Mary's Veil returns to fundraise for West Country Hearth

When Colleen Soetaert went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, it occurred to her that she could use her experiences at Jericho, Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Nazareth as acting research.

Soetart plays the role of a mature Mary who sees her son crucified in Mary’s Veil, a fundraiser running at the Arden Theatre from Friday, Jan. 30 to Sunday, Feb. 1.

The 23-song musical follows the life of Mary as she grows from an idealistic child to a more seasoned wife and mother.

“For me it’s more realistic. It’s more pertinent. This time it’s even more significant. Now that I’ve seen Galilee and Cana, I can picture the place in mind,” says Soetaert, also the president of the West Sturgeon Aging in Place Foundation.

The foundation owns and organizes the non-profit West Country Hearth, a seniors’ assisted living facility in Villeneuve that houses anywhere from 90 to 100 residents at any given time.

About one-third of the residents are from west Sturgeon County. The others come from Legal, Morinville, St. Albert, Edmonton, Spruce Grove, Onoway and Edmonton.

Mary’s Veil was originally created as a fundraiser for the foundation to build and maintain West Country Hearth. Soetaert has been a dedicated member of the cast since the musical’s inception in 2001.

The production sold out 23 shows over four years from 2002 to 2005 and returned in 2009 in tighter retooled version. To date, the amateur theatre troupe has raised over $400,000 for West Country Hearth.

Once again the foundation is in need.

“There are more and more demands from Alberta Health Services that are not followed by dollars and maintaining high quality care and service is important to us,” Soetaert said.

She explained that non-profits depend on a provincial grant system. Several grants the foundation relied on, including the Wild Rose Grant and the Community Spirit Grant, are both gone. The loss of these grants makes grassroots fundraising even more important.

In 2013, the facility opened Harmony Haven 1, a safe and secure unit for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. A second unit is planned.

“Sadly that’s where the greatest need is.”

While the provincial government contributed $1 million to the project, the foundation’s mortgage is budgeted at an equal amount.

Forty-three actors are volunteering their time and standing behind this two-hour plus musical that chronicles the life of Mary as a flesh and blood woman with a position in society.

Playwright-composer Sandra Brenneis explores Mary at different chapters in her life. The youthful Mary is fiercely committed to God. Mary, the mother, focuses her support on Joseph and Jesus. The mature Mary cradles her son in death and the fourth Mary has come full circle and fully understands the framework of her life.

Four actors portray the different stages of her life. At the turning point of each stage, her veil is passed to the next Mary.

“Mary continues to be popular today because she is so relatable. I see her as an intercessor. I see her as my connection to leading a meaningful life. She is a living example of what it means to be in the service of the Lord. I don’t think she would have been comfortable with worship. Her experiences as a wife and mother are universal. Her day-to-day living was a call to serve. She showed us you don’t have to be a great leader to make a difference,” Brenneis said.

When Brenneis penned the musical more than 15 years ago, she had an explicit message that has not dimmed with time.

“We are intended to love beyond ourselves. We exist to do more than for our own purpose. We can do profound things when we have a clear mission. You don’t have to be of a certain faith. Your actions just have to be done with loving intent.”