Sun shines on the Shrine
Published Friday August 15th, 2008
Rain and clouds disappear as faithful make pilgrimage to Skiff Lake's Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi
The sun beamed down brightly on the Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi in Skiff Lake on Sunday – a rarity in these days of cloud and rain.
But the approximately 300 faithful who took in the 85th Shrine Sunday on Aug. 10 were able to bask in the glow of sunshine and the glow of worship during the moving and colourful outdoor service.
"Believe it or not the clouds parted in time for the service," said Donna van Katz of Dow Settlement, a long-time volunteer and organizer for the event.
In fact, van Katz noted, the weather forced the colourful umbrellas to open, but they were used as protection from the sun, not rain.
"It went well," she added, noting the temperature around noon was in the low 20s, making it more comfortable for everyone, especially the seniors.
As usual, she noted, the moving sermons, important Catholic traditions and the colourful and spiritually rich contributions of the First Nation leaders and the Knights of Columbus left a lasting impression on those in attendance.
Bishop Robert Harris of the Diocese of St. John conducted Mass, with Rev. Brian Wetmore as concelebrant. Father Andre Comptois, a spiritual advisor for secular Franciscans, flew in from Montreal to deliver a detailed history on St. Francis of Assisi and take an active role in the afternoon liturgy.
Maliseet leaders from local First Nation communities once again played an important role during Shrine Sunday.
"The natives come every year because of the Shrine's connection with Meductic," explained van Katz.
She noted the historic church in Skiff Lake is linked to the famous Maliseet trail, which once carried native traders from their communities near Meductic to Saint John and parts of Maine.
van Katz said native medicine man Charles Solomon from Kingsclear passed on the traditions, such as the sweet grass ceremony and drumming, to younger generations.
At Sunday's service, she said, "a hush fell over the crowd" as the procession marched to the alter to the sounds of native drumming. She noted the single repetitive drum beat during the recitation of the Rosary represented the beating heart.
The Rosary prayer, she added, was recited in six different languages, including Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus.
van Katz said Judge Graydon Nicholas noted the Lourdes in Paris offers 10 languages.
"He said ‘pretty soon will be like Lourdes,'" recalled van Katz.
Among the estimated 300 people who took in Sunday's Shrine were a group of young people who walked the approximately 31 kilometres along the NB Trail from St. Clement's church in McAdam as part of a pilgrimage to the Shrine.
They camped overnight on the grounds of the Skiff Lake church. She said it was a tiring, but enjoyable trek, for the young people.
"The kids talked about what they saw along the trail," said van Katz.
The long-time Shrine volunteer said such pilgrimages are rare in North America, but common elsewhere.
"It's a very European thing," van Katz noted.
The Shrine, with its 85th year now history, continues to attract people from around the region, the province, Maine and across Canada and the U.S. Many people, van Katz noted, return year after year.
The 300 worshippers at this year's Shrine Sunday was down from previous years. Weather may have been a factor, said Patricia Paul of Woodstock First Nation, who, along with her husband Wayne, regularly attends the religious event.
"While sun came out during the service," she said, "the morning began as dark and rainy."
van Katz agreed. She said many people, especially seniors have trouble dealing with the rainfall and wet grounds.
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