Four years following the destruction of a 113-year old church in Fort Chipewyan due to a fire, some residents in the northern Alberta community are advocating for a new communal space to commemorate significant occasions. Elder Alice Rigney from Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation reminisces about her deep connections to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Roman Catholic Church, where she was baptized and married, and where she felt a strong bond with her family.

The church, constructed in 1909 and located near Lake Athabasca, was recognized as a National Historic Place in 2006. In 2020, the Diocese of St. Paul transferred ownership of the church to King’s Kids Promotions Outreach Ministries, a Christian charity based in Fort McMurray, which left the community disheartened by the change.

The absence of a resident priest in the community during that time meant they relied on a visiting priest from Fort McMurray to conduct services and events in the church until it succumbed to a fire in 2022, leading to the loss of a cherished historical building adorned with fish oil paintings.

Now, members of the community utilize a community hall for gatherings and ceremonies, but Margaret Whiteknife and others are establishing a non-profit society to raise funds for a new Roman Catholic church with multi-purpose rooms for various community activities. They aim to create an inclusive space where people of all faiths can gather for prayer and other functions.

Preliminary discussions are underway regarding the construction of a new church in Fort Chipewyan, with Bishop Gary Anthony Franken exploring options for a feasible and sustainable solution. Challenges such as finding a priest willing to reside long-term in the isolated community and securing local financing for the position need to be addressed. Despite the potential hurdles, community members are determined to have a new church that embodies their shared history and provides a sense of ownership and belonging.