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To all our “beloved” of St. Philip Neri Parish,
Greetings and blessings to you and all your family from Fr. Mike Dechant OMI
We are all Treaty People!
What does this mean – for “us” who are of non-Indigenous descent? In our efforts and involvements in Truth and Reconciliation, we have been assured (or at least been made aware of) that:
- We are not responsible for the sins and tragedies of the past; we did not cause or perpetrate the events and decisions of the past.
- But we inherited them! Whether we like it or not, the brokenness and pains of all our Indigenous brothers and sisters are part and parcel of our lives.
- Therefore, each of us have a responsibility to do our part to bring about healing and reconciliation. NOTE: The word “reconciliation” comes from two Latin words: (re) means again, and (conciliare) means to come together. Reconciliation means “to come together again”! The implication is that there was a togetherness in the beginning. This MUST be our starting premise: “Then God made man, male and female he made them, in his own image and likeness he made them … and God saw that it was good!
James Sinclair, of the Niigaanwewidam Peoples, writes: TREATIES are covenants that bind people together with ties of kinship, mutual responsibilities, and reciprocity. Treaties are ways of ensuring just, respectful relationships between humans and other living creatures – plants, animals, birds, water, and rocks are all “textual creatures” contributing to our history, our identity, and the living land. Treaties are the eternal commitments made between two – and often more – self-determining and independent beings, in the interest of producing LIFE.
And so, we hear Jesus say to ALL of us, “I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly”. (John 10:10) “I have said these things to you so that my JOY may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11) Treaties (covenants), then, are the fabric of Creation, binding all living things together in a vast and complete network of relationships.
Yes, we inherited the sins of infidelity from our ancestors. However, through the grace of God we can also heal and re-concile our relationships – our present-day treaties – with our Indigenous brothers and sisters, with ALL creation.
We are encouraged by the words of St. John Paul II, “We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us.” Our challenge then comes from the wisdom and insight of St. Basil, “If we took only what was necessary to satisfy our own needs, giving the rest to those who lack, no one would be rich and no one would be poor.”
Any “new treaties” that we make - including the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Marriage, priesthood or Religious Life – any “deal” we make with another or with God, our intent must always be to give LIFE. A treaty assures us of Jesus’ most intense prayer, “Father (Kitchi Manitou), may they be one, as you and I are one!” This also assures us of Jesus’ promise to us, “I will be with you always (all-ways)” – As long as the sun (giizis) shines, as long as the water (nibi) flows, and as long as the grass (mashkiiki) grows. So … take heart! As the elders remind us, “There are as many ways to God as there are blades of grass!”
Just imagine … What would Turtle Island look like today, had the early European settlers embraced and integrated their cultures and traditions, their spirituality and religion, with that of the Indigenous Peoples? … to create an enriched theology – ecclesiology – ecology and soteriology, living the Gospel Story to LIFE?
With the Communion of Saints, may we give praise and glory to our God. I leave you with this prayer of love and gratitude for all our families. The month of May has been dedicated by Pope Francis, in gratitude and prayer support, to all families living in the graces of the Sacrament of Matrimony.
For the World Meeting of Families, let us pray:
Heavenly Father,
We come before You to praise You
and to thank you for the great gift of the family.
We pray to You for all families
Consecrated by the Sacrament of Matrimony.
May they rediscover each day the grace they have received,
and as small domestic Churches,
may they know how to witness to your Presence
and to the love with which Christ loves the Church.
We pray to You for all families faced with difficulty and suffering
caused by illness or circumstances of which only You know.
Sustain them and make them aware
of the path to holiness upoin which You call them,
so that theymight experience your infinite Mercy
and find new ways to grow in love.
We pray to You for children and young people:
May they encounter You and respond joyfully
to the vocation You have in mind for them.
We pray for parents and prandparents: May they be aware
that they are signs of the fatherhood and motherhood of God
in caring for the chilren who, in body and spirit, You entrust to them,
for the experience of fraternity that the family can give to the world.
Lord, grant that each family
might live their speicific vocation to holiness in the Church,
as a call to become missionary disciples, in the service of life and peace,
in communion with our priests,
Religions, and all vocations in the Church.
Bless the World Meeting of Families.
Amen
God is good … all the time!
So … wherever you go, go with God. And, whenever you go, go make a difference!
Peace to you and all your family … Fr. Mike
Praise be Jesus Christ … and Mary Immaculate
St. Philip Neri … pray for us
St. Eugene de Mazenod … pray for us
St. Kateri Tekakwitha … pray for us
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