A story.

I got this call for a sick call this morning. It was In between Masses and sometimes these sorts of things throw off the rhythm of my day. You want to say yes but you realize the inconvenience of yes. So I moved some things around, though, to make this sick call happen

A little glimpse behind the curtain. Sometimes priests get frustrated not because they don’t want to go visit the sick. It’s just...sometimes it throws a wrinkle in the day. So you get frustrated pray through it, and move to the place where you can say yes and make it happen

The anointing was for a woman on the local reserve. So I drove out and her brother insisted i pick him up. He was the former chief for 22 years. I’ll be honest, because of COVID-19 I wasn’t keen on this part but...sometimes we gotta do things. So I picked him up.

He got in my car and he had a blanket with him. I didn’t know why. Because he didn’t bring it with him to his sisters.

I anoint his sister Diane (pray for her please) and give her communion. We chat a bit and she asks me to bless her new rosary and cross. Then it’s time to leave

I drive Jerry back to his place and he hands me the blanket and thanks me for all im doing for the community. I was shocked.

In First Nations culture, this is no idle gift, but a sign of real honour. It’s linked to their culture, to life, and death. They recognize the...

Blanket as something that protects and comforts and they see that symbol deeply. To be given this is a massive honour.

It just shows me that when moments of ministry that inconvenience, they are the times to jump and say yes, because they are profound moments!