FAITHFUL SERVANTS:
"The Son of Man did not come to be served, bu to serve." . . .(Matthew 20:28)

Guardian Angels has been blessed with dedicated priests to lead the people. We have not been able to trace details of all of them, but we continue to remembeer them in our prayers:


PASTORS
Monsignor Francis A. Clinton, D.P. (RIP)
Father Clinton was assigned to the administration of the property purchased in 1940. He studied in St. Thomas College at Chatham, New Brunswick and in St. Augustine's Seminary in Toronto. He was ordained in 1934, served as assistant at Holy Rosary Cathedral for a few months, and was then appointed Bursar and teacher at the Seminary of Christ the King in Ladner, where he remained till 1940.

Father Clinton was named Rector of Holy Rosary Cathedral. In the Fall of 1949, when the new Guardian Angels Church was complete, he was appointed its Pastor. In 1955 he was named Monsignor.

FATHER HUGH J. McISAAC
Father McIsac succeeded Monsignor Clinton, serving as administrator until Father mallon's appointment to Guardian Angels. Father McIsaac came from Boston in 1945, and during 1959 he visited and studied central purchasing systems in Philadelphia, Brooklyn, New York and other established centres..

 

 

MOST REVEREND PETER J. MALLON, PH. D.
Born in Prince Rupert, Arachbishop Mallon entered the Seminary of Christ the King, Burnaby, in September 1944 and was ordained at Holy Rosary Cathedral on May 27, 1956. While serving at Holy Rosary Cathedral, he was appointed Administrator of Guardian Angels Parish in March 1965.

Vatican II had just ended at the time of his arrival and much effort was put into communicating to parishioners the results of that Council. During Lent of 1966 Father Mallon held a study session on "the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity". In June of 1966, he was asked to return to Holy Rosary Cathedral as Rector. He was named Monsignor on May 30, 1977, and is now Archbishop of Regina, Saskatchewan.

FATHER WILMER L. BEATCH
Reverend Wilmer Beatch was born at Cut Knife, Saskatchewan in 1931 and came to Vancouver ten years later. He entered the seminary of Christ the King in 1945 and celebrated his first Mass in St. Francis Church on April 7, 1957, with Father Peter Mallon serving as Deacon. His entire family, parents and six brothers and one sister attended the Mass..

He served as Administrator at Guardian Angels for two years during 1966 and 1967, when he was transferred to White Rock.

FATHER GEORGE GORDON
Born in Bounty, Saskatchewan on November 19, 1915, Father Gordon came to Vancouver in 1934. He worked in various occupations before starting studies for the priesthood in 1941. He graduated from Christ the King Seminary in June 1947, and went to St. Joseph's Seminary in Edmonton to complete his theology studies. He was ordained May 19, 1951. Father Gordon was appointed Pastor of Guardian Angels Church in 1967. He served diligently until Aug. 5, 1984. Retired now, he lives in North Vancouver.

 

FATHER LEON KORSKO
Born in Hazeltown, Pennsylvania, Father Leon, as everyone called him, came to Guardian Angels in August of 1984, after starting his career in Field and Golden, B.C. in 1948 and being assigned to places such as North Carolina, Greenwood, B.C., St. paul's Parish on East Cordova Street, Vancouver and St. Christopher's Inn for homeless men in Graymoor, New York.

Father Leon was a Franciscan of the Order of the Friars of the Atonement. His earlier work in Vancouver included the development of the Seamen's Centre, which welcomed seamen from around the world. He was very much a builder, responsible for the remodelling design for the entire sanctuary as described in the previous chapter and initiating the renovations in the rectory basement whic would be finished under his successor. He also initiated the custom of the recessional and the priest greeting people at the door as they left the church. He said he wanted to get to know every parishioner personally. He died suddenly in October, 1987, at age 70.

FATHER JOHN TRITSCHLER
Ordained May 28, 1966, Father Tritschler celebrated his first Mass at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish as a priest of the Archdiocese of Vancouver. He served in the lower mainland, from various areas of Vancouver to Mission, Haney, and Aldergrove. He was appointed on January 7, 1988 to Guardian Angels and served until 1994. Father Tritschler is now at Precious Blood parish in Surrey, B.C.

 

 

FATHER EDWIN BUDIMAN
Born in 1942 in Jakarta, Indonesia, Father Budiman studied at Maryhurst Seminary in Baguio City, the Philippines, then at Maryhill Seminary in Taytay, Rizal, the Philippines. He was ordained in Jakarta on June 5, 1973. He went to Brazil from 1975 to 1993, and came to Vancouver in April 1993. He celebrated his 25th anniversary of ordination with Guardian Angels parishioners in June of 1998.