Mackenzie-Fort Smith

Roman Catholic Diocese

Tsiigehtchic, NT

Holy Name of Mary

  • Pastor: Fr. Fredrick Omegoha (ofredrick244@gmail.com)
  • Pastoral Leader: Grace Blake (glblake@outlook.com)

Box 45 Tsiigehtchic X0E 0B0

Holy Name of Mary Church in Tsiigehtchic, Northwest Territories, is a modest but deeply significant witness to the long history of Catholic faith in the western Arctic. Situated in a small Gwichya Gwich’in community at the confluence of the Mackenzie and Arctic Red Rivers, the church reflects both the spiritual life of the people and the broader story of mission presence in the North.

The origins of the church are closely tied to the establishment of a Catholic mission in 1868, one of the earliest permanent settlements in the region. Long before this, the area had been an important seasonal gathering place for the Gwich’in, especially for fishing. The arrival of the mission marked a shift toward a year-round community and placed the church at the centre of emerging village life.

Perched on a hill overlooking the rivers, Holy Name of Mary Church has long been a visible landmark. Its simple structure speaks to the realities of northern life: isolation, harsh climate, and limited resources. Yet within its walls, generations of residents have gathered for Mass, baptisms, marriages, funerals, and feast days, making it a focal point of faith and community.

As part of the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, the church belongs to a network of small northern parishes that are often served only periodically due to distance and the shortage of clergy. Even so, Holy Name of Mary continues to hold an important place in the spiritual memory of Tsiigehtchic, where faith has been sustained through perseverance, local leadership, and deep ties to the land.

Today, the church stands as a reminder of the endurance of belief in remote places and of the complex history shared by Indigenous communities and missionary churches in northern Canada. Quiet and unassuming, Holy Name of Mary remains a symbol of prayer, gathering, and continuity along the great rivers of the North.