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10.11.05 Tuesdays Reflection

I've been busy catching up on 8 weeks of magazines! The September 7 issue

of the Prairie Messenger, a Catholic weekly from Saskatchewan, caught my

attention. There was a special section to celebrate the consegration of a

new bishop for the diocese of Keewatin ("North Wind Blowing" in Cree) - Le

Pas diocese. I just about threw it out but became fascinated by the history

of the young franco prairie farmer who joined the missionary order of the

Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) and worked for over 35 years in this

diocese that covers 430,000 square kilometres (170,000 square miles, I

think), has a population of 114,278 with over 70% First Nations and Metis,

49 parishes and a dozen priests.

Bishop Sylvain Lavoie learned Cree, entered deeply into First Nations'

culture and worked closely with his widely-dispersed flock. The

Christophers, Marriage Encounter, AA, youth groups involved many in

community building and meeting the challenges of invading cultures through

television, video lottery terminals, "white" diet of Coke, chips and

sugar-coated nothings responsible for the present epidemic of diabetes (65%

already!) and cancer.

One weekend in the mid-60s, Father Sylvain filled his parish van with

community leaders to travel to a workshop on the Vatican II document on the

Laity and the Church (The same one that inspired Edwina!). On the way back

one of the elders mentioned: It was all very nice but why did they talk only

of the "Ladies" and not of the "Men." Perhaps it was one of his first

lessons on enculturation.

What impressed me the most in what I read was the following from someone

close to Father Sylvain:

    I know him to be a prayerful person who takes an hour of silent prayer

every morning and a silent day away on poustinia every month. God can do

great work with someone like Father Sylvain.

News of damage due to rains and landslides in Guatemala and El Salvador have

been forgotten in the wake of the massive earthquake in Pakistan.

Nevertheless the need for emergency supplies is great. If you can donate,

please do so.

Cecily