Indigenous and Community Relations Circle
Journeying together towards healing, reconciliation and right relationships with All
February – March 2022 ICRC Digest Issue 005
Dear Sisters,
We are in the fourth week of Lent. In a homily on Ash Wednesday, Archbishop Don said “Lent is a season where we come to the Lord empty handed, where we come bringing our needs, our struggles, and the burdens of our lives, our families, our communities, and our world, bringing them into the presence of the crucified and risen Lord. We come before God as a wounded people, a people with problems bigger than we can manage. There is room for all of that, and for all of us, in the season of Lent.” Let us embrace our calling and live this moment as well as we can, by the grace of God. We turn our hearts to God and ask God for forgiveness and healing.
We are very grateful and happy to receive your contributions: a snippet 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. Please send your contribution by email to maithuongrndm@gmail.com by the 10th of the month.
Clan Mothers Healing Village and Knowledge Centre
We have spoken of the Clan Mothers before and you can learn more at: https://clanmothers.ca/ Along with the Compassion Network (formerly the Catholic Health Association of MB) we were one of the religious communities to support financially the recent transfer of land from the Good Shepherd Sisters to the Clan Mothers. This land is on the east shore of Lake Winnipeg near Belair, just past Grand Beach. This week Veronica and Sandy attended a meeting of Women of Spirit, arranged by the Clan Mothers, to discuss an upcoming forum/fundraiser entitled “Reconciliation: Sisters to Sisters” which will take place on April 28th at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Veronica, Sandy, and Sr. Norma MacDonald (Holy Cross) will be on a panel in conversation with 3 Clan Mother Elders at this event. We ask for your prayers as this important collaboration unfolds and new levels of truth and reconciliation emerge.
Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls
For International Women’s Day (March 8th) the Clan Mothers organized a short walk and ritual of remembrance at the Forks to honour their loved ones lost to violence. It was a frightfully cold wind that blew that day adding to the poignancy of the gathering. Hot drinks, and bannock were served as we listened to the Elders speak of their vision for healing and wholeness. Sandy, and friends Bonnie Dickie and Heather Frayne were among the participants.
Braiding Sweetgrass
I don’t pray on Saturday mornings—at least not in my usual way. I rise from my bed, don my white hoodie and shuffle out to the kitchen. I go through my morning ritual of making a large mug of chai tea and then sit in my living room chair facing the picture window. I greet the day and welcome the black-capped chickadee eating at the window feeder. Then I begin to read the next chapter in Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book Braiding Sweetgrass, Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. This is my Saturday morning prayer—silent, moving, and filled with Presence.
Each Saturday morning, I am transported back in time to a childhood playground that my sister Laurie and I called “Paradise”. It was a wooded area of land not far from our home. Along with our friends we’d ride our bikes to the bush, speed up and down the narrow, trodden paths and eventually park our “forest scooters” at our “fort”—a primitive lean-to we had built with love and care-free adventure. Our fort was a protection of sorts from the adult world of tensions and worry. Even now, this memory fills my chest with a warm vanilla-feeling. I can almost still catch the scent of the pungent forest floor, its rich humus, and its potent potential.
Blessed by the memory I return to the written word on the page before me. I smile when I read: Recent research has shown that the smell of humus exerts a physiological effect on humans. Breathing in the scent of Mother Earth stimulates the release of the hormone oxytocin, the same chemical that promotes bonding between mother and child, between lovers (page 236). No wonder I love “forest-bathing,” and sleeping on Mother Earth in a tent, or forest-scooting to a childhood fort! While visiting a village overnight in Papua New Guinea I recall sleeping on a bed of banana leaves in a grass hut, a memory of feeling hugged and held safe. The very scent of Mother Earth is so physiological, so incarnational!
I finish the chapter, drain my mug of the last sip of honey-sweetened tea, and close the book. It’s been a lovely morning prayer; Godde has outdone herself once again.
Alas, there is a sad note to this story. Two neighbourhood bullies rode their bikes to ‘Paradise’ to destroy our fort! I can still feel the heart-stab of shock when we came upon the scene strewn with logs and branches. I don’t recall ever returning to ‘Paradise’ after that; it was no longer a safe and care-free place. (Today, this wooded land has been paved over by a housing development—sometimes ‘progress’ bears its own kind of bullying.) That said, what has never left me is the memory of a childhood “Paradise”. And just being transported back in time to that place releases a little oxytocin of its own, and I can still feel the hug of Mother Earth.
[Sandy Stewart, RNDM]
Indigenous Relation Events in Toronto
The Our Lady of Lourdes Parish has ongoing monthly sessions, from February-May, on Listening to Indigenous Voices. This was in collaboration with the Jesuit Forum. I participate in these sessions as a facilitator. The learning sessions we have done consistently helped me in getting familiar with the content of the dialogue guide. I am grateful to my study partners who inspire me to study the guide consistently.
Elder John Robinson and I joined the Nurturing Our Catholic Community in celebrating the World Interfaith Harmony Week on 24th of February. John began the celebration with the smudging ceremony and I sang a Maori chant composed and gifted by Elder Rangimarie (Rose Peri) during the Parliament of World Religions in Salt Lake City in 2015. She died in 2020 at the age of 83. Her memory is a blessing. To view the event, please go to: https://youtu.be/SkMR53J7oF8
On February 27, Ignite, a youth group, initiated an event entitled ‘Pathways to Reconciliation’ in collaboration with the Native Peoples’ Mission. There was a listening circle that followed. It was a well-attended event. To view the event, please go to: https://youtu.be/eO2xIjC4PY4
In honor of the Lenten season, Easter, and the Feast of St. Kateri, the Native Peoples’ Mission, in collaboration with the Mary Ward Centre and Jesuit Forum, is holding a Listening Circle every Sunday. It will culminate with a Sunrise Ceremony on Easter Sunday.
[Petite Lao, RNDM]
Visit to Lebret
Last Friday Thuong, Pricilla and I went to visit Sisters Bernadette and Teresa Fiest and their Indigenous Ministry in Lebret. It was a lovely spring like day, the roads were finally clear of all ice. The fields along the way were showing green patches. Pricilla saw some deer grazing in the distance. It was a lovely drive. We finally found our way to Lebret. We were warmly welcomed by Bernadette and Teresa. People were already enjoying their lunches and quietly chatting. We picked up our lunch and joined in the atmosphere of friendship. At one point Sister Bernadette brought out a talking “Easter bunny”. We listened to its message and everyone else did too.
Bernadette asked us to present ourselves and as I presented Pricilla and Thuong as missionaries from India and Vietnam they people gave them a warm round of applause. Later, Pricilla and Thuong helped serving the lunch. This luncheon has been the heart of the Valley Native Ministry for the past 30 years, gathering people from the surrounding reserves and Lebret in friendship. We hope to go for a visit every month.
Canadian Indigenous Delegation to Visit Pope Francis: March 28 - April 1
Today Bishop Don and the other members of the Indigenous, Inuit and Metis delegation are in Rome to visit Pope Francis from Monday March 28th to April 1st. “Our Lady of Guadalupe Council”, A Catholic coalition of indigenous groups, and organizations, bishops, clergy, lay movements and Institutes of Consecrated Life, engaged in renewing and fostering relationships between the Catholic Church and indigenous peoples in Canada, have called on the whole faith community to embrace this historic moment.
On March 28th as the encounter begins, in solidarity with the Indigenous Fire keepers, who keep the Sacred Fire in your region and across the land, all of us are invited to light a fire or a candle and pray. Our time zone in Saskatchewan is from 3pm to 6pm on Monday 28th. In Regina at St Cecelia’s, there will a prayer service during that time. It may be live-streamed and a link will be sent. Let us join as we are able in this time of solidarity and prayer with all.
[Patricia Orban, RNDM]
Baby Shower
Sr. Thuong and I were fortunate to participate in the baby shower of one of the Indigenous families. We were quite excited because this was our first opportunity to see this ceremony for a baby. We were asked to come a little earlier so that we could help in some of the arrangements. The party was organised for the baby and mom; only women were allowed to participate. Yes, this was for a baby girl and so it was pink day. Mother and baby, both dressed in pink, looked quite nice. The hall was decorated with pink balloons, pictures, cakes and gifts, which looked quite amazing…
Thuong, Sr ReAnne and I were asked to pick up a piece of each food which everyone brought for the potluck. This was done as we silently offered prayer for the intention of the family, asking the Creator Spirit to bless, protect, and bestow well-being on this family. Then the elder May (kokum) was offered Tobacco and was asked to say a blessing prayer for the food and the community gathered to bless this child. We had a scrumptious meal of bannock, soup, and other varieties of foods.
We had raffle tickets and games to cheer us up, and most of us were rewarded with small gifts. One of the rules of the game added much fun and laughter. When someone received a gift, she had to dance, and the best dancers were always the kokum’s. We had several games and the last game was opening a package in which was hidden $20. While the music played, the package was passed around the circle. When the music stopped, the holder of the package tried to find the money. An amazing thing! The mother of the baby was the winner of the $20 that we had all tried to find. That was wonderful.
After our games, four of our kokum’s were asked to say a few words of wisdom to a new mom. Kokums were delighted to support and encourage the young mom who was taking on a new role in the family. At the end, we had the opening of our gifts. The mother of the child took time to open the many gifts of baby clothes which she was very happy to receive. It was an enjoyable time together. May God continue to bless both mother and the child.
[Pricilla Lugun, RNDM]
Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions
393 Gaboury Place
Winnipeg, MB
Canada
R2H 0L5
Phone: (204) 786-6051
Fax: (204) 691-0640