The Roman Catholic Diocese of Prince-Albert administer parishes under its jurisdiction. In 1838, the first Catholic missionaries arrived in the area, with Fathers Norbert Blanchet and Modeste Demers offering sacraments and Mass at a few forts while traveling to Oregon. Father Alexis André of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate established a mission in 1870 and in 1891, Bishop Alberta Pascal, OMI was consecrated as the first bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Saskatchewan. The Vicariate was upgraded to the Diocese of Prince-Albert in December 1907. Diocesan territory changed several times, with the Diocese changing its name to the Diocese of Prince Albert-Saskatoon in 1921 and then reverting back to Diocese of Prince-Albert in 1933 after it split in two.
During the Residential School System, several schools operated within diocesan boundaries. These schools were run by the Oblates, with other religious congregations acting in supporting roles. These schools remained under Catholic supervision until 1969, when the Government of Canada assumed control of all residential schools.
During the 1990s, the public became more aware of the impacts of residential schools. This led to an increase in litigation against the Governemnt of Canada, which culminated in the creation of the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) in 2006. IRSSA outlined the process by which residential school litigation was carried out in addition to creating the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC). In IRSSA, the Diocese is named as “La Corporation Épiscopale Catholique Romaine de Prince Albert.” During the TRC’s mandate, the Diocese provided records on their involvement in the Residential School System.
1890-2009