Holy Eucharist Ukrainian Catholic Church

The first Ukrainian Catholic church was built in 1913 five miles northeast of Dysart. The building was completed in two months at the cost of $1,200. It was named St. John the Baptist and had one altar and a small choir. At the time, the church had 20 members and 20 children. There were no pews in the church until Fred Lawrek built them in the 1940s. Next to the church was a cemetery, which is still in use today.

A new church was built in the Village of Dysart in 1958. Father Roman Homenko was the parish priest at that time. The new church was named Holy Eucharist Ukrainian Catholic Church. It was built mostly with volunteer labour. Paul Zabalatny was hired to paint the church as well as the icons that decorate the ceiling.

The small congregation remained active until 2005, when the decision was made to close the church due to a deteriorating basement and an aging and declining population. The last mass was held on May 28, 2005.

Services are held annually in the summer at the cemetery. Volunteers and paid student workers help to keep the cemetery groomed.

-- Olga Lawrek

St. Cuthbert and St. Michael’s
and All Angels Anglican Church

The first St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church was built in 1913 and served the congregation until 1967, when it was demolished and replaced by the one that is currently in use. St. Cuthbert’s is in the parish of Touchwood Trail and has a shared ministry with Fort Qu’Appelle and Cupar in the Diocese of Qu’Appelle.

Church life has suffered over the years from the Depression and people moving away. There were thriving groups of Sunday School, Little Helpers, and Women’s Auxiliary from the 1950s to the early 1980s, when many faithful communicants provided leadership and instruction.

In 1999 St. Michael’s and All Angels Anglican Church at Lipton closed and joined the congregation of St. Cuthbert’s. At present St. Cuthbert’s and St. Michael’s and All Angels is served by The Rev. Dr. Mary Gavin, Fort Qu’Appelle, and services are held the second and fourth Sundays of the month at 9 a.m.

St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church

In 1906 a frame church was built in Dysart and had the same priest as Kronsberg, south of the village. In 1920 a new church was  built and was used until 1968, when the present church was built. Because the church in 1927 had five parish council members with the name of John, the church was dedicated to St. John the Baptist. In 1959 a new rectory was built that has since been sold. In 1961 the church at Kronsberg was closed, and the parishioners from that area now worship in the village.

Over the years, the boundaries of parishes have changed. In 1977 the parish became a mission of Cupar; then in 2000 the parishes of Dysart, Cupar, and Lipton were joined with Southey and Strasbourg to form the Cupar-Southey Pastoral Region. The parish is in the Qu’Appelle  Deanery as part of the Archdiocese of Regina.

There is a small but vital CWL, Knights of Columbus, and parish council. The volunteers serve in most capacities: readers, commentators, altar servers, lay presiders, music ministry, and more. At present our priest is Father Gary Lindenbach.

St. George Romanian Orthodox Church

St. George Romanian Orthodox Church, of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, is the second oldest Romanian Orthodox Church in Saskatchewan. In 1906, lots were purchased from the CPR for the construction of a 64x30 wooden church in Dysart.

The first parish priest, Arch. Fr. E. Ungureanu, blessed the church after completion of the building. In 1922, Arch. Fr. Daniel Maxim took over as the full-time priest for the next 46 years, until his retirement in 1968. The parish was large, serving the districts of Southey, Markinch, Cupar, and Dysart.

There was a very active Ladies Auxilliary. Many members sang in the choir started and led by Bert Sulea. Sunday School was offered to the children.

Since 1906, the church has gone through numerous renovations and additions and is now a heritage site. The church celebrated its 100 th anniversary in 2006. His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel celebrated the Holy Liturgy.

The Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Nenson is now the parish priest. Services are held once a month.

-- Ethel Sulea