Visit of Pope Francis to Canada

Aug. 17

From July 24 to 29, Pope Francis was on a pastoral visit to Canada. The papal visit is an opportunity for the Holy Father to listen and dialogue with indigenous peoples. He said he has come to their homelands to tell them personally of their "pain," "to implore God's forgiveness, healing and reconciliation," to express his closeness, to pray with and for them. We joined the Church's request for forgiveness, together with the Pope, through our services of offering to the Church.

It was also a great blessing for our Community Seeds of the Word to be present with the Holy Father in Edmonton. We participated in the Holy Mass at Commonwealth Stadium on the feast of St. Anne and St. Joachim, and had the grace to serve as Eucharistic Ministers.

“In addition to being children of a history that needs to be preserved, we are authors of a history yet to be written. Each of us can recognize ourselves for who and what we are, marked by both light and shadows, and by the love that we did or did not receive (...) May Joachim and Anne intercede for us. May they help us to cherish the history that gave us life, and, for our part, to build a life-giving history. That future is possible if, with God’s help, we do not sever the bond that joins us with those who have gone before us, and if we foster dialogue with those who will come after us. Young and old, grandparents and grandchildren, all together. Let us move forward together, and together, let us dream. Also, let us not forget Paul’s advice to his disciple Timothy: Remember your mother and your grandmother (cf. 2 Tim 1:5).
- Pope Francis, excerpts from his homily on July 26, 2022, Edmonton, Canada.

The Pope ended his visit in the province of Alberta, in which our community belongs, by visiting the lake of Santa Ana, about 70 km from Edmonton. On the shores of the lake, he made the sign of the cross directed to the cardinal points, according to the indigenous custom, and blessed the waters of the lake.