The Roman Catholic Rite

When the church was first built in 1951, mass was held in the basement hall until May 3, 1953 when Archbishop J.H. MacDonald solemnly blessed and dedicated the church. The six parish priests that served Immaculate Heart include:

Fr. Joseph Burke (1951); Fr. Duncan MacDonnell; Fr. Charles Nearing; Fr. William McClellan; Fr. George Neumann; Fr. John Cunningham (2001)

In 2001, it was decided to amalgamate Immaculate Heart of Mary with St. Anthony’s and St. Agnes parishes.

 

The Maronite Catholic rite

 

Although Maronite Catholic families have been living in Edmonton for many years and generations, there had previously been no Maronite Church to serve these individuals. A number of priests had tried to establish an official Maronite Catholic Community in Edmonton but were unsuccessful in their efforts. 

 

In January 1999, a local family made a special request to His Excellency, Joseph El Khoury, Bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Montreal, Canada: a family member had passed away and his final wish had been for his memorial service to be celebrated in the Maronite Rite. His Excellency responded by sending Father Esper Antoun to Edmonton, who performed the service at Our Lady of Assumption Church in Bonnie Doon. Shortly thereafter, he was designated as pastor of the Maronite communities of Edmonton and Calgary.

 

In October 1999, the Edmonton community began to gather for Sunday mass at St. Anthony Church. During this time, the community members hosted parties and bake sales, and held other fundraising efforts in order to raise money to obtain their own church. The last mass performed by Father Esper at St. Anthony Church was the Palm Sunday mass in 2003. By this point in time, the church community had purchased their very own church, “Immaculate Heart of Mary,” where they first celebrated a Good Friday service and Easter Sunday mass. Father Esper continued to watch over both communities in Edmonton and Calgary, alternating the times of service and often travelling back and forth between the cities two or three times every week!

 

On March 21, 2004, His Excellency, Joseph El Khoury, rededicated the church as “Our Lady of Good Help,” thereby officially recognizing the Maronite Catholic Parish of Edmonton.

 

In April 2008, Deacon Michel Kassas began his one-year deaconship under the guidance of Father Esper. On February 15, 2009 at Our Lady of Peace in Calgary, under the presence of His Excellency, Bishop Joseph Khoury, Deacon Michel was ordained into priesthood. Father Michel celebrated his first mass as priest at Our Lady of Good Help Church in Edmonton on February 22, 2009. 

 

After more than 10 years of dedicated service to both Maronite parishes of Edmonton and Calgary, Father Esper was named pastor of Our Lady of Peace in Calgary. In addition, Father Michel was named pastor of Our Lady of Good Help Church in Edmonton, where he continues to serve the community through the Maronite Catholic Rite.

 

In May 2010, father Esper returned to Lebanon to join Deir el-Kreim, Lebanese Maronite Missionary Order, Jounieh, Lebanon. At this time, Father Michel was covering both Maronite Parishes in Edmonton and Calgary.

 

In November 28, 2010, Father Michel was appointed as a pastor of Our Lady of Peace in Calgary, and Monsegnor Joseph Salame was appointed as a pastor of Our Lady of Good help, Edmonton.

 

 

PRIMARY: ST. ANTHONY SCHOOL - HAMMANA

ELEMENTARY: OUR LADY OF TAMICH (POSTULATE)

SECONDARY: OUR LADY OF VICTORY (LEBANESE MARONITE ORDER)

UNIVERSITY: UNIVERSITY OF HOLY SPIRIT - KASLIK

BACHELOR IN PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY

 

SEPT 16 1984- UNIVERSITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BY BISHOP MICHAEL DOUMITT

 

1984-1988 - MUSIC TEACHER AND CHOIR DIRECTOR (ZAHLE)

1984-1988 - ASSISTANT PASTOR AT ST. ANTOINE (ZAHLE)

1986-1988 - CHAPLAIN OF THE ORPHANAGE AT ST. JOSEPH (ZAHLE)

1987-1988 - CHARMAIN OF THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS (ZAHLE)

 

 

1988-1990 - PASTOR OF OUR LADY OF LEBANON (QUEBEC CITY)

1988-1990 - CHAPLAIN OF THE "HABITATION GRANDE-ALLELE" (QUEBEC CITY)

1988-1990 - ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF "SOLIDARITE QUEBEC / LIBAN"

1988-1990 - CHAPLAIN OF KNIGHTS OF ST. MARON AND HOSPITALLER QUEBEC CITY

1989-1990 - ASSISTANT PASTOR AT NOTRE-DAME DE FOY (QUEBEC CITY)

1990-2007 - PASTOR OF ST. PETER'S MARONITE CATHOLIC CHURCH (WINDSOR - ONTARIO)

DEC 1994 - ELEVATED TO THE RANK OF "PERIODUT - MONSIGNOR"

DEC 1995 - ADMINISTRATOR OF ST. ANTHONY PARISH (LEAMINGTON - ONTARIO)

MAR 1995 - APPOINTED EPISCOPAL VICAR OF THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO

1996-2007 - PASTOR OF ST. ELIAS MISSION (LONDON - ONTARIO)

1996- ORGANIZER OF THE ENTHRONEMENT OF HIS EXCELLENCY BISHOP JOSEPH KHOURY

1998 - FOUNDER OF ST. ELIAS MARONITE CATHOLIC CHURCH (LONDON - ONTARIO)

2000 - ESTABLISHED NEW SITE OF ST. PETER'S MARONITE CATHOLIC CHURCH (PURCHASE & RELOCATION)

2008-2009 - YEAR OF MONASTIC LIFE EXPERIENCE (STRICT OBSERVANT)

2009-2010 - CATHEDRAL OF SAINT MARON (MONTREAL) WORKING WITH BISHOP JOSEPH KHOURY

2010-PRESENT - PASTOR OF OUR LADY OF GOOD HELP (EDMONTON)

 

1998-PRESENT - MEMBER OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS 4th DEGREE CHAPLAIN OF ST. PETER'S COUNCIL

 

ARABIC, FRENCH, ENGLISH, SYRIAC

 

GREEK, LATIN, HEBREW, SPANISH

 

PIANO (4 YEARS)

ACCORDION (1YEAR)

LITURGICAL, MARONITE HYMNS

 

Rev. Father Michel Nadim Kassas was born on November 25, 1971 in Bmariam, Lebanon.

 

He studied theology at the University of the Holy Spirit-Kaslik in Lebanon. He also studied at the Catholic University of America, the Washington Theological Union, and the Dominican House of Studies.

 

He became Sub Deacon on April 22, 2006 at Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Seminary in Washington D.C. He was then ordained Deacon on March 2nd of 2008 at St. Maron Cathedral in Montreal, Quebec.

 

He was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on February 15, 2009 at Our Lady of Peace Maronite Catholic Parish in Calgary.

 

Father Michel had many pastoral experiences in different parishes in Lebanon, USA and Canada.