Supporting Language Revitalization by Teaching the Rosary in Cree

Our Lady of Seven Sorrows is a Catholic parish in Maskwacis, Alberta with a long history in the Cree community it serves.

Over the years, significant efforts have been made to revitalize the Cree language in the community, especially with younger generations. Cree classes are being taught in Maskwacis schools and at Maskwacis College in order to preserve and utilize the language.

But even community members who speak Cree often do not know how to pray the Rosary in Cree, so on Sundays before Mass at Our Lady of Seven Sorrows, the Rosary is prayed in English. Thanks to a grant from the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF), the parish is embarking on an initiative to teach the Rosary in Cree to community members. The funding will encompass the teacher’s honorarium, hall rentals, and all necessary teaching materials.

Making the Cree language part of prayers and ceremonies is an important part of language revitalization, strengthening cultural identity and spiritual connections within the community.

Archdiocese of Edmonton