In Pursuit of Truth and Reconciliation

 

Any sincere search for truth and reconciliation with First Nations, Metis and Indigenous Peoples in Canada must include becoming acquainted with the Doctrine of Discovery. Most immigrants and Settler descendants in Canada have never even heard of it. Here is a short summary of the Doctrine of Discovery which you can download and read.

Doctrine of Discovery

Here is a presentation that I gave to an SSVP conference in March of this year (2024) after referencing Matthew 5:23-24 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift."

Doctrine of Discovery Rescinded - Now what?

During the discussion afterwards it emerged that almost all of us had never before heard of the Doctrine of Discovery, and yet it is something that Indigenous People have been aware of for centuries. The United States Supreme Court in 2005, relying on a series of Indian law cases going back to 1823, specifically cited the Doctrine in its decision denying the right of the Oneida Indian Nation of New York to regain its territory. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote in the 2005 decision: “Under the Doctrine of Discovery … free title to the land occupied by Indians when the colonists arrived became vested in the sovereign – first the discovering European nation and later the original States and the United States.” 

My purpose in sharing this was not to make us feel guilty, but to raise awareness with knowledge. We cannot tackle a problem unless we admit there is a problem and try to understand it. As Christians and Catholics our problem is, how can Colonial Settler descendants be justly reconciled with Indigenous First Nations in this present time? 

There is also a series of YouTube videos which I strongly recommend for further information. These have also been recommended by the SSVP ONRC Social Justice Committee and Indigenous Sharing Circle. Here are the links to YouTube.

Doctrine of Discovery: Stolen lands, Strong Hearts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQwkB1hn5E8&t=6s

TRC Part # 1 Introduction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9tRe5aN0eE

TRC Part # 2 "We Are All Treaty People"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoZu6DYZYIQ

TRC Part # 3 The Residential Schools
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlXuLs9s-ds&t=3s

TRC Part # 4 Apologies and The Churches
https://youtu.be/RWqdul1ZDfk?si=VlYkUPWHv28ro51o&t=6

TRC #5 Calls to Action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi9euHR0YdI&pp=ygULVFJDIFBhcnQgIzU%3D

Please share these links with others whom you think might be interested.

September 27 – Memorial for St. Vincent de Paul

Reflection by Deacon Steve

“Set your hearts on the greater gifts…If I give everything I have to feed the poor…but have not love, I gain nothing. There is no limit to love’s forbearance, to its trust, its hope, its power to endure.
Now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. My knowledge is imperfect now; then I shall know even as I am known.
There are three things that last; faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love.” 
 - 1 Cor 12:31-13:13

St. Vincent de Paul wrote, 

“Charity is certainly greater than any rule. Moreover, all rules must lead to charity. Since she is a noble mistress, we must do whatever she commands. With renewed devotion, then, we must serve the poor, especially outcasts and beggars. They have been given to us as our masters and patrons.” (Correspondence, Paris, 1922 -1925)

Each time a “client’ is visited, know that you are seeing Christ “face to face” and likewise they see Christ “face to face” in you. Each time you go out on your visits you are a living testimony that charity is greater that any rule or teaching. You are a witness to how the Church’s teaching is to lead to charity. May that love you share return to you a hundredfold!

Have a blessed day and may God bless you and your families.

 - Deacon Steve

Reflections on the Canadian Martyrs

 

Today Canadian Catholics celebrated the Feast of the Canadian Martyrs, six priests and two laymen, all Jesuits: Jean de Brebeuf, Gabriel Lalemant, Antoine Daniel, Charles Garnier, Noel Chabanel, René Goupil, Jean de la Lalande, Isaac Jogues. While the Catholic Church universally celebrates this feast on October 19, the Canadian Bishops decided to celebrate the feast on September 26, mainly because the Martyrs' Shrine in Midland is closed as from early October due to the cold Canadian weather. The Martyrs' Shrine is a historic site of pilgrimage which includes the famous Shrine Church, the Martyrs’ Hall and Education Centre, and 75 landscaped acres conducive to prayer and contemplation. Within the Church are the relics of St. Jean de Brébeuf, St. Gabriel Lalemant, and St. Charles Garnier.

The Feast of the Canadian Martyrs takes place just four days before September 30th, Orange Shirt Day since 2013, and since 2021, National Truth and Reconciliation Day: a Canadian day of memorial to recognize the atrocities and traumatic generational impact caused by the Canadian Indian Residential School system. The irony of the juxtaposition of these two days, just four days apart, is deeply poignant. The movie, "The Mission," comes to mind, where well intentioned and holy missionaries saw their work thwarted by the imperialistic and hegemonic actions of the Portuguese colonial power aided and abetted by the Doctrine of Discovery. The avaricious Portuguese king and his loyal subjects saw in the native Guarani people a cheap source of slaves.

In the Canadian case, however, the treachery and betrayal were worse. It was not Church vs State as in the movie. Regrettably, the Christian churches, especially the Catholic Church, eagerly stepped in to provide the human resources needed to run the Government mandated Indian Residential Schools. This presented as a much 'easier' way to gather converts to Christianity than the respectful, loving, compassionate way of the Cross demonstrated by St. Jean de Brébeuf and his Jesuit companions.

It would be very easy to be lulled into a romantic and pietistic spirituality that just looks at the faith and fortitude of the Canadian martyrs and their interior life, but goes no further. But that would be a betrayal of all that they lived and died for. They loved the people to whom they preached Christ, and Him crucified. Not only the Hurons but also the Iroquois who killed them. Take Father Isaac Jogues. After several months of captivity and torture, he was ransomed by Dutch traders and the Dutch Calvinist minister Johannes Megapolensis from New Netherland (later Albany). He returned for a time to France, but then sailed back to Quebec. In 1646 he and Jean de Lalande were killed during a visit to Ossernenon where he had been held captive. They had hoped to achieve peace between the French and the Mohawk Nation.

If these holy men would see today the strained relationship that is so evident between the Church and the peoples of the First Nations to whom they gave their lives, they would weep inconsolably. They would rush to be in the vanguard of the Church's efforts at acknowledging and confessing the truth of our failures, understanding the full impact of what we have done as a Church, seeking ways to make amends and restitution and facilitate healing, repeatedly asking for pardon and forgiveness.

Let us move beyond romantic piety. Let us ask Our Lord to inspire us with the same Spirit with which God energised and moved St. Jean de Brébeuf and his Jesuit companions. Let us ask the Lord Jesus Christ to show us what He would have us do this coming National Truth and Reconciliation Day/Orange Shirt Day. Wearing an Orange Shirt might already be a good start. Do you know the origins of the Orange Shirt? Do you know who Phyllis Webstad is?

Opportunity to enhance job seeking skills

 

If you or someone you know is seeking employment, then this information might be helpful.  It is a great opportunity for individuals to enhance their job seeking skills and to better prepare themselves for future employment opportunities.

So Many Different Ways To Follow Jesus

 

Image Credit: www.catholicregister.org

by Deacon Steve,
Homily for 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2024

In our contemporary films and TV programs, and thus for many of us, the perfect hero is one who responds to rejection, persecution, or some form of personal attack with a dazzling display of power and most likely, violence, enhanced of course by CGI and AI. For our modern society the measure of a hero is measured in body counts and timely explosions.

In our first reading today, from a section of Isaiah known as the Song of the Suffering Servant, the hero responds with silence, patience, and unwavering determination. The Suffering Servant knows that they are guided and inspired by our Lord. As this faith grows, they develop the courage and patience to face every kind of adversity for they have come to believe deeply that God will be the source of their strength.

Thus, Isaiah writes, “The Lord God helps me; therefore, I have not been disgraced; therefore, I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.”

We may think that we have to be a fanatic. But a fanatic, is self-centered and willing to use force, violence and hatred to impose their own vision of the truth and believes everything depends on them. In contrast, the one who is truly listening to God and is called by God, is God centered and does not wish to undermine God’s work with violence and hatred. It is God’s show - and their strength and success will only come from our Lord. They will quietly and peacefully stand firm in their ideals and let the power of truth itself win the victory.

And so, they say, like Isaiah, “It is the Lord God who helps me.”

****

“What good is it my brothers and sisters. If you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?
If a brother or sister is without clothing and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So, faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.” James 2:14-18 – Second Reading 

The Letter of James reminds us that religion is not about focusing merely on our own personal salvation – in other words, the “me and Jesus” form of spirituality.

Scott Lewis, a scripture scholar reminds us,
“Although faith springs from the depth of our own heart, it must always be expressed in concrete ways, most notably in the care and concern for the well-being and happiness of others (all of our brothers and sisters). Any form of religion or theology that turns a blind eye to the human suffering of others or theologizes it away is human selfishness and a lack of love cloaked in pious platitudes. Faith as love – is always manifested in deeds.”

****

Jesus in our gospel today from Mark, asks the apostles a simple question. “Who do people say that I am?” After they give the usual pat answers, Jesus asks them, and so us, “Who do you say that I am?”

Peter, who has been quiet, lost in deep thought and silent communion in the depths of his soul, blurts out the answer, “You are the Christ.”

The gospel writer, rather than Jesus praising him, has Jesus tell them sternly to tell no one.
What follows reveals why Jesus does this. For Jesus goes on to tell them what it really means to be the Christ, the Messiah. It is about suffering, humiliation and death, which we know the apostles, like ourselves at times, do not want to hear. Jesus reveals to them that they are thinking, “as humans do” and as the world does. As humans we tend to think of comfort, safety and reputation. 

Jesus…then says to them, “Whoever wants to become my follower, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Mk 8:34

Taking up one’s cross means one thing – being willing to focus on God’s will regardless of personal cost.
Today, we can see all sorts of examples of people who do this very thing, volunteering at soup kitchens, clothing and food banks and Out of the Cold programs. Right here in our parish we have the CWG, the Knights of Columbus, the bereavement ministers, our ministers who volunteer to help at our liturgies.
As well there are our outreach volunteers, bringing communion to those who cannot be here. In addition, there are our Vincentians, members of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, who, with the help of our weekly donations, go out each week to bring food cards and baskets to those in need. More important is the time they spend with our brothers and sisters who feel weak and vulnerable.
Together all of these ministers, day by day, deepen their faith by their works, becoming followers of Christ by taking up Christ’s cross.

Thomas Merton a famous monk and spiritual writer in our modern times, wrote, “It is not a matter of God or humanity, but of finding God by loving humanity, (all of our brothers and sisters) and discovering the true value of humanity in our love for God. Neither is possible without the other.”
And further he writes, “…we exist solely for this, to be the place God has chosen for our Lord’s presence, God’s manifestation in the world.”

Our Eucharist speaks to us, tells us that we are the Body of Christ, Christ’s manifestation to the world. Let us then, each day, try to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow our Lord and with God’s grace and blessing, grow in our confidence that God will stand with us and help us.

Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, Our Founder

 

Blessed Frédéric Ozanam

The feast of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam is celebrated on September 9. Pope John Paul II beatified him on August 22, 1997. The following biographical snippet is taken from the SSVP Canadian Rule and Statutes.

Blessed Frédéric Ozanam is recognized as the main founder of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. He was that rare type of individual of intellectual genius and extraordinary holiness. He was a husband and father, professor and researcher, journalist and author, apologist and defender of the faith. Above all, he personified the Good Samaritan.

Antoine Frédéric Ozanam was born in Milan, Italy, on April 23, 1813, where his parents, residents of Lyon, France, had moved temporarily. His parents were devout Catholics who passed on to young Frédéric a deep love of God and the poor. After graduating from high school at the Royal College of Lyon, he moved to Paris to study law as his father wished. There, he was confronted with a society in deep turmoil and detached from its faith, as a result of the Revolution of 1830. Guided by André-Marie Ampère, an eminent scientist and Catholic, he came to the unshakable certitude that Christianity was the only remedy to cure the evils of his time.

He gathered around him students of like mind and faith and they confronted faculty members of the Sorbonne University who attacked their faith. He persuaded the Archbishop of Paris to have Father Henri Lacordaire, a renowned preacher, deliver a series of lectures at Notre-Dame Cathedral. The success of those lectures, or conferences, was overwhelming and the Conférences de Notre-Dame were launched. 

Ideas about social justice were promoted in the Tribune Catholique, a newspaper founded in 1832 by Emmanuel Bailly. A literary circle, La Société des bonnes études, was linked to this newspaper. The aim of this circle was to develop among Catholics a taste for historical, philosophical and religious research. Ozanam had a similar idea and he and his friends became active in what became known as the Conférences d’histoire. It developed into a dynamic forum of discussion and research at the university. One March night in 1833, a fellow student who was a non-Catholic, challenged Frédéric and friends. His question was “What are you doing for them (the poor), you and your fellow Catholics…? Show us your works!” Ozanam knew that faith must be translated into action and that, like the apostles, they needed to evangelize by the practice of charity. He rallied the group when he cried out, “The blessing of the poor is that of God…let us go to the poor.”

One evening, on April 23, 1833, Frédéric and five other students met in the office of Mr. Bailly and the “Conference of Charity” was born. They asked Sister Rosalie Rendu, a Daughter of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul to teach them how to minister to the poor with love and respect, and she did so with much kindness. By 1834, the conference had more than 100 members. Taking the saint as an example to follow, it renamed to the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul and placed it under the protection of the Blessed Virgin.

... In addition to the service he gave to the poor, he researched the conditions of the working classes and defended their rights as human beings and workers. He co-founded the newspaper l’Ère Nouvelle (New Era) to propagate his social and political ideas. Ozanam was one of the first to formulate the idea of a “natural salary” to claim compensation against unemployment and accidents, and to ask that a pension be guaranteed to workers.

From the Canadian Rule and Statutes of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.

Grace Before a Meal

 

Grace Before a Meal

Our Father in Heaven,

We thank you for our daily bread which you provide, for the fresh food in our fridge and the groceries in our pantry, and the food on our table. 

Fill our hearts with your generous compassion, that those of us who have more than enough might share with those who do not have enough. 

Bless them, and bless us, Lord, and these gifts which we receive from you who make the sun to shine and the rain to fall on all of us, good and bad, poor and rich. 

We ask this though Jesus your Son, who is Christ the Lord. Amen.

Biblical purity explained by Pope Francis

 

Image Credit: McGill University

The Pope's Sunday Angelus address for yesterday reported by Zenit

Biblical purity explained by the Pope in a nutshell

The day before departing for Indonesia, Singapore, Timor, and Papua New Guinea, Pope Francis led the traditional Sunday Angelus in St. Peter’s Square. Around 15,000 people gathered to listen to his Sunday address and pray the Marian Angelus with him. Below is the English translation of the Pope’s words: 

***

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! 

Today, in the Gospel of the liturgy (cf. Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23), Jesus speaks about the pure and the impure: a matter very dear to his contemporaries, which was linked principally to the observance of rites and rules of behaviour, to avoid any contact with things or persons considered unclean and, if this happened, to erase the “stain” (cf. Lev 11-15). Purity and impurity were almost an obsession for some religious of those times.

Some scribes and Pharisees, obsessive, strict observers of such norms, accuse Jesus of allowing his disciples to eat with unwashed hands, without washing their hands. And Jesus takes this reproach on the part of the Pharisees to His disciples to talk to us about the meaning of “purity”.

Purity, Jesus says, is not linked to external rites, but is first and foremost linked to inner dispositions, interior dispositions. To be pure, therefore, it is no use washing one’s hands several times if one then, within the heart, harbours evil feelings such as greed, envy or pride, or evil intentions such as deceit, theft, betrayal and slander (cf. Mk 7:21-22). Jesus draws attention to the need to beware of ritualism, which does not make one grow in goodness; on the contrary, this ritualism can sometimes lead one to neglect, or even justify, in oneself and in others, choices and attitudes contrary to charity, which wound the soul and close the heart. 

And this, brothers and sisters, is important for us too: one cannot, for example, leave Holy Mass and, still in front of the church, stop and gossip wickedly and mercilessly about everything and everyone. That chatter that ruins the heart, that ruins the soul. And you can’t do this! If you go to Mass and then do these things at the entrance, it is a bad thing! Or to show oneself to be pious in prayer, but then treat one’s own relatives at home with coldness and detachment, or neglect their elderly parents, who are in need of help and company (cf. Mk 7:10-13). This is a double life, and one cannot do this. And this is what the Pharisees did. External purity, without good attitudes, merciful attitudes towards others. One cannot be apparently very decent to everyone, and perhaps even do a bit of voluntary work and some philanthropic gestures, but then inwardly cultivate hatred towards others, despise the poor and the least, or behave dishonestly in one’s work.

In acting in this way, the relationship with God is reduced to external gestures, and within one remains impervious to the purifying action of His grace, indulging in thoughts, messages and behaviour without love. We are made for something else. We are made for the purity of life, for tenderness, for love.

Let us ask ourselves, then: do I live my faith in a consistent manner, that is, what I do in Church, do I try to do outside in the same spirit? By my sentiments, words and deeds, do I make what I say in prayer tangible in closeness and respect for my brothers and sisters? Let us think about this. 

And may Mary, Mother most pure, help us to make our life, in heartfelt and practiced love, worship pleasing to God (cf. Rm 12:1).

To read this on the Zenit website click here.

Season of Creation