Supporting Life: Calgary Pro-Life Weekend Highlights
Mother’s Day Weekend | May 9-10, 2026
On the weekend of May 10–11, members of our Knights of Columbus council supported the Calgary Pro-Life Association through two meaningful initiatives: the Hike for Life at Prince’s Island Park and the Mother’s Day Rose Sale at Sacred Heart Church. Both events offered opportunities for witness, engagement, and support of life-affirming programs in our community.
Hike for Life 2026
Hike for Life: Sacred Heart Knights
At 8:30 on Saturday morning, May 9, 2026, an estimated 250 to 300 people gathered at Prince’s Island Park in Calgary for the Hike for Life, an annual event in support of the Calgary Pro-Life Association and its Respect Life education programs. The morning began cool and grey, but as the Hike got underway, the day gradually warmed.
The event opened with prayer and an address from Monique Achtman, giving the morning a clear focus: to support life-affirming education and to stand publicly for the dignity and sanctity of human life.
Hospitality was also part of the day. Coffee, hot chocolate, and generous treats were available as participants gathered and prepared for the route. Heroic Men, formerly known as the God Squad, were also on site with their “Barbecue Outreach” trailer, serving hot dogs as participants returned from the Hike. It was a practical and welcome part of the morning, especially after the 10-kilometre route.
For the Sacred Heart Knights, the Hike belonged naturally beside the Mother’s Day Rose Sale taking place that same weekend at Sacred Heart Parish. At the church, roses were offered in honour of mothers and families. At Prince’s Island Park, the same respect for life was expressed through presence, effort, and public witness. One effort offered roses. The other offered footsteps. Both served the same cause.
The Sacred Heart Knights walking team completed the full 10-kilometre route. This year’s team included Brother Lorne Gartner and Lady Maria, SK Timothy Dahm, and SK Stephen Sheridan and Lady Jacquie. Together, they represented Sacred Heart Parish well, walking the full route with conversation, stamina, and the easy fraternity that comes from sharing the road.
Priscilla Wong of Sacred Heart Parish also came down to Prince’s Island Park in support of the event, adding a welcome parish presence to the morning.
As of this report, the Sacred Heart Knights team has raised $1,300 toward its $3,000 goal. Donations remain open until July 1, 2026, so parishioners and friends still have time to support the campaign.
You can still support the Sacred Heart Knights Hike for Life team here:
The council is grateful to everyone who has already donated, encouraged the team, or helped keep this cause visible in the parish. Each donation helps Calgary Pro-Life continue its Respect Life education work, and each public act of support helps remind the wider community that every human life is a gift from God.
Mother's Day Roses 2026
Mother’s Day Roses Sale: Sacred Heart Parish – May 9-10 2026
Some parish events are remembered not only for the numbers, but for the witness they leave behind. This year’s Mother’s Day Rose Sale at Sacred Heart Parish was one of those events.
Throughout the weekend Masses, the Sacred Heart Knights of Council 1186 stood in the Narthex offering roses in honour of mothers and in support of the Calgary Pro-Life Association. The fundraiser gave parishioners a simple and visible way to honour motherhood while supporting the dignity and sanctity of human life.
By the end of the weekend, parishioners had purchased 312 roses and contributed $1,715 through flower sales and additional donations. After expenses, $1,505 was forwarded to the Calgary Pro-Life Association. The response from the parish was so strong that the council sold out of roses by the conclusion of the Sunday 11:00 a.m. Mass.
Particular thanks are due to Br. Mike Walsh, who once again coordinated the Mother’s Day Rose Sale and carried the practical burden of making the weekend work. From arranging the roses and supplies to overseeing the sales, expenses, and final donation to Calgary Pro-Life, Br. Mike’s steady leadership helped ensure that the fundraiser was organized, successful, and faithful to its purpose.
The weekend was marked by generosity, fraternity, and good humour, with the sale reaching its busiest moments on Mother’s Day itself. Roses moved quickly after each Sunday Mass. Families stopped to choose flowers together. Some parishioners added quiet donations. Others offered a word of encouragement and thanks. What began as a simple table in the Narthex became a clear sign of parish support for mothers, families, and the sacredness of life.
Behind the scenes, the sale depended on many small acts of service. Long before the first rose was sold, volunteers had prepared flowers, set up tables and displays, arranged payment systems, coordinated sales coverage, and made sure the Narthex was ready to receive parishioners throughout the weekend.
Br. Leslie Trainor carried much of the setup and takedown work, including tables, chairs, banners, and equipment. SK Roy Ifill and SK Roland “Rollie” Reeves assisted with preparing the roses for sale. SK Stephen Sheridan and Br. Lorne Gartner helped promote the fundraiser through announcements before the Sunday morning Masses.
One of the more memorable moments came shortly after the Sunday 9:00 a.m. Mass. As parishioners were arriving and sales were about to begin, the Square debit and credit terminal refused to connect to the internet, even though it appeared connected to the parish Wi-Fi network. For a few tense minutes, electronic payments were in doubt during what would become the busiest Mass of the weekend. A quick switch to a mobile hotspot restored the system just in time. In hindsight, it became one of those parish moments that is funny only after it is solved: a reminder that even a rose sale can depend on teamwork, quick thinking, and grace under pressure.
The Square system again proved valuable this year, helping parishioners contribute easily by debit or credit card and improving the flow of sales during the busiest periods.
The council extends sincere thanks to all those who volunteered throughout the weekend, including SK Stephen Sheridan, SK Roland “Rollie” Reeves, Br. Tom Shannon, SK Timothy Dahm, Br. Victor Nwosisi, Br. Christian Pisoh, Br. Lorne Gartner, Br. John Leahy, Br. Jim DeLay, and SK Wayne Gerylo, who assisted at the Saturday evening Mass and returned again on Sunday. Thanks also go to Br. Jean Junio and SK Roland “Rollie” Reeves, who had volunteered to assist at the Sunday evening Mass before the roses sold out earlier in the day.
The council is also grateful to the Brother Knights who supported the effort by attending Mass, purchasing roses for their wives, mothers, and families, and spending time in fraternity with those working the sale. Their presence added to the spirit of the weekend and helped make the fundraiser feel like a true council and parish effort.
Special thanks are also due to SK Roland Reeves for photographing the event throughout the weekend.
Most importantly, the Sacred Heart Knights thank the parishioners of Sacred Heart Parish for their generosity and encouragement. The success of the Mother’s Day Rose Sale was not measured only in flowers sold or dollars raised. It was also seen in the willingness of a parish community to stand publicly and joyfully in support of life.
Over the course of one weekend, roses became more than flowers. They became a sign of gratitude for mothers, support for families, and a reminder that every human life is a gift from God.
A Visible Commitment to Life
These events reflect more than a weekend of charitable work—they represent our council’s steadfast commitment to the fundamental principle that every human life is sacred and worthy of protection. As Knights of Columbus, we are called to uphold the dignity of life through both word and deed, in keeping with our core principles of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism.
The Hike for Life and Mother’s Day Rose Sale gave us the opportunity to live out these values in practical and visible ways. Through charity, we supported the Calgary Pro-Life Association in its efforts to educate and advocate for the unborn. In unity and fraternity, our council stood together in public witness and service, representing our parish and the broader Church with integrity and purpose.
This work is not new to the Knights. From our founding, we have been defenders of the most vulnerable—supporting families, protecting the unborn, and standing firm in our Catholic faith. These efforts are part of a larger mission to build a culture that respects life at all stages, and to do so with courage, consistency, and compassion.
We thank all those who contributed their time, effort, and generosity to these initiatives. As we look ahead, our council remains committed to continuing this work—not just once a year, but as an ongoing part of who we are as Catholic men and as Knights.