Hi Friends!

The last few months (March through May 2025) were a time of surprises, learning and time spent with the Lord and his people. Through the ordinariness of life many small moments of grace added color to the often isolated life up in the north. Click here for the scrapbook.

Life in the Parish

Living at the rectory meant being involved in both the spiritual and practical life of the parish. In addition to helping out with the liturgy, I’ve had the privilege of joining Fr. Dhana in bringing Holy Communion to elderly parishioners who can’t attend Mass in person. Helping with funeral setups allowed a way to connect with community members who may not otherwise come to church.

Holy Week was a beautiful time of preparing our hearts and the church for the passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord. A standout moment came Easter Sunday morning, when we joined the church elders singing traditional Cree hymns at sunrise and witnessed the sun dance. With several baptisms during the Easter Liturgy, the church was so packed that I had to sit in the sacristy. Easter celebrations concluded with a big feast with the church community.

Sundays get very hectic- starting with giving rides to the elderly to Holy Mass, Bible sharing sessions for kids, snacks and coloring after Mass to continue the lessons learned from the Gospel, giving rides to elders back after Mass. After a quick lunch break, we would visit elderly individuals who were unable to attend church, bringing Jesus to the homebound through the Holy Eucharist.

Outreach at Local Public School

With support from the 4th Wave Foundation, we developed and delivered drug prevention classes for students at the local school for grades 6–12. The feedback from teachers, students, and the school principal has been really encouraging—they appreciated the fresh and relevant approach. The material was adapted for cultural relevance. Outside the classroom, I’ve been visiting the local youth center regularly to build friendships. 

Community Engagement

Another rich part of the past few months has been friendship building through cultural and community engagement. I’ve spent time with church elders learning traditional crafts like making walking sticks, beading, and medallion creation. I also had the opportunity to participate in a sweat lodge ceremony—a traditional healing ceremony. I started taking some Cree language lessons with the help of a local elder. On the more practical side, I've helped out with community clean-up day, participated in afterschool programs, attended local community seminars and workshops along with spontaneous outdoor activities like fishing and hunting. These moments have deepened my appreciation for Cree culture and helped facilitate building friendship and trust with those in the community. 

Breaks

Each month, I took a few days outside the community to rest and recoup. During that time I had opportunities to connect with JY families, participated in youth ministry programs, sports,and supported the launch of a local JY men’s ministry and even a pow-wow in Winnipeg - a vibrant Native American gathering that celebrates culture through traditional dancing, drumming, and singing. I was privileged to attend the installation of Archbishop Murray Chatlain as the new Archbishop of Winnipeg. I was also fortunate to shadow JY leaders from Winnipeg who were meeting Archbishop Murray and Archbishop Albert LeGatt of the Archdiocese of St. Boniface for pastoral discussions.

Invisible Fruits

Of course, not everything goes as planned. Our attempt to run a focus group with a local wellness organization to assess the need for a drug prevention program had to be postponed multiple times and often last minute due to various issues. The Saturday kids' program didn’t draw any participants over the three months, despite regular invitations and followups. For the Jubilee of Youth Rome pilgrimage, we initially had two Young Adults confirmed and two with strong interest —a mix of verbal and even financial sign-ups—but by the final registration deadline, two backed out for personal/financial reasons and the others didn’t respond. We trust that even in setbacks God is quietly at work, guiding our efforts toward a greater purpose yet unseen.

Closing Thoughts