Ian Lam from the Archdiocese of Vancouver was part of a young adult group that recently accompanied Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen on an experience of mission, outreach and celebration in Canada’s north.

By Ian Lam, Saints Benedict and Scholastica summer mission team

The privilege of experiencing culture abundantly brings experiences that can only be described as “once in a lifetime.” Travelling to Délįnę for the yearly Spiritual Gathering hosted by that community was one of these times that created lifelong memories for me.

I am continuing on my journey to experience the universal Catholic church, and coming from Vancouver BC, the difference in scale and concentration of the church in the Northwest Territories was shocking.

Délįnę is a unique Indigenous community in their bountiful spirituality and sense of community and the welcome provided on our arrival. I was an outsider, someone unfamiliar with their culture, traditions, and spiritual practices, but the people of Délįnę treated me as one of their own.

Participating in drum dances, watching hand games, and joining in on the activities increased my love for their culture.

Mass on the shores of Great Bear Lake. (Submitted photo)

The highlight of the trip was the blessing of the Great Bear Lake during a Mass celebrated by Bishop Mark Hagemoen of Saskatoon and Bishop Jon Hansen, CSsR, of Mackenzie-Fort Smith. Being witness to such a meaningful celebration, which combined Dene and Catholic spirituality, brought me to truly realize the breadth of my faith, and how it touches not only the far expanses of the waters of the lake, but also the peoples who live by it.

During the gathering, youth from the different Indigenous communities in the North come to Délįnę, and during this time, I was given the privilege of speaking to them on two of the great virtues, along with two counterpart deadly sins.

With experience in the two virtues of discipline and temperance, I spoke to youth about the consequences of falling into the sins of sloth and gluttony.

It was such a blessing to see around 40 young people, ages from teens to those in their thirties, come and listen to me and my fellow speakers who spoke on the remaining virtues and deadly sins.

Knowing these people come from walks of life that greatly differ from mine, I hoped to have spread God’s love to them through my words.

The hospitality of Délįnę and the Dene people was overflowing, as we had all three meals in community together, which came with conversations, encounters, and prayer.

Site of a Délı̨nę Spiritual Gathering this summer. (Submitted photo)

Before every meal, a prayer was said in the Dene language, which I experienced as another link between my own spirituality and theirs.

To be able to listen to their language was also a great gift, as all the adults and elders spoke the language, and through listening, I noticed the immense respect the Dene people give to their elders.

At the last Mass of my stay in Délįnę, the Dene community requested that Bishop Jon and Bishop Mark give the two elders a blessing, and what followed was a memory to last a lifetime. After receiving their blessings, the two elders gave their own blessings to Bishop Jon and Bishop Mark in their native tongue, and even though I did not know how to translate what they were saying, I felt I understood – to lead God’s children well as bishops, and to spread the love of the Creator to all.

To spread the love of God to all I met was one of the goals of my trip, but being in Délįnę, the Dene people gave me so much of that love through sharing their culture and spirituality that I am amazed and inspired to be a stronger disciple so that others may feel the love that was showered onto me.

Related:  Reflection on summer mission trip by Huy Le: LINK

Related:  Reflection on presentation by participant Mandy Bayha: LINK 

Relatled:  Bishop Mark Hagemoen and young adults travel north for mission and outreach – ARTICLE

A Marian Shrine at Délı̨nę. (Submitted photo)

Service work at Trapper’s Lake retreat centre near Yellowknife. (Submitted photo)

Ian Lam works on cross repair at a Trapper’s Lake retreat centre near Yellowknife. (Submitted photo)

Ian Lam (Submitted photo)

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