Saskatoon bishop happy with inner city move

 Watch above: Roman Catholic Bishop Don Bolen explains why he moved out of his official residence and into an apartment in the inner city.

SASKATOON – Bishop Don Bolen says leaving a four-bedroom home on Saskatoon’s Spadina Crescent, and moving into a two-bedroom apartment in the inner city seemed like a good move on a number of levels.

“I’ve always been attracted to a simpler lifestyle,” Bolen told Global News. Bolen said when he moved to the city several years ago, it was natural to move into the bishop’s residence. But he often wondered if it was a good fit.

“It’s not ostentatious,” said Bolen, who is the Roman Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of Saskatoon. “But it’s four bedrooms, four bathrooms, quite a bit bigger than I needed.”

He says one of the influences behind his move was the example of Pope Francis.

“When he became Pope, he chose not to live in the Vatican papal apartments, (instead) in a residence for clergy, and that started me thinking in a new way,” said Bolen. And he says he’s been pleased with his new neighborhood.

“It’s a great neighborhood, one of the little surprises is that when I drive down the street early in the morning, it reminds me of small town Saskatchewan where I grew up,” said Bolen. “It’s a neighborhood with a lot of gifts and a few challenges and it’s nice to be a part of that.”

He also likes the fact he is close to a couple of churches that do a lot of outreach work in the inner city.

“Pope Francis, he calls us to be where peoples’ struggles are, and enter into their lives, and be a part of those challenges,” said Bolen.

“It’s been very inspiring … Pope Francis embodies a great simplicity and a deep concern for justice. It’s refreshing and challenging.”

The diocese has since sold the house on Spadina.