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Indigenous Reconciliation: Opening Our Hearts

Location
St. Augustine
2028 West 7th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6J 1T4
Contact
Helen Chiu, Ben Hume & Beverly Yhap

[email protected]

Opening Our Hearts

Opening our Hearts is about Catholics within the community of St. Augustine’s moving toward Reconciliation with our Coast Salish neighbours: xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam), Sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.  

Just what does this mean?  How do we begin to reconcile with our Indigenous brothers and sisters?  Maybe by coming together through personal experience.  Maybe by attending a Kairos Blanket Exercise, walking through 400 years of Indigenous history from Contact to the present day.  Maybe by sitting in a circle with an Indigenous knowledge keeper, hearing and sharing stories that can only be revealed by Listening to Indigenous Voices.  

Find out more about last year’s Kairos Blanket Exercise and Listening to Indigenous Voices offered in 2023.

Kairos Blanket Exercise

Opening our Hearts begins again on September 30, 2024 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with the Kairos Blanket Exercise.  Sign up for this FREE workshop here.

Come to St. Augustine’s FREE Kairos Blanket Exercise

Monday September 30, 2024
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
1:00–3:00pm
St. Augustine’s School Gym, 2154 W. 7th Avenue, Vancouver (Arbutus & W. 8th Avenue)

Led by Deacon Rennie Nahanee of St. Paul’s parish, Sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish) nation.

What to expect:  Developed by Kairos Canada, an inter-faith Christian organization dedicated to social justice, the Blanket Exercise provides an encounter with roughly 400 years of Indigenous history from first Contact to the present day. Participants literally walk through events on a journey informed by personal Indigenous testimony in an immersive experience that is moving and memorable.

Who it’s for:  You do not have to be a member of St. Augustine’s parish or any other church community. Open to anyone high-school age and up.

How to attend:  Kairos Blanket Exercise is FREE but registration is required.  

Do you identify as Indigenous, Métis, or Inuit? Are you part of St. Augustine’s?  We’d love to hear from you, and learn how our parish can become more welcoming.  Get in touch by contacting [email protected]

Click Here to Register.


Opening Our Hearts is profoundly grateful to Deacon Rennie Nahanee for his generous involvement. A member of Squamish (Skwxwú7mesh) Nation, Deacon Rennie brings invaluable insights as a Knowledge Keeper of Church-related issues with Indigenous communities.


Opening Our Hearts to Reconciliation 2023-2024

Last year St Augustine’s church began Opening our Hearts, a journey toward Reconciliation with our Indigenous brothers and sisters. We started as a large group of 55 with a Kairos Blanket Exercise led by Deacon Rennie Nahanee of Squamish Nation on National Truth & Reconciliation Day September 30, 2023 at St. Augustine’s School.  The Exercise gave participants a sense of what Indigenous peoples experienced since first contact with Europeans, their displacement by waves of settlers and newcomers, and the human costs over time, at many levels.  

Deacon Rennie continued with a smaller group of 12 (sometimes 14, sometimes 10) as we learned about Listening to Indigenous Voices.  This course began October 14th and met every two weeks to hear testimony from Indigenous witnesses Martin Sparrow, Deacon Rennie, Elder Wendy Charbonneau, and Métis witness Solange Legal about distinct and shared aspects of Indigenous and Métis culture. 

We looked at basic Western assumptions that marginalized Indigenous peoples and justified forced assimilation under the guise of civilization. And, of course, the Church’s role within this larger colonial system.

In the course of learning about Indigenous spirituality and its inseparability from connection to the land, we discovered many commonalities and shared truths. We grew in friendship, mutual trust, and shared respect. The sharing circles became places of moving testimony and heartfelt exchange. By April 6th when we met to celebrate with bannock and smoked salmon, this first circle felt complete. 

While the first year may be over, the journey of Opening our Hearts continues with collaborations involving St Mark’s and other parishes in the works. We ask you to kindly keep us in your prayers. And urge you to get involved or just say hello: [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

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