Truth and Reconciliation Day (a beautiful ending to a sad story)

Posted on September 30, 2025 Tagged Orthodox, Orthodox Alaska, Orthodox Church, residential schools, truth and reconciliationLeave a comment

I first talked about this story in 2021 – but given that there still seems to be an inability to figure out what reconciliation means, on the part of Canada (both collectively and individually) or worse yet, resistance to wanting to figure out what reconciliation means; this story is as important today as it was four years ago.

In the same way that the Canadian government established the residential schools system, for the express purpose of getting “rid of the Indian problem” (Duncan Campbell Scott – deputy superintendent of the Department of Indian Affairs from 1913 to 1932) through unequal, and forced assimilation; the same thing was happening to the indigenous peoples of the United States, and in particular Alaska. It is important to note that a majority of the Indigenous peoples of Alaska had been Orthodox Christians for almost two hundred years. One of these children was a 12 year old girl – Sophia Tetoff.

Sophia Tetoff was an orphan, and in 1896 she was taken from the people and home she knew on St. Paul Island, Alaska to eventually live in a boarding school (the American version of residential schools) in Pennsylvania, where she died 1906 from TB. A time consuming process of locating and returning Sophia to her home was undertaken by Andrew and Lauren Peters (distant relatives) where she was greeted by the whole of the community of St Paul’s Island. Her funeral was one she would have understood – sung in her own language, with traditional melodies and with customs she would have known.

There is much we can learn from the work to honour Sophia, as we strive to understand what reconciliation looks like. May the Lord inspire us to bestow such dignity and respect, for those who had their dignity, respect, family, language and culture taken away from them! Truly may we strive to honour the lives of these children, like Sophia Tetoff, and commit them to the mercy and love of our Lord, and the Kingdom of Heaven.

A beautiful piece that documented this journey can be viewed at https://www.ucdavis.edu/curiosity/news/uc-davis-family-rematriates-their-ancestor-alaska-native-school

Celebrating a better Canada day; by celebrating Dominion day.

Posted on June 29, 2023 Tagged Canada Day, Churches and residential schools, Dominion day, Orthodox, Orthodox Canada, Orthodox Church in America, Orthodox mission, residential schools1 Comment

A hundred and fifty three years ago when the fathers of confederation were putting the final touches on this “new country” called “Canada”, there was some question of what to call it. Although there was support for John A. MacDonald’s reference to Canada as a “kingdom”, the suggestion of Sir Samuel Tilley (then the premier of New Brunswick) to call Canada a “Dominion” held sway. He suggested the term inspired from scripture – He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth” Ps. 72:8 (this also happens to be part of the motto for our country “A Mari Usque Ad Mare” from sea to sea).

As the years progressed, this title became more associated with an antiquated view of our history, being inconsistent with the desire to show the rest of the world, that Canada was a modern country, independent of its colonial history (not to mention that Canada day sounds much more patriotic than “Dominion Day”). So in 1982 “Dominion day” was changed to “Canada Day”.

Not surprisingly, this desire to distance ourselves from our past by changing the name of this day, did little to change the challenges of our sorted history (both good and bad). We have to say that even a title like “Canada Day” is still a reminder of the historic racism and blatant prejudice that oppressed indigenous peoples and minorities of our country (like the 1923 Chinese Immigration Act which banned Chinese immigration) despite its best intent.

In a desire to reconcile the past, they are those who would rather ignore the fact that on July 1st 1867 a confederation of provinces was established to make this country called Canada; yet I believe there is a better way to not only celebrate this day, but also go some way at reconciling the blessings of this country with its tragic history. Maybe we should revert back to calling this day “Dominion day” or at least remembering its salvific context?

Of course changing a name, does not change history; let alone, makes it easier for those who suffered systemic abuse and racism; but reverting to “Dominion day” recognizes (at least scripturally and spiritually) that we are not the ones who have Dominion (it is the Lord). As such we are not called to be lords or masters, but rather be ministers and servants; loving our neighbour as ourselves (Mk. 12:31)

Anyone with half a heart can realize that there is no limit on the amount of evil that can be legitimized when people (or a group of people) see themselves as owning something exclusively (like the land they inhabit) irrespective of the people that used to live there, the people who want to live there, their neighbours, or even the environment. Truly this is a tragic context akin to those wicked servants saw the vineyard (that which is not theirs), as being their own possession (Mt. 21:33-44)

As Christians and particularly as Christian Canadians, we should take this parable to heart, lest all that we have in this country “be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it” (Mt. 21:43). Of course the Lord is talking about the Kingdom of Heaven; indeed the Lord has Dominion over all of creation (including this parcel of land that we call Canada) and our vocation (indigenous, settler, or immigrant) is to cultivate it, in love and service, that it might reveal the fruits of the Kingdom of Heaven and render them to the Lord and the least of His brethren (Mt. 25:40) “in their season”. If we are unwilling to do it, those “nations” that this will be given to, will not be the United States, or any other country (God forbid), but rather the poor, and abused, the lost, and forgotten peoples of this country.

Regardless if we moved here generations ago (like my family -1783), or just this past year (like Fr. Serhii and his family – this past March), or if we have been connected with the land for millennia; “our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ”(Philp. 31:20). So let us celebrate this secular feast day with repentance, turning to the Lord, and recognizing His compassionate Dominion and love over these lands (and all nations), and not our own fantasies of nationhood; and offer thanksgiving, for the blessings that we can see even the Kingdom of Heaven (and not the fantasies of a modern world) here and now, over these lands (and all nations).

A Beautiful ending to a sad story.

Posted on September 7, 2021September 7, 2021 Tagged Churches and residential schools, every child matters, indigenous Christianity, residential schoolsLeave a comment

A group of worshipers join the Peters family as they pray over Sophia’s casket at the Sts. Peter and Paul Church, St. Paul Island, Alaska, in July. (Courtesy of St. Paul Island Productions)

As we continue to reconcile our country’s tragic legacy with our indigenous peoples and the specter of Residential schools, we should always remember that the same fate that many indigenous children suffered here in Canada, was also shared by the indigenous people of the United States, and Alaska (whose people were Orthodox Christians since the late 1700’s).

Sophia Tetoff, was a 12-year-old girl. Orphaned in 1896, she was taken from the people and home she knew on St. Paul Island, Alaska, to live eventually, at the Carlisle boarding school (the American version of Residential schools) in Pennsylvania, where she died of TB in 1906. A time consuming process of locating and returning Sophia to her home was undertaken by Andrew and Lauren Peters (distant relatives) where she was greeted by the whole of the community of St Paul’s Island.

Her funeral was one she would have understood; sung in her own language, with traditional melodies, and with customs she would have known. There is much we can learn from the work to honour Sophia, as we strive to understand and deal with the tragic legacy of Residential schools in Canada.

Oh that we might bestow such dignity and respect for those who had any dignity and respect taken away from them! Indeed “every child matters”. Truly may we strive to honour the lives of the thousands of children who perished at Residential schools across North America, like Sophia Tetoff, and commit them to the mercy and love of our Lord, and the Kingdom of Heaven.

A beautiful piece that documented this journey can be viewed at https://www.ucdavis.edu/curiosity/news/uc-davis-family-rematriates-their-ancestor-alaska-native-school

The Gospel, All Saints of North America, and Residential Schools.

Posted on July 8, 2021 Tagged Alaska, All Saints of North America, Churches and residential schools, indigenous Christianity, Indigenous spirituality, Orthodox, Orthodox mission, residential schoolsLeave a comment

This past weekend we continued to bask in the glory and light of Pentecost beholding the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and all humanity. It is in this “light and glory” that we see the abiding presence of the “Comforter and Spirit of Truth, who is everywhere and fills all things” in those holy men and women, who bore the fruit of the Holy Spirit, “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such there is no law”(Gal 5:22-23); the Saints.

To understand the importance of Pentecost, is to understand and give thanksgiving for the Saints. For this reason, the two Sundays following Pentecost are focused on the Saints; first in general (with All Saints) , and then more specifically, in specific (All Saints of Russia, Ukraine, Mount Athos, and in our case, North America). Those men and women, known and unknown who have borne the fruit of the Holy Spirit here on our continent, in our country, province, and even our Church.

Yet our remembrance of these blessed Saints who served us here, is done under the shadow of this county’s tragic and racist history towards the Indignious and Metis peoples. The media’s revelation of a long known understanding that more than 6000 children never returned from the Residential Schools they were forcibly taken to, has reached the tipping point challenging the notion of our Canadian identity, and even the validity of our Christian witness. Even if some involved were unaware of the evil effects of forced assimilation, or the generational trauma and harm done by these schools, the effect is the same. All churches are lumped together as evil.

To be sure, the perception that all “churches” are the same (and evil), and as such are responsible for residential schools in Canada is wrong. This crisis directly affects the Roman Catholic Church (predominantly) and to a lesser degree, the Anglican United, Presbyterian Churches of Canada, who worked in partnership with the government to “get rid of the Indian problem”(Duncan Campbell Scott, a leading architect in the Residential school program).

Yet we see the witness of the Saints, and especially those who laboured in North America whom we commemorate, standing in stark contrast to the goals of the Residential School program: run by churches, that polluted the pristine Gospel message of hope and victory, with the poison of western enlightenment and racial superiority.

Truly the Saints throughout all the ages, have changed the world because of the imperative to “Go, stand in the temple (or wherever country, or city or village throughout the world) and speak to the people all the words of this life”(Act. 5:20) and only that Life; He who is the “Way the Truth and the Life” (Jn. 14:6) Jesus Christ!

One only has to look at the enduring witness of Orthodoxy among Alaska’s Indigenous peoples to see this striking contrast. From the very beginning Orthodox missionaries in Alaska sought to witness the Gospel in the language of the people, and like a new Cyrill and Methodius, Saints like Innocent and Jacob and others, not only learnt the local dialects and languages, but created an alphabet and a written language for the Indigenous peoples they served. They translated parts of scripture, and services. They baptized the Indigenous understanding of the Cosmos, revealing the work of Father Son and Holy Spirit in them. So much so, that trying to delineate between pre-Christian and post Christian understanding of the Creation, redemption, and life is almost impossible for modern ethnographers.

It was the proclamation by these Missionary Saints in Alaska, of the Gospel and only the Gospel, that cultivated a vibrant Christian culture, that was more Aleut, or Tlingit, than it was Russian (even 150 years ago). It should be said that those same Saints also cultivated a vibrant Christian Culture that has become for many of us in the last 50 years more English, or French or Spanish than it is Russian, Ukranian, Romanian or Greek.

But we are not in Alaska, we are here, and there is terrible pain and suffering that compels us to act with the same kind of fervor as it compelled the Saints of this continent to act.

And this is the point.

Whereas we might not be directly responsible for the forced assimilation of the Ingignious and Metis peoples of Canada, and the misguided application of a flawed and polluted gospel; we nonetheless can not claim total innocence because we have not borne witness to the Gospel that baptized nations and cultures of Indigious peoples. Despite having a presence in Canada for over 100 years, there is no Orthodox Church that is more Anishinaabe, or Cree, or Nakota, Metis, (or any other nation ) than it is English or French.

Those Saints who shone forth in these lands, now point the way for us, in their love for God and neighbour alike. We might not be able to fix the wrongs of the past (especially as they were not our mistakes); but we can recognize them as being wrong and sinful, that is missing the mark of Christ, as revealed in the Gospel.

We can’t offer apologies, and gestures of reconciliation, that are empty sentiments and baseless words; Rather we, like the Saints, should offer our repentance (that is turn back to God) and offer our prayers, fasting, and works, in supplication for ourselves and these peoples. Bringing it all to the Lord

We shouldn’t hang onto history and tradition, as something that is of more value than the lives of a people and their culture. Rather, we should heed the witness of the Saints who would go so far as to “hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, (and even one’s own nation and culture) yes, and his own life also” (Lk. 14:25) in following Christ, and serving Him.

We can never condone any violence and vandalism in this tragedy, but we can seek to heal and understand the profound pain that has caused such a reaction, greeting it with the humility and love of the Saints, who bore all things for Christ, as the Lord bore all things for us.

We can not expect anyone else to solve this crisis, nor can we ignore our Mission as Christians because of this tragedy. We (Orthodox Christians) like the Saints, have to “make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt. 28:19). Changing not the culture and life of a people, rather opening their hearts to life.

Like the Saints, we have to “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:13), even if it is hard for those around us to hear, even if it makes us look like fools. We have to speak of this tragedy, and we also have to speak of the only reconciliation that can happen between Indigenous peoples and everyone else; the reconciliation of our broken humanity with the Creator. That of God’s saving love, and only that love.

All Saints of North America, pray to God for us in the crisis of confusion and pain.