Rev. Fr. Benoj Makkollil CMI
Pastor

The following information is compiled from the article:

Missionary priest has heart for building church and faith in Ghana - caedm

published by the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton, December 20, 2023.


Father Benoj Makkollil comes to our parish from Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish in Sherwood Park, where he served for a brief time as Associate Pastor after arriving in Canada on June 22, 2023.


Father Ben was born in Kerala, India – the heart of Christianity in the subcontinent since the arrival of St. Thomas on its coastline. The eldest son in a family of four, Father Ben joined the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate – the first indigenous religious congregation in India – after high school. He had his formation in northern India from 1989 to 1997.


Father Ben first moved to his beloved Ghana in 1997, for his pastoral year. He studied theology in Ghana for five years until his ordination on Oct. 15, 2002 at the CMI provincial house in Najibabad, India.


He was appointed 2003, by his provincial superior, to look for and accrue a land for a school project at Champawat, India - a majority Hindu country, and in some places in India proselytizing in banned by law and property rights for Christians are limited. Father Ben, and his fellow missionary priests, cannot buy land to build a church. Instead, they establish a school or hospital and then the chapel follows, as place for community prayer and worship for the priests and religious.


"In mission life we are always alone. But God is with me.
He has been guiding me. He has been protecting me."


Father Ben lived in the community as the only Catholic. At the initial stages of establishing a mission, missionaries (often appointed to) begin to stay alone, and buy land, build place to stay, and then slowly develop as a Catholic institution. As Pastor, he could buy land for a school, and did most of the documentations to build a school at Champawat. Although he had contact with other Carmelite priests in the area, it was a solitary existence during 2003 to 2005.


In 2005, Father Ben returned to Ghana as associate pastor, and later pastor at St. Michael’s parish in Ahodwo.


In 2019, Father Ben was appointed to take care of a school project in Kwamang – a huge effort in rural community of just under 10,000 people, located six hours’ north of the capital, Accra. They had to build the infrastructure at Kwamang. Many of its residents face poverty. They prefer their children help them on the farm rather than attend school, which is expensive and costs tuition, feeding, and transport. Father Ben helped change that.


A former resident, who now lives in the United Kingdom, donated 10 acres of land in 2018. She requested the CMI missionary priest in Ghana to establish a Catholic school for the use of the children of her village and the surrounding villages. Father Ben dug a borehole because there was no running water and used solar power in his residence and solar water pump to pump water from the borehole. “We had to look for money. We had to pray hard, with all our needs,” Father Ben recalled. “By the grace of God, I got some.” In May 2019, Father Ben received a donation from Germany to begin the school project. A grandmother was inspired to donate 100,000 Euros ($146,000 Cdn). “She said, ‘I have plenty of money. What should I do?’,” Father Ben said. Her parish priest in Germany, who knew Father Ben in Kwamang, arranged the donation. Construction of the school began in August 2019, paused during the COVID pandemic, and resumed after restrictions were lifted. Kwamang residents completed the office rooms, sick bay, kitchen , dining hall, and washrooms and one classroom. The elderly donor died before seeing the completion of the project.  However, her legacy lives on. This part of the CMI Marriet Achool at Kwamang. The name “Marriet” is a compination of “Mary” and “Harriet” honouring the mother and mother-in-law of the woman who gave the land for the school . One of Father Ben’s aunts also donated 20,000 Euros ($29,0000.00 Cdn) to the school and a classroom was dedicated in her name. 


The school welcomed its first students in February 2021. Now there are 173 students up to Grade 2. Parents pay school tuition fee, feeding fee, and transportation, but it’s at an affordable rate. They cannot afford to pay for development of the infrastructure due to their poor income.


As CMI Marriet School is growing, CMI missionaries in Ghana have to find financing to add one each class room every year, and furnish the classroom, and computer lab.


Father Ben never thought he would leave Ghana. He was even a Permanent Resident. When his superior said he was being sent to Canada, Father Ben resisted. “I asked whether somebody else can go from India. Then he said. ‘Since you know Ghana, you go. Sometimes people can hear from you, the Ghana context’,” Father Ben said.


“We enjoy privileges. For the people in unprivileged areas, we should be a blessing like Jesus came as God, a blessing for all,” Father Ben added. “We in our privilege, if we can take care of some of their needs. We can pray. We can contribute. Then, though we stay here, we really become a blessing for those village children.”


Most of Father Ben’s salary is sent to support Kwaman school. Father Ben is grateful for the tremendous support from the Archdiocese and Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish since arriving in Canada.


Just before starting his assignment here at Corpus Christi in June 2024, Father Ben will have visited his home in India and his adopted home, Ghana.


Asked what Catholic faithful can learn from the people of Kwamang, Father Ben is direct:

 

“Tell our children about the suffering people.
Whatever good things we do,  when visiting care homes,
take your children also, so children, as they grow,
they also have an idea of poverty, idea of old age,
idea of suffering, how to take care of the elderly.”

Rev. Fr. Joseph Vadakedath Aipe CMI

Associate Pastor


Father Joseph arrived at our parish during Holy Week (2024). Welcome, Father!


There is more information to come about our new Associate Pastor.

Rev. Mr. Gem Mella

Permanent Deacon

Migrating to Canada in 1993 from the Philippines, Deacon Gem and family have since lived in Southeast Edmonton and have been active volunteer-ministers of St Theresa’s parish. Among the ministries he is involved with are: sound ministry, adult server, extra-ordinary minister of Holy Communion, commentator and he is likewise involved in various committees – Society of St Vincent De Paul (SSVP), Spiritual Care at Grey Nuns, Stewardship, liturgy and fundraising for the building of Corpus Christi.


Deacon Gem truly believes that “we are all called with our unique God-given talents; and we must be true and faithful to our Christian vocation”. Deacon Gem further explains that "we are all called to build a community of disciples of Jesus Christ in this modern era, living with one heart and mind intent upon God. We are all called to share the love of Christ and be a witness to others."


Deacon Gem was ordained as a Permanent Deacon in May 2014, for the Archdiocese of Edmonton and initially serving St Theresa’s Parish, believes that he has come to what he describes as ‘full circle’ in his professional years. He started as an IT consultant—setting up and fixing computer systems to fitness consultant-- promoting health and physical wellness. Now, as a permanent deacon and as a servant of the Church, Deacon Gem believes that he is called by God foremost to serve the community, the people of God to the ministry of charity.


Deacon Gem is married, with two adult children and five grand-children.

Rev. Mr. Arden Playford
Permanent Deacon

Deacon Arden was ordained on July 8, 2023 at St. Joseph's Basilica by Archbishop Richard W. Smith, alongside his two brothers in formation, Deacon Rene Mella (St Theresa's, Edmonton), and Deacon James Eidem (Sacred Heart Parish, Red Deer). 


Deacon Arden believes that the need for the Deacon in the Parish is greater now than ever before. Our society is changing dramatically after experiencing a worldwide pandemic which has left so many in the margins, experiencing hunger, broken relationships and homelessness. Our role as Deacons is one of service, not just in the Parish, but in the community serving those in need. 


Deacon Arden was born in Tisdale, Sk and lived in Nipawin, Sask until he was 18. He has 2 sisters, one older and one younger. Deacon Arden's dad owned the John Deere dealership in Nipawin and he spent many hours there as a partsman and learning how to take things apart... and doing his best to put them back together again :). When he wasn't at the dealership, he was found either on the ball diamond, in the curling rink or in the kitchen learning how to cook, a passion he still maintains to this day. These days he spends his days as the Business Coordinator at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Sherwood Park. When he is not there, you will find him in his own kitchen, or in the backyard cooking on his pizza oven!


Deacon Arden along with his wife, Jackie, and their sons, Tyler and Evan, have been involved with our parish as one of the original parish families, moving from our sister parish, St Theresa's, nearly 18 years ago. Deacon Arden brought his love of technology into our parish creating our first website in 2010 and has been updating it, as well as doing much of the scheduling of liturgical ministries for the first several years while we attended Mass in the schools.