Saskatoon Catholic churches to bring in elders to talk about spiritual traditions

Catholic churches in Saskatoon will soon be bringing in indigenous elders to speak about their faith.

The initiative was launched in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission final report. Bishop Don Bolen said it's important that Catholic churches understand indigenous spirituality, and see it as something to be embraced.

"We wanted to engage deeply in those calls to action," said Bishop Bolen. "A number of them are addressed to the churches, and we wanted to find some local and practical initiatives."

I believe, as an individual, that we pray to the same creator.- Elder Betsy Henderson

Betsy Henderson is one of the elders who will be speaking at the churches. While she attended a residential school run by the Anglican Church, she has no problem speaking at a Catholic-sponsored event.

"I believe, as an individual, that we pray to the same creator," she said. "It's just a different method of praying."

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Henderson said it took years after she left residential school before she embraced traditional indigenous spirituality. 

"When I was in residential school, everything was basically stripped out of our rights, I would say, as a human being," she said.

A religion that wasn't part of the First Nations tradition was being imposed on them, she said.

Riches in indigenous spirituality, bishop says

Meanwhile, Bishop Bolen believes his parishioners have a lot to gain through listening to elders.

"There are riches in indigenous spirituality that are meant to be shared," he said.

"And there's an effort at reconciliation here. There's a memory that we didn't hear, that we lost, that maybe we were involved in helping to supress, and now to allow that voice to be heard, and to enter into conversation, I think is a rich possibility."