Another Perspective

Several weeks ago after giving a lecture at a religious conference, the first question from the audience was this one: How can you continue to stay in a church that played such a pivotal part in setting up and maintaining residential schools for the indigenous people of Canada? How can you stay in a church that did that?

St. Mark’s Gospel for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, which we heard the weekend of July 10-11, spoke of Jesus sending out his chosen Twelve Apostles on a mission of preaching repentance or “metanoia,” a Greek word meaning not only to have sorrow for sin but also to see our lives as a gift from God and a calling to serve others. 

With some COVID restrictions now lifted, I am now able to use holy water and sign myself when I enter our church.  Why do we do this?