St. Joseph’s Church – Salmon Arm

St. Joseph’s Church is situated in the heart of Salmon Arm and has enjoyed its central location, between
the expansive waters of Shuswap Lake and the foothills of scenic Mt Ida, since its first church was
opened in 1908 to serve 10 families. By 1921 the fledgling congregation had grown enough to become
designated a parish. Canada’s centenary, 1967, saw the opening of a new, modern church building, its
soaring cedar-clad ceiling culminating in a dramatic sky-lit crucifix above the altar. A much needed
Education Centre was added on to the church in 1990 and by the start of this century, new stone clad
altars and stained glass windows, designed by parishioners, would radiate sacred imagery in the natural
interior. Guiding our parish over those decades, in lengthier pastoral roles, were Fr.Byrne, Fr.Sheffield,
Fr.Desmond, Msgr. MacIntyre, Fr.Chisholm with Fr.Walsh, and Fr.LaGrange.

      Today, 350 families make up St Joseph’s parish with Fr. Fred Weisbeck currently providing its pastoral
needs. He is very ably supported in that work by our many church groups who exhibit true spirituality of
communion in service to each other, and with ecumenical and financial outreach to our Shuswap
community and the world beyond. As we look back on more recent times, dedication to living our
Catholic faith has been fruitful in many ways:

     •  On May18, 2015, our jubilant    congregation welcomed one of their own, Rev. Jonathan Inskip,
M.I.C., as he celebrated Mass for the first time in his family church, two days after his ordination at the
Cathedral in Kamloops by Bishop David Monroe. 

      •  The Grade 7 confirmation class of 2013 raised the funds for 2 peace poles: one was erected at the
back entrance of our church and, after the class attended a city council meeting, permission was granted
to install the other pole at the Marine Peace Park. A prayer service was held each year at the peace pole
in the park, culminating in September of 2016 on the World Day of Peace.

     •  Also in 2016, the Syrian refugee crisis saw our Social Justice committee organize the sponsoring of
3 of the 21 families relocated to Salmon Arm. The coordination involving 11 churches, as well as the
Rotary Club, engaged our community more fully in a spirit of ecumenism. Our new neighbours have
assisted our fund raising efforts with special  dinners introducing our parish to authentic Syrian cuisine!
This important work continues as St. Joseph’s leads a project this year, with the Lutheran and Baptist
communities, to raise funds to sponsor another refugee family.
      

      •  We have hosted many special prayer events including Taizé, and held multiple faith-enriching
retreats.
In 2024 our Social Justice group held an ecumenical service on the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, involving
ours and two other denominations. This annual educational presentation, was called “Season of
Creation” and highlighted our call to responsible stewardship of planet earth.

      •  In 2020, a branch of the Calgary based Totus Tuus Rosary Makers Assoc. was formed in our parish.
Eleven diligent volunteers have since created over 17,000 rosaries, of which 2000, beaded in the blue
and yellow colours of Ukraine’s flag, were delivered to its soldiers defending against the Russian
invasion. The result was a letter and picture sent from a soldier in the field of war reading “…Your prayer
is an appeal to God. It is a request for blessing for us. Thank you….” 

      •  For the past 3 years many church volunteers have worked with Rotary to generously give of their
time to serve 300 meals on Christmas Day. 

      •  Our CWL and Knights of Columbus members are vital to our parish life in myriad capacities: serving
in liturgical ministries and bringing communion to the sick; fundraising for our youth camps, and to
provide scholarships for their post graduate studies, Christian Outreach, and NET Canada Ministries;
creating fellowship  opportunities with after Mass coffees, monthly breakfasts, and our annual parish
picnic; volunteering and serving on the board of the Salmon Arm Churches Thrift Shop; and collecting
generous donations for the Salvation Army’s food bank as it serves the homeless. 

           St. Joseph’s parish is blessed to have members striving to build our faith community, relying on
the hopefulness that Christ’s promises assure us, and reaching out with love for one another, our
greater community and the world at large. “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brethren” is a
challenge we hope to continue with grace and commitment as we face the coming decades.

The history of the Catholic Church in Salmon Arm has a close connection to the pioneers of the faith in the Okanagan.  When Father Charles Pandosy, one of the original Oblates of Mary Immaculate who sailed from France in 1847 founded the Mission of the Immaculate Conception on the shores of Lake Okanagan in 1859, he convinced Joseph Christian to settle in the region.  Joseph’s only child, Annie married J. Duncan Cameron who later became the proprietor of the Cameron Hotel.  It was in the lounge of this hotel in the summer on 1895 that the first recorded Mass in Salmon Arm was offered by Father Augustine Dontenwill.  On December 11 of the same, Father Edmond Peytavin O.M.I. baptized Grace Cameron in her family – the first Baptism on record in Salmon Arm.

Again in was Augustine Dontenwill, now Bishop Dontenwill of New Westminster and later the Superior-General of the Oblates, who was present on Sunday, February 9, 1908, to dedicate the first St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.  He was assisted in this dedication by Fathers Lejeune, Michels, and Rohr – all members of the Oblate order of priests and missionaries.  Lillian Cameron (Timpany) was the first bride married in the new church in early 1910, and years later it was Lottie Cameron (Reader) bequest of her parent’s family home to the Parish that gave us the land on which our Parish Education Centre is built.

The Oblates continued to minister to the spiritual needs of the community until the early 1920’s.  Priests came from as far afield as Kamloops, Merritt,and Revelstoke to offer Mass once a month.  Father Wilbert McKenzie, a native of Prince Edward Island was the first resident priest from 1921 to 1926.  He was succeeded by Father (later Monsignor) Frances Chaloner, an Englishman.  The names of the priests who served the community and parish in these early years are detailed in both the 60th Report of the Okanagan Historical Society 1996 and the 1995 St. Joseph’s Parish Directory. 

In 1947 a quiet gentle Irishman, a native of Kilialoe, County Clare, Father Michael Byrne was appointed as pastor of St. Joseph’s.  His quiet zeal, tireless energy, and profound piety left an indelible mark on the parish and the community.  For twenty-six years he ministered to Salmon Arm and communities as far apart as Magna Bay, Chase, Sicamous and Notch Hill.  On Easter Sunday, 1966, Bishop Harrington solemnly blessed and dedicated the present St. Joseph’s Church, a testament to the faith and piety of a beloved pastor.

Following Father Byrne’s transfer to Armstrong, Father John Sheffield was appointed pastor of St. Joseph’s.  Parishioners remember Father Sheffield for his zeal for the Pro-Life Movement and his high regard for the sanctity of human life.  Father also worked hard to develop a strong catechetical program and to this end invited the Sisters of St. Ann to the community.  During their two year stay they undertook an extensive teacher training program to upgrade and guide the catechism courses being taught in Salmon Arm, Enderby, and Armstrong.

Our Lord gave His apostles the mandate “go forth and teach all nations”.  Priests of all nations have certainly given of their energy and ministry to St. Joseph’s Parish for more than the century of Catholicism in Salmon Arm.  Whether the priest was from England or Vietnam, China or Ireland, Poland or France, the Philippines or the United States, or as native-born Canadians from East to West in our beautiful country, the parishioners of St. Joseph have warmly welcomed them into our Shuswap community.