St Catherine's Parish - Lac la Biche

About us

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 OUR NAME    Our Church was named after  Saint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and The Great Martyr Saint Catherine, and according to tradition, she is a Christian saint and virgin, who was martyred in the early 4th century at the hands of the pagan emperor Maxentius. According to her hagiography, she was both a princess and a noted scholar, who became a Christian around the age of fourteen, and converted hundreds of people to Christianity. Over 1,100 years following her martyrdom, St. Joan of Arc identified Catherine as one of the Saints who appeared to her and counselled her.

The Orthodox Church venerates her as a Great Martyr, and celebrates her feast day on 24 or 25 November (depending on the local tradition). In the Catholic Church she is traditionally revered as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. In 1969 the Catholic Church removed her feast day from the General Roman Calendar; however, she continued to be commemorated in the Roman Martyrology on November 25. In 2002, her feast was restored to the General Roman Calendar as an optional memorial.

                                       View video clip of Saint Catherine HERE 

                                         or read more   HERE 

OUR HISTORY      We are very happy to announce that our parish celebrated it's 100 yr anniversary this past fall (2014) . Mass was celebrated at the Knights of Columbus McGrane Centre at the LLB KC Grounds in August 2014. The committee for the 100th Anniversary of St. Catherine's History created a Pictorial book that has a colleciton of information, which allows you to know our history and our parishioners of Yesterday and today for Tomorrow's generation. These books can be purchased for $20.

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In 1914, the Northern railway was built 7 miles from the Mission of our Lady Victories.. and the new town was called Lac La Biche Station. Bishop Legal, Archbisop of Edmonton decided there should be a Catholic Parish and Church at this location. Father Ouellette was the first pastor. Mass was said in a little hall of 16 x 24 which served as a chapel and on week days as a school.  The first church was built in 1916. It no longer exists.  In 1970, today's St.Catherine's Church was built, to replace a 60 year old building.  The new rectory was built in 1960.