UNITY – The St. Peter’s parish and the community of Unity will be saying farewell to Father Gregory Roth at the end of summer after 10 years of services and prayers.
More commonly known as Fr. Greg throughout town, joined the parish in 2014. He made the move after he was placed in Humboldt for two years as an associate priest, learning how to run a service and congregation from a mentor.
Roth admitted when he was called into the bishop’s office and told he would be moving to Unity, he was a little disheartened he was not closer to the bigger cities.
“I knew it was common for the newer priests to be placed in the smaller rural communities, so I was not shocked. My parents both came from small farming communities, but I knew nothing about Unity,” said the priest.
Roth grew up in Saskatoon and often heard his grandfather say, “there’s a priest in the family”. It was when he attended a retreat in Grade 11 that the thought of becoming a priest became more of a possibility for him.
“I had family, friends, teachers and colleagues all tell me that I would make a good priest, so I decided that was the path I was supposed to be on,” said Roth. At the age of 27, Roth was ordained as a Catholic priest in 2012.
Once settled into the town of Unity, Roth began to enjoy small town living. He said that Unity really did live up to its name when he arrived, with it’s infamous hospitality.
“I was welcomed into many people’s homes for coffee or a hot meal. The small-town lifestyle allows a person to get to know everyone on a deeper personal level, and I feel there is a good spirit of unity in the town of Unity,” Roth added.
Roth will be making the move back to Saskatoon, where he will be leading the St. Anne’s parish.
“It is going to be a very different experience. There will be more resources and staff available to me, so I am not sure yet if I will be more or less busy when I get there,” he laughed.
St. Anne’s has five schools connected to the parish, with one being a high school. While Roth has experience being in the school at St. Peter’s, working alongside the students was one of the things Roth enjoyed the most.
The move from a small town to the city will be a change for Roth, however he will miss some aspects of Unity.
“I always enjoyed going to a ball game at the diamonds or watching the local kids play hockey, even stopping by the Best Lil’ Ice Cream Shop Around are some things I will miss about Unity. I will also miss spending time with the students, continuing relationships with the families I have gotten to know over the past 10 years and leading the parish here,” he said.
Roth said there were many other things he will miss about the community, there are a couple things he will not miss.
“The smell from the ethanol plant and the Press-Herald asking me to write up Faith Matters articles will for sure not be missed,” laughed Roth.
As the town says goodbye, the parish will be welcoming Fr. Matthew Ramsay to the church. Ramsay is currently the priest at St. Anne’s in Saskatoon and is not a stranger to the town of Unity as he used to live here when he was younger. His father, Jim, was the administrator for the Unity Hospital in the early 1990’s.
Roth leaves the area with one last message to the residents.
“You are a very welcoming community, so continue to love one another.”
