Parish: Immaculate Conception

Location: Calmar (Farms)

CALMAR (farms) – IMMACULATE CONCEPTION of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Парафія Непорочного Зачаття Пречистої Діви Марії

Location: SE Sec. 7, Twp. 50-Rge 26, W4 (lot 185’ x 155’).1.6 km. East & 1.6 km. North of Calmar. The church is also known in the community as St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church. The first Ukrainians came to the locality from the district of Yaroslav, Halychyna, in the early 1900’s and the first services were celebrated by Fr. Matthew Hura, OSBM, in 1907. The first church was built in 1912. Later the community grew stronger, so the old church was dismantled and the building material was used to build the new church in 1938 (cost $6,000.00). The building committee members were: A. Pidhirnyi, V. Sereda, B. Manchak and I. Sikora. The new church was built by Nykyfor and Ivan Kozak, supported by the parishioners. On the side of the church you find a tall brick structure, the bell tower. There were approx. 30 founding families with 200 children; in 1953 there were 40 families, and in 1968 28 families. The church is approx. 55 km. from Edmonton. The Gregorian calendar has been in use from 1945. The parish cemetery is 400 m. from the church.