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I
thought you'd enjoy what's been happening February, 2004 with this American
OMI in
Canada.
This isn’t a note - and it's sure not a letter. It may well be the start of
a book - at least a new, expanded and/or renewed chapter in OMI preaching
history.
What an absolutely marvelous experience I am having.
For the last two and a half weeks, the Canadian OMI Mission Team has been
"on the road." We presented a 3-day Mission in Yellowknife and a 10-day
Mission in Wha Ti. Both are some 18+ hours drive (2 days travel) north of
Edmonton. And to get there we had to cross the
ICE
BRIDGE over the Mackenzie River. What a moment: we were standing there
getting our group photo taken and this monstrous truck thundered across. I
don't know how thick the ice is. 500 yards away we could see the open river.
Just how they "build" the ice bridge is amazing - and obviously can only be
done in the coldest weather. Trucks are limited to 20 kilometers (about 15
miles) per hour as they "push" a wave ahead of them under the ice. Any
faster and the entire thing would bust up!
The weather in
Yellowknife
was bone-freezing cold ... -35 or worse at night. It "warmed up to -25
during the day ... plus wind! Just walking three blocks from the church to
the mall was life-threatening (at least, nose-threatening). I took the
advice and had purchased really good (and expensive) boots and long
underwear!
The morning Masses of this 3-day, "follow-up Mission" were small and
intimate - warm and friendly. The evening "Great Assemblies" were well
attended. Each consisted of songs, prayer, a lengthy (animated) sermon, a
drama (presented by the troop of young adults called "Youth on Fire" who
accompanied us OMI's) and a ritual that involved the entire congregation:
reverencing the Cross of Christ, crushing kernels of wheat with the Cross,
passing lighted candles hand-to-hand around the church, etc. plus more
singing. Reconciliation was available to anyone asking. Each evening's
"event" lasted up to two hours - was skillfully presented and well received.
(The Yellowknife community of St. Patrick's had experienced their 10-day
Main Mission last year).
From Yellowknife, we drove some 4 hours to the East to the Dogrib First
Nation Community of Wha Ti (Lac La Martre on old Canadian maps) - members of
the Dene People. To get there we traveled the "Ice Road," opened up just
days before. It crosses several frozen lakes and through numerous
uninhabited islands. (The road was closed for a couple days after our
arrival due to a surge of water through a crack caused by heavy snows on the
ice.) Though there are moose, caribou, wolves, fox and little critters (no
Polar Bears), we only saw a herd or two of wild buffalo, calmly pushing the
snow away from hidden grasses with their massive heads, numerous black
ravens (very large) and the occasional squirrel. Lots of tracks indicated
that most of the wild life preferred to be seen only when we were not
around.
Wha Ti (Whaa-Tea) is a community of some 500 people, one of four major
Dogrib villages. They have come as a community "into the modern world" only
within the last 15 years. With the opening of the diamond minds around
Yellowknife (two now operating and a third opening soon) many of the men are
employed in the open pit mining operations. The quality of the diamonds is
such as to guarantee good wages and the benefits can be seen. Most families
have new homes - built elsewhere and moved in pieces during the winter on
the ice road. (There is very little usable timber for building in the area.)
These new buildings replace older more primitive log cabin structures and
sit up above the ground so as to avoid thawing the permafrost. Access to the
area is possible all year round by plane. During the warm months, it is
possible to motorboat/canoe to the mainland - but it's a long run. It's a
5-8 day walk through the forest/swamps/lakes (endless mosquitoes) to the
nearest village: Rae-Edzo.
Everything at the two local stores (one run by a tribal family, the other by
the Canadian Government) is quite expensive - thanks to transportation
costs. Gas (if brought in by the gas company) costs about US$8.00 per gallon
(my calculations as they use liters and Canadian dollars). Food is plentiful
- but also expensive. (They flew in Kentucky Fried Chicken from Yellowknife
for the feast they held for us on the final day!). Local fare includes a lot
of fresh lake fish, caribou and moose (fixed in many ways) and other wild
critters, berries and woodland plants.
Half of the people speak little or no English. The half that do are the
younger folk. Indeed, many of the youth speak virtually no Dogrib – a very
picturesque, image-focused language. Example: the English word RESPECT is
translated: carefully holding something different and strange inside of you
where your own heart/life maker is. (I'll let you imagine how difficult it
is for their translators to work while we speak our rapid English!)
The people are very, very Roman Catholic and clearly skilled in Native
Spiritual practices. Early Missionaries in this area were Oblates of Mary
Immaculate directly from
France.
They found a people who believed in an almighty, powerful God and lived
according to that faith. The people recognized the God of the Christians and
immediately fell in love with Jesus. They held Mary and Joseph in the same
high respect they show their own ancestors. They had no problem whatsoever
with saints, angels, holy water, candles, Sacred Earth, etc. Today they pray
the rosary with the fervor of monks. They reverence the presence of Jesus in
the Blessed Sacrament in ways that would put most of the rest of the
Catholic world to shame. Yet, the modern world is moving quickly to weaken
them and destroy their culture.
Alcohol has long been a problem (progress is being made to stem its use.)
Drugs, especially marijuana and cocaine are the most recent culprits of
addiction. Gambling is robbing them blind - literally. Big screen TV's now
dominate almost every living room - making traditional daily family
conversations a thing of the past. Some families have banned TV during meals
and family prayer, sleep and work time. Some families "go out on the land" –
leave the village when family issues must be addressed. They take their
children and grandchildren with them until the issues are resolved. No TV,
DVD, Headsets allowed. A Lutheran Pastor and his wife have been in the
village for over 20 years. They attended many of the
Mission
events.
Education seems good. The facility is relatively new - but resources are
limited. There are some non-natives in the community, including several
multi-cultural marriages. Virtually all of the elders have personally
experienced "the old ways" and are helping design new ways of taking the
youth out "on the land" for summer experiences in survival: hunting,
spiritual seeking, fishing, learning native language skills, etc. These
include what we call "Bible classes." The effort will be made to recast
these in a more Roman Catholic light.
The 10-Day mission was well planned. We were welcomed, housed and fed as if
we were God's gift to them. Indeed, we found Jesus so strong among them that
we were often the ones being evangelized. Each day at 10:30 the community
would gather for a public praying of the rosary (in a most incredible,
musically monastic way). By 11:00 we began Mass - with a powerful sermon
(translated for the elders). Interestingly enough, the men sit on one side
of the church and the women on the other - as in old Europe. Some younger
couples sit together, but not many. And can they sing! They sing in Dogrib
and in English - with power and enthusiasm.
We visited many of the homes, anointed the sick and heard many confessions.
We taught them the skills of Faith Sharing - with some success. "Youth on
Fire" worked with the young people. In our evaluation afterwards we realized
that we had to do a better job in adapting to the local situation especially
regarding the youth (many who stay in bed until noon and are active until
2am - even on school days!) And we had to give our youth component more
rest/down time between gigs if we were to expect them to operate at top
speed. Boy, did they work hard. I could write forever on how effective their
dramas
were - and that's just the tip of the iceberg! (Now, isn't that an
appropriate image!?)
There are many young Dogrib couples living together without benefit of the
Sacrament of Matrimony. Fortunately, sacramental preparation programs are in
place and are being used as these couples throw off the addictions that bind
them and embrace prayerfully responsible parenting styles. Many of the young
men work in the diamond mines (some 300 kilometers away) and are gone for
two-week work periods (two weeks on, two weeks off). This is good and bad -
and is something the community is working on.
The Chief is elected for a 2-year period. At present, Chief Charlie James (a
man in his late-30's and a convert to Catholicism) guides the village. He
attended every Mission event, including the Masses. He emphasized over and
over again that the people must read their "English" Bibles if they can,
even as they learn to appreciate the recently translated Dogrib version of
the New Testament, filled with inaccuracies as it is.
Six of the evenings we had a "Great Assembly" which were well attended and
enthusiastically promoted both in the community and throughout the region. (Dogrib
people flew in, came in by skidoo, trucked and vanned in from neighboring
villages). I gave some of the most dynamic/dramatic sermons of my life (bet
you're not surprised in the least!) – with great love and kindness. Thanks
to my 9 years on the White Earth Reservation, I found myself uniquely tuned
into the native way of thinking and communicating. I felt so at home so
quickly that it took me no time to be "up to speed." It took some of our OMI
team and "Youth on Fire" a bit longer. Cultural differences can be daunting!
I had some of the most moving spiritual moments of my life to date. As I
listened to their stories, dreams and visions - their heartaches and
successes - their requests for prayer and advice ... time and time again I
was so moved to tears that I could barely speak. I was careful not to impose
"white ways" on them - but to listen carefully to their needs and wants,
their fears and frustrations, their faith and traditions. At the end of one
face-to-face session, the young man exclaimed: "I am so happy, my legs want
to dance. My feet are no longer on the ground." I answered: "Be careful -
don't stumble - but enjoy!" He described the graced power of God flowing
through him as "a coolwind" - refreshing to his heart, filling every part of
his body.
Anyone reading this will know, if you know me, I was "in my element." I told
the Bishop (Bishop Denis Croteau, OMI, from Yellowknife) who flew in to
spend the last two days with us: "If I stay here any longer, I will never
leave." But I do know that God want me to preach his Good News in this OMI
Preaching Team style.
The final day was incredible: a wonderful Mass. The Bishop preached in a way
that moved us all. He reminded us of the Roman Catholic history of the area
- and what the earliest Christian missionaries had endured to bring the
message of the Gospel to this people. He reminded us of the deep faith of
the Ancestors - many had had dreams and visions of hearing someone who would
speak God's word to them. I found it no accident that I washed with Holy
Water an old man: Philip Beaulieu (who died as the Mission closed) and that
in year 1850, the first Oblate (whose name I cannot recall) was asked by a
man named "Old Man Beaulieu" to be the first Dogrib person washed with Holy
Water.
The feast - Ah, the feast! The last night we gathered - this time for a
feast. Our dishes were piled high with fry bread, Kentucky Chicken, a boiled
egg, four cookies, pounded caribou meat with a lump of caribou fat (sort of
salty in flavor), a hot dog, a bowl of barley soup (with raspberry jam and
raisins for flavor), a helping of macaroni (prepared salad style), more
Dogrib bread and something (non-alcoholic) to drink. The food sat in front
of us (some 700 men, women and children) uneaten as the elders first spoke
and then prayed. At first we ate in almost total silence - perhaps because
we really were hungry; more likely because our hosts traditionally eat
quietly thankful for the bounty before them. The food, though cold now, was
delicious. We gave whatever we could not eat to the elderly who sat among
us. (I actually gave away my cookies, some of the pounded caribou, and my
apple.)
And then came the gifts. Each of us on the team received several gifts. We
men got beaded moose skin gloves and book covers plus skillfully crafted
wall hangings. Debbie, our coordinator - a married laywoman, who also gave
one of our major presentations, received an exquisitely beaded pair of
moccasins and gloves. Some received beaded rosary pouches as well. I had
already received a pair of mukluks (northern moccasins with high tops) from
an elder who had asked me for advice for his community. It was such an honor
for me. I remember saying: "This is a great honor. I with less grey hair am
asked by someone with more grey hair to speak wisdom." I know my words were
well translated and even more graciously received. I added later that while
God could lift his prophets by the hair to move them from place to place, he
had a bit of difficulty with me - because I have so little hair on top for
him to hold on to. The laughter that followed merely highlighted the joy
with which we were received and the graciousness with which we were hosted.
The evening concluded by an endless drum dance by more people than the small
green dance hall could contain. I went home at midnight and slept until my
clock rang at 6 a.m. It was time to pack and leave.
It was 8 a.m. in the morning yesterday when we pulled out. Fresh snow had
fallen. The wind would pick up just before we got off the lake portion of
the ice road. But before I leave Wha Ti behind, there is one more memory
that I must share you.
As I have said earlier, each evening was marked with a Great Assembly. And
each Great Assembly had a unique ritual that involved the entire community.
The one that will forever remain in my mind was the Eucharistic Procession
from the Green Building (where we held the Great Assemblies) to the Church -
a distance of about 3 winding city blocks. Remember it was dark and cold.
After the singing and sermon, we had reverenced the Blessed Sacrament in the
Green Building. And then, on signal, the skidoos lined up outside: some 16
to 20 of them. They would flank us as we walked to the church with the
Eucharist. Ahead of the people was the Mission Cross, carried by Charlie - a
magnificent middle-aged quiet man and his wife Carol. The day's cold wind
had calmed - it even seemed warmer. Villagers in their boots and heavy
coats, mittened hands and scarved heads began walking. The Elders were
helped to climb aboard an endless line of pickup trucks filled with parents
with babies which fell in behind the walkers. The skidoos roared to life.
Lights came on. My job was to see to it that every skidoo and pickup and car
was blessed with holy water. I blessed, and blessed, and blessed, and
blessed. You should have seen me scooting around between the vehicles. I had
no fear. No one would squash a priest here! There was Holy Water flying
everywhere, followed each time by a Sign of the Cross. Trucks that had first
moved to make room for the snowmobiles reassembled behind them - like
massive steeds. The skidoos seemed like so many dogsleds - each covered with
children - their black shiny straight hair glistening. A young lady and her
friends drove the one that lead us all.
They walked slowly. People prayed the rosary. No one was in a hurry. It was
a moment designed to last forever. Father Al, bundled up against the cold in
his parka and heavy gloves, carried Jesus reverently as the procession wound
through the streets. After blessing every vehicle I could reach, I hopped
the last skidoo and had its helmeted driver drove me to the front of the
procession. Brother Louie and I walked up the church steps together. "Saint
Eugene DeMazenod is looking down and smiling!" he said. "Those are my boys!"
We entered the church. Everyone received a small, lit vigil candle from
Brother Mietek, the young Polish-born Oblate on the team. We sat and knelt
in the candlelight.
Later, the elders said it was just like in the old days without electricity.
We prayed in silent adoration. Then a full rosary was prayed - not just a
decade. "True Dogrib generosity" said their pastor: Fr. Wes, another Oblate
from Poland. (I think the little boys in the front rows killed about 20
vigil lights throughout it all.) Even the skidoo drivers had come in to pray
- leaving their machines roaring outside the church. (Afterwards, I was
asked to bless/"baptize" one I had missed earlier. It's driver said: "I will
call it: TAKE ME HOME." (I can't recall the Dogrib word.) I blessed it well!
It was a moment of grace. Such a good young man. So genuine in his request.
So sincere in his hope. So innocent in his faith. So normal in every way. I
looked at him. My eyes met his: "You are a good man." I said, "I do not know
if you realize how good you are!" He smiled - in every way a young, healthy
Dogrib man can smile. Within the week he would be back working in the
diamond mines. I hope he doesn't forget.
Now I am "home" here at the OMI residence in St. Albert/Edmonton. In a week,
this Oblate Mission Team go out again - to some parish in the Edmonton area
for a 3-day return Mission - similar to the Yellowknife Mission. I slept
this afternoon - dead to the world (except for getting my clothes washed and
dried). Supper was the second half of the SUBWAY sandwich I had purchased
earlier in the day as we drove through the fog like horses headed home to
the barn for hay.
Keep me in your prayers. Of this you can be sure, when I get back to the USA
in May, We will be looking for men and women to join us in this adventure
called the Oblate Mission. We will need preachers (of course) and a
musician, an electrician, a mechanic, a youth group, an organizer, drivers,
etc. We will need folks with financial skills, acoustical talents,
leadership qualities and Catholic convictions willing to live solid
Christian lives while working as a team. God will provide. We will plan and
travel, pray and preach, work and rest together. We will bring God's word to
people everywhere we go. We will do it in ways that actually reach the folk
where they are and help them move toward where God wants them to go: Heaven.
We will do so with honesty and charity, humor and patience, and always with
the firm embracing gentleness of Jesus. We will hold their hands and their
heads. We will embrace them and walk with them. We will laugh and cry with
them. We will speak their language - and use translators whenever necessary.
We will eat their food and enjoy their hospitality even as they relish the
Good News of the Lord. We will bless them and let them bless us. Together we
will travel as many miles (or kilometers) as we must to their cities and
villages, to help them make it safely from here to heaven.
Ours
will be a Missionary Oblate of Mary Immaculate Mission team. Mary our mother
will protect us. St. Eugene will smile God's graces over us. All will know
it is the work of God. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
God bless you. Keep us in your prayers. You are in mine.
Fr. Ron Meyer, OMI
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