Pope Francis’ “penitential pilgrimage” in Canada commenced on Monday, 25 July 2022, with a visit to a former residential school in Maskwacis, about an hour south of Edmonton.
Newsroom (25/07/2022 2:06 PM Gaudium Press) Maskwacis is the location of the first formal event on Pope Francis’s journey of healing, reconciliation, and hope. Maskwacis is a Cree word which means “bear hills,” a traditional name that has been applied to the territory previously referred to as Hobbema. Some years ago, in the interest of restoring the Cree language and culture, it was renamed and encompassed four respective nations within Maskwacis, including Louis Bull, Montana, Samson, and Ermineskin.
Inside the church of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, the Pope was greeted by the Pastor of the community (Indigenous priest – Fr. Gary Laboucane) as well as the immediate previous Pastor (Fr. Roger Rouleau). Present along with them was a small delegation of Elders and local parishioners, who were there to offer a traditional welcome to their territory.
The Pope then traveled to the entrance of Ermineskin cemetery, where he was met by a hand drummer (Jerry Saddleback) playing and singing traditionally. Here, the Holy Father spent some moments in silence to reflect and pray just inside the cemetery grounds.
After pausing at the cemetery, the Pope proceeded to the site of the first building, just steps from the former Ermineksin Residential School, one of the largest in Canada. The site is remembered for the presence of five teepees, four of them representing each of the nations of this land (Louis Bull, Samson, Montana, and Ermineskin), and the fifth teepee serving as a symbol of the entrance to the school that once stood here. In its place now is a teepee. The Holy Father paused at the site of the former residential school and acknowledged the site in prayerful silence. The Pope was visibly overcome with emotion during this journey.
The Holy Father then proceeded to enter via the South entrance of the arbour (an encircled area where the traditional pow-wow would take place), taking his place on stage. The current chiefs entered by the East, while former chiefs entered from the South, moving the way of the sun, following its way through the arbour past the Holy Father to the South, wrapping around by way of the West and after passing the North, returning to a place to be seated.
The Holy Father was welcomed via a healing song and dance. Former chief of Maskwacis, Dr. Wilton Littlechild, a survivor of the Ermineskin school, a commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, whose advocacy helped facilitate the arrival of the Holy Father to this traditional territory, also spoke at this time.
After brief words of welcome, Pope Francis addressed the public. Read the full text here.
Having concluded his remarks, a traditional Indigenous singer (Gerry Saddleback) sang an honour song in the Cree language as an acceptance of the Holy Father’s apology and an invitation to all those present, in their own way and according to their own personal timeline, to seek to accept that same invitation toward forgiveness.
The Holy Father, as is often customary before leaving a gathering, prayed the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father).
For all those gathered, over the microphone, an Elder, Alec Piché, will prayed the Lord’s Prayer in Cree.
Following the gift exchange, Pope Francis offered a final prayer (blessing) as traditional music and dance resumed, in the form of a healing dance.
by Raju Hasmukh
