holy Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth and the beautifully moving statue of the Death of St. Joseph in the company of Jesus and Mary. Thank you Lord for another day of work at the Shrine Church!
23 March 2020- Thank you Jesus, Mary and Joseph that construction continues at the new Shrine Church! Further work on the Altar and Ambo, pendent lights installed in the Narthex, wood finishing continues in the Columbarium, Ambry awaits its interior light and pedestals for the Two Adoring Angels beside the Tabernacle nearly complete.
22 March 2020- Dear brothers and sister in Christ, know that I prayed for all of you as celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass this morning on this Laetare Sunday. It will be difficult for many to have a sense of rejoicing knowing they cannot attend the Holy Mass and receive the Holy Eucharist today.
I kept this picture in mind during Mass this morning to remind me of the more than 1000 prayer intentions we have received to be placed in the new altar of the Shrine Church. They now include prayer intentions from religious sisters and the prayer cards of newly ordained priests. All of these intentions brought true joy to my heart and I pray will bring a sense of rejoicing to many others.
For Canmore residents, please drop off your prayer intentions at our parish office, Tuesday-Friday 9:00am-Noon. For everyone else please continue to mail us your handwritten prayer intentions to:
Our Lady of the Rockies
2 Silvertip Trail
Canmore, AB
T1W-2Z7
Any donations/lenten almsgiving along with these prayer intentions to help support the building of the new Shrine Church is tremendously appreciated in this very difficult financial time.
The deadline to receive these intentions continues to be Sunday March 29th. If we are able to extend this deadline further we will let everyone know.
God bless and let us all ask the Lord for the gift of being able to rejoice in some way this Sunday.
Love and Peace, Fr. Nathan
20 March 2020- In the midst so much upheaval around the world and in our local communities and parishes this week, it was a great consolation to see so much wonderful work taking place at the new Shrine Church!
Please continue to pray for our workers and trades, for them to continue their work in a safe and healthy manner, and to implore Our Lady of the Rockies and St. Joseph to watch over us!
18 March 2020- Every Catholic priest is ordained into the Priesthood of Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest. The Letter to the Hebrews states Our Lord was ordained a priest in the Order of Melchizedek (Her 5:6). I was blessed today to exercise my own priestly work in the order of Melchizedek by doing some very Old Testament style priestly work: Helping to build a holy altar for the Lord of Hosts! And with the climbing gyms closed and the rock climbing season not quite yet upon us, was a great way to work out the forearms and work on grip strength!
16-17 March 2020- As our parishes and diocese comes confronts the painful cancellation of Public Masses in our parishes, it was consoling to see the new Altar and Ambo of the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies beginning to be installed over the past two days!
In these difficult times, may the building of this Ambo where the Word of the Lord be proclaimed and this Altar upon which the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be offered in the New Shrine Church, remind us that Our Lord is faithful to His Church and will restore the celebration of His Sacrifice of Love to our parish families when He so wills...
14 March 2020- Frames for the refurbished Stations of the Cross of the new Shrine Church were dropped off for their final black powder coating on Thursday. Excited to see them onsite in the next two weeks!
May they be a reminder to consider praying the Stations during Fridays in Lent, especially for those bearing heavy crosses at this time.
12 March 2020- An exciting day onsite as the base of the baptismal font was installed. Tiling can now commence around the base of the baptismal font and the actual font will be installed once the flooring is complete in the nave. And I continue to be in awe of the play of light in shadow coming from the clerestory windows...
10 March 2020- The catwalk for the bell tower is completely installed. The Rundle Stone for the front entrance is finished, tile flooring is now half way laid throughout the nave and the hardwood stairs leading up into the sanctuary are being installed.
5 March 2020- The final piece of the catwalk leading to the bell tower are being installed. We wait in eager expectation for our bells to arrive onsite after being refurbished by Scotia Bells in Ontario!
3 March 2020- The nave pendent lights are nearly all installed and the tile flooring continues in the nave of the church.
1 March 2020- During this Lenten season when we are called to renew our lives of prayer, Our Lady of the Rockies Parish would like to invite you to participate in a once in a lifetime prayer experience:
You are invited to write all of your prayer intentions on a piece of paper and bring them to our weekend Masses, to our temporary parish office (108-104 Kananaskis Way Canmore AB T1W2X2) or mail them to our new parish address (2 Silvertip Trail Canmore AB T1W 2Z7) before the weekend of March 28/29. If you mail them please mail to the 2 Silvertip Trail address.
All of these prayer intention letters will then be placed inside of the new altar for the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies with the altar’s relics. Once all are placed inside, the altar Mensa (the marble tabletop of the altar) will be placed on top. Your prayer intentions will forever remain inside the altar and be a perpetual spiritual sacrifice unto the Lord!
These prayer intentions are to be handwritten and we will not accept any prayer intention letters via email or phone to be printed out by our parish office staff. They must be brought in person to weekend Masses or the parish office or mailed.
As Lent is also a season of almsgiving, you are invited to include a free will offering with your prayer intention letters for the building of the new Shrine Church.
Ad Iesum per Mariam,
Fr Nathan Siray and the people of Our Lady of the Rockies Roman Catholic Parish
27 February 2020- The play of light and shadow will be a wonderful feature in the clerestory windows of the new Shrine Church.
26 February 2020- As Lent begins today with Ash Wednesday, so too do we see the beginnings of the blue Marian paint being applied on the ceilings beneath the arches in nave of the church. Gold star stencils will be painted once the blue painting is applied and finished.
More light pedants are also being installed in the nave and sanctuary and we had our first look at the warm light they will provide! A blessed Lent to one and all, please continue to keep our workers in your prayers and consider in your Lenten almsgiving a donation to the building of this new House of Prayer for Our Lord and Our Lady!
25 February 2020- The Columbarium niche cabinets are currently being constructed. The Columbarium's walls have been painted and light fixtures are being installed. The Columbarium should be complete in the next few weeks, making it the first finished room in the new shrine church! The tile and hard wood flooring in the sanctuary is also being set in place and the tile will continue throughout the nave and into the narthex.
18 February 2020- Pendant lights are beginning to be hung in the sanctuary and nave. More finished stucco is beginning to be seen on the parish hall and main entrance to the church. And the last phase of scaffolding going up for the exterior finish on the side of the building where the stained glass window will be installed.
13 February 2020- The nave is getting closer to having all drywall complete and painting is ongoing. Plus a few random shots...
11 February 2020- Door frames being installed in the entrance to the nave and in the parish hall. The elevator lift is onsite and awaiting further installation. Painting continues throughout the nave. Please continue to keep all our workers and trades in your prayers!
4 February 2020- Round 2 of determine heights for pendant lights in the nave and parish hall. Drywall work and painting taking place throughout the building. Here we can see progress in the parish offices, the confessionals, and throughout the nave. And tiling complete in downstairs washroom floors.
2 February 2020- A hymn for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord:
Hail to the Lord who comes,
Comes to his temple gate,
Not with his angel hosts,
Not in his kingly state; But borne upon the throne
Of Mary’s gentle breast;
Thus to his Father’s house
He comes, a humble guest. The world’s true light draws near
All darkness to dispel,
The flame of faith is lit
And dies the power of hell. Our bodies and our souls
Are temples now for him,
For we are born of grace--
God lights our souls within. O Light of all the earth!
We light our lives with thee;
The chains of darkness gone
All sons of God are free.
This marble relief of the Presentation will be one of the four marble reliefs in the small rosary chapel in the new shrine church.
29 January 2020- Stucco finish now being revealed on the front side of the exterior near the main entrance. Tile beginning to be laid in the bathrooms and drywall nearly complete in the nave.
21 January 2020- More of the first scratch coat of the stucco and rundle rock exterior is becoming visible. Detail work on the arches in the nave continue and drywall nearing completion!
14 January 2020- Despite the bitter cold and -40c windchill, construction inside the shrine church continues! More drywall is going up in the nave and exterior doors being finished for install. We also had a trial run of hanging one of the nave light pendants. Final height of these pendant lights is to be determined...
7 January 2020- Some portions of the exterior now have the scratch coat stucco finish on them. Priming for painting take place in the parish hall and drywalling continues in the nave of the church.
1 January 2020- “Mary has given birth to a King whose name is everlasting; hers the joy of motherhood, hers the virgin’s glory. Never was the like seen before, never shall it be seen again, alleluia.” Antiphon for Lauds of the Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God.
May our Mother and Queen watch over and intercede for us all in 2020! Here is another sneak peek of the stained glass image of Our Lady of the Rockies!
31 December 2019- The last Shrine Church progress photos for 2019! What an incredible year it has been to watch this House of Prayer come into being! Here is to successful completion of our building project in Spring 2020! Please continue to keep us in our prayers and consider making a financial contribution to our building project.
29 December 2019- A rosary walk in honour of the Holy Family on top the Benchlands trail above the Shrine Church allowed for some wintry progress shots. Black + White felt like the best medium for the afternoon light.
25 December 2019- A blessed and holy Christmas to one and all from the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies. Jesus loves you!
24 December 2019- A few shots of the interior and exterior of the shrine church as we prepare for Christmas Eve!
19 December 2019- When you drive by the new shrine church, you will see it veiled in tarps. Underneath, work is being done to complete the Rundle Rock and stucco portions of the exterior. Here are some shots from under the tarps. First step is to place a thick white foam on the exterior and apply an anti-woodpecker sealant to prevent Woody and friends from ruining the EIFS! I pity the woodpecker who tries to strike our exterior!!!
17 December 2019- Drywalling has begun in the sanctuary, above where the tabernacle will be, and also in portions of the roof within the nave of the church. We can also see the plywood backing going in place for the Stations of the Cross.
12 December 2019- Among the favourite features in the new Shrine Church is all the unique windows that will surround the entire building.
11 December 2019- Drywalling continues throughout the shrine church, nearing completion in the parish hall, offices and narthex. The columns in the nave are starting to see drywall!
10 December 2019- Great to have Deacon Brian West onsite today! Here he is standing approximately where the Ambo will be and he will proclaim the Holy Gospel of the Lord!
5 December 2019- After a short holiday, time to be back onsite and provide an update on the construction progress! Drywalling continues in the Parish Hall, Narthex, Offices and Upstairs Room. Framing is nearly complete in the nave and sanctuary and drywalling in these locations will begin soon. The upper portions of the three large windows are being installed and Rundle Rock is being placed above the window frames.
19 November 2019- Drywall installation continues in the Parish Hall and the ceilings of the Narthex. Rundle Rock on the exterior continues, especially over the sections with door and window frames. Winter is here but the construction marches on!
13 November 2019- Further clerestory window installation.
12 November 2019- Windows continue to be installed and more arriving onsite! Moving ever closer to the full enclosure of the building.
6 November 2019- A long overdue update on the construction progress of the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies!
Window installation taking place at the Columbarium, the Front Entrance and the clerestory windows around the entire shrine.
Portions of the Rundle Rock exterior are nearing completion and the first drywalling is taking place in the Parish Hall.
29 October 2019- The ice and cold has not halted the Shrine Church's Construction! Scaffolding is going up around the building to work on it's exterior. Progress also on the garbage enclosure and the fence that will surround the site.
26 October 2019- The Sanctus beam header of the Sanctuary Gate was installed this afternoon. A massive thank you to Ken's Iron Works for crafting and installing this beam and Modco for the another fine install within the Shrine Church.
25 October 2019- The first piece of the Sanctuary Gate that will be between the Altar and Tabernacle, allowing for a secure place for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, has arrived onsite!
This beam, with the thrice written word Sanctus (Holy) will serve as the top of the Sanctuary gate. See Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8 for biblical references for the use of Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus.
Beneath this beam will be wheel tracks to allow the two portions of the gate to slide open and close and rest within the adjoining walls. Stay tuned in the coming months to see what will be on top of this beam.
The install of the beam will take place soon...
23 October 2019- Enjoying a coffee and conversation after a Sunday Mass in the Parish Hall of the new Shrine Church is going to be pretty epic...
22 October 2019- Some photos of the paved parking lot, further Rundle Rock installation and the arrival of the beam that will form the header for the sanctuary gate!
21 October 2019- Very grateful we were able to get the parking lot paved before it became too cold to do so!
20 October 2019- As the installation of Rundle Rock continues on the exterior of the shrine church, here is another nugget of information from Mr Louis Kamenka of Rundle Rock building Stone on the history of this remarkable stone of the Bow Valley:
"The unique natural qualities of Rundle Rock were recognized by European stone masons working for the C.P.R. Since its discovery, Rundle Rock has been used in numerous projects as its enduring properties have been noted by the architecture, landscaping and masonry societies. In 2007 the Province of Alberta officially declared Rundle Rock as our Provincial Natural Building Stone. It was in this year that the Air India Memorial was constructed in Toronto, offering families a place to remember those who lost their lives in this terrible tragedy. The memorial features a sundial supported by stones from all provinces and territories of Canada. Rundle Rock was the stone chosen to represent Alberta."
19 October 2019- The paving of the parking lot continues!
18 October 2019- Asphalt has arrived and the parking lot paving is well underway! Further progress also on the window installation. All of the ground level windows around the church are in place and framing is taking place at the front and back entrances, as well as the Church Hall windows. St. Luke, pray for us!
15 October 2019- Lots of action taking place at the Shrine Church! The parking lot is compacted and ready for paving, window framing continues, the next layer of exterior installation is going up and drywall preparing to be installed inside! St. Joseph, watch over all our trades and thank you for all the favours you continue to bestow on our building project. St. Teresa of Avila, pray for us!
13 October 2019- Yesterday's rosary walk in honour of Our Lady of Fatima, was a wonderful opportunity for our parishioners and visitors to be united in prayer in the midst of God's majestic creation. We prayed for the success of our building project, for Holy Mary's intercession in the Bow Valley and the many intentions we brought within the silence of our hearts.
11 October 2019- As more Rundle Rock goes up around the exterior of the Shrine Church, here is another interesting fact about this remarkable stone, compliments of Mr. Louis Kamenka of Rundle Rock Building Stone:
"Rundle Rock acquired its name from where it was first discovered and used as a building stone. This location was along the Spray River at the base of Mount Rundle which was named after Reverend Robert T Rundle, a Methodist minister of whom Rundle Memorial United Church in Banff, Alberta is named after. Once Rundle Rock's unique qualities were recognized by stone masons working for the C.P.R., this stone became the stone of choice for most buildings in the Banff area. Many of these buildings were constructed over a century ago and are a testament to this stone's enduring qualities and beauty. One such building has gained World Heritage status: The Banff Cave and Basin, site of Canada's first National Park in Banff.
10 October 2019- Sidewalks and curbs have been prepped and poured for the front entrance of the Shrine Church. Light poles are being installed and further preparations made for the paving of the parking lot, hopefully early next week!
9 October 2019- More window photos, grateful to see how quickly they are being installed as the temperature continues to drop!
8 October 2019- On this cold & wintry Fall day, a welcome sight to see the windows beginning to be set in place!
7 October 2019- Window frames and mullions starting to be put in place and the copper on the bell tower steeple is complete!
On this feast day of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, please keep our workers and our ongoing fundraising needs and efforts in your rosary today.
6 October 2019- Some close up pictures of the details on all three statues that were installed this past Thursday and are now being boxed with crates to keep them safe for the course of construction.
5 October 2019- Pictures of the installation of statue of the Queenship of Mary with the Christ Child in the East Transept of the Nave and the statue of St. Catherine of Siena in the Rosary Chapel.
Holy Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth, continue to watch over our building project and enfold us in your motherly love.
St. Catherine of Siena, continue to intercede for our workers, keep them safe and inspire all to lead a life of holiness that so exemplified your life in Christ.
4 October 2019- Yesterday marked another milestone in the Shrine Church's construction: The installation of 3 more statues! Stayed tuned over the next few days to see the how these installations unfolded!
Here are scenes of the install of the Death of St. Joseph Statue in the west transept of the nave.
St. Joseph, patron of a holy death, be with all those who are approaching the end of this life, grant them the grace of final perseverance and bestow strength and comfort to their families.
28 September 2019- How I hope this is among the few times we see snow inside the Shrine Church! Still, a quiet beauty is found in the untouched snow fallen with the sanctuary where the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will one day be offered...
27 September 2019- Install of the frontals and rosettes on the statue pedestals of the Queenship of Mary Statue and the Death of St. Joseph statue is moving closer to completion. What remains is to set the rosettes on the sides of each pedestal and finish the trim around the frontals to hide any gaps. And snow is falling inside the Shrine Church, how I love truly Canmore!!!
26 September 2019- Concrete sidewalks and pad for the parking lot entrance to the Shrine Church are complete. Work continues on the rest of the parking lot.
24 September 2019- For those who loved our lime green exterior, it is quickly being painted over with a lovely yellow! Fear not, this too is only a temporary colour change to provide waterproofing before the grey stucco is installed!
Further progress on the Rundle Rock install and more rebar in place for upcoming sidewalk concrete pours.
22 September 2019- The Shrine Church construction enters into the Fall Season! Here is praying and hoping for mild weather for our workers!
21 September 2019- As the Rundle Rock installation continues, we are fortunate to have Mr. Louis Kamenka of Rundle Rock Building Stone, who have graciously supplied the rock for the exterior of the Shrine Church, to periodically provide us with information about this remarkable stone of the Bow Valley:
"Rundle Rock was deposited as sand / silt on an ocean floor that existed here over 220 million years ago. These sands and silts had many life forms that were captured and buried in the sand and later buried and cemented together into the rock we see today. Therefore, fossils that are present in Rundle rock are real treasures. They tell a story of the environment they lived in and what was occurring where we stand today, although from a point of 220 million years ago." Louis Kamenka
20 September 2019- Some photos of our ecclesiastical artist Josef at work, repairing broken fingers on the Purgatory Statue and showing off his painting techniques for the statue pedestals.
19 September 2019- Rundle Rock installation has begun! Concrete pour of the sidewalk and parking curbs was a success and work continues to prepare the parking lot for paving.
18 September 2019- Sidewalks and concrete curbs for the parking lot were poured yesterday. Further progress on the copper installation of the bell tower steeple also on ongoing.
15 September 2019- Thank you Jesus and Mary for another successful week of construction! Ongoing work for the paving of the parking lot and during of concrete walkways and parking curbs will take place this week.
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14 September 2019- Shadow, light, mountains, and statues, what a shrine church we are building!
13 September 2019- Further progress on the copper installation of the bell tower. The detail work on the copper cutting is stunning! Framing now also taking place on the two windows that will be on either side of the stained glass window of Our Lady of the Rockies (and allow for some stunning views of the Three Sisters).
12 September 2019- Further framing on the windows in the east and west transepts. Depending where you stand in the nave you can see Mt. Lady MacDonald and Mt. Grotto to the east and Mt. Lawerence Grassi, Ha Ling and Mt. Rundle to the west!
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11 September 2019- A misty day here in Canmore but please enjoy some photos from a few days ago of the first panels of copper being installed on the Bell Tower Steeple
10 September 2019- Restoration work on the Purgatory Statue continues.
8 September 2019- A final collection, this time in colour, of Friday's install of the Purgatory statue in the Columbarium. And a blessed birthday to our Lady and Queen in heaven! More than 2000 years old and her beauty has not diminished!
7 September 2019- A collection of Black + White photos from yesterday's move of the Purgatory Statue into the Columbarium
6 September 2019- A truly grace filled and monumental day at the new shrine church! Thank you everyone for your prayers and a special thank you to our ecclesiastical artist Josef and the crane team from Radius Projects for their incredible work in placing the statue of Jesus and Mary welcoming the souls in Purgatory within the Columbarium.
3 September 2019- Window and wall framing continues in the transepts of the nave. Further preparation work for the copper installation on the bell tower steeple.
30 August 2019- From the right angles, the clerestory windows in the nave offers some epic views of the mountains!
28 August 2019- Black + White photos do a beautiful job of capturing all the arches that are beginning to appear in the new shrine church!
27 August 2019- Further framing on the bell tower steeple in anticipation of the copper installation. Window Framing of the parish hall also moving forward.
24 August 2019- Preparation work on the bell tower steeple is nearly complete! Now to await the copper!
Please keep in your prayers those taking part in today's bike pilgrimage from St. Mary's in Banff to the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies.
23 August 2019- The marble tops of the statue pedestals have been installed! Now to await the arrival of the statues and continued finishing work on the pedestals.
22 August 2019- As the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies celebrates our Patronal Feast today, the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, here is an exclusive sneak peak on the progress of the stained glass window!
As a gift to our Lady and our Queen, please consider making a donation to our building project.
21 August 2019- Prep work is underway for the copper installation on the upper portion of the bell tower
20 August 2019- The curved arches within the nave and sanctuary are starting to take shape. Window framing in the parish hall has also commenced.
16 August 2019- A beacon of hope in the Bow Valley
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13 August 2019- More rooms are being framed in the new shrine. They include the rosary chapel, family/crying room (one photos shows the view from this room), choir practice room, main sacristy and side entrance for people to visit the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle.
11 August 2019- A Sunday stroll at the new shrine! Great to see the first shipment of Rundle Rock onsite and waiting for install! Catwalk for the bell tower also being installed.
8 August 2019- We can begin to see how the clerestory windows in the new shrine will allow for an interplay of light & shadow throughout the building
6 August 2019- The second and third layers of the exterior are beginning to be put in place. The entire shrine is getting closer to being enclosed in the first layer of the exterior! They are also currently digging the area where the Sacrarium sacristy sinks will drain used holy water and water used to wash the altar linens to prevent it from entering into the sewer.
5 August 2019- The Shrine Church hopes you can enjoy the mountains on this Holiday Monday and for the rest of summer! Our Lady of the Snows, pray for us.
3 August 2019- As the interior framing progresses, we can begin to see various rooms in the nave and sanctuary of the shrine. The sequence of the slideshow is as follows: The Rosary Chapel, Traditional Confessional, Confessional Room, Family Room, Sanctuary Sacristy, Choir Practice Room, Tabernacle, and Back Wall of the Nave for future artwork.
1 August 2019
31 July 2019- Our contractor was recently asked if the new shrine church's exterior will be lime green! Rest assured it will not! It is but one of many layers that make up the exterior of the shrine church.
In the final image of this slideshow we can begin to see the next layer of the exterior that will hold the Rundle Rock finish on the bottom portion of the exterior.
30 July 2019- The forms for the statue pedestals (except the one for the statue of St. Catherine of Siena) have been removed. The wooden recessed portions will be where marble frontals and rosettes will be place in the pedestals in the two transepts.
The top and bottom portion of each pedestal will be in marble and the remaining exposed concrete will be sanded and polished prior to the statues being installed.
Also seen here is the wheelchair accessible ramp to enter the sanctuary and to visit the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle.
28 July 2019- Some photos of the Shrine from Fr. Nathan's ascent and summit up Mt Lady MacDonald this afternoon.
27 July 2019- The pedestals for the Shrine's statuary have been poured! They included the statue of Jesus meeting the Souls in Purgatory in the Columbarium, The Death of St. Joseph statue set in the west transept, the statue of Holy Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth in the east transept and the statue of St. Catherine of Siena in the Rosary Chapel.
22 July 2019- The Sanctuary concrete slab has been poured! The steel frames for the sanctuary gate are also in place and the back wall of the shrine where the Tabernacle will be is ready for it to be eventually installed.
19 July 2019
17 July 2019- The Steeple Cross was illuminated for the first time this evening! With many thanks to Mike's Electric for their diligent work to find lighting that would fit our custom made steeple cross! May this white Marian cross be a sign of the divine love of Christ and the pure love of the Blessed Virgin.
17 July 2019- Exterior walls continue to be prepared for Rundle Rock and EIFS installation. Foam insulation is in place for the concrete pour in the main sanctuary. The steel frame for the sanctuary gate is also in place.
16 July 2019- Please check out our construction update for the first part of July
9 July 2019
7 July 2019- Thank you to the visitor to our parish who captured these amazing photos of the Shrine Church after yesterday evening's downpour!
6 July 2019- While these are just tarps hung up around the shrine church to keep the newly poured concrete slab dry, do they not inspire to one day make all the windows in the shrine church stainglass???
5 July 2019- Concrete slab pour of the nave and sanctuary was a success! The elevated portion of the sanctuary remains to be poured. Our Lady of the Rockies, Our Mother and Our Queen, thank you!
4 July 2019- Final Concrete pour is underway! Lots of rain today so please pray for everyone onsite to stay dry and power through the elements!
3 July 2019- The Shrine is nearly prepared for tomorrow's final concrete slab pour! Please pray for everyone who will be onsite tomorrow!
1 July 2019- A Blessed Canada Day from The Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies!
June 2019- Stay tuned for more Construction Update Pages in the parish bulletin, both print and online versions
27 June 2019- Rain in Canmore today. Let's pray for the sunshine to return for our workers!
26 June 2019
25 June 2019- Please check out this YouTube link to see a time lapse video of the Shrine Church's construction from March 2019 to the present:
21 June 2019- Great to have visitors from Calgary and Naples, Fl onsite today! Also exciting see where the Tabernacle will reign as the beating heart of the Shrine Church!
19 June 2019- Our Steering Committee visited the shrine today. Windows are starting to be framed and prep work for next week's final concrete pour is well underway! Thank you St. Joseph for all you have done and continue to do for our building project!
17 June 2019- More photos of the shrine's construction progress coming in the next few days. In the meantime, here is Fr. Nathan and his brother Matthew looking out at the shrine while rock climbing on the East End of Mt. Rundle!
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13 June 2019- Second concrete pour underway! With thanks to St. Anthony of Padua for finding the sunshine today! Prep work for the third concrete also underway.
12 June 2019- Second layer of roofing continues over the nave and sanctuary. Wall framing for the parish office underway and prep work for tomorrow's second concrete slab pour almost complete. Please pray for warm and dry weather tomorrow!
10 June 2019
As we honour Mary today under the title of Mother of the Church, may her maternal love be showered down upon the shrine we are building in her honour.
6 June 2019- Pour for the concrete slab of the parish hall/kitchen and offices was a success! Now prepping for the concrete pour in the narthex, columbarium, two meeting rooms, sacristy/vestry, and front and parking lot entrances into the new shrine church!
5 June 2019- Framing continues at the new shrine.
31 May 2019
This marble depiction of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be featured in the rosary chapel of the new shrine!
30 May 2019- Concrete slab pour in the parish office and hall is currently under way. Please say a prayer for the rain to stay away today! St. Vincent Ferrer and Our Lady of the Rockies, pray for us!
28 May 2019
Sad to see smoke in the Bow Valley but construction at the new shrine church carries on!
25 May 2019- First layer of roofing is complete over the entire shrine! These views come from the various trails near the shrine that can be used for pilgrimage and meditative walks.
24 May 2019
Rain or Shine construction continues at the new shrine!
22 May 2019- Concrete Slab preparation, wall framing and roofing now taking place in the nave and sanctuary of the new shrine church. Every day that much closer to completion! With thanks for the hard work and dedication of all trades involved in our building project!
20 May 2019
Roofing continues at the new shrine and wall framing has begun on the second floor.
11 May 2019
Polishing continues on the second floor concrete slab
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Roofing now taking place over the narthex, columbarium and beginning on the transepts
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9 May 2019- Today's pour of the Second Floor Concrete Slab was a success! Check out the slideshow below to see how it unfolded...
Everything is prepared for the pour of the concrete slab on the second floor meeting room. Say a prayer for all involved today around 10am. St Vincent Ferrer, one of the patron saint of those who work in construction, pray for us.
8 May 2019
Less glamorous shots of the new shrine but great to see all the necessary pipes, conduits and wires are going in place before the concrete slab is poured!
4 May 2019
As wonderful as it is to see the roofing continue at the new shrine church, I must admit i'll miss these spectacular views of the steel superstructure! St. Eligius, pray for us!
1 May 2019
Today’s Feast of St. Joseph the Worker marks one year until the Dedication and Opening of the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies!!!
This marble image of the Nazareth Workshop will appear in the rosary chapel of the new shrine church.
To kick off this one year countdown to the new shrine’s opening, would you kindly offer a donation for our building project? Donations can be made online at the DONATE section of this website
30 April 2019
The shrine church at the end of April 2019. Tomorrow begins the one year count down to opening!!!
27 April 2019
Despite the ice and snow, today's visit to the new shrine church and signing of the columns in the nave and sanctuary was a great success!
Thank you to everyone who were present onsite today!
A special thanks to the Bouchard Family for the photos of their children signing the columns.
For more photos of this event, please check out this link:
https://www.colleensphotoscanmore.com/Client-Access/Our-Lady-of-the-Rockies/2019-OLR-Beam-Signing-WEB-Ready/
25 April 2019
First layer of roofing continues at the new shrine church. Our Parish is excited for the beams signing and site visit this Saturday from 1-3pm! Be advised they are calling for snow in Canmore so please dress warmly and check for road conditions before you make the journey to the mountains!!!
24 April 2019
Let us remember that the Holy Cross is our one true light in the midst of the world's darkness.
Please keep in your prayers all who were effected by the recent terror attacks in Sri Lanka.
22 April 2019
Are you interested in visiting the site of the new diocesan Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies (located at 2 Silvertip Trail, Canmore, AB, T1W-2Z7)?
Please join us on Saturday April 27th from 1:00-3:00pm to visit the magnificent steel structure of the new shrine church for a tour and to write your name on the steel beams throughout the new shrine.
Donations for the construction of the new diocesan shrine are graciously accepted at this event.
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As this is a visit to a construction site, please be aware of the necessary clothing requirements: • No open shoes, no sandals, no heels, no flats. A sturdy shoe is suggested and steel toe boots would be preferred
• T-shirts or long sleeves, no tank tops
• Pants only: no shorts, no skirts, no capris, no dresses
• No dangling jewellery or scarves
There is limited parking at the construction site so please consider carpooling to this event.
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21 April 2019
A Blessed Easter to one and all!!!
19 April 2019
Please join us today for the Outdoor Way of the Cross, beginning at 10:00am @ St. Michael's Anglican church (709 7st, Canmore)
Later, please join us for the Commemoration of the Passion of the Lord, 3:00pm @ Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Academy (3100a Stewart Creek Dr, Canmore)
18 April 2019
Holy Thursday Moon over the Shrine
Please join us for The Mass of the Lord’s Supper, 7:00pm @ Our Lady of the Snows Academy (3100A Stewart Creek Dr, Canmore).
One hour of Eucharistic Adoration at the Altar of Repose will follow the conclusion of Mass.
16 April 2019
Roofing has begun!
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This room above the parish offices will be used for meetings, faith studies, conferences, etc.
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12 April 2019
Today was an exciting day at the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies! The bell tower and steeple were installed in three stages: First the Bell Tower, then the connection of the cross to the steeple, and finally the steeple was connected to the bell tower.
Here are some photos of the action from earlier today!
Preparing to install the bell tower
Lift High the Cross!
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Bell tower in place and ready for the steeple!
Cross preparing to be connected to the steeple
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Preparing to connect the steeple and bell tower
The Heavens bestow sunlight on the new shrine!
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Connection complete! The crane had only about 1.5 feet until it was maxed out! Thank you St. Eligius for your intercession!
Torquing bolts at 100 feet above the earth!
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12 April 2019
STAGE THREE - Workers installing the bell tower, last of the superstructure.
9 April 2019
Our steel workers installed the beams that were signed by the staff and students of Our Lady of the Snows Academy and some members of our parish. These beams will be above where the Tabernacle will be in the new shrine church!!!
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7 April 2019
The steel superstructure is nearing completion!
4 April 2019
West transept window
Our steel workers connecting the east and west transepts to the nave and the sanctuary.
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Mt Lawrence Grassi and our new shrine church! Centre section of roof being set in place.
Inside the west transept will be 7 of the Stations of the Cross and the Statue set of the Death of St. Joseph, accompanied by the Blessed Virgin and Our Lord Jesus Christ
Thank you Lord for how beautifully all the steel pieces are fitting together perfectly!
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2 April 2019
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Stage 2 - The sanctuary framing is underway. The roof is much higher than the first stage.
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31 March 2019
What an exciting first month of steel construction! Please pray for the ongoing success of the construction our new shrine church!
28 March 2019
The bell tower. The three bells will go inside the three section
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The Parish Hall. The three front windows of the parish hall will be among the largest in all of Canmore!!!
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The roof of the Parish Hall
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View from what will be the back parking lot of the shrine church.
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24 March 2019
17 March 2019
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Many thanks for our corporate donors and sponsors
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15 March 2019
Inside of the narthex. The square top is where the bell tower will be placed
Not a bad view eh?!
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Cross beams for the second floor meeting room, above where the parish offices will be
Parish Office side of the new shrine
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14 March 2019
The base of the bell tower is being put in place
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View from what will be the nave into the narthex. The narthex is the main gathering area before you enter into the nave and sanctuary of the shrine church
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10 March 2019
The Parish Hall, Parish Offices and Narthex are starting to take shape. New Steel is arriving daily!
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Phase One of steel construction has begun!
St. Eligius, patron saint of metalworkers, pray for us and keep our workers safe!
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7 March 2019
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The steel has arrived! It is being put up mostly by cranes.
UPDATE - December 15, 2018
December 15/16, 2018
Dear Parishioners,
We are pleased to provide you with this update on the construction of our new Shrine church.
Project Status
- The civil work of the site which includes site grading and tie-ins of most all of the utilities (storm water, sanitary, water lines) is completed
- Working with Fortis to have primary power brought onto site prior to steel arriving on-site in February. All electrical conduits from property line to the building are complete. Natural gas line to be installed Spring 2019.
- AltaLink has replaced and relocated the two high voltage power poles that cross our site.
- The foundation of the building started with the drilling of 141 piles, some as large as 16” in diameter and drilled to a typical depth of 33 feet and as deep as 60 feet. All piles and pile caps are installed and complete.
- The concrete foundation of the building is backfilled and complete.
- Two light poles that are currently in the middle of the new drive aisle will be relocated by the end of December. This will allow the main access off Palliser road to be complete.
- The steel members are slated to arrive in late February and will be erected in the beginning of March. Fortunately, our steel is being manufactured at specialty shops in Europe and Eastern Europe to avoid the large tariffs that would have been applied had the steel been ordered from the United States.
- Our new Architect, NORR completed a comprehensive review of the prior architect and engineers’ drawings and re-certified them for construction. The revised Issued for Construction drawings were submitted to the Town of Canmore on October 18th.
We are pleased to announce that the official dedication and opening of the new Shrine Church will take place on Friday May 1st, 2020, the feast of St. Joseph the Worker and the start of the Marian month of May. We have locked this date into Bishop McGrattan’s calendar and will begin planning a weekend of celebration of this most momentous and joyous occasion.
MODCO’s construction schedule forecasts that the new Shrine Church will actually be completed earlier in the Spring of 2020 so we plan to have a couple of months to settle into the new building before the opening dedication celebration.
Project Cost
Working with NORR’s revised drawings and the updated project schedule, MODCO completed a full re-costing of the project in November/December, 2018. While many of the sub trades’ tenders remained the same, the all-in cost of the project has moved from $15.1 million to $16.4 million, representing an increase of $1.3 million or 8%. We absorbed additional costs in transitioning our consultant teams in addition to the revised tendering. The items that saw the largest price increases include: civil work, pilings, HVAC and steel. It is important to note that we are still carrying a $500,000 contingency in the project cost.
The following table shows summarizes our new financial situation for the project.
($ million) May-18 Dec-18
Building Cost $15.1 $16.4
Land Donation $3.3 $3.3
Total Project $18.4 $19.7
Financing
Land Donation $3.3 $3.3
Sale of Existing Site $4.1 $4.1
Donations To-Date $4.0 $4.0
Amount Still To-Raise
$7.0 $8.3
Total $18.4 $19.7
Percent Funded To-Date 62% 58%
Fundraising Strategy
We are pleased that the effort to sponsor key elements of the new Shrine that was launched in May of this year has raised over $300,000. Once the steel begins to be erected in March and the skeleton of the new Shrine emerges, we are planning to relaunch our fundraising efforts for the project in earnest. We and the Diocese believe that our magnificent Shrine will be a special place of worship, not just for our Parish in Canmore but for the Diocese as a whole, the Catholic Church in Canada and throughout the world. We also believe that there will many Marian organizations and pilgrimage groups that will be keen to visit and support our new Shrine. Accordingly, starting in March 2019, we are planning to reach out to a number of identified wealthy donors throughout Western Canada who could be interested in supporting the construction of the new Shrine.
While we might not be able to pay for all of the project costs before our opening ceremony in May 2020, we believe that once we open the doors in 2020, many donors will emerge to help us pay off our remaining mortgage….it is sort of like the saying from the movie Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will come”.
It is important to note that the Diocese is aware of all of these new financial numbers and is fully supportive of completing the entire project rather than leaving some elements unfinished. As a Shrine, it must have a long-term vision.
Closing
We have all come a long way on this journey to build our new Shrine church but we believe that we have made very substantial and positive progress on the project in the past six months. NORR has been a breath of fresh air for all of us and allowed us to get this project back on track with a clear line of site on the completion date and project costs.
We ask for your continuing prayers for our project and all of the construction people working on the site. We thank your again for your generosity and support for all members of the project team.
In Jesus through Mary.
The Steering Committee.