Icon of Fr. Albert Lacombe

Harvey Spak is a former Oblate Scholastic who studied in Lebret until 1966 when the Scholasticat du Sacré-Coeur moved from Lebret to St. Norbert. He discontinued with the Oblates after one year in St. Norbert. Afterwards, Harvey explored his roots as a Catholic of the Eastern Rites. He is an artist trained in cinematography and he has painted a number of icons. In one of his films with the National Film Board he had many shots of the abandoned scholasticate building in Lebret. He has remained a good friend of the Oblates. Recently, he sent Fr. Alfred Groleau a picture of his Icon of Fr. Albert Lacombe, and Harvey’s description of the icon, found below.

Fr Lacombe is depicted in old style Roman vestments. Because he was a missionary among both the Cree and the Blackfoot the icon uses elements of Cree and Blackfoot design. For example his chasuble is emblazoned with the floral pattern of traditional Cree beadwork. The border and the Book of Gospels in his left hand recall the angular geometric design of Blackfoot beadwork. His right hand blesses with fingers conformed in the Byzantine priestly blessing depicting the first three letters in Greek of the Name of Christ. (A Byzantine Bishop blesses with both hands depicting the Name of Christ). Over his left shoulder we see a bison, the manna of aboriginal peoples. When Fr Lacombe first arrived on the prairies, the Métis gave him a horse and a rifle and asked him to accompany them on a buffalo hunt. The danger, and the thrill of the hunt marked him forever. He became addicted and often rode with both the Indians and Métis when he moved with them on their seasonal hunts. Over his right shoulder we see an Appaloosa pony. Fr Lacombe loved horses and was an accomplished horseman. When the Earl of Southesk, a Scottish nobleman arrived in Lac Ste Anne on his way to hunt in Jasper in the 1860’s Fr Lacombe gave him his large white stallion, noting that the Earl’s meager mount could not possible survive the rigors of a mountain safari. Below the pony we see the traditional three barred Byzantine Cross recalling Father Lacombe’s successful efforts in bringing the Basilian Fathers from Ukraine to establish their missions among exiled Ukrainian settlers of Western Canada. Because Ukraine at that time was part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, Fr Lacombe first sought permission from Emperor Fraz-Josef. After a few personal meetings Fr Lacombe, was made a friend of the Emperor and referred to Metropolitan Andrew Sheptitski the Patriarch of the Ukrainian Catholic Church.

Because Metropolitan Andrew had studied both law and theology in Belgium, Austria and England he spoke excellent French, English, German, Latin and Greek. Fr. Lacombe and the Patriarch conducted the affairs of the missions in French. Of course Fr Lacombe became a great friend of Metropolitan Andrew. Below the Byzantine cross we find an elevation of the St Albert Church, the cathedral for the vicariate, which later became the archdiocese of Edmonton. Fr Lacombe was one of the founders of the St Albert mission. In the upper right hand corner we see his name, Albert Lacombe OMI/English/French. (All icons must be named.) In the top right we see in Ukrainian the name Ispovidnik Albert, which translated means: Albert; Confessor of the Faith. It occurs to me that Fr Lacombe ministered to the aboriginal people during the time of the great small pox epidemics and survived. Perhaps we should pray to him to intercede for us during this present time of plague. A few reflection on my favorite hero who should be officially be named a Canadian Saint.