Some of the best attendance ever for Fall Open Week
Last week saw St. Therese Institute of Faith and Mission (STIFM) host its first Open House Week of the year. This semi-annual event is
- an opportunity for prospective students to immerse themselves in Canada’s Catholic Gap Year program;
- a chance for parents and friends of the program to see inside the mission they support;
- and a chance for alumni to reconnect, sit in on classes and – for some – to discern coming back for one of our advanced formation program options.
The week coincides with many university reading weeks, making it convenient for university students to attend.
A total of thirty-six people came to St. Therese Institute as special guests this past week. Although we’re back to our regular schedule this week, our hearts are full after welcoming so many to stay and break bread with us, and we are grateful for having shared the St. Therese experience.
Sharing the Experience
Jacob Powell, our marketing director, described the Open House as “one of the best ways for prospective participants to experience a day-in-the-life of our program. An Open House Week visitor gets to live exactly like a resident: attending classes, joining in community prayer and Mass, eating meals with the community, and participating in daily chores and recreation…and they get to witness the real transformation, joy, community, and intentionality of other participants and staff.”
Our admission officer, Monica Hartman (also an alumna), explained that an Open House Week is “a chance for our guests to hear testimonies and stories from the participants. You get to see how we think, live, speak and interact, and we do it in a way that’s different than what most people have experienced in their daily lives. Relationships look different here, which speaks hope, and it’s really special to experience!”
Rachelle Bentler, our intern receptionist, reported that guests “travelled to Bruno from all across the prairie provinces to visit St. Therese during the week.”
Jacob summed things up with the news that this year was “one of our biggest Fall Open Houses to date, with over half of the visitors discerning applying to the program.”
Several alumni brought friends or siblings along to experience the community. It was a welcome chance for me – a long-time mission staff member – to catch up with these old friends and to meet some of the people who are important in their lives.
Socializing Galore
Just before our Open House Week began, the STIFM community had a “Rest and Relaxation Weekend.” These weekends happen every month or two as a break from obligations at St. Therese and a chance for residents to take time for themselves. Some St. Theresers used their R&R weekend to participate in a Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) dodgeball tournament in Saskatoon. Connections were made there that led several out-of-province dodgeballers to postpone their return travel and come check out STIFM for a couple days before returning to Alberta.
St. Therese Institute hosted a tournament of our own during the Open House. In addition to the regular St. Therese schedule, guests who were visiting on Wednesday had the special opportunity to participate in an evening volleyball tournament. The atmosphere was electric and playfully competitive as the addition of new young adults allowed the formation of more teams than would normally be possible. “We had people drive in from Saskatoon and Humboldt to participate in the tournament,” said Rachelle Bentler. “It was great to have everyone come join in for the fun and excitement!”
What Folks Were Saying
Different aspects of STIFM-life resonated with different Open House Week guests. Their feedback affirms the value of sharing the unique St. Therese Institute community experience with everyone.
- Aimée Bentler reflected on the impact of the routine and formation: “I was a bit tentative before coming for the open house week, but I’ve been delightfully surprised by how refreshing it is; much like a retreat experience. Every class left me filled and enriched with so much truth, beauty, and goodness, and the routine here leaves so much space for stillness and intimacy with God through prayer. This is the kind of experience that I know must be continued over the length of nine months.”
- Megan Homan appreciated the welcoming atmosphere: “Everyone was so kind and welcoming. I appreciated the opportunity to attend classes and truly see what St Therese is all about. Daily Prayer time is a gift here and brings the community closer together”.
- Anastasia Ibach (alumna, Class of 2025) shared how quickly she felt at ease being back at STIFM, despite not having met many of the current Gap Year residents, saying “After just one day at St. Therese, I felt like I was home. I was so deeply immersed in the community that it felt as though these students might be my own brothers and sisters… Truly, this open house week was a retreat for my mind and soul. I was renewed by the pure joy in the hearts of my fellow young Catholics.”.
I overheard one guest, as he was heading out the door to go home, excitedly telling the group of people gathered to see him off: “I’m definitely coming back in February for the Spring Open House Week!” Cheers erupted from the group.
Coming Soon
We have several more opportunities coming up for you to experience the life at St. Therese Institute of Faith and Mission, starting with the first of our new Open House Weekends on the weekend of St. Nicholas’ Day (Dec. 6).
“To make the St. Therese experience more accessible to more people, we are adding new weekend Open House events this year that might be of interest for people that work and can’t take time off during the week, or high school students that don’t have a break that matches up with university reading weeks,” Jacob Powell explains.
Open House Weekends:
- Dec. 5th – 7th – “St. Nick Celebration” weekend
- Jan. 16th – 18th – “Snow Fun” weekend
- Feb. 6th – 8th – “Men’s & Women’s Day” weekend
- Mar. 20th – 22nd – “Men’s & Women’s Day” weekend
Register and learn more about the Open House Weekends here: https://sttherese.ca/event/open-house-weekends-2025-2026.
Spring Open House Week:
Save the date for our next full week Open House, from Feb. 16-21, AD2026. As always, you can choose the dates of the week that work best for you, or you can just stay for the whole time. Our Facebook and Instagram pages – or our webpage at sttherese.ca/events – will provide more information and will announce when registration for the February Open House Week opens.
James Riley has been on the St.Therese Institute mission staff since our first program year in AD2007. He currently serves as STIFM Deputy of Operations.