Canadian Church to reflect on 杏MAP导航's "pilgrimage of penance"
By Edoardo Giribaldi
The National Day of Prayer in Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples is celebrated in Canada on December 12 every year. The celebrations coincide with the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas.
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, which coordinated the initiatives with the Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council, issued a message recollecting 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� 鈥渨ords of healing and reconciliation spoken during his 鈥榩enitential pilgrimage鈥� to Canada,鈥� which took place last July.
Gift of family
The message highlighted 鈥溞覯AP导航 Francis鈥� understanding of the family bond over generations,鈥� and the part it plays in opening 鈥渢he doors for all Catholics to learn about and apply understandings of the Indigenous world view toward reconciliation.鈥�
The reflection recalled , celebrating the feast day of Saints Anne and Joachim, where he recognized the gift that family is and how 鈥渘o one comes into this life detached from others. The love that awaited us and welcomed us into this world is part of a unique history that preceded us. We did not choose that history; we received it as a gift.鈥�
Role of Indigenous traditions
鈥淎s Catholics,鈥� the message said, 鈥渨e share this value of strengthening nuclear and extended family ties.鈥� However, the role that colonization still plays in impacting this 鈥渧ery thing we cherish鈥� is relevant.
鈥淐hild welfare authorities remove Indigenous children from nuclear and extended family settings. Canada鈥檚 justice system also removes parents from children,鈥� and that 鈥渟eriously affects opportunities for continuity of relationships, identity formation and indeed wholesome human development.鈥�
Many Indigenous traditions, on the other hand, 鈥渦nite all generations in the gift of dance and feast,鈥� the reflection read. These symbols 鈥渢each the interdependence of all beings in creation鈥� and 鈥渃an be further explored to help us acquire an understanding of Indigenous people as part of the reconciliation journey.鈥�
Journey of reconciliation
The Council recalled , the last stop before his return to Rome. On that occasion, the 杏MAP导航 shared the memories of an elder speaking about the atmosphere among Indigenous families before the advent of the Indian Residential School System.
The residential schools, introduced at the end of the 19th century, applied, according to , 鈥減olicies of assimilation and enfranchisement,鈥� which were described as 鈥渄evastating for the people of these lands.鈥�
The Council concluded its message expressing the hope that 鈥渙ur journey of reconciliation will bring the springtime back once again,鈥� banishing the 鈥渨inter of shame.鈥�
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