THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
The recent departure of a priest from the Roman Catholic parish in Fort Smith had nothing to do with tension over the incorporation of aboriginal elements into church services.

Bishop Mark Hagemoen says Father Paul Payyapilly of St. Joseph's Parish in Fort Smith was called back to India. - NNSL file photo

"Absolutely not," said Bishop Mark Hagemoen of the Mackenzie-Fort Smith Diocese. "The reason for his departure from the parish was he was called back by his bishop in his diocese in India."

Father Paul Payyapilly first served in Fort Smith for five months in 2007, and returned in 2010. His last service in the community was on July 7, and he is now in Edmonton for a retreat before returning to India after about 10 years in Canada.

"So in Father Paul's case, he was here on an extension of the initial term of agreement, and that extension had come to an end," said Hagemoen, noting half of the priests in the Mackenzie-Fort Smith Diocese are international priests serving under such arrangements.

Payyapilly's departure led to speculation in the parish that it was related to some resistance to his incorporation of aboriginal symbols and ceremonies, such as drumming and the burning of sweet grass, into Mass at St. Joseph's Cathedral.

"I think many were wondering if that was the reason, and perhaps the timing was poor in the sense of when the term of Father Paul's agreement had expired," said Hagemoen. "That was not the reason, clearly."

Many people in Fort Smith were upset by Payyapilly's departure. There was even a resolution passed at last month's Dene National Assembly held in Fort Smith calling for him to remain in the parish.

Hagemoen, who attended the assembly, noted there was an impromptu meeting called at that time by about 15 people in the parish.

"They were aboriginal and non-aboriginal who were concerned, not so much just about Father Paul's move, but were concerned about the tension in the parish and how that was affecting the parish," he said.

The bishop said the once-a-month aboriginal Mass is appreciated by many people, both aboriginal and non-aboriginal, for incorporating certain aboriginal symbols and practices into the Catholic Eucharistic liturgy.

"And others have not been comfortable with that for whatever reason," he said.

Hagemoen noted there are aboriginal liturgies in communities throughout the diocese, and he believes that has been accepted elsewhere.

"The rightful incorporation of aboriginal elements into Catholic liturgy is certainly something that is a feature of this diocese," he said. "There is always a tension in every community between what are the elements of the Catholic Eucharistic Mass that make it the Holy Mass and how do aboriginal, or any other elements for that matter, incorporated into it honour those elements, and in what way are they not properly a part of the Eucharistic Mass. And that tension – it's a good tension, actually – is always with us. So, my sense is that was a very strong tension in Fort Smith that was being worked out and is still being worked out."

The bishop said Father Bernie Black, the new priest in Fort Smith, will have to work with the community to deal with that.

As for whether the aboriginal Mass will continue in Fort Smith, Hagemoen said that will be up to the new priest.

"As a bishop, I wouldn't say whether it should or should not continue," he said. "What I would say as a bishop is that the proper enculturation of the liturgy is a feature of this diocese. This diocese is 75 per cent aboriginal and so it must be a feature, not only of what we do with our rituals, including the Holy Mass, but what we do with our pastoral care and other elements of life of a Catholic Church."

Hagemoen said the discussion has "definitely fired up people" in St. Joseph's Parish and in the larger Fort Smith community.

"And, I would look forward to that community trying to find their way through the diversity that's there to a healthy church unity," he said.

Louise Fraser, a long-time member of the parish, believes there is division.

"If we work together and forgive, I think it can be worked out. But there is a division," she said. "There are certain people that have a problem with the aboriginal components in our Mass."

Fraser, who is of Metis heritage, praised the efforts of Payyapilly to incorporate aboriginal culture into the church, noting he tried hard and was succeeding in bringing aboriginal people to Mass.

However, she also said it was heartbreaking to see the resistance he faced.

"When Father did it, there seemed to be a little reluctance," she noted, although she added some people who initially resisted aboriginal components in the Mass came to appreciate it.

Fraser said a core group didn't.

The people opposed to the changes at one time played a big role in the church through such things as readings and taking collections, she noted "They felt that Father wanted everybody to play a role in it, not just a certain core group."

Fraser wishes Payyapilly could have stayed at St. Joseph's Parish, adding she hopes he might return in the future.

She also noted the recent events will not stop her from attending church.

"I love St. Joseph's," Fraser said. "I will miss Father Paul immensely. But that's my church and I will be going to church. I'm not going to leave the church because of that."