richard wagamese

REMEMBER – CELEBRATE – BELIEVE

In a recent reading of Embers – One Ojibway’s Meditations by Richard Wagamese, I was struck by the following passage from his writings. 

“Missing someone is feeling a piece of your heart gone astray… there’s a gap in the everyday things around you…You seem to move a little less gracefully… and you now move out of gratitude for the gift of their presence in your life…”   

In the courtyard at Boyle Street Community Services located in the inner City in Edmonton, folks gathered to remember and recall the life of Vegas – a community member who died. In the centre of the circle was a bowl of sage burning which would be used by the Elder to smudge each of us who gathered as well as the offering of food which was to be left for the spirits following our time together.  The gathering was about the Boyle Street Community sitting in silence to ‘fill the gap’ they were feeling from this death of a friend. Not a lot of words were used but the sense of accompaniment was evident as I too was invited into the Circle.  Stories were told of Vegas  -  a friend, a card player, a man of few words and a man who had overcome his alcohol addiction after many years – and his time with the Boyle Street Community was the ‘gift of presence'.

The following evening Sister Kitty and I attended the Annual Memorial sponsored by CEASE (Centre to End All Sexual Exploitation).  This was the 30th year that CEASE has organized this Memorial Service to gather and remember those who have lost a mother, a daughter, a sister, a partner, a relative or a friend from sexual exploitation and/or an abusive relationship.  A litany of over 150 names is read and silence is evident as people tear up remembering special relationships as the name of their loved one is spoken aloud.  The simplicity of this gathering is highlighted when balloons are sent skyward wishing peace and freedom to those who have died… and the line from Embers comes alive – “now you move out of gratitude for the gift of their presence in your life…”

On Sunday, Kitty and I gathered with some members of the Scarboro Community of Boyle-McAuley who knew and loved Father Rene Fumoleau, to recall and remember times they shared with Rene on his visits to Edmonton. Again, the theme of ‘being a gift of presence’ came through as stories were shared, some of his poetry was read and words that he spoke while in their presence came alive in recalling his passion for the people of Northern Canada for so many years and his commitment to social justice for many years.

These three events struck me as a connection with the circle of life and a deeper realization that I, we, are part of the sacred energy - moving, growing and  bringing everything into harmony. 

Contributed by Sister Ann MacDonald, csj