St. Boniface Parish (Edmonton, Alta.)

St. Boniface Parish was established to serve Edmonton’s German-speaking Catholic community in 1958, and was operational until 2021. Prior to 1958, Edmonton’s German Catholics attended Mass celebrated by Franciscan priests at the Atonement Home and in the gymnasium of St. Joseph’s High School. The Pallottine Fathers became interested in having their congregation in Edmonton when Father A.J. Bertsch arrived in 1956 to work with Catholic immigration. Fr. Bertsch served St. Boniface Mission, which existed from 1956-1958, and St. Boniface Parish was established in 1958 by Archbishop J.H. MacDonald. The church building was originally Beth Israel Synagogue, Edmonton’s first synagogue. Over the course of its 63 year history, St. Boniface Parish was served by 11 priests, most of whom were Pallottines. St. Boniface was an important center of community for German Catholics, well-known for its community events, especially the annual Weihnachtsbasar (Christmas market). The parish valued its groups, particularly the Feierabend (seniors group), the Kolping Society, the choir, and the St. Lioba women’s group. Due to an aging congregation and fewer German-speaking Catholics in the Edmonton area, the parish was closed in 2021 by Archbishop Richard Smith. The building was purchased by St. Jacob’s Syriac Orthodox Church in 2022.

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