Mackenzie-Fort Smith

Sept. 17, 2017 concluded the long journey towards achieving the building of the new church in Fort Simpson. The project featured many years of fundraising and planning, and included supporters from within and outside the Diocese.

Upcoming Events (See Calendar)

Diocesan Spring Retreat March 18, 2026 – March 22, 2026 Our Diocesan Spring Retreat will take place this year from March 18-22 with Archbishop Murray Chatlain of the Archdiocese of Winnipeg as our retreat director. Archbishop Chatlain, who previously served as Bishop of Mackenzie–Fort Smith, returns with a deep pastoral understanding of our local Church and northern context. While details of the theme and schedule…

Diocesan Chrism Mass, St. Patricks CoCathedral March 22, 2026 at 9:00 am – 10:00 am The diocesan Chrism Mass is one of the most significant and unifying celebrations in the life of a local Church, bringing together the bishop, priests, deacons, religious, and lay pastoral leaders from across the entire diocese. At this Mass, the bishop consecrates the Sacred Chrism and blesses the oils of catechumens and the sick, which…

Palm Sunday March 29, 2026 Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, when crowds welcomed him with palm branches and shouts of praise, marking the beginning of Holy Week in the Catholic Church. During the liturgy, palms are blessed and distributed, symbolizing both victory and the coming sacrifice of Christ. The day’s proclamation of the Passion narrative invites the…

Confirmations, Assumption Parish, Hay River April 19, 2026 at 10:30 am – 12:00 pm The Sacrament of Confirmation holds great significance in the Roman Catholic Church as it completes and strengthens the grace of Baptism, sealing the faithful with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Through the anointing with Sacred Chrism and the laying on of hands by the bishop or his delegate, the confirmand is more deeply…