Fort Smith man ordained
Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services
Fort Smith (Nov 13/00) - The image of priests travelling over the tundra to the 30 missions that sparsely dot the North is fading.
 Bishop Denis Croteau |
But on Nov. 5 a long-time Fort Smith resident and dedicated follower chose to become the North's only deacon.
"I would like to really emphasize that I feel I'm where God wants me to be and there's no greater peace than that," said Bernie Ouellette.
A deacon, in the Roman Catholic Church, is part of the diaconate order and the last step a person takes before becoming a priest.
They are able to preach to a parish, marry and baptise followers but priests are still the only people able to say mass or forgive sins.
Bishop Denis Croteau explained that in the 1960s, 2,500 bishops met in Rome to re-establish the order, allowing married men to perform many of the same duties as a priest.
One of the main reasons was because a shortage could be seen even then, 40 years ago.
The Catholic Church has been suffering a shortage for many years but by Ouellette's example, it hopes to offer followers a solution.
"I think the people who've never seen the ordination of a deacon will realize it's possible even if they're married," Croteau said. "So, those with a wife and family can look at it as possible. It's encouraging.
"They should be married only once though," Croteau said with a chuckle but immediately confirmed he was serious.
Ouellette and his wife lived in Fort Smith for 12 years. He has three children and six grandchildren.
"I'm really a grandpa deacon," he said cheerfully.
"It's significant for me in that it allows me to put into practise what I believe. I used to do that just as a person."
What is also significant is that Ouellette is Metis. Although one other ordained deacon was in Inuvik before him, and has since moved south, Ouellette is the only aboriginal person in that position.
A former Nav Canada employee, Ouellette retired in April and is now able to serve the Church full-time. He spent three years studying with priests at St. Joseph's Catholic Church and taking correspondence courses from St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia.
