Church arsonist fails to appear for sentencing
The charred remains of St. Bernard’s Church in Grouard, Alta., following a May 22, 2023, fire that destroyed the church.
Photo courtesy Archdiocese of Grouard-McLennan
The Catholic Register
June 23, 2025
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The criminal sentencing for a man who admitted he set ablaze St. Bernard Church in Grouard, Alta., on May 22, 2023 has been indefinitely delayed as the confessed perpetrator failed to show up at the Court of King’s Bench in Peace River on June 12.
Gerald Kenneth Capot, 52, of High River was poised to be penalized on a charge of arson to the property of others. His failure to appear led to his lawyer immediately withdrawing from the case.
Court Checks informed High River media outlet South Peace News that the court issued an arrest warrant for Capot.
Keith Randy Ferguson was also charged in connection with torching St. Bernard’s Church. Ferguson was ultimately sentenced to 90 days after pleading guilty to breaking and entering. A second charge of arson to the property of others was withdrawn.
Ferguson was also given 12-months probation. In addition to completing whatever treatment, counselling or other measures recommended during the probation period, he was ordered to express remorse for what he did by penning a letter to the parish community.
Following the tragic destruction of the 121-year-old house of worship, St. Bernard’s congregants began celebrating Mass in the Kapawe’no First Nation School in Grouard each Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Fr. Victor Ezenwanne spoke to the Register on June 11, the day before the scheduled sentencing of Capot. He was not the shepherd of this community at the time of the fire (that was Fr. Bernard Akum), but he came to quickly learn that congregants remain hurt by the incident.
Ezenwanne shared there is hope for a new church in the years ahead.
“The church was insured and the (Archdiocese of Grouard-McLennan) is in discussions with the insurance company,” said Ezenwanne. “I believe they want to start (the rebuilding) some time this year before the summer finishes.”
Notably, the original St. Bernard’s was designated a provincial heritage site. It also was adorned with many, now destroyed, cherished historical items, including paintings rendered by Bishop Emile Grouard. The Oblate of Mary Immaculate was dubbed “the Artist Bishop of the North.”
(Amundson is a staff writer for The Catholic Register.)
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