Obituary of Rev. KRIVANEK

REV. FR. ALOIS KRIVANEK Father Alois Krivanek has finally been welcomed into the arms of the God he served so well. Father died on Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at the age of 90. Despite a long journey with diabetes, Father had said, "I am at peace." Father was born on June 15, 1919 in Nov� Veseli, Czechoslovakia, in the parish of St. Wenceslaus. He was one of five boys born to Franciscus and Zophia Krivanek. He loved school and learning. During his last year at high school there began the rumblings of the beginnings of the Hitler regime. He was not allowed to speak or write Czechoslovakian in school. In 1938, while attending a friend's ordination in Prague, he made the decision to become a priest. He entered the Archdiocesan Seminary in Prague to participate in the six-year course, but was only able to complete four years due to the military unrest at the time. He was ordained in 1943 and worked in the parishes of Jesenice, Velvary, Kourim, Kladruby Kostelec and Scapce. In 1950, he attempted to escape from Czechoslovakia because Catholic priests were being persecuted, but was arrested and sent to a Displaced Persons' Camp at Valka Lager in Nürnberg. Here he took care of the refugees from Czechoslovakia and eastern parts of Europe. In 1951, Father got permission to emigrate and arrived at Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia on February 16th, 1951. He traveled west to Saskatchewan, where he took positions in Fife Lake, Vanguard, Masefield, Rosenfeld and Hodgeville until 1963. Father loved the prairies and often said that if he ever would build a church, it would resemble a grain elevator. In 1963, Father took a position in San Diego as a hospital chaplain. In 1964, he was requested to return to Canada to take responsibility for the Polish parish of St. Michael's in Cooks Creek, Manitoba. He spent the next twenty seven years there, also ministering to the needs of the parishioners of St. Pius X in Glass, MB. In 1968, Father created one of Manitoba's greatest treasures, the Cooks Creek Heritage Museum. He leaves this museum as a legacy for generations to come. "Without memories of the past, there can be no dreams of greatness for the future." In 1992, Father Krivanek retired from active priesthood and moved to Stoney Plains in Beausejour, MB. Here he continued to receive visits from his many friends and acquaintances and actively prayed for everyone, thankful for the wonderful life he had in this country. He remained at Stoney Plains until his passing. Father leaves to mourn his passing, brother and sister-in-law Jara and Helen Krivanek and sister-in-law Ludmila Krivanek and many nieces and nephews in Czech Republic, his dear friend Father Svoboda of Winnipeg and his many friends, past and present parishioners of Cooks Creek and across Canada. Thank you to Dr. Van Rensberg and the excellent staff at Beausejour Hospital as well as the Home Care staff at Stoney Plains. To Father Mark Drozniak, who visited Father regularly and to everyone who visited throughout the years, especially his beloved friends from the Museum. The Funeral Mass will be presided by Archbishop �milius Goulet, P.S.S., on the 22nd, August, at 11:00 a.m., in St. Michael's R.C. Church, Cooks Creek, MB, followed by the interment in St. Michael's cemetery.