The author holds a BA in secondary history from the University of Northern Colorado augmented by numerous Canadian university courses, notably, in history and a Certificate in Religious Education from Newman Theological College in Edmonton. His teaching experiences in Department of Indians Affairs schools on the Blood, Peigan and Hobbema Reserves, instructing medics in the U.S. Army for two years as well as teaching in the Red Deer Roman Catholic Separate and Red Deer Public Schools expanded his strong interest in cultural and social history. Teaching social studies and religion for nearly two decades at Red Deer's Camille J. Lerouge Collegiate and École Secondaire Notre Dame High School as well as his membership in Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Parish of Red Deer heightened his interest in the history of the founding of Roman Catholic parishes in the area by the Oblates and the Tinchebray Fathers. The fact that his maternal grandfather, Victor Morin, was swept up in the 20th Century French-Canadian Diaspora to the United States was also an additional factor motivating the author to research the francophone connection to the Catholic Church to his adopted Alberta home.