Clearing trees, welcoming new parish administrators in Ross River, Yukon

Next step: Clearing the trees for the hydro-electric poles to service Mary Our Morning Star Retreat Centre in Yukon.

While I was doing the cutting, Michelle Lefebre and Frank Quinn began clearing and stacking the cut trees to be used either for a cabin or for firewood.

After a long day in the bush, I drove to Ross River to install our new missionaries at St. Michael’s mission.

John and Irene Morin standing on the front steps of the church are overjoyed at being called by God and installed as pastoral administrators of this community of 350 people.

The flock is small and after two years with no permanent pastoral presence, they are filled with joy at the prospect of rebuilding the church community and repairing the buildings.

The garden is already planted, and the Lord will do the watering and growing.

John and Irene have been discerning this mission call for two years with the Holy Family Apostolate.

First week of June 2010: Digging the ground for the Bishop’s House

Well, the ground is getting dug up in a big way as Dan and Dana Sellinger, the contractors for the Bishop’s House project, begin work on the job site.

Contractor Dan Sellinger surveys the area to be dug. 

Morning bite: The grizzly bear, below, was munching some fresh wild flowers as I drove by the road to St. Joseph’s mission in Atlin, British Columbia. I was at the mission to celebrate Mass last Sunday, June 13th.

Dan Sellinger takes another scan of the construction site.

Thought for the day:

Remember that the person

who plants few seeds
will have a small crop;

the one who plants many seeds

will have a large crop.

2 CORINTHIANS 9:6

Sod-turning: Yukon style

Whitehorse, Yukon—This is a sod-turning ceremony, Yukon-style.

On the Saturday before Pentecost (May 22), eight good folks joined me in planting 500 pounds of seed potatoes on property the Diocese of Whitehorse has purchased for the building of a retreat centre for the church and a house for the bishop.

It was a glorious day and the fine soil God had provided was incentive for the joyful crew.

A little rain early Pentecost morning was a perfect gift to get our little crop settled in for some good summer growing.

The road work is being completed this week, as well as some excavation for the bishop’s house, which will replace the very drafty and very old house I am in now.

The grace of God and the generosity of Catholic Missions In Canada is making things happen.

Happy Pentecost!

Bishop Gary Gordon, Diocese of Whitehorse, Yukon


Sowing the seeds for our future retreat centre and Bishop’s House.

The excavators making the road for the future Mary Our Morning Star Retreat Centre, and putting in the septic system for the Bishop’s House.


Father Greg Kennedy, S.J., works on the rail fence using pine trees that were cleared for the road.

Hard to beat: The beauty of the wild crocus blooms that cover the property of Mary our Morning Star Retreat Centre.

For real digging beyond just a potato field, the excavators are just the thing.