SASKATOON, Sask. (CCN) — This summer, Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen and a team of young adults visited the northern Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, where Hagemoen previously served as bishop, before his appointment to Saskatoon.
The diocesan summer mission team included seminarian Huy Le of Saskatoon, Ian Lam of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, and Jean-Paul Lefebvre of the Diocese of Whitehorse. Accompanying the group on part of the journey was Kevin Philip of the Archdiocese of Regina, sponsored by Renewal Ministries.
The purpose of the young adult mission trip was to provide practical support at the Trapper’s Lake retreat centre near Yellowknife, NWT, which also serves as a central meeting and training centre for clergy and lay leaders of the largely Indigenous diocese.
It was also to prepare for and assist with the Deline Spiritual Gathering held Aug. 13-18 in Deline on Great Bear Lake, added Hagemoen.
“We began the two- day drive from Saskatoon to Yellowknife on July 30, 2026. Mid-way we were hosted overnight by Fr. Nelson Esguerra and the Parish of Our Lady of Peace, Peace River, Alberta. Fr. Nel also hosted us on our return trip on Aug. 19,” said Hagemoen.
The Diocese of MacKenzie-Fort Smith is geographically massive, covering all of the Northwest Territories and the western part of Nunavut. It is considered a missionary diocese, and is is the home of Dene, Inuit, and Metis peoples.
Upon their arrival, Mackenzie-Fort Smith Bishop Jon Hansen, CSsR, led the way as the visitors carried out maintenance and renovation projects at the Trapper’s Lake Spirituality Centre, including restoring important walkways connecting retreat and residence buildings, and restoring a large cross on the hill overlooking the property.
The participants also visited St. Patrick Co-Cathedral parish in Yellowknife, providing testimonials regarding their mission trip experience.
Connections while at Yellowknife also include meeting up with Bishop Emeritus Denis Croteau, OMI; Fr. Mick Fleming, CSsR, who used to serve in Saskatoon; and Saskatoon CWL member Mary Kehrig, who was en route to Fort Simpson to assist the On Eagle’s Wings organization with children’s ministry.
From the Yellowknife area, the group travelled to the Dene community of Deline on Great Bear Lake. “Deline is the only community on the largest northern Great Lake in North America, and is home to the Deline Sahtu Dene people,” explains Hagemoen.
The visitors prepared presentation topics and planned group discussions and strategies for sharing before their arrival by small aircraft.
“The Deline Spiritual Gathering has been celebrated for several decades, and is dedicated to recalling the teachings of the four Deline prophets – Ehsta Louise Ayah, Joseph Naedzo, Andre Andre, and Joseph Bayha.”
The Deline Spiritual Gathering was an immersion into a spiritual and cultural experience of the Sahtu Dene community of Deline, said the bishop.
“At the gathering, we were asked to help with a number of preparations activities, which included repairs on the Prophet’s House (where elders gather for presentations); preparing the grounds for the gathering; and finalizing preparation logistics,” said Hagemoen.
“A special request was given to Bishop Jon Hanson and myself for this year’s gathering: to celebrate Holy Mass on Great Bear Lake,” he noted.
“The people have a great love and appreciation for the lake as a great gift from Almighty God the Creator, which provides life, sustenance, and meaning to not only the people on and around Deline – but many other communities throughout the north.”
The desire of the community was that the lake be ‘blessed and dedicated’ to God by the celebration of the Mass on the lake — with the two bishops celebrating from a platform out on the water, and the people gathered on the shore.
“It was indeed a privilege and an awesome experience to do this.” said Hagemoen.
That celebration on the lake shore was preceded by the “Feeding of the Fire” ceremony, and the raising of the Spiritual Gathering Flag near the Prophets’ House, he said.
“In the days that followed, the teachings of the prophets were recalled and celebrated. Our young adult mission team was asked to gather and present to the young people who gathered a presentation that aimed to link the teachings of the four Deline Prophets with Catholic teaching.”
The title of the presentation was: The Deadly Sins and the Good Ways of the Virtues. “This was a challenging presentation to give, but was requested by the community to help the young people name real present challenges, and to highlight positive pathways forward,” the bishop explained.
Each day of the Sacred Gathering also featured large community meals, community games, and nightly drumming and dancing.
“The great hospitality of the people – along with their honesty, generosity, and warm-heartedness – had an impact on all of us,” said Hagemoen.
“So did the honest way in which the people shared their hopes along with their real and common struggles. The beauty of the peoples and the place continues to ‘bless’ all of our team, and will have an impact on us for a long time.”
