Diocese of
CHURCHILL-HUDSON BAY-NUNAVUT

• Our annual gathering which is known to others as Regional meeting this spring had been organized by Iglulik community. Prior to the session about two months ahead communities discussed in group the topics of discussion and issues the communities are struggling about or the happenings, that we are happy to inform others about. Several subjects were selected. On the 11th and 12th of April members of Hall Beach, Pond Inlet arrived. Other communities could not delegate anyone. It is true that for anyone from Arctic Bay to come to session we would have to come up with $ 3,200.00 That is not possible. Only Iqaluit would need to raise $ 1,600 per person to get to Iglulik. So at the end we have had 21 people participating from three community. The session started on the 13th of April to 19th.

  First day was the welcoming period and sharing the news from communities and then gratitude of help, presence and support we were getting from other communities. We did not have to wait long for the struggling souls. The tears came out soon and the atmosphere of the session in general had changed instantly. We had expected that as we expected that we will be fine few minutes later. Maurice Arnatsiaq was the leading force in facilitating to start with.

  The second day we had some more disturbing issues to consider for example: receiving of the Holy Communion while in the common-Law relationship receiving Communion and not being regular member of the Church community. Second difficult moment gave us discussion on the Sacrament of Reconciliation while in non sacramental relationship-Girlfriend-Boyfriend. The other stressful and difficult moment experienced couples who would like to get married but one of them had no sacrament of confirmation and in addition they are living together having children already. Many emotional moment during the session. All for the better and stronger faith which in recent years is decreasing very fast. We believe it has to do with heavy use of drugs and other substances that weaken the commitment to faithful life with God, Church, themselves and with others. Stoned people are walking our streets, our children are so high for narcotics that they barely can walk on their own. It is becoming epidemic. Well parents do the same so why children would not do the same when parents are not capable of giving example to the young lives. Our youth learns for what they see and from what they hear obviously.

• On the third day Father Robert Lechat presented Scripture teachings on “God wants us at his image” based on OT and NT. Scripture and examples from life made it very alive and the anticipation was very high at the time from other church members coming with their own bibles studying the Catholic understanding of the creation and Creator. On that occasion we made translation of “The ABCs of the Crusade for Love” written by Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski of Poland. This turned out to be very positive and seriously received as a model for better life. We will see how many will follow this beautiful word. We add the copy of this ABCs on our Web. See Crusade of Love

• Last event of our session came with the celebration of Confirmation. On Sunday the 19th of April our Bishop Confirmed 17 young people all of the from Iglulik. Nice crowd turned out for the Eucharist which was celebrated in the afternoon. People came in especially for the feast after the Celebration where special thanks to Bishop was given and superb meal prepared by our local church members. Monday Fr. Lechat left for Ottawa and Bishop on Tuesday traveled to Hall Beach for couple of days. Participant left in the next day. We hope to have our next session in Pond Inlet which was suggested at the end of gathering.

Fr. Tony Krótki