The Season of Creation may be ending, but our place within creation is not. St. Francis reminds us that the earth is not scenery, property, or simply a collection of resources—it is a community of creatures already loved by God. Perhaps faithful care begins when we remember that we were never meant to stand outside the garden.
Category Archives: Reconciliation
Brother Sun, Sister Moon, and the Neighbourhood Squirrel
As the Season of Creation draws toward the Feast of St. Francis, we are invited to remember that creation is more than scenery, property, or resource—it is the beloved community of life to which we belong. From Brother Sun and Sister Moon to the remarkably determined neighbourhood squirrel, perhaps caring for the earth begins when we rediscover our kinship with the world God loves and is still redeeming.
The Neighbours Who Never Borrow the Lawn Mower
What if creation is more than scenery, property, or a collection of resources? During this Season of Creation, we consider what it might mean to see trees, rivers, soil, and creatures as neighbours—and to discover that caring for the earth is ultimately an expression of love, gratitude, and faithful discipleship.
When September Ends, What Will Remain?
September may end, but the ministry of reconciliation does not. The Church is called to carry truth, repentance, relationship, and action beyond a single day or season. The real measure of our commitment will be what remains when the orange shirts are put away and the calendar turns to October.
When Our Promises Become Practices
Reconciliation cannot remain a promise the Church makes each September. Our commitments must become visible in our relationships, budgets, priorities, partnerships, and actions. As the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation approaches, we ask a challenging question: if someone examined the life of our church without hearing our words, would they be able to tell that reconciliation truly matters to us?
Reconciliation Will Cost Us Something
Reconciliation becomes credible when it moves beyond apology into action. For the Church in Canada, that will require more than good intentions: it will require humility, changed priorities, shared authority, committed resources, and the courage to surrender control. The question is no longer simply whether we regret the past, but whether our repentance is changing the way we live today.
What We Carry From the Altar
Truth and reconciliation cannot remain something the Church remembers for one week each year. What we celebrate at the altar must become visible in how we listen, build relationships, share resources, seek justice, and become trustworthy neighbours with Indigenous peoples.
When September Ends: The Work That Must Continue
What happens when September ends, the orange shirts are folded away, and the Church calendar moves on? Reconciliation cannot be a season we observe and then leave behind. It must become a way of life—shaping our relationships, priorities, resources, and actions. The real measure of our commitment will be whether we remain faithful to the work long after the commemorations are over.
Reconciliation Must Change the Way We Live
Truth and Reconciliation cannot be confined to a single week, an orange shirt, or an annual observance. The Church is called to something deeper: relationships built patiently through listening, humility, justice, and faithful action. The question is not simply what we have learned, but what we are prepared to change—and whether we will still be walking together when the week is over.
Reconciliation Must Change the Relationship
Reconciliation must become more than familiar language or an annual observance. It must change the relationships we build. The Church is called to listen before speaking, to become neighbours rather than managers, and to turn promises into faithful, lasting action with Indigenous peoples.