On January 22, 2016 the Adult Faith Formation Program began in Yorkton, SK. It is a one year program and participants attend once a month Friday night to Saturday afternoon, ending with 5:00 p.m. Divine Liturgy at Our Mother of Perpetual Help Church.
This program is coordinated by Sr. Marijka Konderewicz and Sr. Bonnie Komarnicki and the Team consists of Saskatoon Lay Formation Alumni: Geraldine Koban, Doreen Rathgeber, Lorne Brischuk and Rose Mydynski.
The Sisters were looking to start a program in Yorkton but needed a starting point. Geraldine and Doreen were that point. They had the energy and enthusiasm to run with the program. They did everything from cleaning out the Monastery to buying groceries and cooking. It was a sure sign that this was blessed by the Holy Spirit when over 20 people registered. With the blessings of Fr. Bohdan Lukie, C.Ss.R and the Redemptorist Fathers, we were able to have the sessions in the Golden Agers room (and we are grateful for the use of the room) of the Parish and participants who were from out of town were able to live-in at the Monastery.
To date we have 25 participants. Our group consists of the following people: Diana Stadnyk (Yorkton), Sonia Starling (Yorkton), Vi Protz (Yorkton), Sonja Pawliw (Yorkton) Virgina Serelo (Yorkton), Verlee Zulyniak (Yorkton), Barb Mackesey (Yorkton), Joyce Kniaz (Yorkton), Pat Thompson (Yokrton), Elsie Stechysyn (Yorkton) Lorne Stechyshyn (Yorkton), Laura Berezney (Ituna), Bishop Michael Wiwchar, C.Ss.R (Ituna), Natalie Shervernoha (Ituna), Denise Smysniuk (Ituna), Christine Byblow (Ituna), Leona Hudy (Melville), Eugene Stychyshyn (Regina), Chrisitne Kokoski (Foam Lake), Rose Mydynski (Arran), Sylvia Hnatiuk (Swan River) Eugenia Mydynski (Benito, MB), Cindy Mackie (Benito, MB), Shelley Mackie (Benito, MB), Terri Genik, (Dauphin, MB).
The excitement is palpable. We have been very blessed to have speakers come in from Saskatoon and Winnipeg. Mr. Henry Spilchuk came the first weekend to teach about Matins and the History of the Eastern Church. Fr. John Sianchuk, C.Ss.R, from Winnipeg, taught the Great Lent. Hiermonk Gregory Hrynkiw taught Ecclesiology and Church History. Sr. Bonnie Komarnicki, ssmi taught Icons, Liturgical Year and Introduction to the Bible.
Meals have been absolutely delicious and Geraldine, Doreen and Lorne have been fabulous in their service of the people. One weekend, the Benito ‘crew’ of Rose, Cindy and Shelley cooked Perogies, sausages and cookies enough to feed an army. It was a huge success. Cindy and Shelley also help with “setting up” and “taking down”. As Alumni they know how to set up the space for the program so that it runs smoothly and they give tech support as needed. Our Alumni have been generous with time and talent to help get this program off the ground and running.
This program is blessed with abundance of hospitality and warmth. Geraldine often says that she ‘felt so cared for’ in her experience at Queen’s House during the Saskatoon Lay Formation experience and she wishes to replicate that feeling here in Yorkton.
We are grateful for the generosity of all those people involved who have made this program so successful. We are especially grateful to the Put out into the Deep Annual Eparchial Appeal, Catholic Missions In Canada and the Worobetz Foundation because without their contributions this program could not exist.
