Out of town Wedding

Last Thursday the "Flying Father" was at it again! I traveled to Airdrie, Alberta (just north of Calgary) to celebrate the Marriage of Aly and Michel Lefebvre. (Pictured to the right).  
I have known the Lefebvre family since I was appointed to St. Jerome's Parish, in Brampton as a newly ordained associate pastor - July 1993. I came to know all of their 5 children (Stephanie, Andre, Martin, Michel, and Suzanne) as well as Carol's parents Mark and Carmel who lived with them in a big old country farm house. Each year at thanksgiving - I would have dinner with the Lefebvres and McElligotts.  In 1998 I was moved to Holy Martyrs parish in Bradford, and around the same time Leo and Carol Lefebvre moved out west - for Leo's work with Nortel. I was on holidays in Whistler BC, in January of 1999 when Carol's Father died. (Mark and Carmel had moved to Vancouver at the same time as Leo and Carol and family moved to Alberta).  I came down from Whistler to spend some time with the family on the Saturday  of my holidays, and visited Mark, celebrated Mass in the Hospital Chapel, and anointed him the day before he died.  I was able to celebrate a Mass in Holy Trinity parish in North Vancouver with the family on Wednesday morning before my afternoon flight back to Toronto.  This is when I really came to know Mark & Carmel's son Paul, his wife Colleen, and their three children (Matthew, Mark and Erin).  I then returned to St. Jerome's In Brampton for the Funeral the following Saturday.
In 2002 I was in Calgary - presenting at a Conference, and took some time to visit Carol and Leo, and another Family from Brampton who had also been moved out west with Nortel.  Then in 2005 I was asked to come to Airdrie to celebrate as their oldest Son - Andre, married Vicky.  Then last October I went out to celebrate the Marriage of Suzanne to Cody Kempster.  It was while I was with the family those days - that Michel told me to put August 6, 2011 in my calendar.

Over the years a number of traditions have sprung up - including celebrating Mass with the Family at their home on Sunday  afternoon, and Carol and I would bake the bread for this celebration during my time out west.  Another tradition that has evolved is that I travel to the church with the guys in the Limo! Here is the what things looked like at 12noon on Saturday - before heading to the church for the 1 pm wedding.
It was a terrific wedding - and was quite small - despite the large limo.  All told - there were only 38 guests - including the bride and groom and myself! I was able to celebrate Mass Sunday afternoon in Michel and Aly's new home - and we blessed their new home too...
They are leaving on Wednesday (today) for their honeymoon. 
I will see the whole group when I head out to Vancouver next week to celebrate the Marriage of Mark McElligott to Sonia.


Flying home I was busy reading Funding Applications as part of my responsibilities as a member of the Community Advisory Board for Peel Region's Homelessness Partnership Strategy.  I will write more on that tomorrow!


Peace