About the Parish
A Catholic parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary serving Spanish, Italian and English speaking Catholic families in the Calgary area
Christ's Church
A prominent landmark overlooking Deerfoot Trail and 16th Avenue in northeast Calgary, Mary, Mother of the Redeemer, is served by the religious congregation of the Sons of the Immaculate Conception.
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An amalgamation of two parishes (Our Lady of Guadalupe and Our Lady of Grace Italian & English Catholic Church), we serve Catholic families from all corners of Calgary and celebrate Mass throughout the week and on weekends in English, Italian and Spanish.
The Mission of Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Parish
Mary, Mother of the Redeemer brings all parishioners and visitors into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ and the love of His Church by ministering God's love and mercy, taking Mary as our mother and model and saying, along with her, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”
Congregation of the "Sons of the Immaculate Conception" (CFIC)
Home to the Congregation of the
Sons of the Immaculate Conception
“Blessed Luigi Maria Monti is a splendid figure of Apostle of Charity whose ardent love for the Immaculate Virgin led him to serve Christ in a heroic way in youth, poor and suffering.” - Pope St. John Paul II
Biography of Blessed Monti and a brief history of the Congregation
Blessed Luigi Maria Monti was born 24 July 1825 in Bovisio, Milan, Italy. As a young man he consecrated himself to God and gathered young farmers and carpenters of his age to pray and help the needy. They called themselves The Company of Friars. This gathering inspired them to serve the village’s poor and sick. In 1851, he entered The Congregation of Sons of Mary founded by Venerable Ludovico Pavoni to educate needy youth. In 1855, he started to care for cholera-affected people as a nurse, giving a heroic example of charity.
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Foundation of the Congregation
In 1857, Luigi Monti was sent to Rome by his spiritual director and he arrived at the Holy Spirit Hospital and founded the Congregation of the Sons of the Immaculate Conception to assist the sick and educate youth in need.
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Formation of Youth
In 1866, Luigi Monti returned to Saronno near Milan where he developed his vocation caring for youth and their education, welcoming orphans, and founding technical schools. He helped these young people develop their talents and grow in personal maturity to engage fully in society. Luigi Monti also gave religious formation to his religious brothers to continue to serve the needy and abandoned. He spent his last days in Saronno and died on 1 October 1900. His mortal remains are kept in Padre Monti Institute in Saronno. It is a pilgrim site where many come to pray and ask for blessings through the intercession of Blessed Luigi Maria Monti.
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Beatification
Pope St. John Paul II beatified Luigi Maria Monti and proclaimed him Blessed on 9 November 2003. His memorial is on 22 September. The Congregation has the scope/charism of witnessing Christ through care of the sick, education of needy youth and care of the abandoned. Congregation members are religious priests and lay religious brothers with equal rights and duties. Members are involved in various apostolates and work alongside existing agencies in places such as leper colonies, institutes for the physically disabled, community centres for the mentally challenged, shelters for families and children in need, secondary schools, assistance centres for homeless and street children, inhabitants of squatter settlements, hospitals, and counselling centres for the sick as well as pastoral ministries in parishes.
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The Congregation is present in Italy, France, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, India, Australia, Germany, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Congo, Ivory Coast, USA, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Philippines, Albania, Poland, and Croatia.