HEALING AND RECONCILIATION FOR COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES
Beacon and Bridge
In Thunder Bay, the St. Kateri Church has become known as a champion for reconciliation and promoting Indigenous culture.
One of the many events it hosts each year, the Kateri Prayer Weekend transcends cultural barriers and merges Indigenous ceremonies with Catholic faith.
For three days, Indigenous Peoples from across Northwestern Ontario gather to invite and ignite the presence of the Holy Spirit within the community. This event builds spiritual connections and promotes cultural healing through shared stories and sacramental worship in a culturally authentic way.
This annual gathering is returning once again and bringing together participants from communities such as Long Lac, Gull Bay, Nipigon and beyond. Attendees will join traditional sharing circles, a sacred pipe ceremony, listen to guest speakers, and celebrate Holy Mass with a focus on ‘Life in the Spirit’ teachings. By integrating Indigenous cultural expressions with Catholic practices, the event creates a space for mutual respect, deep listening and spiritual growth, ensuring participants feel seen and valued in both their cultural identity and their faith.
The Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF) is honoured to support this initiative that provides a bridge between Indigenous spirituality and Catholic faith. Participants who return year after year believe in the gathering’s positive impact, allowing them to feel at home in both traditions. They leave feeling strengthened in their relationships, renewed in their faith and empowered to use their voices in shaping a shared spiritual path forward between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
Diocese of Thunder Bay
