St. Paul Parish · Alpha Ministry

Who we are

A small, faithful team at St. Paul's — called to create a space where anyone can explore the Christian faith freely, openly, and without pressure.

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2023

Our beginning

Fr. Smith invites us to launch Alpha at St. Paul's

Early 2023 · St. Paul Parish, Richmond BC

Since then

2×

courses per year

🌱

Spring & Fall

✅

Good attendance every run

🤝

Committed team

Our Story

How Alpha came to St. Paul's

In early 2023, Fr. Smith invited us to initiate a new Alpha ministry at St. Paul's. It was an act of trust — and a clear call.

Since then, we have run courses twice a year, in the Spring and Fall, and we are pleased to note that all these courses have seen good attendance, very positive feedback, and strong, committed service team members.

Each course has reinforced what we already believed: that this parish has people hungry for honest conversation about faith — and a community ready to welcome them.

We are grateful to Fr. Smith, our parish, and every person who has walked through the door for a Monday night dinner and stayed for something more.

Foundational values

What Alpha is built on

Four commitments that shape every course, every session, and every conversation.

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Be Real

Value 1 of 4

No performances, no rehearsed answers. Alpha works because everyone in the room — guests, hosts, and helpers alike — shows up honestly. Authenticity makes space for real encounters with faith.

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Be Relational

Value 2 of 4

People come for the questions, but they stay for the people. We invest in relationships — sharing a meal, learning names, listening without an agenda. Community is how faith takes root.

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Rely on the Holy Spirit

Value 3 of 4

We plan well and prepare carefully, but we hold our plans loosely. The moment that changes someone isn't the one we scripted. We trust the Holy Spirit to move, and we try to stay out of the way.

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Reproduce

Value 4 of 4 · Empower others to lead

Every course is an invitation to step up. We deliberately raise up new small-group leaders, new hosts, and new helpers — so that Alpha at St. Paul's grows in depth and reach, not just in numbers.

PERSONAL TESTIMONY

Why Alpha?

A personal testimonial from a team member of the St. Paul Alpha Ministry, who first attended an Alpha course many years ago:

• I was at an extreme low point in my life and cried out to God. He answered me and I knew I wanted and needed more — but how?
• It all started by attending an Alpha course. I was a cradle Catholic but had lapsed in my faith and rarely attended Mass. I went from attending as a guest, to a service team member, to a leadership role. Along the way I also attended Bible study, Life in the Spirit, men's retreats, and charismatic meetings and seminars. My life changed radically, and I can never give back more than I have been freely given.

Alpha in a Catholic Context

A few quotes from the Alpha Canada website

• Alpha equips people to be missionary disciples, not simply to just be consumers of their faith. It brings people into these much deeper relationships and makes people comfortable sharing their faith with others.
— Father Michael Leclerc, St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish, Montreal, QC
• A good number of our parishes in our diocese have hosted adult Alphas and we also use Alpha for Youth as the first component in our Confirmation process. Alpha helps to draw people into an initial and ongoing encounter and rich relationship with Jesus and his Church. Alpha lays the foundation to go deeper and, in the power of the Holy Spirit become the missionary disciples the Lord calls each one of us to be.
- Bishop Christian Riesbeck, Saint John, NB
• The Archdiocese of Vancouver first welcomed Alpha here in 1994 and we have been experiencing its benefits ever since. Alpha has not only helped us introduce unchurched people to Christ but also provided an excellent way for Catholics to live out their baptismal call to evangelize.
- Archbishop J. Michael Miller, Vancouver, BC

Prayer from 2024 Alpha in a Catholic Context

A prayer from the 2024 Alpha in a Catholic Context Update

• As the Catholic Church enters the Jubilee Year of Hope, we pray that all parishes, dioceses, and communities may truly become beacons of hope – renewed in mission, forming missionary disciples, and creating spaces of encounter through Alpha. We pray for all Alpha staff and teams who are leading initiatives throughout the Jubilee Year. May these bear fruit and inspire generations to follow Jesus.

Celebrating all God has done through local Church

Celebrating all God has done through the local Church

St. Paul Alpha Ministry is but a small cog in a much bigger engine. See how God is moving throughout Canada. The link below brings you to the Alpha Canada website where you can view the annual progress reports.

View / Download Annual Impact Reports →