Walking Together Toward Healing

 

In a few weeks Pope Francis will arrive in Canada for a visit which we can hope will contribute to reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and the Roman Catholic church which inflicted terrible harm upon them through the Residential School system. Several denominations were complicit in this system which was intended to eradicate Indigenous cultures. In most of the schools students were abused in different ways. We know that hundreds, if not thousands died while in residence, often buried in unmarked graves. 

The 85-year-old Francis is ailing but the hope is that he will visit several cities to reiterate the apology he offered Indigenous leaders who travelled to the Vatican earlier this year. Recently it was announced that his itinerary will include a visit to the site of the former  Ermineskin residential school  in Alberta where he will meet with survivors. 

There is a logo for this visit which was designed by Metis artist Shaun Vincent who has already worked closely with residential school survivors and elders to create the design layout for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation's student memorial register, which collects the names of children who died at the institutions.

At first Vincent declined the invitation to create the logo because of the weight of responsibility attached to such a momentous visit and its implications for healing. At the top of the design is a dove representing the Holy Spirit with the keys of St. Peter, representing the papacy, beneath. Here is his description of the other elements of the circle: 

A breakdown of the design logo discussing each element. (Shaun Vincent)

“The idea of ​​walking together happens in a lot of different communities in different ways,” he says.

“For me, I imagined more herds, more groups of animals and how they support each other.”

To the circular image, he added eagles, which dance together in the sky and represent a connection with the Creator.

He drew bison, which symbolize the support and strength of a herd.

He drew caribou, which persevere in difficult lands to find what they need to survive, as well as arctic char and salmon, which represent sustenance and the strength of great migrations.

Vincent says he chose the color blue to bring in the calming nature of water and air.

“(It) reinforces this idea that we should all breathe and try to heal in any way we can.”

The final design was approved by a committee made up of elders and survivors.

Vincent says the logo is ready to go out into the world but, he says, it will develop new meanings for different people during the Pope’s visit. He has faith that it will bring healing. “I’m a little scared, but I’m hopeful,” he said. “I hope everyone sees it for the good that I was trying to put into it and that’s all I can really hope for.”

In what is often the quiet of summer for congregations of every background I hope we can be prayerful about will unfold during this papal visit. And we can keep in mind Shaun Vincent's logo and the hope it embodies.