Father Bart was born in Diemen (Suburb or Amsterdam) in 1965.  The fourth of six children, his family immigrated to Canada in 1973 and moved to Penticton in 1978.  Having entered St. Pius Xth Seminary in Saskatoon on behalf of the Nelson Diocese in 1983, Father  Bart took "the long way around" and was Ordained to the Priesthood in 1997.  In the meantime, he made stops at St. Peter's Seminary, the Education Department at the University of Calgary and the now-defunct Diocese of Gravelbourg as Diocesan Director of Religious Education.

Father Bart was first assigned to Immaculate Conception Parish in Kelowna and has also served Sacred Heart Parish and its missions out of Grand Forks, Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Anthony's Parishes in Trail as well as Sacred Heart Parish and its missions out of Fort Simpson, North West Territories.  Towards the end of the Summer of 2007, he was appointed pastor at St. Pus Xth Parish in Kelowna.  Father Bart has also served as the Diocesan Director for Vocations since 1999.  In his free time, Father Bart may be found tending his garden, walking his dog, or touring the Southern Interior on his bicycle.

Father Andrew Walner: July 9, 2006 - July 8, 2007

Father Andrew Walner, who has had the pastoral charge of Sparwood and Elkford for the past seven years, is appointed Pastoral Administrator of your Parish. I know that you will welcome him with open hearts and give him your supportive companionship as he exercises pastoral ministry in your Parish community of St. Pius X.

Father Walner has many pastoral gifts and splendid energy, which will enable him to serve you well.

This appointment will take place on Sunday, July 9, 2006.

I am grateful that we are able to give you Father Andrew as your Pastor.

Eugene J. Cooney
Bishop of Nelson  

A GREAT CELEBRATION - 10^th Anniversary of Priesthood

Dear Parishioners of our St.      Pius X Church.

I would like to express my thankfulness to all who attended my 10^th Anniversary of Priesthood Celebration. Thank you for your beautiful cards, gifts, words of prayer, support, encouragement, appreciation and love. A special thank you to all who prepared this event: Catholic Woman’s League, Knights of Columbus, Parish Council, Music Ministry: Patty Gorges , Vytas  Sinkevicius  and Tony Serka and all who contributed the delicious food for the banquet and great atmosphere of friendship and love. Today, I would like to express my thankfulness to God for the beautiful gift of my Priesthood. Also, today, I know that there is no better gift in my life as to serve you as the people of God in my priestly ministry.

May God bless all of you with peace, joy and love each and everyday of your lives.

With prayer, Fr. Andrew.

DEAR PARISHIONERS OF OUR ST. PIUS X CHURCH

I would like to express my profound gratitude to all of you for your prayers, kindness, friendship, generosity and love.

This one year with you, my beloved Parishioners, was a year of the blessing of the Lord upon me and my ministry. I experienced the immeasurable love of God in the human hearts of my parishioners, your extraordinary dedication in supporting our Faith Community; in service and in prayer, which brought us together as one Family of God.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your beautiful cards, full of prayers, good wishes, love, and support for me and my ministry.

I was blessed to serve you and I have deepened my love for my priestly ministry through your love for Jesus and his holy Catholic Church.

For the past seven years, I have asked our Bishop to let me go and study Cannon Law but as we were experiencing the shortage of priests in our Diocese of Nelson, I was unable to go to study. This year I am thankful to God for his grace to go and study Cannon Law for three years at the  Gregorian University in Rome. 

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, thank you again for your beautiful gifts to me, your prayers and your love.

My God continue to bless you and your families with peace, joy and love each and every day of your lives.

With prayer and love Fr. Andrew. 

Father Kellogg, most of whose priestly ministry has been spent in the Kootenays, graciously accepted a transfer to Saint Pius X Parish and looked upon this appointment as a fresh and life-giving appointment for him. I know that you will welcome Father John Kellogg with open hearts. I know too, that you will be graciously enriched by his ministry among you.  

Eugene J. Cooney
Bishop of Nelson  

Father Frank Gan, a joyful, competent and devoted priest, who has been exercising a commendable pastorship of Holy Cross Parish in Creston, will be moving in the first weekend of July as your new pastor. I know that you will welcome him with open hearts and be a supportive presence and anchor for him in his person and in his ministry with you and among you. - Bishop Eugene Cooney, Bishop of Nelson

FR. FRANK’S new address is: St. Mary’s Parish, 39-10^th Avenue South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 2M9. Phone: (250) 426-3298.

Fr. Rick can describe vividly the special moments that let him towards the Priesthood.  An invitation to a Bible Study group from some students at Queens University; an inspiring moment at a young people's prayer group; a search for a Philosophy of Life; a quiet moment of reflective prayer when he knelt and offered his life to the Lord.  
It's worth asking him to tell the story!

Fr. Rick Paulin's father served with the Royal Canadian Air Force - so his early years saw him moving frequently from Victoria, B.C. where he was born, to Saskatchewan, Goose Bay, Newfoundland, Clinton, Ontario, Cold Lake, Alberta and then finally to the Royal Military College in Kingston where he graduated with a commission and immediately took a leave of absence to go to St. Joseph's Seminary in Edmonton.

Fr. Rick is a happy and enthusiastic priest.  Asked about the future of both the Priesthood and the Church, he replied that he saw both in a positive way with the Holy Spirit directing us into the new century.

As a young seminarian, Fr. Rick spent his summers at the Military Base at Cornwalis, Nova Scotia where he worked with some 500 kids a week for two summers - young people often refer to him as "The Singing Priest" - guitar and song are still his favorite hobbies, and he still loves working with young people - he is also chaplain at Immaculata High School.

After five years of service to the Diocese at Canadian Marty's Parish, Invermere with the Mission at St. Joseph's in Radium, Fr. Rick was moved to St. Pius X Church in Kelowna in 1997.

Reference: Catholic Newspaper

Harold James (Rev.) Lynch passed away on October 1, 1997 at the age of 61 years after a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer.  Fr. Jim Lynch was born in Trail, B.C. on June 10, 1936 where he also completed his elementary and secondary schooling.  He attended Notre Dame College in Nelson, B.C. from 1954 to 1956 and later in 1956 entered St. Peter's Seminary in London, Ontario.  He was ordained a priest in 1963 in Trail, B.C.  His first appointment was to the Cathedral Parish in Nelson, B.C. with responsibilities for the Slocan Missions, Notre Dame University and the Monastery of the Precious Blood Sisters.  In 1964, he returned to school.  He graduated from the University of Ottawa in 1966 with a double Master's Degree - a Civil Degree in Cannon Law and a Licentiate degree in Cannon Law.  From 1966 to 1968 he was a loan to the Catholic Diocese of Vancouver where he was appointed to the Chancery Office and assigned to marriage tribunal work.  He returned to the Diocese of Nelson in 1968 and over the years faithfully served parishes in Trail, Penticton and Kelowna.  At the time of his death, Fr. Jim was Pastor of St. Pius X Church (appointed in 1985).  He will be remembered for his intellect, charm, wit, and pastoral ministry.

Fr. Jim was a servant of God who proudly believed that there "... is no glory except in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ."

Fr. Martin celebrated mass for the old folks at the David Lloyd Hones Home and for us occasionally when our busy pastor has to be away, and he hears confessions on Saturday afternoons.

Kelowna General Hospital Chaplin and resident at Pius X Rectory.

Fr. Harry Clarke, came to us in 1981 as assisting pastor.  His particular insight into the problems of the poor and of prisoners helped many in the parish to attain a more sympathetic view of people less fortunate than themselves.

Fr. Jim came from St. Anthony's Parish in Trail in the summer of 1980.  He began to build with great energy  and nurture both the physical and the spiritual aspect of the Parish, i.e. growth in the Parish Renewal weekends. The deprived, the lonely and shut-ins were cared for the Ministry of the Sick and the "Grief Ministry" comforts those devastated by death in the family.  Baptism was made more meaningful.

Assigned to Pius X pending new appointment.

Assistant from September 1977 to August 1980.

Principal of Immaculata High School appointed to Pius X Parish as weekend assistant.

In October 1969, the friendly Irish priest, with an ever-ready Irish smile and pleasant manner was appointed pastor of St. Pius X.  He had previously been pastor of St. Joseph's in Warfield, B.C.  Fr. Charle"s Irish jokes were great favorites among our multi-cultured community but, there was work to do, and as a true son of Erin he rolled up his sleeves and asked people around him to go to work,

Substitute pending appointment of new pastor.

Fr. E. F. Martin: 
October 1959 - September 1969  
(In Loving Memory)

Fr. Ernest Martin, a priest whose love for God and his love for people made him dear to the hearts of St. Pius X parish.

His devotion to his church is reflected in that he did nothing in half measure, he applied himself totally and completely to any undertaking, bringing out both the best in people and the best in any project.  He served St. Pius X from October 1959 to September 1969.

WHAT'S A PRIEST TO DO?

If a priest preaches over ten minutes, he is long-winded.
If his sermon is short, he didn't prepare it.
If the parish funds re high, he's a businessman.
If he mentions money, he's money mad.
If he visits parishioners, he's nosy.
If he doesn't, he's snobbish.
If he has fairs, bazaars, he's bleeding the people.
If he doesn't there's no life in the parish.
If he takes time in confession to help and advise sinners, he takes too long.
If he doesn't, he doesn't care.
If he celebrates the Liturgy in a quiet voice, he's a bore.
If he puts feeling into it, he's an actor.
If he starts Mass on time, his watch is fast.
If he starts late, he's holding up the people.
If he decorates the church, he is wasting money.
If he doesn't, he's letting it get run down.
If he's young, he's not experienced.
if he's old, he ought to retire.
If he dies, there was nobody like him and there will never be this equal again!!!

St. Monica Church, NYC 

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