In a recent turn of events, a group of 16 Opus Dei missionaries, initially set to travel to northern Canada to work on reserves, found themselves redirected to Vita, in the southeast corner of Manitoba.
Edwin Sonsona with the Missionary Families of Christ Canada says he received an unexpected call from the archbishop who informed them just three weeks ago that a group of young men from across Canada and Spain, had their plans changed and were available to help renovate the small church building which is in dire need of repairs.
Sonsoa, who has been coordinating the efforts, says, “The Archbishop told us, ‘I have workers for you now. I don’t want to see them, not one of the boys leaning on the shovel.’” Sonsona remembers smiling.
The volunteer missionaries, hailing from Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and two from Spain, arrived in St. Malo on Monday, August 5th. They spent their evenings at the St. Malo Catholic church, where they slept and then moved to the work site in Vita during the day. The group wrapped up their assignment last week Friday.
The team dived into their work with enthusiasm, tackling a range of tasks from demolishing an old outhouse in the woods to renovating the church’s interior. Sonsona describes their work,
“They were hammering away at the walls, pulling out old pews, and even varnishing them to make them look new.” He adds that they also renovated the church’s front door, painted a high cross in the church, cleaned up the furnace area, and even spruced up the bell, which Sonsona now proudly describes as “beautiful.”
However, the renovation wasn’t without its challenges. Sonsona says, “We found out that the west side of the church building was starting to fall apart. So now, fixing the wall and roof is our top priority.” He adds they will have to address the repairs to the building before installing a new bathroom and water system.
But there was good news on that front. Initially, they were going to move a shed next to the church, insulate it for winter, and make that work for this year. But, while they were considering where the bathrooms would be built, it was suggested that the space where the confessional boxes were located would work. Sonsona says, “So, we pulled them out to make room inside the church. For now, confessions will be held in the priest’s office also inside the Vita Church.”
Despite the unexpected changes, Sonsona was impressed by how the diverse group of volunteers came together.
“They didn’t know each other before this, but now they’ve formed a new group of friends. It’s amazing to see people from different corners of Canada and Spain working together.”
In addition to the main renovations, a local business donated lettering for the sign, they will also add solar lighting and enhance the church’s appearance with landscaping. Sonsona notes, “We’re putting up solar lights so people can see the new sign at night and adding flowers around the bell tower.”
Gratitude was also extended to local volunteers and community groups. “We’ve had incredible support from the community. Special thanks to the Laramee family, the Filipino community, and the Missionary Families of Christ in Steinbach for their daily food contributions.”
The project in Vita has turned into a significant community effort, blending the hard work of the visiting missionaries with the support of local volunteers. “It’s nice to see everyone coming together. What started as a small project has grown into something much bigger.”