Originally Published on OMIWORLD.ORG

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By Nnaemeka ALI, OMI

On 21 October 2012, I went to the canonisation of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha without really knowing who she was or the Aboriginal nation from which she came.

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, a sister and a bridge for our times

That day in the Vatican, surrounded by the faithful, I had no idea that this encounter would mark a turning point in my life. Twelve years later, at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, surrounded by members of the university community and Aboriginal people from Kitigan-Zibi, I rediscovered in Kateri a big sister and a link between peoples.

An unexpected discovery in the Eternal City

In 2012, I was still in formation at the Oblate International Scholasticate in Rome. Unmotivated by the security protocols that precede every event at the Vatican, I was reluctant to take part in those ceremonies. However that day, not knowing why, I agreed to attend the canonisation of seven figures, including Kateri Tekakwitha, the first aboriginal woman to be declared a saint. It was my first and only experience of such a ceremony, and I didn’t know any of the future canonised people at the time.

Among them were Pedro Calungsod, a Filipino martyr; Marianne Cope, who served lepers in Hawaii; Anna Schäffer, a German laywoman known for her suffering; Giovanni Piamarta, an Italian priest and educator; Jacques Berthieu, a French Jesuit martyr; and Carmen Sallés, a Spanish nun. But it was Kateri who was to play a special role in my life, well beyond that day.

A celebration of fraternity at Saint Paul University

Twelve years after the canonisation I had the opportunity to celebrate this Saint at Saint Paul University, alongside the Aboriginal people of Kitigan-Zibi. Since my arrival on the land of her ancestors, Kateri has become a friend and confidante. She symbolises for me a link between a painful past and a more promising future for the Aboriginal Church. The modest yet fraternal celebration brought together natives and non-natives around the Eucharistic table in a moment of solidarity and friendship. The choir from the Anishinabe community of Kitigan-Zibi added an authentic and profound touch to the ceremony.

During the homily, the celebrant recalled that Kateri is a sign of resistance and resurgence, despite the controversies surrounding her history. She represents a bridge between two peoples, an invitation to acknowledge the trials of our shared history while building together a future of reconciliation and peace. Kateri Tekakwitha, ‘Lily of the Mohawks’, embodies the hope of harmonious cohabitation. She bears witness to the possibility of overcoming the trials of the past and inventing together a new history of brotherhood and respect.