Ten days ago, a flotilla of canoes left Sainte-Marie-among-the-Hurons on Georgian Bay. The 850-kilometre, 25-day voyage will reach Kahnawake on the outskirts of Montreal on August 15. The canoeists will be in the Ottawa area from August 9–11. The Canadian Canoe Pilgrimage involves a group of more than thirty Indigenous, Jesuit, English and French-Canadian paddlers. The men and women participants range in age from 18 to 67. Some paddlers have committed to the whole journey, others to taking part for shorter periods. The canoeing project is inspired by Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission with the hope of encouraging intercultural-interreligious dialogue and learning. All the paddlers share a common passion and are working towards the …show more content…
So that’s really where our idea for the Canadian Canoe Pilgrimage came from. We thought that 50 years later, we should redo their trip but have it focus on a current issue in Canada–our focus being the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.” Along the way, the Canadian Canoe Pilgrimage will make stops at various communities. On the morning of August 9, they will visit Fitzroy Harbour. There, members of Ottawa’s Catholic Kateri Native Ministry team will welcome the paddlers with First Nations customs. Later that day, after portaging, they will land at Gatineau’s Brébeuf Park where Archbishop Durocher will celebrate Mass. This will be followed by a supper on the shore. Paddlers and support staff will lodge at Carleton University that night and the next. On the morning of August 10, the canoeists will paddle down the Rideau Canal from Carleton to arrive at Major’s Hill Park. Local paddlers are welcome to join the flotilla. I will celebrate Mass for the delegation at noon in Notre Dame