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| Our Lady of Guadalupe |
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops remind us that on 12 December, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Church in Canada marks the National Day of Prayer in Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples:
This initiative of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has been coordinated since 2002 by the Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council (formerly the Canadian Catholic Aboriginal Council).
This year, the reflection by the Council is inspired by Pope Francis’s words of healing and reconciliation spoken during his “penitential pilgrimage” to Canada.
To mark the National Day of Prayer in Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples, the Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council (CCIC) recalls the profound sorrow expressed by Pope Francis, during his Penitential Pilgrimage to Canada in July 2022, for the catastrophic effects of the residential school system on Indigenous communities, as well as the journey of reconciliation and healing we have embarked upon together. Two years later, the Pope’s words still compel us to recognize this painful legacy and walk alongside the Indigenous Peoples in a spirit of repentance, solidarity, and hope.
We contemplate the Holy Father’s words: “The Church is the house where we conciliate anew, where we meet to start over and to grow together”. This vision of the Church as a “living body of reconciliation” has guided us in our ongoing commitment to justice and healing. In this spirit, we reaffirm our pledge to work for healing and reconciliation, and to reflect on our efforts since the Holy Father’s visit to Canada in 2022.
Together we pray:
O God, Creator and Father of all,
with humility and hope, we, your children,
acknowledge the relationship in You
of all living things.
For this we thank You and praise You.
We call on You, Great Mystery, our God who comes to us
in Jesus Christ, Your Son
– our Lord, teacher, prophet and brother –
to open our minds and hearts
as we continue to walk the difficult, yet critical journey
of reconciliation and healing.
In our world of such blessed diversity,
we see so many struggles and obstacles to oneness and unity.
We implore You to heal our brokenness and division.
Show us in Jesus the way to unity among the multiplicity
of Your peoples in our world.
We also pray that You will guide and lead us in the Truth,
and show us how to be a people who walk with You.
May we be a people of
Respect, Humility, Courage, Honesty, and Compassion
- as we find Your Wisdom on the Spirit-led journey
that supports deep healing
and fosters renewed relationships.
Lord, make us channels of Your Peace, Hope, and Love!
+Amen