St. Martin of Tours – Roman Catholic Parish in Vegreville

Welcome to St. Martin of Tours, a growing and vibrant Catholic parish in Vegreville, Alberta, Canada. We are an active and welcoming Roman Catholic parish serving Vegreville, and the surrounding communities. St. Martin of Tours also serves as the Administration Parish for Holy Heart of Mary Parish in Viking, St. Gregory the Great Parish in Holden and missions without resident priests:

Mass Times:

NOTE: St. Martin of Tours has daily Mass Tuesdays to Fridays at 9:00 am. Saturday Mass is at 4:30 and on Sundays, at 10:30 am until the end of June.

Regular Mass times at Holy Heart of Mary in Viking, St. Gregory the Great in Holden and St. Martin of Tours, begin the weekend of July 4/5.

Saturday, July 4 at 4:30 pm in Vegreville

Saturday, July 4 at 6:30 pm in Holden and

Sunday, July 5 at 9:00 am in Vegreville

Sunday, July 5, at 11:15 am Mass in Viking.

For Masses in Viking, there is a limit of 50 people. Please call Bob & Gennie at 780-336-2144 or Pres at 780-336-2576.

For Mass in Holden, there is a limit of 30 people. Please call Dave at 780-688-2464 or 780-720-5839

For Mass in Vegreville, please register for mass, since there is a limit of 40 people per Mass.

The last live-streamed Mass from St. Martin of Tours will be at 10:30 am on Sunday June 28. It is on Facebook and YouTube. Father Vu’s YouTube channel is Dominic Luan Vu OR you can find him on Facebook. His Facebook account is Fr-Luan Vu.

Guidelines announced for gradual return to public masses

Catholics will be allowed to take their first steps back to church for Mass in June under new guidelines issued by the Roman Catholic Bishops of Alberta issued by the Roman Catholic Bishops of Alberta.
The Guidelines were developed by a task force the Bishops established under the direction of Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton and Bishop William McGrattan of Calgary. The document follows the recent release of the Alberta government’s Guidance for Places of Public Worship as part of Stage 1 of the provincial relaunch strategy, as well as consultations with Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and other experts.
Parishes that have made the necessary preparations will be able to begin offering weekday masses on Monday, June 1, the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church; and Sunday masses as of June 7, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.

In order to protect the health of parishioners, volunteers, staff and clergy, the Bishops have set a detailed list of conditions that must be met before congregants can safely be invited back to Mass. These include:

Limiting the total number of participants at each Mass to 50, or fewer if that is required to ensure physical distancing.
Asking attendees to answer a series of health and travel-related questions as recommended by Alberta Health Services.
Recording contact information of attendees for the purpose of contact tracing if necessary.
Sanitizing hands upon entry and exit.
Requiring masks for all volunteers and encouraging attendees also to wear masks.
Observing physical distancing throughout the celebration
Extra cleaning of the church between masses
Congregants will be able to receive Holy Communion in the form of the consecrated bread, placed in the hand of Communicant, but there will be no distribution of consecrated wine.
Communicants will need to wear a mask to approach for Holy Communion, as will the priest when he is distributing it.
During this first stage, singing during Mass will not be allowed, as this activity has been shown to spread respiratory droplets that can infect others with the COVID-19 coronavirus. And any socializing after Mass will have to take place outside, still observing the physical distancing protocol.

The guidelines will apply broadly to the Archdiocese of Edmonton, Archdiocese of Grouard-McLennan, Diocese of Calgary, and Diocese of St. Paul. Some particulars will vary in each diocese, so parishes should consult the guidelines for their own diocese.

Parish priests will be busy in the coming days preparing for the return of congregants in small numbers. However, since parishes vary greatly in terms of facilities and resources, it is likely that not all will be able to resume public masses in the first week of June. Parishioners are encouraged to check their parish website for local information.

It has been two months since public celebrations of the Mass were cancelled in Alberta. The full reinstatement of public masses will take place gradually, in parallel with the provincial relaunch strategy.
“The return of our people to the Eucharist after all this time will be a moment of great joy for both priests and parishioners, but there is still a long way to go,” said Archbishop Smith. “We will need to demonstrate that we have succeeded in providing a safe environment for Mass with small groups before we can proceed to the next stage and open masses to larger groups. For that reason, we ask once more for your patience, understanding, and prayers as we take these first steps forward.”

Online Masses: A list of online masses are posted on the Archdiocesan website and Grandin Media. Please see: https://caedm.ca/PastoralScene/entryid/787/find-a-livestream-mass-during-covid-19-restrictions

Basilica Sunday Mass on Telus Optik TV: Channel 876

Telus has generously offered to continue broadcast the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass from St. Joseph’s Basilica for the duration of the ban on public celebrations. It will be broadcast on Telus Optik TV Channel 876. Please share this information with any seniors you know or people who are not comfortable with the internet.

St. Martin of Tours is open during office hours if you wish to come and sit with the Lord. Simply ring the doorbell for entry.

St Martin of Tours Office Hours:

Mondays to Thursdays: 10:00 am-1:00 pm and Fridays: 10:00 am-2:00 pm.

For questions or concerns, please leave a message with the office, and we will return your call. In an Emergency, please call 780-632-7454. You may also email us at StMartinTours.Vegreville@caedm.ca

St. Martin of Tours Church Offerings may be dropped off at the office during Office Hours, mailed to the Parish: 5437-43 Street, Vegreville, AB T9C-1C8. You may also e-transfer funds. See the “Donate” Link on this web-page. Or deposit in the Offering Basket when you come to church.

Church Offerings for Holy Heart of Mary, Viking and St. Gregory the Great, Holden may be mailed to Holy Heart of Mary, Box 274, Viking AB T0B 4NO. You may also e-transfer funds. See the “Donate” Link on this web-page. Or deposit in the Offering Basket when you come to church.

Spiritual Act of Communion

My Jesus, I believe that You are truly present in the Holy Eucharist. I love you above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen

SAINT MICHAEL PRAYER

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls.