As a long-time resident of St. Albert as well as a confirmed atheist, I feel the time has finally come for me to vocalize my discomfort with the overwhelming Roman Catholic-ness of this city. From the name “Saint” Albert, to recurring motifs in downtown’s public art, to the statue of Father Lacombe that stands watch over our valley, the Church’s presence in this city is glaringly obvious.
While I understand it is impossible to deny the (often times unfortunate) role the Church has played in St. Albert’s history, I feel it is time our city acknowledge the increasingly secular and multicultural nature of modern society. What would this mean for St. Albert? First and foremost, it would entail the removal of all Catholic propaganda from public spaces. This would include such works as the statue of St. Albert the Great and the mural of the nuns teaching school children, both of which are prominently featured on Perron Street. Works with historical significance, such as the statue of Father Albert Lacombe would be better placed in the MusĂ©e Heritage Museum, as the Catholic and colonial ideologies represented by this statue are indicative of St. Albert’s history, rather than its present.
If citizens of this city do not want to see religious iconography removed from public spaces, then I implore that an interfaith dimension be brought into such art. Why not incorporate Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist and Judaic imagery into the fabric of our beautiful city in order to fully represent its modern multicultural face?
Changes such as these will not only elicit a greater sense of community among St. Albert’s current residents, but will further encourage an influx of diverse peoples who might have otherwise shied away from what currently appears to be a staunchly white Catholic bastion on the Prairies.
Aaron Price, St. Albert
