St. Martin’s Church Welcomes Father Robert Lee

St. Martin’s Church Welcomes Father Robert Lee

Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent

Father Robert Lee is the new priest at St. Martin’s of Tours Roman Catholic Church in Vegreville.

Father Robert grew up in Spruce Grove and was the eldest of three siblings. “We spent a lot of time in church when I was growing up. My parents were very good people. We always went to Sunday mass with them. Then when we got older, faith became an even bigger part of our lives; I was homeschooled for five years during junior high. My faith while being homeschooled became a very integral part of my life. I went to daily mass and went to a Carmel, which is a monastery in Devon.

I certainly do feel my childhood led me to this vocation. A big part of what I did with both of my parents was volunteering. Also, we maintain our faith at home by reading the bible and speaking of God a lot. When I was 18, it was my choice to enter the seminary to see if God wanted me to be a priest,” Father Robert said. “Being a priest is very intense because a Roman Catholic priest has to discern a call to the priesthood life. He has to visit priests and learn what the life of a priest is like. He also has to discern the celibate life of not being married. I feel the call to chastity now is about having a unique relationship with the church and with the families in the church as well. So, I believe because I live a celibate life, the Lord frees me to be available to His people at any time.

Not only is it a commitment to the parishioners in the church, but it is also a commitment to the Lord that I can study His ways and know His ways and be available for whatever He calls me for. But as a young man, I wanted to be married, have a family and raise my own children, and to have a stable job. But the Lord equips those who He calls to the priesthood and He makes them fulfilled by this calling.

The blessings are as a priest, we are welcomed into very special moments of families’ lives. In the course of a week, a priest might experience the beginning of life, the end of life, the new beginnings of marriage, the trauma and suffering that might come in the middle of life or at any time. Some of the challenges are being divided among so many different communities where it is not possible to try to be everywhere at once. I work at three different churches at Vegreville, Viking, and Holden as well as three other churches that are currently closed in Mundare, New Kiew, and Haight. But really, the Lord provides, and if He is willing the priest will be where he is supposed to be at the right time.”

Father Robert said St. Martin’s has a strong relationship with the two Catholic schools and they are working at making new things within those two schools. “Despite the COVID-19 restrictions, we are going to do our best to keep everyone safe and preach the gospel.”