Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies -- Canmore, Alberta, Canada

(CNS photo)

Destination:  The Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies is a new church for the parish, which dates back to the 1800s, and the first Marian shrine in the Diocese of Calgary in Canada. Pilgrimages, conferences and other events are planned once pandemic restrictions are eased.

Masses at the shrine, as at so many places right now, require reservations. That may change by the time you plan your trip to Alberta. Check the website for updates.

Why to go: The Virgin Mary is sitting with her son Jesus in a lush Alberta forest, surrounded by deer drinking from a gurgling stream, with the majestic Three Sisters peaks in the background.

“The window cries out to you ‘Rocky Mountains,’ and there is Our Lady in the midst of that,” said Father Nathan Siray, pastor of Our Lady of the Rockies Parish. “That’s kind of our No. 1 devotional image to Our Lady of the Rockies that is completely unique to this building.”

The powerful image is set in custom-made stained glass, one of the focal points of the new $20 million (US$14.8 million) church in the mountain community of Canmore, about 15 miles southeast of Banff. Bishop William McGrattan dedicated the new 17,000-square-foot church May 30, during a Mass that was livestreamed on the Diocese of Calgary’s Facebook page because of the restrictions. The first public Mass in the new church was celebrated June 8.

The new church is at the edge of town, off the Trans-Canada Highway, and figures prominently when motorists arrive.

The exterior design reflects a European-style alpine church. That was the vision of Father Bryan Frank, a former pastor of Our Lady of the Rockies, and Guy Turcotte, a parishioner and the developer of Silvertip Resort in Canmore, who donated the roughly three-acre property for the church.

Accessibility: Precautions because of COVID-19 are limiting tours to 10 people who must wear masks and sign-up in advance. Details are on the sign-up page. Find the link on the home page.  

(Grand) Kid friendly: All ages are welcome.

Info: Address — Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Rockies, 2 Silvertip Trail, Canmore, AB  T1W 2Z7

Phone — 1-403-678-5022

Website — https://www.rockiesparish.com/

— Andrew Ehrkamp, CNS; Sharon Boehlefeld contributed this story

Send Destinations ideas to seasonedobserver@rockforddiocese.org