On September 30th Canadians will be observing the
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The ongoing journey to healing and reconciliation has a particular relevance for Catholics throughout Canada given the church’s involvement in operating many residential schools and recognizing the suffering and intergenerational trauma that remains for many survivors to this day.
We pray together as a community:
O God, Creator and Father of all, with humility we your children acknowledge the relationship of all living things.
For this we thank you, we praise you and we worship you.
We call on you, Great Mystery, the Word made Flesh – our teacher, prophet and brother – to open our hearts to all our brothers and sisters, and with them to grow in the wisdom, honesty, courage and respectfulness shown in The Sacred Teachings.
Give us the vision and honesty to recognize that we are all brothers and sisters of one human family,created and sustained by the One Creator.
As we deal with many challenges, may we never give way to fear and anger, which can be the source of division and threat amongst peoples.
We look to how God always gives to us, as a remedy for sins of prejudice and intolerance. We see in God the Creator of all things, One who always provides and is generous – even given the abuses we have heaped on one another and on the earth.
We see in the Son, Jesus Christ – the innocent Victim who pours His life blood out from the Cross for all peoples.
We see how the Holy Spirit is God’s gift, alive in our world today – inspiring vision and hope that we can have the same mind and heart of God!
May Your Spirit bless all the souls who died at residential schools. May this same Spirit also bring blessing and healing to all families and communities affected in any way by the schools.
O Creator, show us the way to healing, forgiveness and reconciliation and a renewed fellowship. Amen.
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha: pray for us.
