Indigenous and Community Relations Circle
Journeying together towards healing, reconciliation and right relationships with All
Sept 1-Oct 15 2021 ICRC Digest Issue 001
Dear Sisters,
Greetings of Peace!
This is a maiden issue of the monthly digest to update ourselves on events and initiatives that we are doing to participate in the on-going truth, healing and reconciliation processes on Turtle Island. You are most welcome to participate by sending snippets of events you have attended, related books you have read, resolutions you have made, reconciliation prayers you have prayed, a poem you meditated on…the list goes on. Sky is the limit! The aim is to publish on CanProv Group mail every 15th of the following month. The next issue is on November 15 to cover October activities. Submissions are due on November 10. Please send to: petitelao@gmail.com.
September 1, 2021
Inauguration of Season of Creation at St. Kateri Parish [Winnipeg]
The season began with the pipe ceremony and dance which was performed at the opening day to mark the month-long celebration. It was a joyful and grace-filled moment for the parishioners to gather as a big group after a long period of lockdown. For the first day, all the participants were presented with gifts of tobacco, sweet grass and sage wrapped in white, yellow and red cloths, as well as, small candles to take home, along with the instructions to unite and connect themselves with the Creator and pray with the gifts given by God for the whole universe.
Then, each Sunday has a different theme to celebrate the four precious element: Water, Earth, Fire, and Air, in a traditional way of practicing faith and spirituality, then, followed by Mass. The symbols and images of creation were placed on the boat at the entrance door and corridor of the Church to make it festive and prayerful. The altar were also surrounded with native symbols and images. Not to forget those 215 little children who died at the Residential School, an image of an orange shirt were tied up on the branch of a tree and placed near the altar. On the conclusion day of the Season of Creation, after the Mass, the choir led the congregation, with drums songs, to the church portico and all were invited to participate in the Jerusalema dance.
Sept 12, 2021
Experience of a Home Visit [Toronto]
Petite joined Fr. Wilson Andrade, CSC, Pastor of Native Peoples Mission, in visiting one of the elders in his home. He has been wanting to come to the parish but he was unwell and was recently hospitalized. They visited him in his new home that he wanted to be blessed and he sang an honor song for the occasion. It was a very moving visit.
September 18, 2021
Reconciliation mass with Hungarian and Haitian Community St Elizabeth of Hungary Parish [Toronto]
John Robinson (Ojibway elder) facilitated the smudging ceremony in the reconciliation mass at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish. Bishop Robert Kasun, CSC was the main celebrant. Petite assisted John, as usual, and sang the honor song for him.
September 26, 2021
Commemorating National Day for Truth and Reconciliation [Toronto]
The Native Peoples Mission marked the commemoration of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The purification ritual was led by Elder John Robinson. It was a well-attended event. It was also an occasion to launch prayerfully the research project of Petite. She also delivered a reflection on the Filipino Catholics and the Challenges of the Truth and Reconciliation Process. For more information on the project, please see: Pinoy at TRC (pinoytrc.info).
Participation in the Pipe ceremony at Holy Child Parish [Regina]
Patricia and Pricilla participated in a pipe ceremony which was conducted in the Holy Child Parish. There were around sixty persons including children, together with Bishop Don Bolen and a few priests and nuns. Since this was a sacred ceremony, they sat in a circle. Elders, mostly men, sat on the ground and performed rituals with meaningful prayers in their own languages. After the prayer each one got a chance to share, holding an eagle feather. Some of the First Nationsbrothers and sisters shared their stories. After the prayers and rituals, there was sharing of gifts. All the participants got something to take home with them. That was a lovely day for everyone who joined the ceremony.
September 30, 2021
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Winnipeg
Archbishop Richard Gagnon celebrated the Holy Eucharist at St. Kateri Aboriginal Parish. There were many visitors who came from other parishes and the mass was livestreamed for others to participate from their respective places. Pastor Therese and the Mennonite community joined the celebration, too. After the Mass, all were served with light refreshments: sandwiches, tea and coffee.
Toronto
Petite assisted John in a school visit in Northmount School where he taught indigenous ways to about 125 boys of different ages.
John and Petite also participated in an Archdiocesan Prayer Service online led by Cardinal Thomas Collins. The service incorporated some indigenous elements. Some friends were moved by this, as well as, the reading of the apology by the Cardinal. Petite was also able to offer tobacco in a Sacred Fire at Michael Garron Hospital. In the evening, the Loretto House Community drummed and sang for the children, as a response to the invitation of Tkemlups te Secwepemc to be in solidarity with them in singing the honor song for the children and survivors at 2:15 pm which is 5:15 pm in Toronto. Another interesting meeting Petite had was with young Catholics discussing the Church’s response to indigenous justice advocacy. It was a very full day of various activities.
Regina
Truth and Reconciliation day is a very significant day for the Indigenous brothers and sisters. To mark this special occasion, Pricilla and Patricia joined a special Rosary and prayer in the Cathedral. The Rosary was conducted by Elder May in Cree which was very meaningful. Many brothers and sisters participated on this day wearing orange shirts. After the prayer service, all gathered in the parking lot and had a cultural show which was specially performed by little children and elders from First Nations Communities. Participants were all served with snacks which were very good. It was delightful to see many had joined to see the beautiful program. Everything went very well.
October 2, 2021
On Saturday, October 2nd, Bishop Don invited Pricilla and Patricia to join him in follow up session with a circle of residential school survivors from the Cote reserve one of 25 in the Diocese.
We were to be there to witness to the compassionate listening church along with a representative from the United Church of Canada. The meeting followed a delicious catered lunch.
At the meeting, the Circle of survivors presented a well thought out plan for an office and classroom space. In that space they hoped to teach the youth on their reserve, the indigenous language and culture that they had been deprived of because of their experience in Residential school.
Both Bishop Don and the rep from the United Church, Julie Graham, promised some financial help. It would come primarily from the funding the 5 Bishops of Saskatchewan are raising to support such projects. The Circle of Elders were disappointed that they could not get the amount requested. Yet, hopeful at the same time, in that they had been heard and would have a further meeting in a few weeks time with Bishop Don.
[More October activities will be published in the next ICRC Digest…]
OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY PROMOTES RECONCILIATION
Our local library in Regina has many resources for Truth and Reconciliation. There have been numerous Zoom meetings hosted by indigenous people as well as books by indigenous authors for adults, teens and children. Recently, a land acknowledgement which honours the land as originally under the stewardship of the First Nations People, welcomes all who enter the library.
The orange paper shirts on the walls ask the question, “What reconciliation means to me?” Children of all ages have answered and they are on the wall for all to see…one that touched my heart was “your pain is my pain”, another gave hope” friends forever”. What would our answer be?
THE SILOAM MISSION
I am very happy and grateful to God that I had an opportunity to volunteer at Siloam Mission in the kitchen twice a week. A lot of people come for free meals every day. At the kitchen, I chopped onions, packed sandwiches, peeled carrots and potatoes, etc.… The important thing was serving people who came for meal with big smile and thankful. [Thuong]
This resource from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is highly recommended. Just click the link: https://nctr.ca/education/trw/general-public-schedule/
“Remember that no matter where you direct your steps, you will be treading on soil that is ours, we are the only true masters of this land of our ancestors.”
[Indian Chief in Farewell Speech before RNDMs left La Croche, see the story on page 100 of From Ultramontane Origins to a New Cosmology by Rosa Bruno-Jofre.]
Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions
393 Gaboury Place
Winnipeg, MB
Canada
R2H 0L5
Phone: (204) 786-6051
Fax: (204) 691-0640