1975-2010
PAT GRISE AND WALTERA VAN GENNIP: BEGINNINGS IN ONTARIO
Our joint story began in 1975. We had each been teaching at Loretto Abbey, Toronto for some years. We were friends with many shared interests. As members of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Loretto Sisters), founded by Mary Ward, we were given an exciting assignment: to live in a small Ojibway village reserve in northern Ontario.
We stayed with the community of Mobert (exactly halfway between Sault Ste Marie and Thunder Bay) for seven years. During the first two years we shared responsibility for a K-5 school with 52 students. At the same time the community experienced a range of serious social needs; the people asked us to be available full-time for pastoral care ministry. When we stopped teaching they built a house for us, as well as a new church for the village.
By 1982 the community of Mobert had achieved many positive changes in the areas of spiritual and social well-being. We were ready for a sabbatical year, and they were ready to send us on to a place where our gifts would be needed more. We came to Saskatchewan that summer.
We spent a year studying (Pat in Saskatoon and Waltera in Regina), and explored Saskatchewan to find out where we might serve as an experienced pastoral care team. There were many possibilities and some invitations. The Prince Albert area showed the greatest need, and, through Bishop Blaise Morand, extended the strongest invitation.
KATERI HOUSE, PRINCE ALBERT SK
On August 15, 1983 we started Kateri House in Prince Albert. We chose to keep our ministry home-based, so that we could offer flexible hours and a welcoming environment to those who might turn to us for pastoral care. While changing needs in the community call us to shift our emphasis from time to time, our basic ministry approach continues to be effective. We seek to provide pastoral care as requested, where people live, in their daily environment.
As the city of Prince Albert continues to grow (now over 41,000), its First Nations and Metis people make up approximately 50% of the total population. In the Prince Albert Grand Council territory 71% of the members are under 30 years of age. We find that our work is more necessary than ever. Kateri House has remained an active Catholic presence in Prince Albert, and passed its 25th anniversary in 2008.
HOLY CROSS PARISH
STURGEON LAKE FIRST NATION SK
The Kateri House ministry team also has responsibility for the pastoral care of Holy Cross Parish at Sturgeon Lake First Nation SK. Sturgeon Lake has a population of 2500, of whom about 1800 live on reserve. this population has tripled between 2001 and 2008. Approximately half of the families have Catholic roots. Many combine their traditional spiritual beliefs and practices with their Catholic faith. There is an expressed need for culturally appropriate faith formation and pastoral care.
FOUNDING KATERI’S COMPANIONS IN MINISTRY
Throughout our first ten years of ministry we heard from people of First Nations communities across Canada, and we saw for ourselves, that there was a great need for committed people with culturally appropriate training to be available for holistic pastoral care. We had a persistent dream, to invite women and men with vision and commitment to join together to devote their talents and energies to respond to this need. To follow our call we ourselves would have to leave the Loretto Sisters.
On January 6, 1986 we made our commitment as the first members of a new lay mission association, Kateri’s Companions in Ministry.
In the summer of 1988 we came to the end of our employment contract with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Prince Albert. By then Kateri’s Companions in Ministry was legally incorporated as a charitable organization, with the power to issue receipts for donations. We decided not to abandon our ministry but to depend on donations for our personal support and for the work of Kateri House, although we would accept remuneration for any work in keeping with our mission.
Through the years different women and men spent time in ministry with us while discerning their vocations. Some went on to mission elsewhere in Canada. In April 2004 Roy Wilmhoff joined Kateri’s Companions, sent as a missionary by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. On January 27, 2009, Roy made a permanent commitment as a member of our lay mission association.
Kateri’s Companions in Ministry continued with three core members with a permanent commitment to mission, always open to welcome individuals who might be experiencing a similar calling.
