CARLYLE - Ninety-four-year-old Father Joe Frey has enjoyed a lifetime full of accomplishments.
He was one of 14 children born on a farm just outside of Kroneau. At an early age, he committed his life to the Catholic Church and was ordained on May 30, 1953.
His first parish appointments were Vibank and then Gerald, a town near Esterhazy. The Catholic Diocese then assigned him to many towns and cities including Lanigan, Regina, Windthorst, Kipling, Grayson, Killaly, Lemberg, Radville and Lake Alma. During his distinguished career, Frey served 17 congregations. He moved to Kenosee Lake in 1995.
Frey continues to enjoy a very active lifestyle. As a child, he doodled and drew, and as he grew older, eventually became an artist. Frey has painted hundreds of pictures and prefers self-portraits and outdoor scenes. His work adorns the walls of the Sacred Heart Chapel on Hiawatha Street at Kenosee Lake.
In 2005, he painted all 14 Stations of the Cross and included Catholic parishioners from Kenosee Lake and area in his drawings.
Frey loves the great outdoors. Daily, he goes for a walk and feeds the birds and the many deer that cross his path. Frey has golfed, skied, curled and snowmobiled. He built a log cabin on the Torch River near Candle Lake. Frey has trapped and hunted for muskrats, beavers and the odd coyote. He has dabbled in taxidermy.
Frey sings and plays the organ. He was a teacher and a stone mason. Frey has travelled extensively and at one time had a pilot’s licence. He doesn’t own a hearing aid and only needs eyeglasses for reading.
Frey is sharp, witty and easily strikes up a conversation. He has completed scores of word puzzles and has a deck of cards nearby, playing solitaire if a partner can’t be found. He is a devoted Scrabble player and wins more often than not.
“I have really enjoyed my life and feel blessed to be healthy and of relatively sound mind,” said Frey. “There is a lot of longevity in my family. My great-grandmother lived to be 99, as did my grandmother. My mother lived to be 92.”
Chris Juchacz is now the pastor of the Church of Our Parish Carlyle, Our Lady of La Salette Parish in Forget and the Sacred Heart Chapel.
“When I was assigned to Kenosee in August of 2022, I was excited because it meant that I would be following in the footsteps of Father Joe Frey. I got to know Father when I was studying to become a Catholic priest back in the summer of 2016. I marvelled at his natural ability to connect with people. He is a very humble, down-to-earth person, who enjoys a good joke and a good laugh,” said Juchacz.
“I feel honoured to be able call Father Joe my brother in the priesthood. In fact, he is more like a grandfather and mentor to me.
“There are so many things that I appreciate about Father Joe. I like how he is a renaissance man with many talents and interests. Besides being a priest for 70 years, he is an avid outdoorsman who loves walking in nature, fishing, hunting, hiking and canoeing.
“He also enjoys painting and something I recently learned is that Father Joe got his pilot’s licence many years ago. The more I get to know him, the more I hope to be as talented.”
For Frey, faith continues to be the focal point of his life. He supports the Sacred Heart Chapel congregation whenever he can.
“Life has been very good to me. I have enjoyed the church and I truly feel honoured to be able to celebrate my 70th year as an ordained priest. I have no thoughts of slowing down,” he said with a grin.
