Reflections of a northern missionary: Initiation and Cursillo meeting in La Loche, May 15-16, 2010

This picture was taken just after the celebration of the sacraments of initiation in La Loche on May 16th, as we were getting ready for a group photo. Candidates and sponsors were from both communities of La Loche and Turnor Lake. This celebration followed the invitation of the archdiocese to restore the order of sacraments in that confirmation was followed by First Holy Communion for many of the candidates. It was truly a joyful and happy event.

We arrived in La Loche after a day long journey from Pelican Narrows just in time to begin a preparatory retreat withthe candidates and their sponsors who almost filled the church in La Loche themselves. Facilitating a retreat for 100 people sitting in pews poses a special challenge but it went well, as the participants were very attentive and involved. A group of about 9 candidates and sponsors came from Turnor Lake for the retreat and the celebration itself, as i was unable to go to Turnor Lake this time around. This retreat keeps me in touch with a bit of youth ministry as the archbishop, and helps me to get to know the candidates a little before the celebration itsef.

A unique aspect of this retreat for candidates was a tree planting spree where dozens of trees were planted by the candidates and their sponsors as a sign of hope that their faith would continue to grow like these trees.

As it was a beautiful sunny spring day, our retreat with the 100 or so candidates, sponsors and parents finished up outside in a huge circle, with only a quarter of them pictured here.

A very hopeful and encouraging event happening in La Loche the same weekend as the sacraments of initiation was a meeting of Cursillista's preparing for the up-coming Cursillo retreats to be held in La Loche the end of June (men's retreat) and early July (women's retreat). The Cursillo is a four day walk with the Lord, a crash course on Christianity, which has come to Saskatchewan from Alberta where it is quite popular. Cursillo's have been held in Beauval in 1992; Pelican Narrows in 1994 and Dillon in 2009. Here the men are meeting together to plan the men's retreat.

Fr. John and Fr. Gaspar are pictured here with one of the womens' teams preparing for the upcoming Cursillo. Some of the women came from as far as Pelican Narrows and Cold Lake, Alberta for the meeting.

There were almost a hundred candidates for full initiation into the Church. Here as many as possible fit into the viewfinder of the camera for a group picture with the archbishop.

Before being sealed with the oil of chrism, the candidates stand to reject evil and profess their faith in Christ. After that a special prayer for the Holy Spirit to come upon them is prayed by the presiders and the whole congregation.