Courage, compassion marked life of Fr. Andre Poilievre
Founder of STR8 UP rescued gang members from life on streets, held hand out to marginalized, at-risk members of society
The St. Thomas More College (STM) community joins in mourning the passing of Fr. André Poilièvre.
A man of compassion and courage, Fr. Poilièvre, 88, was ordained as a priest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon in 1962. His work helping people move out of addictions and gang violence led to the establishment of STR8 UP in 2002. In 2015, he accepted that St. Thomas More Medal along with the members of STR8 UP. (Read the award description from the 2015 presentation below).
In 2023, Fr. Poilièvre was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Saskatchewan in recognition of his lifetime of service to the community. As part of those celebrations, he met and had dinner with STM students involved in the Service and Justice Project.
The evening included presentation by Dr. Carl Still, President of STM College, followed by a talk by Fr. Poilièvre, reflecting on his lifelong commitment to serving Indigenous peoples, the STR8UP goals and commitment, and ultimately reminding listeners that the key to building relationships through honesty and humility. There was also an opportunity for follow-up questions with the students and attendees.
“This encounter inspired us all,” said Gertrude Rompré, Director of Mission and Ministry at STM College. “As a college community, we are grateful for Fr. André’s prophetic witness, consistently teaching us how to live the Gospel with humility and heart.”
He was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada in 2008. The citation reads: A compassionate champion of social justice, André Poilièvre spends much of his time on the streets of Saskatoon, providing moral and social support to marginalized Aboriginal and inner-city youth. He works with former gang members, mentoring and mobilizing them to help at-risk youth in his community. Through these efforts, he works to steer young people away from the pitfalls of substance abuse and gang culture, and helps them to gain a more positive sense of self through involvement in the arts and in social activities. A former coordinating chaplain of the Saskatoon Correctional Centre, he helped inmates develop life and employment skills, and continues to offer street ministry to ex-offenders, supporting those coping with problems of violence and addiction.
The family has announced that a community memorial event will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 15 at Gordie Howe Sports Centre in Saskatoon.
“We join together in prayer for Fr. Andre, and for his family, friends and community. We also hold in prayer the many people who have been affected by his life and ministry over the years, who are now grieving his death,” said Bishop Mark Hagemoen in a message to the diocese July 7.
“Fr. André has served in many ways in our diocese, including as director of the Catholic Centre, and in parishes, including at Saints-Martyrs-Canadiens Parish in Saskatoon – and perhaps most notably in his prison outreach,” Hagemoen said.
2015 presentation of the STM Medal:
The Thomas More medal has been established to recognize and honour persons, groups of persons, and organizations who combine personal qualities of care, integrity and faith with significant contributions to community and public life. The award is named after St. Thomas More whose extraordinary example of faithful virtue and public service remains an inspiration to all.
This year’s award winner was announced at the Corporation dinner by President Downey. STM proudly recognizes Fr. André Poilièvre and STR8 UP, the organization he founded, as the 2015 recipient of the St. Thomas More Medal.
Father Poilièvre, a native of Prud’homme, has attended 4 different universities, including the Catholic University in Paris. He notes that his ministry has been shaped by 3 influences: the worker priest movement in France, the Second Vatican Council, and liberation theology. His lifelong passion and priestly mission have been his dedication to helping young offenders, addicts and gang members make it through the difficult journey from hurting to healing.
Originally serving as director of the Catholic Centre, he soon became a pastor at St. Michael’s Parish. During his time there he met a First Nations man whose life story sparked in Father Poilièvre an awareness of entirely different experience of Canadian reality, a reality that would eventually lead him to walk with young men on the path to healing.
Father Poilièvre then became involved in adult education programs in Saskatoon. His enthusiasm for education then took him to the Arctic where he spent 5 years developing and implementing training programs for Inuit and Dene management trainees in Inuit and First Nations owned co-operative enterprises.
After further studies at the University of Toronto, Father Poilièvre spent the next 10 years working with disadvantaged youth as a teacher, counsellor and chaplain in Saskatoon at Joe Duquette High School (now Oskayak). He became further involved in helping youth by spending time with those incarcerated at Kilburn Hall, and eventually the Saskatoon Correction Centre.
After his time at Joe Duquette, he became the coordinating chaplain at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre where he spent 7 years. In a recent CBC news article, Father Poilièvre expressed his concern about the lack of effective rehabilitation programs in this facility. He advocates that a change in attitudes toward criminals and jails is necessary. This shift, he feels, could instigate a change in these centres from a culture of violence, crime, conflicts, hate and resentment, to an environment of therapy, healing, rehabilitation and wellness.
Combining his experience in education, counselling, and chaplaincy, with his concern and advocacy for youth, he co-founded STR8 UP, an organization which helps to liberate individuals from gangs and criminal lifestyles, and to find hope and healing. STR8 UP has helped over 100 young people escape gang-life.
In 2008, Father André Poilièvre received an appointment to Order of Canada. Our country’s highest civilian honor recognizes the social and moral support he has provided for Aboriginal and inner-city youth struggling with addictions and gang violence, over the course of 20 years.
In 2014 he retired as from his role of priest moderator at Sts-Martyrs-Canadiens Parish in Saskatoon.
Thank you, Father Poilièvre, for your lifelong dedication to ministry and education, and for your unwavering commitment to the young offenders, inmates and gang members within our community. To recognize both your personal commitment and the work of STR8 UP, STM is proud to award the 2015 St. Thomas More Medal to Fr. André Poilièvre and the members of STR8 UP!
Read the full obituary:
Obituary for Fr. André Poilièvre
Service for Fr. André Poilièvre
The family has announced that a community memorial event will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 15 at Gordie Howe Sports Centre in Saskatoon.
More reading about Fr. André Poilièvre:
Celebration and Collaboration with Fr. Poilievre - St. Thomas More College
USask honours Fr. André Poilièvre
Promoting awareness of STR8 UP
