REV. HENRY BOENING.
 


	A well known representative of the Catholic clergy in Saskatchewan
is the Rev. Henry Boening, who since October, 1919, has been priest of
St. Mary's church in Regina, which under his wise guidance has made
steady advancement in the various lines of church activity and has be-
come a potent factor in the moral uplift of the community. His birth
occurred in the province of Saxony, Germany, on the 2d of February,
1871, his parents being George and Katherine (Wilhelm) Boening, who
were also natives of that country. The mother died in Germany, but the
father, who was a government railway employee, still survives at the ad-
vanced age of eighty-four years. To them were born five children.
	Henry Boening, the eldest of the family, began his education in a vil-
lage school and when a lad of thirteen left home to enter upon prepara-
tion for the priesthood. When six years had thus passed he went to Liege,
Belgium, where he devoted two years to the study of philosophy and a
similar period to the study of theology. In 1895, prior to his ordination
to the priesthood, he was sent to New Westminster, British Columbia,
as a college instructor and there remained until 1901.  It was in 1896
that he was ordained and five years later he took charge of the Govern-
ment Indian Industrial School at Williams Lake, British Columbia, there
remaining until 1914. As head of that school he developed it from small
beginnings into a splendid educational institution.  In October, 191:~,
Father Boening returned to his home in Germany, where he spent six
months, and after again coming to America took up the duties of parish
priest in Kamloops, British Columbia, where he labored from 1914 until
1916.  The succeeding three years were spent in Vancouver and New
Westminster and in January, 1919, he was sent to Regina, Saskatchewan,
as pastor of St. Mary's Catholic church, which has since been under his
direction.  The parish numbers about five hundred and fifty German
families and supports a handsome church, the first portion of which wa~
erected in 1906 and the second seven years later. Father Boening's time
is fully occupied in the performance of the numerous duties that devolve
upon him as pastor of St. Mary's. He speaks fluently in the French, Ger-
man and English languages and his services have been of much value
to his mixed congregation.  He has supervision over two schools of the
parish-St. Mary's and St. Joseph's, which have a teaching staff of seven-
teen teachers and are largely attended by German speaking children.
In November, 1922, the attendance at St. Mary's was about three hun-
dred and twenty-four, while that at St. Joseph's was four hundred and
twenty-one. Father Boening has labored with consecrated zeal and under
his capable direction every branch of the church work has been developed,
its societies thoroughly organized and its growth greatly stimulated.




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