Given that my mother’s parents were from England, my mother’s heritage was definitely English. Roast beef and Yorkshires on Sundays happened regularly. A deeply held respect for the monarchy was part and parcel of our upbringing, which was learned more by osmosis than anything else. My father, a Catholic, was part of the Second World War effort serving as a dental officer on the HMCS Puncher, a Vancouver-based aircraft carrier that did the Murmansk Run in Nazi U-boat-infested waters. He also loved the Queen and the Commonwealth, as well as his time in the United Kingdom during the war.
I had an eventful two years as a newly ordained priest. No matter where I got assigned I either was transferred or the pastor left shortly after I arrived. In 1982 when I was assigned to Holy Name of Jesus Parish, the pastor, Father Lawrence Sabatini, left to become the Bishop of Kamloops.
As the sole priest and administrator of Holy Name, located across from Queen Elizabeth Park, I took Communion to a little Irish lady in a care home on 41st Avenue. One day her daughter, who was assistant city clerk at Vancouver City Hall, phoned me up and said, “Would you say grace for the Queen, who will be hosted by the City of Vancouver at Queen Elizabeth Park?”
Sure, I said. Being Irish, the assistant city clerk wasn’t excited about organizing events for an English Queen. I asked Father Richard Mugford, a wonderful convert priest from Anglicanism and director of the archdiocesan Catholic Information Centre, to write up an ecumenical grace for the occasion.
June 19th, 1983, came around. It was the day of the opening ceremonies of BC Place Stadium, referred to as “the mushroom in bondage” by the papers. I had on my new suit for the occasion. I walked over to the park from the rectory. The parish ladies asked, “tell us how much makeup she is wearing.”
The group was preparing to be lined up in the restaurant foyer to greet the Queen, instructed about bowing and curtseying. We weren’t all lined up yet, but yet suddenly she was there: earlier than expected. Later I thought, how Canadian. Sometimes we’re just not that well organized.
Queen Elizabeth came into the room with one or two ladies in waiting. We were NOT ready for her at all. There was a deafening silence as no one said anything. There were just four of us from the head table, waiting for the rest who hadn’t arrive yet. Totally forgetting the protocol of only speaking when spoken to, I said, “So lovely of you to visit us, Your Majesty!”
Unflustered, she said, “It’s wonderful to be here.”
I bowed, the ladies curtseyed, and the rest of the head table lined up. Then Mayor Mike Harcourt showed up with his aides-de-camp.
I was very struck by how blue the Queen’s eyes were. I did not notice the makeup. Instead of shaking your hand, the Queen cups her hand into yours; I can well imagine why. I was left with the impression of how gracious and courteous she was, in awe of the power of her motherly presence in our Commonwealth.
Grace went well. I didn’t stumble, I just rose and said it.
We at the head table noticed that the Queen hardly partook of any of her food. On such overseas visits she would eat early in the morning, on the royal yacht Britannia, and only lightly graze the food at lunchtime commitments.
It was an adventure, and I still can’t believe it 39 years later. May she rejoice in the eternal splendour of the Father’s kingdom. It was a great privilege and honour to be in such proximity to this amazing woman. Requiem aeternam dona ei Domine.
Powell River citizens remember her 1971 visit to our city well. It’s wonderful that she could make it out to our coast, and that we have these treasured memories.
Father Patrick Tepoorten is pastor of Church of the Assumption in Powell River.
Queen Elizabeth II and B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell at UBC during the Queen’s Jubilee in 2002. (Michael Chu/Flickr)
There’s a strange sadness to losing Her Majesty.
In addition to her key constitutional role, which she performed well, she was just a small, quiet part of the background of all our lives.
For many people my age she was part of our grandparents’ generation. She was a reminder of the connection we all have with the world that came before us and the best values of that time, including dedication to office, responsibility, piety, dignity, and a sort of noble restraint.
The best part of her years of service was that she knew it wasn’t just about her and it wasn’t just about now. Others counted too, including the generations who came before and those who have yet to be born.
As she goes on to her eternal reward, may God save our Queen and long live our King.
Kelden Formosa was a teacher at Immaculate Conception, Vancouver, and now lives in Calgary.
