NWT parish set to open new church

Courtesy: The Catholic Register
After a long and arduous journey, Sacred Heart Church in Fort Simpson, N.W.T., is rising again.
The old church, nearly 90 years old and beyond repair, was demolished five years ago. A new $1.3-million church will open its doors next month — thanks to support from the Archdiocese of Edmonton and the Diocese of Hamilton, as well as donations from the local community, private donors and Catholic Missions in Canada. “There’s a lot of excitement for a lot of reasons,” said Bishop Mark Hagemoen of the Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith. “Getting a church back on the site is really important to the community.” Sacred Heart Church is the focal point of Fort Simpson, a community of 1,200 that is the regional centre for the Dehcho region and its largely Dene communities. “The church is really the centre of the community,” said Fr. Joe Daley, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish. “I’ve had some comments such as ‘The church is really coming along good’ and ‘We’re excited. “It’s a very good feeling.”