Monsigneur Mark Hagemoen
Father Christopher Antony
Our Priests
Father Mark Hagemoen - Pastor
Reverend Monsignor Mark Hagemoen is the Pastor at St. John the Apostle Parish. He is also currently the Vicar of Pastoral Services for the Archdiocese of Vancouver. He serves on a number of church boards and committees, including: the College of Consultors and the Archdiocesan Finance Council. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for St. Marks and Corpus Christi Colleges at U.B.C.
His previous pastoral ministry assignments have included: Pastor of St. Nicholas, Langley (1999 to 2004); Chaplain at Redeemer Pacific College, Langley (2000-2004); Director of the Office of Youth Ministry (1994-2003); Associate Director of the Office of Vocations (1998); Associate Pastor at St. Mary's Parish, Chilliwack (1990-91 and 1992-94); Associate Pastor at St. Stephen's Parish, North Vancouver (1991-92); Chaplain of St. Thomas Aquinas High School, North Vancouver (1991-92) Program Director and Chaplain at "Camp Latona", 1988 to 1995; Chaplain at Regional Psychiatric Institute, Abbotsford, 1988.
Upon completing his undergraduate degree (Bachelor of Arts) at the University of British Columbia, and travel of 12 months throughout Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe, he entered St. Peter's Seminary in London Ontario, completing his Masters of Divinity degree in 1989. Rev. Hagemoen completed the National Certificate in Youth Ministry Studies in 1996, and the Certificate for Advanced Studies in Ministry in 1998. He began a Doctor of Ministry program at Trinity Western University in 2003, which he completed in April 2007.
Reverend Christopher Antony - Associate Pastor
Rev Christopher Antony, our new associate pastor, was born on 27th February, 1974 in a Catholic village called “Mugaiyur” located in Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India. The family is a traditional Catholic family and used to live in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, a beautiful group of islands that were hit by Tsunami.
He completed his Bachelor’s Degree in “Economics” (B.A. Economics) in the year 1997. He was ordained priest on 14th January, 2003 for the Apostolic Society of “Heralds of Good News” (HGN). Just after his ordination he served in a Media Centre in Nagaland, the northeast state of India for two years (2003 -04). And then he came down to Chennai (earlier known as Madras), his home state in India, for pursuing Master’s Degree in “Mass Media & Communications Studies” (M.A. Communications) from the University of Madras (2005-07). He was awarded the degree with two gold medals for standing first in the University. Then he served in various religious media centres evangelizing through both print and electronic media. He also started “HASCOM” – Heralds Animation & Social Communication Center for their congregation in December 2008 to carry out evangelization through media.
A brief note on the Apostolic Society of Heralds of Good News:
“Heralds of Good News” (HGN) is a Clerical Missionary Society of Apostolic Life of Diocesan Right, whose principal seat is established in the diocese of Eluru in India, was founded by Very Rev Fr Jose Kaimlett on October 14, 1984. It was erected as of diocesan right on May 5, 1991 and being recognized as of Pontifical right on May 5, 1999.
The Society has a Charism that is unique to itself of training and supplying zealous and saintly priests wherever there is need in the universal Church, especially due to the shortage of local vocations.
The Society has Mary Queen of Apostles and St. Joseph the Worker as the Patrons.
The Society has about 302 priests and around 432 seminarians in various levels of studies. Apart from India the priests serve in various dioceses of countries like Tanzania (Africa), Papua New Guinea, Italy, Nederland, America and Canada.