'Waters give life': Lac Ste. Anne Papal visit focuses on family, resilience, and 'journey of healing'
CTV
Delivering a healing message near the waters of Lac Ste. Anne Tuesday evening, Pope Francis focused on the resilience of Indigenous Peoples in spite of the 'terrible effects' of colonization.
Delivering a healing message near the waters of Lac Ste. Anne Tuesday evening, Pope Francis focused on the resilience of Indigenous Peoples in spite of the "terrible effects" of colonization.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church visited the largest annual pilgrimage site for Indigenous Peoples and Catholics in western Canada, emphasizing the long road ahead for healing and reconciliation. He prayed in front of Lac Ste. Anne and then sprinkled the crowd with holy water as a blessing.
"How many hearts have come here with anxious longing, weighed down by life's burdens and found by these waters consolation and strength to carry on," said Pope Francis, in Spanish.
Francis encouraged the pilgrims to return to the "sources of life," including God, our parents and grandparents.
"Waters give life," he added. "I think of the dear grandmothers here with us. Dear grandmothers, your hearts are springs from which the healing power of faith flowed, and with it, you quench the thirst of your children and grandchildren.
"I am struck by the vital role of women in Indigenous communities. They occupy a prominent place as blessed sources, not only of physical but also of spiritual life."
The prayer service included several scripture readings that drew parallels to Indigenous culture, organizers said.
