Priests, sisters honoured in new schools

School district ops to salute local ‘saints’

Sr. Annata Brockman

By LASHA MORNINGSTAR
WCR News Editor
Edmonton

The Edmonton Catholic School board has dipped into the city's religious personages for the names of four new schools.

Three of the schools, announced by the provincial government last year, are scheduled to open in September 2010. The fourth, a high school in Terwillegar, was announced by the provincial government earlier this year and will open in 2011 or 2012.

Sister Annata Brockman Catholic Elementary/Junior High honours the 21 years of service Brockman gave to city schools. This included being principal at St. Mark, St. Dominic and St. Andrew Schools. She was also the last religious principal in the district.

A teacher who taught with wisdom and compassion for her young charges, Brockman says she is surprised and pleased by the honour.

Msgr. Bill Irwin

"I'll do my level best to co-operate with the staff, students and parents in trying to help them to make it a truly great school."

She is also happy at the age range of the school - kindergarten to Grade 9 - because it mirrors her experience.

When Brock-man left teaching, she became pastoral associate at St. Joseph's Basilica handling everything from coordinating the RCIA program to being responsible for educational and sacramental programs for school children.

Still a vibrant healing force within the archdiocese, Brockman visits the sick and terminally ill.

The school is located in The Hamptons in West Edmonton and will have a capacity of 500 students.

Monsignor William Irwin Catholic Elementary, to be situated in Terwillegar Towne in southwest Edmonton, salutes the late Msgr. William Irwin, a man of many talents and passions.

An officer of the Order of Canada, Irwin founded Catholic Social Services in 1961 with a staff of one and a budget of $5,000. It grew to become Canada's largest multi-function social agency with more than 100 programs and a $50-million budget.

Irwin also served as pastor at St. Theresa and St. Matthew parishes.

Msgr. Felix Otterson

This man's caring found him serving on numerous national and international human service boards, including 12 years on the National Parole Board.

He died in 2004 at 76 years of age.

The school will be east of Taylor Green and Tompkins Way and will have a capacity of 500 students.

Teary Otterson

Msgr. Fee Otterson says when he first heard that a school is named after him, "I was teary. I feel very honoured because I have always loved children and I love teenagers. I've had a wonderful career with the Catholic schools. It has been my main ministry."

Otterson was a teacher-administrator with Edmonton Catholic Schools for 30 plus years.

The monsignor's love of children is legendary and he tells the story of a non-Catholic neighbour telling his parents she could not understand why he entered the seminary when he loved children so much.

"But I am blessed because I had lots of children in my life"

Mother Margaret Mary

One graduating student from Austin O'Brien, the high school where Otterson taught for 22 years and where the sports teams are called the Crusaders, underlined the students' love for him when he referred to Otterson as the "greatest Crusader of all."

Faith-filled school

Otterson's hope for the new school is that it will be a faith- filled school of love.

"If it is full of faith and love, then there is hope for the future."

Monsignor Fee Otterson Catholic Elementary/Junior High will be located in Rutherford in southwest Edmonton, with a 500-student capacity.

Mother Margaret Mary Catholic High School honours Mother Margaret Mary who began her teaching career as the principal of St. Mary Boys and Girls School in 1911.

She remained principal of St. Mary when it became a girls high school in 1923, staying at that post until 1954.

This made her the first woman high school administrator in the Edmonton Catholic School District.

Known for her skill as a math teacher, Mother Margaret Mary's expansive knowledge meant she could teach on almost any subject.

She died in 1989, 11 days before her 100th birthday.

The school bearing her name will be built at Terwillegar Drive and Leger Road, with a 750-student capacity.

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