“Our cultural identity is the space in which we live and breathe our faith.”

Elizabeth Mabie
Spur Ottawa Correspondent

Following the Great Commission often involves exploring cultures and understanding commonalities with the Gospel. That is a key focus of the Indigenous Pastoral Leadership Formation Program (IPLFP), which ran from July 29 to August 2. The five-day program seeks to train participants to become strong leaders and explore the deep connections between their faith and Indigenous heritage.

This was IPLFP’s eighth year and participants followed a schedule loaded with presentations by First Nations elders, Indigenous members of the Catholic Church, and faculty members from Saint Paul University. The theme this year focused on the idea of belonging.

“We were thinking about the idea of belonging, but also connecting to different things. We’re going to be looking at water as a main element, therefore exploring the notion of baptism and how not only the person being baptized is belonging to the community, but also the role of the community in the baptism,” explains Gabrielle Dupuis, Administrator of Continuing Education for the Providence School of Transformative Leadership and Spirituality at Saint Paul University. Dupuis has been involved in IPLFP’s coordination from the beginning, in 2012.

“Going into these communities made them see the need to train people to take leadership of their faith communities.”

IPLFP was and idea founded in Kateri Native Ministry, part of the Archdiocese of Ottawa with a strong focus on reconciliation and healing within Indigenous communities. Those who seek guidance from Kateri are taken through the process of healing, which involves learning about one’s identity and culture. Individuals participate in liturgy, mass, and worship throughout the journey, with the goal of them opening their hearts and accepting Christ as the Creator.

The vision behind Kateri was to train Indigenous Christians for pastoral leadership opportunities in Indigenous communities. With some assistance from the Archdiocese, Kateri partnered with Saint Paul University to establish IPLFP.

“Going into these communities [is what] actually made them see the need to train people to take leadership of their faith communities, as they were no longer being served by priests,” explains Lorraine Ste-Marie, interim director of Saint Paul University.

“Indigenous spiritualities are not the same as Christian spirituality, but they’re both important because people embody and practice them in their lives.”

While IPLFP participants mainly come from Indigenous backgrounds, the group encourages participation from all who are interested in making a difference in Indigenous communities. The program covers a variety of topics intended to awaken personal connections between the Christian faith and Indigenous cultures.

“Indigenous spiritualities are not the same as Christian spirituality, but they’re both important because people embody and practice them in their lives,” says Ste-Marie, explaining the importance of understanding First Nations’ cultural context. “How do you find ways to connect them so that they’re not walking one path traditional and one path Christian? Where are those connections, not just in their lives, but in liturgy, in teaching, and in religious education?”

“It’s quite beautiful to see and what it affirms is that our cultural identity is the space in which we live and breathe our faith,” she adds.

“It’s not about which one is true and who’s wrong, but what we can learn from these stories.”

“Our teachers will come from specific nations, as well, so there’s a space in the program where we will explore together, because one teacher from a specific nation might not know the teachings of another nation,” adds Dupuis. “Throughout the week we allow a space for people to share their experiences and traditions, which grows into a co-learning exploration.”

The first two days of the program were held at Camp Naatagaama, in Fitzroy Harbour, where participants heard and shared stories of creation and experienced traditional ceremonies. Fr. Bill Burke from St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Parish, in Sydney, Nova Scotia, taught the story of creation from the Bible. Delores Peltier-Corkey, an Anishinaabe from Wiikwemkoong, shared Indigenous creation stories.

“Creation stories tell us truths about who we are as people and where we belong. So what can we learn from these stories?” asks Dupuis. “It’s not about which one is true and who’s wrong, but what we can learn from these stories about who we are and how we’re supposed to be together.”