Grace Church forming relationships with Indigenous people after being targeted with red paint this summer
The staff at Grace Church Calgary held a steps toward truth, healing and reconciliation event on Sunday afternoon, lamenting about the nation’s history surrounding residential schools.
Dozens of Calgarians were in attendance, listening to stories and crying out for peace and justice for indigenous people in Canada.
Grace Church was one of the dozens of Alberta churches vandalized with red paint this summer, following the discovery of remains at former residential school sites including in Kamloops, B.C.
“When we had the red paint splattered on our doors, we recognize that we didn’t have really great relationships with Indigenous people,” said Reverend Jake Van Pernis.
“So we had to form them and recognize that we were going to make some mistakes in those relationships but be brave enough to risk making those mistakes and asking for forgiveness to continue moving forward.”
Shirley Shingoose Dufour is a residential school survivor.
She shared her story on the steps of the Presbyterian church saying she was put in the system at age 5, leaving a decade later.
“All those years that I was in that residential school, there was a lot of damage done to me,” said Shingoose Dufour.
“So I had to go to psychologists, I’ve had to go see therapists, I’ve had to see pastors, I’ve had to get prayer.”
Mayor Naheed Nenshi also spoke at the event saying there is still a lot of work left to do to bring forth a sense of reconciliation and healing.
“A lot of people's hearts are broken now, but broken hearts are also open hearts and this is a chance to be able to work together to figure out what to do,” said Nenshi.
Grace Church says it now does land acknowledgements at its services and tries to foster budding relationships with Indigenous people on a path to reconciliation.
The church says it decided to keep the splattered paint across its doors to serve as a daily reminder it still has a lot of work left to do.
Canada will recognize for the first time the national day of Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th, as a federal statutory holiday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.