By MegAnne Liebsch
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True reconciliation begins with recognizing the dignity in each person we encounter. It demands more than apologies or declarations — it requires the humility to listen deeply, the courage to remain present through discomfort and the commitment to walk alongside others in their journey.
“When we create spaces where people can be authentically present to one another, transformation becomes possible,” reflects Edwina MacDonald of the Michipicoten First Nation. This transformation, she explains, emerges through patient accompaniment and mutual understanding — a process that cannot be rushed or imposed from above.
Learning from History’s Bridge Builders
Such deep accompaniment has marked the Indigenous-Catholic relationship at its best moments. When missionaries first arrived in what is now Canada, some chose a radical path: Rather than imposing their ways, they lived among Indigenous communities, learned their languages and shared their daily struggles. Figures like Jean de Brébeuf and his companions embodied this model, striving to recognize the presence of God in Indigenous cultures and to build mutual understanding.
Now, a powerful symbol of this shared history has been journeying across Canada. Since December 2024, the relics of St. Kateri Tekakwitha and the Jesuit Martyrs have traveled through more than a dozen communities across Western Canada, drawing thousands into prayer, reflection, and reconciliation. The tour has been met with deep gratitude, as people gather to venerate these sacred relics and reflect on their call to unity and healing.
“What we see is individuals, families, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous; they seem to be quite moved by their encounter,” shared Fr. John O’Brien, SJ, who accompanied the relics on their journey. “I’ve been struck by their gratitude.”
“At a time when there are a lot of fractured relationships between groups in society and in the Church, these saints remind us that people can live together in peace. They believed this to their depths — and they call us to that same depth of forgiveness and love.”
The timing holds particular meaning, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. “At a time when there are a lot of fractured relationships between groups in society and in the Church, these saints [St. Kateri and the Jesuit Martyrs] remind us that people can live together in peace. They believed this to their depths — and they call us to that same depth of forgiveness and love. They represent the unity of Christians in Christ across ethnic and political boundaries,” explains Fr. John O’Brien, SJ, director of Martyrs’ Shrine. “They believed that people could live together in peace. And that should inspire us to the depths to which we’re all called — to forgive and to love.”
The saints themselves embody this possibility of unity amid difference. The Canadian Martyrs — six French Jesuit missionaries and two laymen who lived among the Wendat peoples in present-day Ontario — chose a path of genuine accompaniment. Rather than imposing their faith, they focused on living with and learning from the Wendat, offering Christian education amongst families and communities, many of whom welcomed their message.
Their commitment to this shared life ran deep. When warfare erupted between the Wendat and Haudenosaunee between 1642 and 1649, the Jesuits had opportunities to flee. Instead, they remained with their Wendat companions, many of whom also chose to stay despite the dangers. Most of the missionaries were killed by the Haudenosaunee, who viewed them as French allies of the Wendat.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha’s story offers another powerful testament to bridge-building between cultures. Born to a Kanien’kehà:ka father in the years following the martyrs’ deaths, she encountered Christianity through Jesuit missionaries who visited her village. Finding deep resonance with these teachings, she converted as a teenager and eventually joined a community of Indigenous Catholic converts, where she lived until her early death.
“Indigenous Catholics that I know are proud of St. Kateri being recognized as a saint — someone from their own people leading, healing and always teaching how to glorify God,” MacDonald shares. As the first canonized Indigenous woman, St. Kateri holds particular significance for Indigenous Catholics seeking to integrate their cultural and spiritual identities.
The Continuous Work of Healing
Fr. Cristino Bouvette, a Cree- Métis priest who organized the Alberta portion of the tour, sees these saints’ stories as vital reminders of possibility. “We live under this terribly tragic and horrendous cloud of the residential school system, but that’s going back 100 to 150 years into a 450-year-long history,” he reflects. While these saints represent the best of accompaniment and solidarity, we must also acknowledge the Church’s role in colonial systems, including residential schools, which caused profound harm by suppressing Indigenous identities, languages and spiritualities. “The stories of people like St. Jean de Brébeuf and St. Kateri, and how they relate to each other, are signs to us of what has been in the past and what remains equally as possible for us now in our present.”
“When we create spaces where people can be authentically present to one another, transformation becomes possible.”
The organizers acknowledge that the tour may evoke complex emotions — from deep spiritual connection to pain and trauma. Both responses deserve space and respect as communities engage with these histories and their ongoing implications.
MacDonald believes that “healing is a continuous process where each person represents an essential piece in a greater spiritual puzzle.” “When the puzzle is put together,” she says, “it will bring a greater union with God and all humanity.” While the relics serve as focal points for gathering, the real work of reconciliation happens through the people who come together — in their willingness to listen, to share and to walk forward together.
The tour builds on a profound hunger for spiritual connection — a previous tour of St. Francis Xavier’s relic drew nearly 100,000 people across Canada. The response so far suggests similar interest, with faithful from diverse backgrounds coming together in prayer, dialogue, and healing.
This initiative represents more than a historical commemoration — it embodies a living tradition of putting faith into action for the common good. The Martyrs’ choice to remain with their Wendat companions, even in the face of danger, demonstrates how genuine solidarity transforms both individuals and communities. Similarly, St. Kateri’s life shows how embracing one’s full identity — both cultural and spiritual — can create pathways for others to follow.
These saints remind us that reconciliation requires more than good intentions — it demands concrete action, genuine presence and the courage to remain engaged even when the path becomes difficult. Their examples challenge us to move beyond surface-level changes toward deeper transformation in our relationships with those who have been marginalized or excluded.
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