Berube, Rev. Roland Pierre

Father Roland Pierre Bérubé was born in Beaumont, AB, on November 3, 1909. He did his theological studies at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Edmonton between 1929 and 1933 and he was ordained by Archbishop Joseph O’Leary on April 23, 1933.

From 1933-1934, he served as Assistant Pastor at Legal, and served 5 months in 1934 as Assistant Pastor at Chauvin. From 1934-1947, he served as Pastor at St. Lina, where he also started the first rural credit union in Alberta in 1936. From 1947-1949, he served as Pastor at Legal, where he also built the church and rectory in 1949 but the entire complex was destroyed by fire in June 1950. He then served as Administrator at Chauvin from 1949-1950. He was Chaplain at Fort Saskatchewan Jail from 1950-1968. Rev. Bérubé was the First Canadian priest to win the St. Dismas award, given as official recognition for his work among prison inmates; presented at a dinner in Philadelphia in November 1962. In 1952, he was appointed national secretary of the Canadian Catholic Chaplains of correctional institutes.

He was semi-retired in 1968 due to health reasons. But he served as Chaplain in Alberta National Parks during the summer, and as Chaplain in a Convalescent Home in Texas during the winter. Rev. Roland Bérubé retired in 1981 and died in Edmonton on November 29, 1990. He is interred at the Beaumont Cemetery.

In addition to his priestly duties, Rev. Bérubé was also a prolific writer and complied an important history of Edmonton’s priests in between 1818 and 1920.